Thursday, June 29, 2006

Reverse evolution theory about the Johor Bigfoot 

The Johor Bigfoot could be a Homo erectus that had undergone "reverse evolution".

Homo erectus ("upright man") is a hominid species that is believed to be an ancestor of modern humans. It is a large-brained species which lived from approximately two million to around 400,000 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:46 PM

Soo Michigan police investigate UFO report 

Check out the accompanying illustration.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:43 PM

CYCLING GHOST SEEN ON BYPASS 

Is the Louth bypass haunted by a ghost on a bike?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:40 PM

FBI says there was no serial killer in Nome 

A string of disappearances and mysterious deaths of Native villagers visiting Nome was not the work of a serial killer, an FBI analysis of the cases has concluded.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:32 PM

Branch County horse possibly attacked by cougar 

A horse on a rural Amish farm in Branch County is recovering after suffering what its owners are calling very mysterious injuries. They believe the injuries came from an animal attack, possibly a cougar.

For more on cougars in Michigan see here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:22 PM

Thefts of Rare Maps Shatter The Small World of Collectors 

Mr. Smiley, who had been a highly esteemed dealer in antiquities, pleaded guilty last week in federal and state courts in New Haven, Conn., to stealing rare maps from Beinecke Library at Yale University.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 PM

Mystery apes are 'fat chimps' 

A tribe of apes living in remote forests in the northern Democratic Republic of Congo are unusually large chimpanzees, not a new species of giant ape or a chimp-gorilla hybrid, New Scientist says.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 PM

Research aims at understanding mysterious music phenomenon 

Mari Kimura is a New York based solo violinist that usually lectures at the acknowledged Juilliard School of Music. She is one of the extremely few people who can produce controlled subharmonic tones on violin.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:07 PM

Tomb's last coffin holds mystery, not mummy 

Archaeologists had hoped that the first tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 80 years would hold the mummy of King Tut's mother. They opened the last of eight sarcophagi Wednesday, revealing no mummies but finding something almost as valuable: embalming materials and ancient woven flowers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:02 PM

18th-century mystery is history 

Was a glass whiskey flask discovered locally in an old log cabin produced at the time of the Whiskey Rebellion?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:01 PM

Theorists unmoved by UFO denial 

Last month, the British Ministry of Defence made public a top secret report on UFOs, concluding that three decades of sightings had failed to produce evidence of visiting extraterrestrials.

Case closed for alien aficionados? Not so.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:56 PM

FOUND! 

A bronze relic that Colorado historians feared was lost long ago - and may prove a key piece of state history - has been found by Howard Delaney, a 94-year-old Catholic monsignor in Pueblo.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:53 PM

Has Noah's Ark Been Found? 

A team of Texas archaeologists believe they may have located the remains of Noah's Ark in Iran's Elburz mountain range.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:48 PM

Texas political adviser convicted of abuse 

A political consultant whose company was behind a television ad accusing the Clinton-Gore administration of giving away nuclear technology was convicted of child molestation charges.

Just add his name to the list. Why is the Republican party full of child molesters?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 PM

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

The Visionary State: A Journey through California's Spiritual Landscape 

Sounds like a neat book.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:01 PM

If I Only Had a Plane 

Rigorous Intuition sticks it to Farhad Manjoo. Thanks RI!

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:23 PM

What Were Those Clouds? 

Freakish weather in Iowa. With pics and video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:52 AM

Alton Mystery Animal 

With mysterious pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:44 AM

Color-changing chameleon snake discovered in jungles of Borneo 

Scientists discovered a species of snake capable of changing colors.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:41 AM

Neighbors discover 4-foot shark while on daily desert walk 

The deadly land shark returns.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:39 AM

Mystique surrounds Engine 231 

It is, without question, one of Richmond's most fascinating deep-down legends and mysteries -- one that must be investigated with the greatest of care.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:37 AM

What's an android without a head? 

Philip K. Dick has gone missing, and now Hollywood finds itself an android short. An actual android.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:36 AM

Cosmic Log : Your UFO sightings 

Are UFOs real? Well, it all depends on what you mean by unidentified flying objects. Obviously there are things that seem to fly in the sky that we can't quite make out - but are they Frisbee disks or flying saucers, neurological glitches or interdimensional visitors?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:34 AM

Man on 16-year hunt for dreamed treasure 

A dream about discovering treasures on a mountain has driven a farmer to spend 16 years chiseling away at the slopes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:30 AM

Will Amazon's Stonehenge rewrite history? 

Brazilian archaeologists say the extraordinary discovery of what appears to be a pre-colonial astrological observatory in the rainforest near French Guiana, throws new light on the ancient peoples of the Amazon, illuminating a far more intricate and advanced society than previously thought.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:27 AM

Historic Literary Couple Are Reunited After 142-Year Separation 

The remains of Nathaniel Hawthorne's wife and his daughter were reburied Monday in the Hawthorne family plot in Concord, Mass.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:27 AM

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

HOW TO protect yourself from cops when pulled over 

Boing Boing has the link to the video. Important stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:09 AM

Limbaugh, Viagra, and the Dominican Republic 

Cannonfire has some questions about Limbaugh's latest mis-adventure.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 AM

What is it? 

A bizarre pear-shaped object has been photographed zooming around Saturn by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 AM

Discovery of vertical wall boosts hopes of existence of Bosnian pyramid 

Archaeologists working on an excavation site in Bosnia say there is increasing evidence of the existence of a man-made pyramid at the site.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:50 AM

How to deal with a lunar conspiracy theorist 

Remember when Buzz Aldrin punched that guy in the face? Yeah, that was sweet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 AM

Guardians of an ancient lore 

The ancient art of Indian wrestling.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:43 AM

BATTLE TREASURE ON EBAY 

Treasure hunters are raiding historic Scots battlefields - then selling ancient relics on the internet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:42 AM

Glacier expert says Earth's climate is changing abruptly 

Earth's climate is undergoing an abrupt change, ending a cooler period that began with a swift "cold snap" in the tropics 5,200 years ago that coincided with the start of cities, the beginning of calendars and the biblical great flood, a leading expert on glaciers has concluded.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 AM

Spooky Sightings Aboard Historic Boat 

Some Visitors to Mystic Seaport Have Reported Feeling Strange Presences.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:30 AM

Invisible Ink Got Deadly Gang Message Past Guards 

Federal prosecutors have introduced stacks of coded documents in the current case against alleged kingpins Bingham, Barry "The Baron" Mills and two lesser figures. The evidence includes a gang membership list encoded in a dual-alphabet cipher devised by Sir Francis Bacon and a call to arms embedded in the text of a library book on Napoleon Bonaparte.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:05 AM

The First Gravity Engine 

Peter Lindemann reviews the book Perpetual Motion: An Ancient Mystery Solved? by John Collins, who documents the scientific evidence for Johann Bessler's gravity engine of three centuries ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:00 AM

New sea spider species found in icy waters 

More than 10 new species of spiders from the sea have been identified, including some with legs spanning half a metre.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:59 AM

Limbaugh Detained After Viagra Found 

I just love the headline.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:55 AM

Monday, June 26, 2006

Strange Maine 

Some fun new posts over at Strange Maine, with a special guest appearance by Loren Coleman. Man, he's everywhere these days...

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:33 AM

WWII color guncam footage 

Amazing.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:25 AM

Top 10 Strangest Japanese Gadgets and Accessories 

I could use that Nap Alarm right about now...

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:21 AM

Collapsible bike trailer has comfortable bunk for camper 

Extremely cool.

See also the Ten Dollar Digital Camera

And the Chinese wooden bike

And I so want one of these........

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:09 AM

Harriet, the world's oldest tortoise, dies aged 176 

A 176-year-old giant tortoise believed to have been studied by famed English naturalist Charles Darwin, has died in Australia after a short illness.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:00 AM

Author suggests we can strengthen our sixth sense 

Got a hunch you might want to be a psychic - or at least more intuitive? Anyone can tap into their sixth sense, which can be honed and strengthened with exercise and determination just like any other muscle, says Susan Barbara Apollon, author of a book chronicling her and others' experiences with intuition and psychic experiences.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:19 AM

What's Up With The Rocks? 

Is Tampa Bay Atlantis?

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:13 AM

Rigorous Intuition (v. 2.0) 

New Rigorous.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:44 AM

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Killers' Sasquatch Sketches 

Psycho Sasquatch Sketches!

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:00 PM

Egypt archaeologists find sarcophagi near pyramids 

Egyptian archaeologists have found two ancient sarcophagi close to the pyramids, the head of Egypt's Supreme Council for Antiquities said on Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:33 PM

Pilot confirms story of claimant to Howard Hughes' fortune 

A 68-year-old former pilot has come forward to bolster the account of a Utah man who says he rescued Howard Hughes in the desert in 1967 and was subsequently written into the billionaire's will.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:24 PM

Man, not beast 

The mysterious tracks spotted on Clearwater Beach in the late '40s caused quite a stir. Were they left by a monster? A giant penguin? The answer eluded everyone. Well, almost everyone.

Another Confessing Sam.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:20 PM

The intergalactic tourists came a really long way 

This stretch of desert north of Las Vegas teems with rumors of alien visitors, but don't expect to find many answers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:19 PM

Did Hitler's rule follow script penned by playwright Ibsen? 

Interesting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:48 PM

Mysteries of the Masons 

Will the Freemasons be the next Opus Dei?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:44 PM

JonBenet's killer likely to remain free 

For nearly 10 years, she lived under "an umbrella of suspicion."

Patsy Ramsey's death Saturday probably won't erase that suspicion - or alter the status of a mystery many close to the case doubt will ever be solved.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:40 PM

Deaths of doctor, boys still a mystery 

Since a Godfrey oncologist threw his two young sons off a Miami Beach balcony and then jumped to his own death, the question has been "why?"

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:38 PM

King Tut's necklace shaped by fireball 

Scientists believe they have solved the mystery surrounding a piece of rare natural glass at the centre of an elaborate necklace found among the treasures of Tutankhamun, the boy pharaoh.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:35 PM

Friday, June 23, 2006

1,000 skeletons found in Rome catacombs 

ARCHAELOGISTS exploring one of Rome's oldest catacombs have discovered more than 1,000 skeletons dressed in elegant togas.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:25 AM

Shells Could Be Earliest Jewelry 

Ancient beads that may represent the oldest attempt by people at self-decoration have been identified from sites in Algeria and Israel.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:42 AM

Ill-fated invasion was gift to Egyptologists 

The West has never forgotten Napoleon's invasion of Egypt (1798-1801), a brief and violent occupation that ended with a French army, abandoned by the soon-to-be-emperor, surrendering in thirst and hunger to inferior British forces.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:41 AM

Cryptozoology: From Nessie to yeti 

This summer, in the major exhibition "Cryptozoology: Out of Time Place Scale," the Bates College Museum of Art presents 16 artists in a wide-ranging examination of a field enjoying an increasingly high profile in pop culture.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:37 AM

UFO Research: Findings vs. Facts 

For decades now, eyes and sky have met to witness the buzzing of our world by Unidentified Flying Objects, termed UFOs or simply flying saucers. Extraterrestrials have come a long way to purportedly share the friendly skies with us.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:27 AM

Thursday, June 22, 2006

The Wonders of St. John's Day 

Prepare for the weirdness of June 24.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:25 PM

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Rigorous Intuition (v. 2.0) 

New posts over at Rigorous Intuition (v. 2.0).

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:48 PM

Expedition to hunt monsters 

The six-person expedition will spend a fortnight investigating stories of a giant sea monster buried on Bungalow Beach and the fearful Ninki-Nanka, a 30-ft lizard said to be a killer of humans.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:07 PM

Ghost World 

Searching for spooks in the Northeast with the International Society of Phantom Finders.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:00 PM

Bigfoot sighting in Cass County -- fact or myth? 

Remote Six Mile Lake Road in eastern Cass County (just west of Ball Club) experienced more than a normal share of traffic this week as curiosity seekers came in carloads to view the large, mysterious footprints left on the edge of the road.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:52 PM

Ambitious project to map Island's underwater caves 

A project to map out the underworld cave systems of Bermuda is due to start within the next 12 months and it is likely cave divers will explore regions of the Island never before seen.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 PM

Pirate of the Republic sentenced 

A suspended sentence given to a French mercenary who overthrew the Comoros government four times has disappointed residents of the Indian Ocean archipelago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:39 PM

Study: San Andreas fault overdue for quake 

New earthquake research confirms the southern end of the San Andreas fault near Los Angeles is overdue for a Big One. The lower section of the fault has not produced a major earthquake in more than three centuries.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:33 PM

Study: Fish Make Antifreeze in Their Stomachs 

Headline of the week.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 PM

Solstice ritual still 

To our ancient ancestors, eking a living by hunting and farming, the first day of summer was a joyous time.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:25 PM

Planets Visible in Night Sky 

Three easily visible: Mars and Saturn -- close together in the western sky -- and Jupiter, further to the south.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:22 PM

Sploid: Who killed Philip Merrill? 

Washington GOP insider Philip Merrill's body was dragged from Chesapeake Bay on Monday, 11 miles from where his sailboat was found last week, an anchor tied around his ankles and his head disfigured from a shotgun blast.

It now appears the multimillionaire publisher who held top Bush Family appointments at NATO and the Pentagon mysteriously "committed suicide" in exactly the same fashion as CIA-Watergate operative and JFK-assassination figure John Paisley.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:11 PM

Police doubt Dodds's account 

What the hell happened to Gary Dodds?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:05 PM

A day to celebrate the sun 

For eons, pagan religions have celebrated the event -- officially marking the first day of summer on the Gregorian calendar -- as a holiday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 AM

Ohio sky mystery 

The people of Central Ohio's Tuscarawas Valley were terrorized by bright, booming objects in the sky early Monday morning.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:35 AM

The cocktail to beat cancer? 

A potent mix of herbs and vitamins devised by a European specialist has brought new hope to men with advanced prostate cancer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:24 AM

Research on qigong 

The Art of Qi.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:22 AM

VA says no to Wiccan symbol 

Marine Lance Cpl. Eric Ballard says the Department of Veterans Affairs is denying him a right by not permitting him to have the pentacle -- his Wiccan faith's symbol -- engraved on his government-issued tombstone when he dies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:16 AM

Peru opens Caral ruins to tourists 

After years of painstaking restoration work, Peru's Caral ruins are to be opened to tourists who are now being invited to visit the oldest city in the Americas.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:03 AM

'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found 

The Wired interview with Gary McKinnon.

Is it remarkable that he hacked NASA with a dial-up 56k modem?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:45 AM

Amazing Pedal Car Auction! 

Longtime Pedal Car collector Mr. Ted Cygan is auctioning off his entire collection. Many are customized and one-of-a-kind.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:30 AM

Yowie Man may run in elections 

THE wrath of parents may be the least of ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope's concerns after the announcement the nation's chief yowie hunter may fight him at the next election.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 AM

Family hopes 'witching sticks' point to relatives 

Dowsers employ their craft to find forgotten graves, but it doesn't work for everyone.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:56 AM

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

"Boston brakes" and a mystery death 

Interested in a little deep-dish conspiracy theory? Do you have a weakness for that tried-and-true formula: "Newsclips + speculation = samsara"? Then you may enjoy the following tale, which gets us into X-File territory. Literally.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:07 PM

Sploid: Down the memory hole 

More on the death of the electric car. Read it and weep. These bastards would get rid of the bicycle if they thought they could get away with it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:33 PM

Buy Yeti History 

Interested in purchasing a piece of Yeti history? Check out the new auction on eBay for an authentic 1960 scientific sample from the Hillary-Perkins' World Book expedition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:31 PM

Fred Gardner: the Long War on Aspirin 

Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause for calls to Poison Control Centers (133,000 in '04, more than half required a trip to the ER or doctor's office).

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:44 PM

Fragment of scandalous fresco comes to light 

A mystery that has tantalised art scholars for centuries moved closer to resolution today when part of a scandalous Renaissance fresco came to light after almost 400 years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:37 PM

A mystery with history 

Who were the ancient copper miners of Michigan? And where did the copper go? A new book tries to find answers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:35 PM

See Dick Be Jane 

The country's youngest transgender child is ready for school. But is school ready for her?

Interesting article about "Nicole", a five-year-old transgendered child.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM

Stonehenge Watch 

Neat. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:22 PM

Wild time in the jungle 

She did not manage to see Bigfoot and his family but ZALINA MOHD SOM came away from Endau-Rompin National Park with lots of magical memories.

In case you were thinking of going.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:53 AM

The Cards of Destiny: Gambling, Luck and Magic 

Heritage Malta will be exploring tarot cards and their mystical explanations of life and destiny in an exhibition at the Inquisitor's Palace in Vittoriosa.

One more reason to go to Malta.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:51 AM

Before 9/11 was the fire at Triangle 

The Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire may no longer be top-of-thought for today's average New Yorker. But perhaps it should be. The parallels to 9/11 are striking.

Book review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 AM

Melvin recalls Howard 

At the edge of a lonesome valley studded with Joshua trees, Melvin Dummar flopped facedown in the dirt with his head pointed west and his legs splayed out behind him.

This, Dummar said, was what Howard Hughes looked like when Dummar stumbled across the bruised and bloodied billionaire on a frigid night in December 1967.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:45 AM

UFO PICTURED IN CARNIVAL FLYPAST 

Amateur photographer Ray Gilbert reckons he caught more than one flying object on camera when a Dakota aeroplane completed a flypast over Grantham Carnival on Saturday.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:42 AM

Tiger, Tiger . . . Lost Forever 

Unless you're a cryptozoologist, that is. An article on the Tasmanian tiger.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:36 AM

The Daily Item of Lynn: More Coverage > Buried treasures 

Everyday items like coins and the newspaper meant to document a slice of history are likely the contents of two separate time capsules planted at the recently sold branch libraries more than 65 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:34 AM

Zen and the Art of Dumpster Diving 

Is there anything wrong with digging through people's trash or dining on pigeons? Two authors explore the filth and treasure of the scavenger's life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:32 AM

Quest for Colorado's Spanish cross 

A piece of a centuries-old bronze cross found on a rocky side of the Grand Mesa 45 years ago could put a new spin on Spanish exploration in Colorado.

Searching for Cibola.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:31 AM

Monday, June 19, 2006

Bush Election Theft Saga Heats Up In Ohio 

Democracy dead in O-hio.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:33 PM

A trip through Kansas' more unusual tourist attractions 

Ghosts, black squirrels, mummified farmers. Kansas has it all.

Nice article for all you Jayhawks out there. Rock Chalk!

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:31 PM

Deaths prompted psychic research 

This tragedy would have been forgotten long ago had it not been for a strange event that occurred the next day in an Old Town hotel 18 miles away. Over the noon meal, Henry T. Sparks, superintendent of the Brewer Public Works Department, was describing to Samuel D. Crocker, proprietor of the Crocker Hotel, about where searchers thought the bodies might be located in the pond.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:29 PM

Andover's solstice stones mark the changing seasons 

In 1911, Mabel Ward traveled to England and visited Stonehenge, the mysterious monument that some believe was an ancient solar observatory.

She returned home to Andover, and almost three decades later, still inspired by her trip, had a set of solstice stones built on her property.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:28 PM

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Did game predict 9/11? 

1995 Card Game "Illuminati" Accurately Foretold 9/11 and Other World Events.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:50 PM

Flashback: Houston Bat Man 

Fifty-three years ago on this date in 1953, a mysterious encounter occurred at 118 East Third Street, Houston, Texas. The sighting will forever be characterized as the "Houston Bat Man."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:35 PM

Psychics see success in their future 

Browne is a psychic- medium, meaning she -- at least according to her -- receives information beyond her five senses and hears the musings of the dead.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:22 PM

National parks' ghost stories make spooky campfire fun 

Even the most skeptical will find much of interest here because author Andrea Lankford, a former National Park Service Ranger, has uncovered as much fascinating history as she has mapped alleged paranormal activities.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:18 PM

Walking Ghost Caught On Tape? 

Over the years, many unexplained happenings were being experienced by the staff and volunteers at the Valentown Museum.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:15 PM

UNMASKED: THE REAL PIRATES 

Blackbeard and his peers have been romanticised as swashbuckling heroes and treasure-hunting outlaws, but history suggests a darker story. Barry Didcock goes in search of the truth behind the legends.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:55 PM

Seeking World War Two gold 

Such talk is almost a national pastime in the Philippines, where it's called "Yamashita's Gold" after the commanding officer who surrendered to American forces there. But only after he buried billions in war loot, the story goes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:55 PM

Shadows in a Tomb 

For years, Robert E. Hecht sold many of Italy's national treasures. The question now is: Was he stealing?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:39 PM

DNA testing adopted to identify Confucius descendants 

Those who claim themselves as descendants of Confucius would soon know whether it is true or not by offering a hair for DNA testing, Chinese scientists said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:37 PM

Archaeologists Rush To Survey Ancient Sites 

Archaeology teams are scrambling to record what is left of ancient cultures that once thrived in southern Utah before an increasing number of tourists passing through the area inadvertently harm historical artifacts.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:36 PM

Researcher claims he has photo of 1976 UFO over Clovis 

Thirty years after UFOs were reportedly sighted hovering over Clovis skies, another photograph of the event has surfaced.

No pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:30 PM

Your Genetic Journey - The Genographic Project 

Did you ever wonder about your most ancient ancestors? The Genographic Project will introduce you to them, and explain the genetic journeys that bond your personal lineage over tens of thousands of years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:03 PM

African-American Voters Scrubbed by Secret GOP Hit List 

Greg Palast has the story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:02 PM

Jade Axes Proof of Vast Ancient Caribbean Network, Experts Say 

A discovery of ancient jade could shake up old notions of the New World before Columbus. Scientists say they have traced 1,500-year-old axe blades found in the eastern Caribbean to ancient jade mines in Central America 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) away, New York's American Museum of Natural History announced late last month.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:01 PM

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Aerospace writer's mystery death 

Michael A. Dornheim, who spent 22 years covering the super-secret multi-billion-dollar aerospace industry in California, vanished on June 3 after having dinner with friends.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:21 PM

Archaeological site yields dental surprise 

The upper front teeth of the remains had been ground down so they could be mounted with animal teeth, possibly wolf or panther teeth, for ceremonial purposes, according to researchers led by Tricia Gabany-Guerrero of the University of Connecticut.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:07 PM

Amazing Nebraska Cryptid Photo 

A remarkable photographic image has been snapped on the morning of June 13, 2006, in a woman's backyard in the Midwestern state of Nebraska.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:04 PM

Philosopher or faker? 

More than a century after she lived in a rowhouse on Sansom Street, a chain-smoking mystic and her teachings still attract spiritual seekers and the curious.

Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky helped introduce Eastern religions to the West and practiced the occult. She inspired devotion and suspicion, and some researchers say the modern "New Age" movement began with her.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:53 PM

Polk guilty of second-degree murder 

In a courtroom she had filled with objections, accusations and proclamations of psychic powers, Susan Polk sat silently Friday as a jury convicted her of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of her therapist husband.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:50 PM

Revealed: Diana inquiry's tantalising new questions 

Astonishing claims by new witnesses are being examined by British detectives investigating Diana's death. They seem incredible. But if true, they could rock the Royal Family to its foundations.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:44 PM

Cattle rustlers a growing menace in Texas 

The era of dusty stagecoaches and wagon trains is long gone but cattle thieves - the bad guys in a thousand Westerns - never quite rode off into the sunset.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:41 PM

Is Prince Philip a god? 

High in a mist-shrouded mountain village, an ancient tribe patiently awaits the return of its divine leader.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:40 PM

Bosnians unite in pyramid selling that pays off for all 

It has spawned a T-shirt, souvenir and hotel industry, drawn thousands of visitors and volunteers every weekend, and become a rare symbol of national unity in a country riven by ruinous sectarian war.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:38 PM

HBOI scientists stumped by Arctic seal found on Caribbean beach 

It seems a hooded seal - a marine mammal that lives on and around packed ice off the coast of Newfoundland - somehow found its way to the tiny island of Anegada in the Caribbean Sea.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:37 PM

Stolen carvings found - after 34 years 

Found on Ebay, of course.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:32 PM

Divers begin search for underwater 'Atlantis' 

Ten divers began a seven-day search for a possible underwater "Atlantis" on Friday in the Fuxian Lake near Kunming, the second-deepest freshwater pool in the country.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:30 PM

Rumor has it ghosts roam this 55-room Pythian Castle 

Isaiah Collins, a carpenter, was replacing a window when words echoed softly through the room. "You're doing just fine," a voice said.

There was only one problem. No one else was in the room with Collins.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:27 PM

Navy says it's likely found long-lost World War II submarine 

The Navy says a wreck found at the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand appears to be a submarine called the U-S-S Lagarto lost since the Second World War.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:25 PM

Friday, June 16, 2006

Searching for spooks 

John Adams brings his unique ghost-hunting talents to Oak Bay.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:58 PM

Man Leads Archaeologists to Frescoed Tomb 

A suspected tomb raider turned police informant has led archaeologists to what experts described Friday as the oldest known frescoed burial chamber in Europe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:48 PM

Partner denies conspiracy charge 

A woman accused of conspiring to murder her partner told a Cornish court on Friday he was obsessed with the occult and hard-core pornography.

Grandmother Margaret James told Truro Crown Court that she did not know of any plan to kill 56-year-old parish councillor Peter Solheim.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:46 PM

Speaking with the Devil: Area author explores 'America's Religious Fringe' 

In his book about extreme forms of religious practices, former Rancho Bernardo resident J.C. Hallman did not have to look far for one of the most striking examples of a belief gone wrong.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:44 PM

Visitors from another world? 

The light in the sky that changed from red to orange to amber and popped side to side, up and down and disappeared and reappeared over Lake Tahoe early Wednesday morning wasn't a star, planet or airplane, swears Allan Brown.

UFO 'sightings' keep Hebron residents guessing, giggling

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:41 PM

Surviving in Bigfoot's backyard 

Teams lose scheme to flush out quarry.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:40 PM

Remains, artifacts on Grand 

Overseeing construction of one of the nation's costliest schools, archaeologist Monica Strauss unearthed a treasure trove of the city's history beneath the LAUSD's former headquarters.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:37 PM

Saturday Marks Anniversary of Union Station Massacre 

Saturday is the anniversary of one of Missouri's most sensational crimes, an event that turned the FBI into the major law enforcement agency it is today. But one investigator thinks FBI lying about the case led to the execution of a man who might not have been there.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:34 PM

Whale carcass found in central Alaska, 1,000 miles from ocean 

The carcass of a young beluga whale was found Friday by canoeists on the Tanana River about 40 miles southwest of Fairbanks — or nearly 1,000 river miles from the Bering Sea, the closest beluga habitat.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:32 PM

BIGFOOT - HOW DO WE KNOW? 

'How do you know?' The Idaho Museum of Natural History poses that exact question in a new exhibit design to tantalize your brain. Starting Friday, the Bigfoot Rendezvous hits the Gate City. Bryan Latham takes a sneak preview.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:32 PM

Thursday, June 15, 2006

MYSTERY DISEASE AFFECTS NEW YORKERS IN WAKE OF 911 ATTACKS 

As the fifth anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. approaches, thousands of those either in the vicinity of the World Trade Center that day or who took part in the rescue and cleanup that followed, are coming down with a respiratory disease that is making them sicker than sick.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:06 PM

The Hungry Chesapeake 

Chesapeake Bay has an appetite for powerful Washington insiders who venture alone on its calm waters.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:49 PM

Backstory on Bigfoot Hand 

Another hand story. Perhaps John the Baptist's other hand?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:03 PM

Ancient Hand Inspires Talk of Miracles 

The right hand of John the Baptist. Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:00 PM

World's largest photo planned 

An image of the former El Toro Marine Air Corps Station will appear upside down and flipped left-to-right on a sheath of light-sensitive fabric after being projected through the tiny hole in the hangar's metal door. The fabric is the length of one-third of a football field and about 3 stories tall.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:44 PM

Astronomer apologizes for meteorite fuss 

A professor at the Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Oslo has issued an editorial apology for what he called "exaggerated explosive force" linked to reports of the recent meteorite strike in Norway.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:40 PM

Rigorous Intuition (v. 2.0) 

New posts over at Rigorous Intuition (v. 2.0).

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:35 PM

Award for academic who used FBI to solve literary mystery 

A Yorkshire academic who carried out ground-breaking studies - involving FBI typewriter experts - of TS Eliot's The Waste Land has won a major award.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:19 PM

How restricting caloric intake may prevent Alzheimer 

"This research is the first to show a connection between nutrition and Alzheimer's Disease neuropathy by defining mechanistic pathways in the brain and scrutinizing biochemical functions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:17 PM

Kumu Nina Maxwell perpetuated hula 

Kumu hula Nina Maxwell, who shared her love of Hawaiian culture and dance with generations of Maui keiki and others, died yesterday at home in Pukalani following a long struggle with heart ailments. She was 68.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:22 AM

Security Breaches in CA Elections 

San Diego County Registrar Admits to Security Lapses Which Would Nullify Legal Use of Systems According to Both State and Federal Requirements, Provisions!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:51 AM

Sex fiend's pagan plan 

Sex fiend Robin Fletcher has been planning to promote pagan rituals featuring floggings and child sex in Ghana, it can be revealed.

Creepy.

See also: Witches fear sex monster.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:29 AM

Hypnotists tap the mind to aid healing 

To ease stress or quit smoking, adherents find help in simple techniques.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:26 AM

Hicks severely damaged, says CIA expert 

Interview with Alfred McCoy, Professor of history at the University of Wisconsin and author of 1972's The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade and the new book A Question of Torture: CIA Interrogation from the Cold War to the War on Terror.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:24 AM

Jury Deliberates Susan Polk's Fate 

Deliberations coninued Wednesday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:17 AM

No shortage of action for local UFO hunter 

Embracing the paranormal is a concept that is alien to most people, but not Barb Campbell.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:10 AM

Man Makes Casts Of Purported Bigfoot Footprints 

The prints were found by a Cass County grater operator near Deer River, Minn.

With pic of cast.

And Mysterious prints create speculation

With pic of track.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:05 AM

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Destination: Whitechapel and Spitalfields 

For the last 30 years, the literary reputation of the working-class London neighborhoods of Spitalfields and Whitechapel has revolved around two men: Nicholas Hawksmoor and Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper, I trust, needs no introduction, and in recent years the architect Hawksmoor's reputation as a designer of churches has begun to rival that of his 18th century contemporary Sir Christopher Wren. But in pop culture both men have also become the focuses for a protean web of mysticism, conspiracy-mongering and alternative mythology.

At Salon, very good.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:38 PM

Antikythera Mechanism, We Hardly Knew You 

It seems all you need to crack the most enigmatic of ancient mysteries is grit, determination, six world class universities and research organizations, a 7.5 ton 3-D state of the art X-ray machine, and funding by both an 80 year old trust and a 160 year old financial institution.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:22 PM

Did the Virgin Queen have a secret love child? | the Daily Mail 

A new TV documentary reveals evidence that could shatter one of the enduring myths about the British monarchy - that Elizabeth I had a secret love child with her courtier Robert Dudley.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:06 PM

The Moon-Bush Cash Conduit 

Over the past quarter century, South Korean theocrat Sun Myung Moon has been one of the Bush family's major benefactors - both politically and financially - while enjoying what appears to be protection against federal investigations into evidence that his cult-like organization has functioned as a criminal enterprise.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:56 PM

Truck Window Shot Out By Mysterious Substance 

Inside the cab, police found a paraffin wax type substance.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:53 PM

Mystery of the missing lynx! 

Is there a lynx on the loose or a panther prowling around Panshanger?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:44 PM

A little sparkle for a mogul's sex life 

A 30-YEAR-OLD legal fight over Howard Hughes' fortune is set to reopen in a Utah courtroom where a former pilot is expected to testify that he took the reclusive billionaire on secret night flights to visit a prostitute with a diamond in her tooth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:40 PM

Druids and moon worship in the sacred landscape of Callanish 

It is probable that Callanish (or Calanais) – which comprises two other stone circles in addition to the main site - was built some 5,000 years ago as a lunar calendar.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:20 PM

Teddy Roosevelt's Revolver Returns To Long Island 

The 38 caliber, Navy issue revolver that Theodore Roosevelt used in action in the Spanish-American War, has been returned to Sagamore Hill, President Roosevelt's home.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:18 PM

Bonehead solves ghost whisperer's skeleton mystery 

What would you do if a medium you'd taken to look for spirits in the forest was drawn to a 15 metre deep shaft at the bottom of which you could see bones that looked like a young child's arm and hand?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:16 PM

'Family man was responsible for series of brutal sex assaults' 

The father of two disguised his voice and wore dirty old clothes to throw police off the scent - 17 years later, an unrelated alelgation brought about his downfall.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:45 PM

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Rigorous Intuition (v. 2.0) 

Jeff at Rigorous Intuition still hasn't been able to get his blog fixed and Blogger seems to have been no help so he has moved to a temporary address here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:49 AM

New Skunk Ape Sighting 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:31 AM

On the right lines 

Dowsing for ley lines.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:24 AM

Former convicts make a new life for themselves through Buddhism 

Master Chan Kung was originally a gangster involved in a crime syndicate. Ten years ago, he established a Buddhist compassion center, the Ta-chueh Tung-hsin-hui, to provide shelter to people and help them in starting a new life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:03 AM

Secretive Bilderberg over but was world domination discussed? 

Probably.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:33 AM

Museum hosts Bigfoot exhibit 

The director of the Idaho Museum of Natural History says it won't matter whether Bigfoot is farce or fact when a new exhibit opens Friday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 AM

Saudi-owned super yacht stormed by FBI on exit from Malta 

The 90-tonne, 60-metre 'Le Pharaone' that flies a Panamanian flag, was intercepted by FBI agents deployed from the US Embassy in Rome, in a bid to arrest the 65-year-old owner, identified as Gaith Rashad Pharaon, a Saudi national wanted in Washington for a series of federal and international crimes ranging from massive fraud to financing terrorism.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:24 AM

Monday, June 12, 2006

Rigorous Intuition: Suspicious Minds 

RI's blog has been on the fritz lately as Blogger has caught some kind of cold it can't get rid of (I've been having trouble too). His new posts aren't showing up on the main page so he's posting links to new posts in the discussion board. Here is one of the latest and I highly recommend it. And be sure to read the comments - very interesting stuff. And drop him a line if you think you can fix his blog.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:41 PM

MYSTICAL MYSTERY 

Mr Peart believes he has uncovered a mystery in the area around the preceptory outside Temple Bruer, near Sleaford.

He thinks churches in the county are linked by a series of lines which form the shape of a pentacle.

Mr. Peart's website is here. Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:23 PM

1930s religious quacks predict Sept 2001 

From the RI discussion board.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:36 AM

Can you hear this? 

They've developed a cell phone ring tone that adults generally can't hear, but kids can.

With link to tone. The Professor can hear it, but then again I'm young at heart.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:25 AM

Fallen star blames self, GOP tactics 

A good example of why Republicans are pure evil.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:22 AM

Take cover: the new goths are coming 

Well, somebody's coming. Probably. Maybe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:16 AM

Violent Crime Up for 1st Time in 5 Years 

Thanks Chimpy!

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:04 AM

NYT Bob Herbert: Kerry 'almost certainly' won Ohio in 2004 

I am shocked! Shocked!

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:03 AM

British Expert: Bosnian Hill No Pyramid at All 

British Expert: Bosnian Hill No Pyramid at All.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:55 AM

Terror in Toronto or Tempest in a Teapot? 

The arrest in Toronto of seventeen men, mostly quite young, for conspiracy to bomb places in Southern Ontario has raised a storm of comment. Unfortunately, much of it has been either premature or wrong.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:52 AM

Hopeful hunters track Bigfoot in the wilds of Clarence 

Is Bigfoot back?

See also: Bigfoot: Johor to verify new info

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 AM

How a treasure hunter struck gold with a mysterious ring 

He had unearthed one of the greatest finds in modern metal-detecting history - a medieval gold ring with a rare diamond, a royal inscription and a mysterious Da Vinci-style royal code all of its own.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:39 AM

A DNA Test to Determine if Nan Britton and Harding Were Lovers? 

President Warren G. Harding died in office 83 years ago this August. This past November, Elizabeth Ann Blaesing died at the age of 86. Elizabeth Ann Blaesing, who did not seek the historical spotlight, was made famous when her mother, Nan Britton, wrote The President's Daughter.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:38 AM

U.S. mad cow cases 'atypical' 

Two cases of mad cow disease in Texas and Alabama seem to have resulted from a mysterious strain that could appear spontaneously in cattle, researchers say.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:31 AM

Genes Governing Embryonic Stem Cell "Immortality" Discovered 

New research has uncovered some of the genes that allow these cells to renew themselves.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 AM

An Entrepreneurial Indiana Jones 

An entrepreneur's search for a mysterious hair goo led to an indigenous tribe in a Central American rainforest, a spot on QVC, and $40 million in projected sales.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:24 AM

Man who wakes from coma develops interest in English, becomes teacher 

Brain injury changes man.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:23 AM

Steeped in legends, Penns Cave flows with American entrepreneurial spirit 

Penns Cave -- or, as some insist, Penn's Cave -- is associated more with mystery than history. It is where young pioneer Malachi Boyer is said to have received his punishment for the capital crime of wooing the American Indian princess Nita-nee.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:20 AM

Putting the gene in genealogy 

Alice Long holds the key to an ancient mystery at the tip of her tongue.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:19 AM

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Search for India's ancient city 

Archaeologists working on India's south-west coast believe they may have solved the mystery of the location of a major port which was key to trade between India and the Roman Empire - Muziris, in the modern-day state of Kerala.

For many years, people have been in search of the almost mythical port, known as Vanchi to locals.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:39 PM

New shark discovered in US waters 

A new type of hammerhead shark has been discovered in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, marine scientists say.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:03 PM

Friday, June 09, 2006

Homolka loses bid to change name 

Convicted killer Karla Homolka has lost her latest legal battle to change her name to Emily Chiara Tremblay, a surname that is one of the most common in Quebec, where she is believed to be living.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:14 PM

Origins of the @ Sign 

In case you were wondering.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:12 PM

Record meteorite hit Norway 

At around 2:05 a.m. on Wednesday, residents of the northern part of Troms and the western areas of Finnmark could clearly see a ball of fire taking several seconds to travel across the sky.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:03 PM

The Djinn of Fire 

A college student encounters the fiery spirit of Islamic folklore.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:22 PM

Digging Depp for buried treasure! 

The world's foremost pirate expert has warned Johnny Depp not to start digging up his Bahamas island retreat looking for Henry Morgan's buried treasure because he won't find a doubloon!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:41 PM

Cannon AFB UFO - HBCC UFO Obtains Only Photo Of UFO Event 

Without pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:40 PM

37 years after snapping photo, Bigfoot talk gets man's goat 

With famous "White Bigfoot" pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:11 PM

New Big Bird Sightings 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:09 PM

How Bush Rigged Ohio Election - The Noe Factor 

By late afternoon on November 2, 2004, nationally, all the exit polls showed John Kerry winning with 50.8% of the votes and showed George W Bush with 48.2%, meaning Kerry had a 2.6% lead over Bush.

But when the vote counts came in at the end of election day, Bush had 50.9% of the votes, and Kerry had 48.1%, meaning Bush received 2.8% more votes than Kerry.

According to Dr Ron Baiman, PhD, from the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois in Chicago, who has 16 years of experience teaching statistics to both graduate and undergraduate college students, there would be about 1 chance in 900,000 of that kind of statistical error occurring.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:50 AM

UFO ABDUCTED TOWN'S RESIDENTS IN 1965 SAYS AUTHOR 

Were you in Grantham on the evening of November 9, 1965?
Yes? Then you were abducted by aliens but inconveniently have had the memory wiped, according to a new book.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:43 AM

Who killed the dodo? 

Its name has passed into common parlance as a byword for obsolescence. But now a new expedition hopes to shed more light on an iconic bird.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:42 AM

Treasure hunters attracted to Japan's legendary Holy Grail 

The lost standard of Amagusa Shiro.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:40 AM

Will renowned psychic make contact with theatre's ghost? 

SUPERNATURAL sleuth Tony Stockwell will be visiting Harrogate Theatre on June.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:37 AM

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Quarrying threatens Shaolin Temple area 

Overzealous quarrying in the Songshan Mountains has endangered the environment in the area that is home to the Shaolin Temple, the spiritual home of kung fu.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:50 PM

'UFO car' beams into spotlight 

Late one August night, almost 30 years ago, a mysterious flash of light bore down on a Marshall County deputy as he was patrolling the western edge of the county.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 PM

Truth Hound: Greg Palast 

A profile.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:43 PM

The Case of the Missing $21 Billion 

Who's Following the Iraq Money?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:40 PM

Scientists probe 2,000-year-old Greek computer 

'Antikythera Mechanism' may be planetary calculator.

See also: Antikythera Mechanism: World's Oldest Computer?

And Ancient 'computer' starts to yield secrets

And X-Tek inspects ancient computer

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:36 PM

Polk was abused, witness testifies 

Domestic-violence expert says slain man was schizophrenic.

With appearance by ghost-whispering psychic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:12 PM

Mystery of the Ages: Who Invented Soccer? 

Where is the birthplace of The Beautiful Game? It's a hot topic for debate and a Hamburg museum is trying to get to the bottom of it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 PM

Mobster 'Tokyo Joe' is dead 

"Toyko Joe," as he was known, was one of the most colorful, well-known characters of Chicago mob lore, a gambling boss who ran a $200,000 a week bolita empire.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 PM

Repository of Rare Treasure 

A historic Gurdwara in the non-descript Mallu Nangal village is a treasure trove of rare manuscripts and old books, thanks to the remarkable efforts of a simple man.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:03 PM

The Sex Murder Files 

A serial killer may be stalking L.A.'s prostitutes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:02 PM

Scotland's Nostradamus and the Queen of the Fairies 

Thomas of Ercildoune - more commonly known as Thomas the Rhymer - was a soothsayer of such repute that for a time his fame rivalled that of the Arthurian magician Merlin.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:59 PM

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

'Black mass mastermind' behind Monster of Florence murders 

Over nearly two decades a serial murderer branded the "Monster of Florence" shot eight courting couples in the Tuscan countryside, invariably at full moon, and sexually mutilated their bodies.

Here is Crime Library's entry on the case.

Novelist Douglas Preston has written an as-yet-to-be-published-unless-you're-a-subscriber piece on the case for the Atlantic but here is an interview about his experience.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:12 PM

Ancient engraved chessboards found on Great Wall 

Archaeologists have found two ancient engraved chessboards probably used by soldiers on the Great Wall more than 700 years ago at Qinhuangdao, North China's Hebei Province.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:05 PM

Cool boots for 06/06/06 

Very cool. Also via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:56 PM

Dictionary of Victorian London 

Very cool. This ought to keep you busy for a while.

Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:53 PM

Now here's a gay marriage everyone can support... 

NSFW (if you work in the White House).

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:26 PM

Upcoming 'Vanity Fair' Article Raises New Issues About 'DaVinci Code' Author 

Just when you thought it was safe...

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:44 PM

Physicists generate ball-lightning in the lab 

With very cool plasma-riffic pic!

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:39 PM

Researchers find hidden Greek text on 'world's oldest astronomy computer' 

A team of Greek and British scientists probing the secrets of the Antikythera Mechanism has managed to decipher ancient Greek inscriptions unseen for over 2,000 years, members of the project say.

Via Warren Ellis.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:52 PM

The Politics of Distraction 

"However, all things which take place in the sexual sphere are not the private affair of the individual, but signify the life and death of the nation" - Heinrich Himmler, Germany, 1937

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:40 PM

Documents show post-war CIA covered up Nazi war crimes 

The 27,000 pages released by the National Archives are among the largest post-World War II declassifications by the Central Intelligence Agency. They offer a window into the shadowy world of U.S. intelligence - and the efforts to use former Nazi war criminals as spies, sometimes to detrimental effect.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:30 PM

FBI releases small part of Vice President's FBI records, withholds 89 percent of files 

The Raw Story's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:20 PM

Satanism famous in Devil Canyon 

Fragments of a home's burned-out foundation are all that remain of a site used frequently for satanic rituals in an isolated corner of San Bernardino.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:29 AM

6-6-06 theories spread on Net 

In a warning to internet users, Father Felix Just said that following the ancient practice of gematria - assigning numerical values to letters - "www" was also equivalent to 666.

We're doomed! Doomed, I tell you!

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:24 AM

Pulp is alive and well 

A review of Paul Malmont's The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:58 AM

Amateur Archaeologists Find Skeletons at Army Ranger Birthplace 

A husband and wife team of amateur archaeologists have unearthed human skeletons, believed to be about 250 years old, at a burial site here on the Hudson River island that's considered the birthplace of today's U.S. Army Rangers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:51 AM

Cliffhanger in Egypt's Valley of the Kings 

Could the small tomb, designated KV63, hold a royal mummy, perhaps that of Tutankhamen's widow or even his mother?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:50 AM

Ghost keeps landlady Jane in good spirits 

THE Woodman Inn is reputed to be the oldest pub in Dewsbury.

In fact, it is so old, it was serving customers when Charles II was King, Isaac Newton discovered gravity, and the Dodo was still walking around in Africa.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 AM

Another Terrorist Attack Coming Soon? 

U.S. Officials Believe Recent Incidents Point To An Imminent Threat.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 AM

Murderous Sasquatches of British Columbia 

Look out for Bigfoot!

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:14 AM

Omni Magazine Predicts The Future--In 1982! 

The future is now!

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:58 AM

Zeppelin seeks diamond stashes in Kalahari 

Also seeking a stairway to heaven.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:53 AM

Native Americans recorded supernova explosion 

Prehistoric Native Americans may have carved a record of a supernova explosion that appeared in the skies a millennium ago into a rock in Arizona, US.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:38 AM

45% doubt 9/11 story 

I am shocked! Shocked!

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:37 AM

Ancient scroll may yield religious secrets 

A collection of charred scraps kept in a Greek museum's storerooms are all that remains of what archaeologists say is Europe's oldest surviving book — which may hold a key to understanding early monotheistic beliefs.

Via Sploid.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:36 AM

Carnivorous Nights: On the Trail of the Tasmanian Tiger by Margaret Mittlebach and Michael Crewdson 

Book review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:20 AM

Lake Monster may be myth, but exhibit is real 

No kidding. Our very own Lake Worth Monster -- the "Goat-Man," if you prefer -- is now considered the most famous of all Texas sasquatch sightings.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:19 AM

New Film Looks At Mexico's Heroic Masked Men 

The movie is based on the true story of legendary Mexican fighter "Fray Tormenta," or Brother Storm, a real Roman Catholic cleric who wrestled in more than 4,000 bouts to raise money for his orphanage.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:17 AM

Olivia Newton John's missing man spotted 

Olivia Newton John's missing boyfriend has apparently been spotted in Mexico.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 AM

Jupiter's Red Spots Are Nearing Each Other 

upiter's well known Great Red Spot storm, and its newly formed Oval BA (aka Red Jr.) are about to sweep past each other, and astronomers aren't quite sure what's going to happen.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:12 AM

Day of the beast? 

It's a hot time for a hellish number.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 AM

UNESCO team to probe Bosnia's mystery pyramid 

Bosnia's mystery pyramid will now be probed and inspected by a team of experts from the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 AM

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Cave face 'the oldest portrait on record' 

A DRAWING discovered by a potholer on the wall of a cave in the west of France appears to be the oldest known portrait of a human face.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:16 PM

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Geller rocked as Presley's home slips from his grasp 

URI Geller's dream of turning the first home Elvis Presley owned into a museum dedicated to the paranormal has been dealt a setback nearly as bizarre as the spoon-bending trick that made the Israeli-born psychic famous.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:53 PM

The Shakespeare Book of Lists 

A collection of 150 everyday expressions that we owe to the Bard.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:56 PM

Prepare for Liftoff 

There is no subtle way to say this: Brian Walker plans to shoot himself nearly 20 miles into the air aboard a homemade rocket launched from what could be the world’s largest crossbow. (Seriously.)

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 PM

Fly-past for Britain's oldest man 

He's also the last remaining founding member of the RAF and the only remaining survivor of the battle of Jutland. And he looks pretty sharp for a buck-ten.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:21 PM

Corrales Heights woman swears she saw UFO here 

Charlott Motter has lived in Rio Rancho since 1975 but she hadn't seen an unidentified flying object since the mid-1950s, when she was at a park in the Washington, D.C., area.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:44 PM

The down-to-earth ghostbuster gets to work 

For more than 30 years, Norman has spent his spare time developing a reputation as one of London's leading exorcists.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:42 PM

Roosevelt's pistol recovered, 16 years after theft 

A pistol that Teddy Roosevelt carried during the Spanish-American War has apparently been recovered, 16 years after it was stolen from a museum on Long Island.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:32 PM

Genetics reveal Florida accountant as descendant of Genghis Khan 

A British research firm recently combed 25,000 DNA samples searching for a modern descendant of Genghis Khan from outside the Mongolian warlord's ancient empire.

They found the first one: a University of Miami accounting professor with a receding hairline.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:53 PM

Friday, June 02, 2006

Who crept into the crypt at Dilston...? 

A Corbridge murder mystery dating back nearly 300 years is intriguing historians.

Cool story. Like a real-life gothic novel.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:58 PM

Navy discovers centuries-old Spanish ship buried in sand 

Navy construction crews have unearthed a rare Spanish ship that was buried for centuries under sand on Pensacola's Naval Air Station, archaeologists confirmed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:47 PM

Giant Crater Found: Tied to Worst Mass Extinction Ever 

An apparent crater as big as Ohio has been found in Antarctica. Scientists think it was carved by a space rock that caused the greatest mass extinction on Earth, 250 million years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:56 AM

Jump on! 

Extreme urban craze Parkour is sweeping New York.

Nice article with good links for you traceurs out there. And since we're on the subject, here's a review of the Parkour-inspired film District 13. I imagine you'll be hearing a lot about Parkour in the near future.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:22 AM

Buy a castle! 

Castles for sale around the world.

Also Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:21 AM

Perversion of Judgement 

An update on the Rachel Bevilacqua/SubGenius child custody case.

Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 AM

Little-known media psychology firm sees Gore landslide, Clinton flop 

A new behavior prediction tool by a media psychology firm is forecasts a landslide victory for former Democratic Vice President Al Gore in the 2008 presidential election should he run for office -- but says if Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) wins the Democratic nod, any potential Republican challenger will emerge victorious.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:35 AM

George W. Bush named worst president in 61 years 

President George W. Bush has been named the worst president in the last 61 years by American voters -- with nearly twice the negative rating of Richard Nixon -- in a new poll by Quinnipiac University, RAW STORY has learned.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:33 AM

Mystery street signs deciphered 

Has the mystery of the Toynbee Tiles been solved?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:27 AM

Indonesian Coelacanth Filmed 

Cryptomundo's got the pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:22 AM

Rolling Stone: Was the 2004 Election Stolen? 

Republicans prevented more than 350,000 voters in Ohio from casting ballots or having their votes counted -- enough to have put John Kerry in the White House.

By Robet F. Kennedy, Jr.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:17 AM

Mystery skull sets tongues wagging 

Scientists ask: what else is out there?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:09 AM

All those tracks in the woods lead to enduring mystery 

Pattie's Home Plate in St. Johns is an old-fashioned soda fountain, a place where you can get a burger, fries and a malt, and eat them sitting at the curving luncheonette counter. Neighborhood folks gather here regularly to discuss the weather, local events and, on the last Saturday of every month, Bigfoot.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 AM

Was the Bard a Woman? 

A new contender for authorship of Shakespeare's works.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 AM

Thursday, June 01, 2006

'Drops of alien in my hair' 

In the summer of 2001, a blood-colored rain fell across India. If that wasn't spooky enough, now some scientists think that the red ooze may in fact be alien life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:55 PM

Sightings From the Unknown 

Canadian UFOs.

On one occasion they claim to have seen the ship land on the ice and they stayed there for three hours.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:34 PM

Satan Inc. 

Capitalism is the only evil guaranteed to rise from the abyss on 6/6/06.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:20 PM

Interview: Bruce Sterling 

The author of seminal science-fiction works is taking a very pragmatic approach to the world's environmental challenges.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:02 AM

Valley of the Kings Tomb Unveiled 

Hopes of finding a royal mummy in the Valley of the Kings got a boost this week as a small, gilded sarcophagus emerged from the mysterious chamber known as KV63.

See also:Egyptologists crack open coffins to reveal -- pillows

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:55 AM

Wood clue to shipwreck mystery 

TWO small chunks of wood found near Port Fairy could unravel a century-old mystery.

With pic of an old chunk of wood!

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:14 AM

Alleged President Harding Daughter Dead 

The alleged love child of U.S. President Warren G. Harding has died, leaving the mystery unsolved as descendents on either side ask to be left alone.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:05 AM