Monday, October 30, 2006

You're gonna need a bigger truck. 

Spotted on 10/19, by an eagle-eyed Wonkette reader: The Mid-Atlantic Shredding Services truck making its way up to the Cheney compound at the Naval Observatory.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:45 PM

The Manbat of LaCrosse Wisconsin 

Linda Godfrey has the latest tale of high weirdness in Wisconsin. And be sure to click on the other recent report on the bottom of the page.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:38 PM

Decades later, the Dover Demon still haunts 

Twenty-nine years later, William Bartlett stands by his story of what he saw on Farm Street that night. It was an eerie human-like creature, he said, about 4 feet tall with glowing orange eyes and no nose or mouth in a watermelon-shaped head.

And Cryptomundo weighs in as well.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 AM

The Beast of Bladenboro 

In 1954, a savage killer kept a small North Carolina town in a grip of terror. He left big tracks, a bloody trail and a hair-raising legend. Was it a bear? A vampire-cat? To this day, the creature remains a mystery.

Via the Anomalist. I wonder if the Beast was the inspiration for the monster cat Greediguts in Robert McCammon's Usher's Passing, also set in North Carolina.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:57 AM

THE ROOD BIGFOOT 

Rood Creek Park can be an eerie place for reasons other than a possible Bigfoot sighting six years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:57 AM

Don't answer that knock when staying in room 604 

Ghosts don't necessarily disappear, so to speak, when businesses change locations.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 AM

Masonic lodges face declining membership 

Within an hour of my arrival at the local Masonic lodge for a rare public ceremony, four older men wearing aprons decorated with drawings of T-squares and compasses have asked me to become a Freemason.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:47 AM

Ghosts of New York 

You'd think that the City That Never Sleeps would have more than a few.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:46 AM

Do the ghosts of prisoners haunt the old W. Virginia Penitentiary? 

Convicts serving afterlife sentences keep things lively in West Virginia's creaky, creepy old penitentiary.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:43 AM

Think your house is haunted? Effort couple can help 

Co-founders and co-directors of Paranormal Investigators of the Poconos, the Pryors are dedicated to explaining the unexplainable.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:41 AM

The old haunting grounds 

Some say Bridgewater Triangle is a paranormal hot spot.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:40 AM

Ancient Pyramids Of Bosnia? Many Are Believers 

"The first thing I noticed was the peculiar shape of that hill," he said. "It had the perfect shape, the perfect geometry of the pyramid."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:38 AM

Conjuring magic for the movies 

Creating effects for films such as 'The Illusionist' and 'The Prestige' is a delicate process as tricky as alchemy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 AM

At UAA, ghosts are on the playbill 

Eerie venue is known for creeping out actors, techies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 AM

Mystery ship appears from Fort Morgan sands 

Two local historians said the wreck is about three miles from the site where a Civil War blockade runner is buried under the sand, but they did not know the identity of the new ship.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

Monday Morning Jackson Pollock 

Monday artistic fun. Press keyboard keys to change colors and the space bar to reset.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

A Village Of Curses? 

Another article on Dudleytown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 AM

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Book Paints Escape-Artist Houdini As Spy 

A new biography of the legendary performer suggests that Houdini worked as a spy for Scotland Yard, monitored Russian anarchists and chased counterfeiters for the U.S. Secret Service - all before he was possibly murdered.

Via rieraci's page at Stumbleupon.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:06 AM

Aliens in Tappen, ND? 

Strange creatures in the Dakotas.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Marilyn's last day: Twenty-four hours in the death of a legend 

Was it murder or suicide? Was she desperate or full of hope? Did Robert Kennedy visit her secretly or was he miles away? Monroe would have been 80 this year. As the anniversary is marked, Liz Hoggard reconstructs her final moments from the latest theories.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Speaker is no Rip-off 

Few murderers have gained more notoriety and suspense than Jack the Ripper, and few people have gained as much expertise as Donald Rumbelow, retired London police officer and former chair of the British Crime Writers' Association.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:06 AM

Yoga for Asthma: Does It Really Work? 

Yoga is an excellent alternative therapy for Asthma, new research shows.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 AM

Archeologists unveil Aztec monolith 

Mexican archeologists have found a massive stone icon that may be the most important Aztec figure ever discovered, unearthing a door at a ruined temple in the throbbing heart of Mexico City.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:51 AM

Supplying the ghostbusting world 

A profile of Noah Voss, paranormal investigator and the founder and CEO of GetGhostGear.com.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 AM

Builder tells of bizarre sighting 

Did you spot a UFO flying over Ipswich yesterday morning? If you did you wouldn't be alone.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:44 AM

The Bethany Ghost(s)- persistent but elusive spirit(s) 

Part One: Ghosts: Real or imaginary?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:37 AM

The light phantasmagorical 

Interesting review of The Perfect Medium: Photography and the Occult.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:32 AM

DARK FUNERAL's First Visit To Chile Since Priest's Murder Creates Controversy 

On July 24, 2004, 26-year-old Rodrigo Orias slit Father Faustino Gazziero's throat, smeared his face with the victim's blood and then stabbed himself several times in the chest and neck with the same knife while hundreds of churchgoers at Santiago's Metropolitan Cathedral watched in horror.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:26 AM

Friday, October 27, 2006

Ex-Bush official receives 18 month prison sentence 

Raw Story's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:00 PM

John Keel update 

John Keel continues his recovery. At Cryptomundo. And while you're there check out Loren Coleman's Top Cryptids.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:58 PM

Werewolves of Elkhorn 

For decades, terrified eyewitnesses have reported encounters with otherworldly creatures on country roads near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We sent a brave team of investigators to separate monster from myth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:55 PM

Fantastic phantoms and the man who jams lights 

Rutgers Rarities students share latest stories of the paranormal in Middlesex.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:59 AM

125th anniversary of the Gunfight at O.K. Corral 

For all sorts of reasons, the lore and lure of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral lives on 125 years after a 30-second shootout immortalized the Earps, "Doc" Holliday and this community dubbed "the town too tough to die."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:56 AM

Great Wall size mystery may be resolved 

A 500-year-old question - just how long is China's Great Wall? - will be answered in 2008 by two government departments.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:01 AM

Thursday, October 26, 2006

A Look Into the Vault 

Offering some prime examples of totalitarian kitsch, the Kremlin Museums unveil their collection of gifts to Soviet leaders.

With pic of amazing "Hammer and Sickle Over the Globe" phone. Must be seen to be believed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:21 PM

Mysterious humming driving Aucklanders 'bonkers' 

A mysterious humming driving people to despair across Auckland has pricked the ears, and curiosity, of scientists trying to find the source.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:16 PM

Roll Call Provides Scandal Scorecard 

With so many congressional scandals out there, who can keep track? Thanks to the good people at Roll Call newspaper, you can! They've created a handy-dandy chart listing 17 of 18 known federal investigations into members of the 109th Congress.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:11 PM

Gainesville Ripper executed 

Florida has executed a serial killer whose grisly murders of five students haunted students at a major university and sent a chill through campuses across the US.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:00 PM

Recipe for a Cooked Election 

From Greg Palast.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:35 PM

A personal account of the Battle of Los Angeles 

An Eyewitness Account of the Mysterious Object that "Attacked" the Los Angeles Basin in the Wee Hours of February 25, 1942, plus a Ufological Assessment, Sixty-Four Years after the Fact.

Worth a look. This is the only first-person account of this story that I know of.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:30 PM

Wildcat Mountain's secret 

Hauntings, buried treasure some say are part of history at state park.

Mysteries from Wisconsin. The Sentinel story may be of interest to those following the legends associated with the Knights of the Golden Circle.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:20 PM

A History Of Halloween 

Halloween and the festivities associated with it evolved from ancient cultural and religious practices of the Celts.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:12 PM

Rougarou remains strong figure in Cajun folklore 

As the end of October approaches, a mood shift can be seen across south Louisiana. For many, this time brings the cool weather they love, Halloween and trick-or-treaters and the accompanying bonfires with stories about the mysterious night-wandering creature known as the rougarou.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:09 PM

Island's terrors extend beyond the 'Triangle' 

It wasn't known as the "Isle of Devils" for nothing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:07 PM

Perhaps a haunted house isn't necessary for a real-life ghostly encounter 

From what I understand, going to a particular home is not necessary to have a ghostly encounter. They can happen in places with no known reputation for being haunted.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:05 PM

Tales of Haunted Oregon Coast Lighthouses 

They inspire imaginations, impart mystery and create an ever-widening array of emotions and thoughts. And many of them may or may not be haunted.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:03 PM

Mystery 'explosion' damages homes 

Skyquake in Cornwall.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:01 PM

Witching Hour 

Visiting L.I.'s Most Haunted Places at Midnight, friday the 13th.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:59 PM

New twist in missing plane saga 

One of the strangest stories I've encountered in a decade of writing columns is getting stranger.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:56 PM

Mysterious art marks remote canyon walls in Utah 

All through southern Utah's rugged terrain, visitors find awe and mystery in the scattered ancient rock-art panels on remote canyon walls.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:56 PM

10 most real-life ghost photos 

Or unreal life, if you prefer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:44 PM

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Paranormal Research Society gears up for TV show 

Penn State University is known worldwide for a lot of things: football, authors, scientists, ice cream, etc. Early next year, however, it will also be known for its Paranormal Research Society, which is currently filming a series of 13 episodes for an upcoming A&E television show called "Paranormal U," a documentary-drama following the lives of PRS members as they balance paranormal research and investigation with the responsibilities of being college students.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:25 PM

True Curse Haunting Family's Forest Land Was Progress 

The curse legend started with the 1938 publication of "They Found a Way," a popular history by Iveagh Hunt Sherry and William H. Garrigus that relies more on hearsay and hyperbole than fact. They wrote that the curse caused madness, suicide, fatal accidents, natural disasters and vanishings - both human and animal - to befall Dudleytown. They traced it to 1510, when Edmund Dudley of England was beheaded for plotting to overthrow King Henry VIII. Satanists placed a curse on his descendants.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:22 PM

History buff searches for Lost Colony 

Nearly every North Carolinian knows that a band of English settlers vanished from Roanoke Island about 1589, creating the legendary Lost Colony. No one knows where they went. An outdoor production replays the mystery year after year.

But the full story is more complex.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:20 PM

Before the 9/11 Conspiracies, There Was the Oklahoma Bombing 

Much of the faulty logic and circumstancial evidence that justifies the 9/11 conspiracies are repeats of the theories that abounded in Timothy McVeigh's Oklahoma City bombing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:17 PM

Ghostbusters called in at village hall 

Suffolk and Norfolk Paranormal Investigations (SNPI) was asked to look into a "presence" at Layham Village Hall following an incident last month.

See also: We Don't Serve Spirits Here

And A haunting on Del Paso Blvd

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:13 PM

The Beautiful Cigar Girl 

A review of Daniel Stashower's new book The Beautiful Cigar Girl - Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe And the Invention of Murder from the New York Times. Sounds cool. Stashower is the author of a vastly entertaining series of mysteries starring Harry Houdini, as well as biographies of Arthur Conan Doyle and Philo T. Farnsworth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:54 PM

Legends and myths of Winona State 

Winona State University ghost stories.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:46 PM

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Blogging the Unsolved 

The busiest man in the blogosphere, Steve Huff of Crimeblog, has started a new blog about unsolved cases, Unsolvedblog. The Professor says check it out.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 PM

The Ultra-Extreme Calorie Restriction Diet Test 

Is a life lived on the edge of starvation worth living? Our hungry reporter gives the ultra-extreme Calorie Restriction Diet a two-month taste test.

In lab studies going back to the thirties, mice on severely limited diets have consistently lived as much as 50 percent longer than the oldest of their well-fed peers- the rodent equivalent of a human life stretched past the age of 160.

Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:51 PM

Has the Awful returned to Berkshire & Richford? 

In 1925, renowned horror writer H.P. Lovecraft secretly traveled to Richford and Berkshire to investigate a strange phenomenon that was occurring in the two towns. Lovecraft had been visiting friends in southern Vermont when he first learned about odd sightings in Richford. Locals there were terribly afraid of a beast they had dubbed "the Awful."

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:22 AM

Shelters split on black cat Halloween adoptions 

Some humane agencies go so far as to ban black cat adoptions close to the holiday to prevent them from becoming haunted house props or targets of teenage pranks.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 AM

Occult Hero 

Profile of Kenneth Anger, "the 79-year-old scourge of Hollywood."

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:26 AM

Vaccine created for deadly flu of 1918 

Government scientists reported Monday they have created a vaccine against the catastrophic "Spanish flu" virus of 1918-1919, raising hopes that a remedy could be developed if a modern strain of avian flu turns equally deadly.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:16 AM

The legend of the Spitzbergen UFO crash of 1946 

There have been numerous legends about UFO crashes: some of them have quite a bit of documentation and eyewitness testimony. Others are based mostly on legend and folklore. One of these cases is the alleged Spitzbergen, Norway crash of 1946.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:12 AM

Profs say mystery solved 

University of Colorado professors who have been pursuing the identity of a man buried 127 years ago in Kansas believe they have established it is who it was always supposed to be - John Wesley Hillmon.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:11 AM

Monday, October 23, 2006

Getting Out 

Whether you find the government oppressive, the economy on a devastating course, or if you simply want adventure, you're not alone. Over 300,000 Americans emigrate each year.

New book. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:12 PM

No charges in Billy the Kid exhumation 

Prosecutors won't seek charges against two men who exhumed the remains of a man who claimed to be the outlaw Billy the Kid.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:42 PM

REPORT: Bush Officials Were 'Rooting' For North Korea to Test Nuclear Weapon 

Senior Bush administration officials wanted North Korea to test a nuclear weapon because it would prove their point that the regime must be overthrown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:53 PM

Bush in Paraguay: More info 

Cannonfire's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:37 AM

Bullitt strip-search trial set 

Nearly three years after an 18-year-old high school senior was strip-searched and sexually degraded for hours at a McDonald's restaurant in Mount Washington, a jury this week will be asked to decide if a former prison guard from Florida is responsible for her humiliation.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:21 AM

Dentists' tombs unveiled south of Cairo 

That's right - dentists. And they're cursed too, much like today's dentists.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:16 AM

Doomsday cult leader back in French court 

Franco-Swiss conductor Michel Tabachnik is due to go back on trial in France tomorrow, four years after he was acquitted of conspiring to brainwash 74 members of the Solar Temple doomsday cult into accepting death by occult ritual.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:16 AM

Ghosts of the past 

Ghosts of Mississippi.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Whoyagonnacall? Ghost hunter has seen and heard almost everything 

Seeking the truth behind urban legends and rumors of hauntings has become a lifestyle for one Illinois author.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:10 AM

Missouri Monster Events 

Cryptomundo has a round-up.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 AM

Dracula desk a legend in its own write 

It was left to rot in a garden for years, then lay forgotten in a house and very nearly ended up on a bonfire.

But the battered writing desk which once stood in the former Leeds home of an Editor of the Yorkshire Post may now go down in literary history as the place where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 AM

Test shows Phar Lap poisoned 

It can now be revealed that scientific tests using breakthrough technology have uncovered evidence the legendary racehorse was poisoned with arsenic just hours before his 1932 death in the US.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 AM

New hitches in hunt for truth over Diana 

Fear of a cover-up over Princess Diana's death deepened yesterday as it emerged that attempts to reach the truth have been delayed once again.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:50 AM

Ghost stories: Metro-east is teeming with scary legends 

Spooky stories from Illinois.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:45 AM

HOW TO - Build a coffin (Halloween prop or bookcase) 

From Make Blog.

See also: Halloween Haunted House Props Page

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:30 AM

Electronic Voting Machines Could Skew Elections 

Really?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:28 AM

Sunday, October 22, 2006

BETRAYED...BY MY KINKY LATEX LOVE 

Insane story from the UK.

Michael said: "He grabbed her and said 'Allison's only got four minutes to live.' He was wearing a latex glove and putting his fingers down her throat because he knew she would have a deadly reaction.

"He then lifted his arms above his head and said 'By the power of Grey Skull'. I pounced on him and we fell to the floor fighting."

See also: Former husband guilty of attempted murder with latex glove

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:03 AM

RIP Spoony Singh 

Singh founded the Hollywood Wax Museum in 1964.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:55 AM

105-year old man seeks Ms. Right 

Gong Duruo, 105, a double PhD holder started searching for Ms. Right on his blog Wednesday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:49 AM

Alternate History: After the Nazis Won World War II 

Book reviews and some history, from American Heritage.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:48 AM

Smoke still clearing at OK Corral 

A century and a quarter ago on Thursday, there was a brief fracas in southern Arizona that inspired America's stereotype of the classic Western shootout.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:40 AM

Ghost hunters report strange events at Lyons jail, farm 

There were two ghost hunters and a tape recorder in the room. There are four voices on the tape.

And one of them isn't happy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:29 AM

Foley singled out "hot" boys: report 

Florida Republican Rep. Mark Foley made friends with a wide circle of teenaged House of Representatives pages, then singled out "hot" boys to write to, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:26 AM

Chinese debate over emperor's tomb 

A Chinese economist's proposal to unearth the tomb of China's first emperor has sparked a row, triggering another debate on whether or not to leave the tomb alone.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:04 AM

Friday, October 20, 2006

Murder most mysterious: The house of horror in New Orleans 

They were lionised for refusing to leave their city after Katrina struck. But then Zachery Brown apparently murdered his girlfriend and dismembered her body, before killing himself.

And has the New York Post surpassed its own HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR headline?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:54 AM

Psychic Crime Solvers Take On Mysterious Campsite Murders 

In July 2005, police found the bodies of 54-year-old Stevan Haugen and 56-year-old Jeanette Bauman at their campsite. They had been shot with a rifle from at least 15 feet away. Their dog was also killed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 AM

Rte. 65 Trouble Could Be A Supernatural Matter 

Before they ever began excavating for the Wal-Mart Super Center, the Dixmont State Mental Hospital stood on the property for more than 100 years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:47 AM

Ruins of Peruvian city yielding secrets of lost civilization 

A trip to Caral, the oldest city in the Americas.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:43 AM

PaulSadowski.com 

Check out the Birthday Calculator and the What Your Name Means links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:41 AM

Thursday, October 19, 2006

From Weller to Rios Montt to Falwell to Disney to...Oliver Stone? 

Cannonfire has more great background on Jerry Weller. Fascinating stuff.

LieparDestin has some too.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 PM

CQ: Facing Fed Probe, House GOP Spending Chief Axes Investigative Staff 

This evening, Congressional Quarterly reports (sub. req.) that in a round of calls Monday evening, Lewis fired 60 investigators who had worked for his committee rooting out fraud, waste and abuse, effective immediately. As in, don't bother coming in on Tuesday.


Un-freaking believable. Lewis has spent nearly $800,000 in legal fees to defend himself against the probe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:22 PM

Weller rumor update 

Cannonfire has a cautious update on the Jerry Weller rumors with good links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:18 PM

Another October surprise? 

Wonkette has a round-up on the rumors surrounding Illinois Rep. Jerry Weller and some background on his mass murdering father in law.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:46 PM

Poll Signals More Republican Woes As Disapproval of Congress Grows 

I'm linking this due to the stipple illustration the Wall Street Journal used of Bush. The resemblance to this guy is remarkable. It's certainly not the first time the comparison has been made but in the WSJ? Bush must really be slipping.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:22 PM

Judge Orders Cheney Visitor Logs Opened 

A federal judge has ordered the Bush administration to release information about who visited Vice President Dick Cheney's office and personal residence, an order that could spark a late election season debate over lobbyists' White House access.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:36 PM

Congresswoman on page board buried file on husband's child abuse allegation 

A file allegedly suppressed by Congresswoman Heather Wilson (R-NM) has been obtained by RAW STORY.

In 1995, just three days into her tenure as Secretary of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, Wilson removed a routine working file alleging that her husband had engaged in inappropriate contact with a minor. The file was then transferred to the department's attorney in her own Albuquerque office, where it soon went missing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:33 PM

AG: Voter warning linked to GOP campaign 

State investigators have linked a Republican campaign to letters sent to thousands of Orange County Hispanics warning them they could go to jail or be deported if they vote next month, a spokesman for the attorney general said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:20 PM

A Year After She Vanished, Tara Grinstead Still Haunts Investigators 

In the year since she vanished, Tara Grinstead has been the subject of one of the most comprehensive missing person investigations ever undertaken in Georgia.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:13 PM

Mystery of world's most costly cigar 

It's the world's most expensive cigar - $ 440 each and it only comes in boxes of 40 - but is it the best?

Nobody knows because no one has smoked one. The Cuban havanas from the Cohiba brand are so precious that no one has actually lit one yet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:11 PM

Remains of legendary soldier 'Earthquake McGoon' coming home 

More than half a century after he died in the flaming crash of a CIA-owned cargo plane and became one of the first two Americans to die in combat in Vietnam, a legendary soldier of fortune known as "Earthquake McGoon" is finally coming home.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:10 PM

FBI have suspect in NFL stadium threat 

And no it's not the Kansas City Chiefs, though they remain a threat to football in general.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:52 PM

Keel Remains Hospitalized 

Cryptomundo has the update with an address for get well cards and letters.

Cryptomundo's also posted this horribly-fake-looking-purported-to-be-true skunk ape photo.

Best quote from the comments: It looks like the "King Kong" suit from "King Kong vs. Godzilla".

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:48 PM

Priest tells of Foley relationship 

A Catholic priest told the Herald-Tribune on Wednesday about an intimate two-year relationship he had with former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley when the congressman was a teenage altar boy living in Lake Worth.

See also: Priest denies having sex with Foley

Via Raw Story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:36 PM

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

"Your words are lies, Sir." 

Olbermann sticks it to Chimpy. With transcript and video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:26 PM

We Hate To Bring Up the Nazis, But They Fled To South America, Too 

Wonkette takes a look at the disturbing rumors floating around about the Bush family and Paraguay.

And Rigorous Intuition has a few things to add.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:24 PM

Book: Monroe was murdered while on phone with DiMaggio's sister 

Raw Story's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:06 PM

Grim bit of history for sale 

Great article on the sale of a Chicago gallows kept for years in case the escaped criminal "Terrible Tommy" O'Connor (fictionalized in the film The Front Page) was ever caught. The gallows also saw labor activists convicted in the Haymarket Riots of 1886 into the next world.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:48 PM

Will Media Finally Count the Dead in Iraq? 

Part One is here and the follow up is here.

Would it surprise you to learn that if the Johns Hopkins estimates of 400,000 to 800,000 deaths are correct -- and many experts in the survey field seem to suggest they probably are -- that the supposedly not-yet-civil-war in Iraq has already cost more lives, per capita, than our own Civil War (one in 40 of all Iraqis alive in 2003)?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:47 PM

7 Enter Pleas in Body Part Scheme 

"It is clear that many more funeral home directors were involved in this enterprise."

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:30 PM

Take My Wallet, Please 

Bob Arno of Las Vegas makes a living studying pickpockets.

Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:02 PM

Omega-3, junk food and the link between violence and what we eat 

Research with British and US offenders suggests nutritional deficiencies may play a key role in aggressive bevaviour

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:07 PM

The Gyroball: Miracle or myth? 

Does baseball's mystery pitch really exist?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:53 PM

FLORENCE "MONSTER": INVESTIGATORS LOOKING INTO NARDUCCI CASE 

The spotlight is once again back on the "monster of Florence" and the alleged connection with the death of the Perugia-based doctor Francesco Narducci.

For more on the Monster of Florence see here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:50 PM

Lights in sky over Tinley Park have UFO believers looking up 

The past two years have seen autumn sightings of unidentified lights in the night sky over Tinley Park and the surrounding area, and a local UFO investigator says the truth is out there.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:41 PM

Florida authorities say photos aren't of Johnny Gosch 

Iowa Authorities say they have found information that debunks a possible break in the decades-old mystery of the disappearance of Johnny Gosch.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:39 PM

Bullet in skull deepens Australia WWII ship mystery 

A bullet found inside a skull buried on a remote Indian Ocean island has added further intrigue to Australia's greatest naval tragedy, the mysterious World War Two sinking of a warship with the loss of all 645 hands.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:34 PM

Mystery of a ghostly girl at historic house 

Who was the little girl whose ghost haunts an historic mansion?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:30 PM

Idaho Killer Holds Key to Laptop Mystery 

As the man accused of kidnapping two children and killing their family waits in a jail cell for a federal indictment to be handed down, he still holds what could be a bargaining chip: An encrypted laptop that may contain more horrors.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:29 PM

Westminster's missing Boston Post Cane is found 

The story of the Boston Post Cane began in 1909, when the editor of the Boston Post, in an effort to increase it's daily circulation, had 431 canes made up and distributed to towns throughout New England.

Neat story, with pic of cane.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:28 PM

New Land-Bridge Evidence Adds to Mystery of 1st Americans 

The long-gone land bridge between Asia and Alaska—a route possibly followed by the first humans to reach the Americas-flooded about 12,000 years ago, a new study suggests

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:25 PM

200 YEAR OLD SEEDS PRODUCE THE GOODS 

Against all expectations seed scientists at the Ardingly seed bank have grown small plants from most of the 32 different species discovered in a leather-bound notebook at the Royal Dutch Library's national archive.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:25 PM

Ask a Mexican! 

Scroll down a bit for some interesting info on whistled languages.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:22 PM

That Mystery Fish Postcard 

Cryptomundo takes another look at the Mystery Fish Postcard.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:51 AM

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Watch the Skies! 

Did Congressman Curt Weldon have access to a Russian Flying Saucer?

Via Wonkette.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:02 PM

October Surprise in November? 

How's a November 5 execution of Saddam Hussein grab ya?

[..]Raid Juhi, a chief investigating judge in the trial linked to the anti-Shiite crackdown, said a verdict against Saddam and seven co-defendants will be announced Nov. 5. He said sentences for those found guilty will be issued the same day.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:30 PM

Ancient Stonehenge Houses Unearthed 

So, you want to stay on the main road until you see this big circle of rocks, okay? That's Stonehenge. I'm right there, can't miss it. The address is 2 Stonehenge. Okay, I'll wait out front.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:23 PM

Kenneth Lay's Conviction Erased From Record 

A federal judge in Houston this afternoon wiped away the fraud and conspiracy conviction of Kenneth L. Lay, the Enron Corp. founder who died of heart disease in July, bowing to decades of legal precedent but frustrating government attempts to seize nearly $44 million from his estate.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:36 PM

Christie's most famous mystery solved at last 

Well, maybe. Fugue state? You be the judge. Good name for a band though.

Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:32 PM

John A. Keel Prognosis Is Good 

John Keel may be home from the hospital as soon as tomorrow. Very good news.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:58 PM

Foley, a Bush family friend since the early 1980s 

With friends like these...

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:51 PM

Flying Saucers From Hell 

Ufology often seems to come down to a choice between extraterrestrial visitors and some as yet unknown natural phenomenon but, as Dr David Clarke reveals, a now largely forgotten counter-theory was of infiltration by demons from the fiery pits of Hades.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:42 AM

John Keel Suffers Heart Attack 

Word from Cryptomundo is that legendary writer John Keel has had a heart attack and is recuperating in New York. I would like to wish Mr. Keel well in his recovery. Simply put, without John Keel there is no Professor Hex.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 AM

Satanic link to church goat death 

A man and a woman have been charged over the suspected satanic ritual slaughter of a goat in a Brisbane church.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:56 AM

The Bible's Flood To Have A Scientific Explanation 

The Flood, described in the Old Testament, was accompanied with an enormous tsunami, claims a Russian scientist. An international scientific expedition has been searching for the traces of the mysterious disaster.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:46 AM

Monday, October 16, 2006

Deadwood 'most haunted' town, says author of the paranormal 

The South Dakota town with the greatest history of hauntings is Deadwood, a Wisconsin paranormal investigator and author says.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:40 PM

Local astronomer sights UFO 

Charles Olsen, 52, believes his "exclusive" photograph will challenge popular science with proof of extraterrestrial beings and prove there's atmosphere on the moon.

Tel Aviv sighting: UFO or plane? (with pic).

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:40 PM

Who really sailed the ocean blue in 1492? 

Spanish scholars are on a mission to demystify Christopher Columbus's life, long shrouded in a veil of mythic heroism.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:36 PM

SPIRITED INNS 

Ghost stories add to appeal of fine lodgings.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:35 PM

Newport Landmark Focus Of Archaeological Dig 

The Old Stone Tower in Touro Park in Newport will be the subject of an archaeological excavation.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:28 PM

Ghost hunters bring Eastern Connecticut lore to small screen 

History, mystery, legends and ghosts of New England will add a chill to Friday night television thanks to two local ghost hunters who want everyone to know ghosts are among us.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 PM

Attempt To Identify 127-Year-Old Corpse Fails 

The effort to solve the 127-year-old mystery of the identity of a man buried in a Lawrence grave apparently has failed, a University of Colorado professor said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:00 PM

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Ohio State Ethics Documents Found Blowing Through Streets 

There's fear of identity theft after the names and Social Security numbers of hundreds of Ohioans were found blowing around in a Columbus alley.

Really? Documents from the Ohio Ethics Commission? Man, I can hardly believe that. The state of Republican Party leader Tom Noe? The state of Republican Representative Bob Ney? , Governor Bob Taft?
Republican Secretary of State Ken Blackwell?

I can't imagine why anybody would want those.


Is Ohio the most corrupt state in the Union?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:00 PM

Worst. Costume. Ever. 

This very disturbing children's Halloween costume comes to us via the fine folks over at Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:32 PM

Is G.O.P. candidate Crist STRAIGHT? Was he into SEED? 

Cannonfire has some troubling questions about the GOP's candidate to replace Jeb Bush. To paraphrase Johnny Carson, it's weird, weird stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:19 PM

Friday, October 13, 2006

FBI investigates Rep. Curt Weldon 

The Justice Department is investigating whether Republican Rep. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania traded his political influence for lucrative lobbying and consulting contracts for his daughter, according to sources with direct knowledge of the inquiry.

Via Raw Story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:31 PM

Manitowoc mysteries and lakeshore legends 

County boasts many haunts, spooky stories.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:50 PM

2nd bolt from blue 

Cory Lidle's doomed plane didn't just crash into anybody's apartment.

It exploded into the empty bedroom of Kathleen Caronna, the Manhattan woman who was critically injured when a balloon knocked part of a lamppost onto her head during the 1997 Thanksgiving Day Parade.

New York. It'll kill you.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:37 PM

This Old House Has Ghosts 

Haunted Houses in the Hudson Valley. From the New York Times.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:36 PM

The ghosts of Fort Delaware 

Restless souls seem to be the only inhabitants of the former prison and lure believers and skeptics inside its brick-and-granite walls.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:31 PM

Counting down the spooky 13 

13 of the strangest and spookiest sites in southern Wisconsin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:27 PM

Forgive people if they're kind of spooked today 

Millions of Americans dread Friday the 13th. Experts even have a name for the condition - paraskevidekatriaphobia.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 PM

If cougars are in Michigan, proof, answers needed 

What's out there? According to some residents, the answer is "cougar."

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:04 PM

LSD Mystery: In 2002, Justice Dept. OK'd Dosing Detainees 

How do we know that? Because in August 2002, the Justice Department gave then-White House counsel Alberto Gonzales a 50-page document saying so. And a follow-up document in 2004 reaffirmed it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:57 PM

Garbage collector tried in death of Cape Cod writer Christa Worthington 

When Christa Worthington, a fashion writer from a wealthy Cape Cod family, was murdered in her seaside cottage four years ago, there was no shortage of suspects.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:52 PM

Dog back in Calif. after 1,400-mile trek 

Kobe the terrier is back with his family after a 1,400-mile trip. The small white pooch vanished from his Bellflower home last month and was found by a stranger in Denton, Texas.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:42 PM

Does world-record meteorite await unearthing in Kansas? 

Scientists and the man who detected a large object beneath a wheat field may know today.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:11 PM

Bush Is Said to Have No Plan if GOP Loses 

Some Republican strategists are increasingly upset with what they consider the overconfidence of President Bush and his senior advisers about the midterm elections November 7 - a concern aggravated by the president's news conference this week.

Overconfidence=Diebold

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:08 PM

Five Scandals that Could Put Republicans in Jail 

The Foley cover-up is just the tip of the iceberg. If the Democrats succeed in retaking Congress this fall, here are five investigations they should get started on right away.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:55 PM

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Innumerate cowards recoil from the facts: 665,000 dead Iraqis 

Majikthise has a nice round-up of right wing reactions to this study by American and Iraqi epidemiologists that estimates 665,000 excess deaths (non-combat) in Iraq since the U.S. invasion.

While all the Right Wingers seemed shocked at the high number, one gets the feeling that they would have been shocked at any number. War, for the armchair warrior, is apparently mostly fought by noble warriors with few, if any, civilian casualties.

And for the record, when asked, I estimated 250,000.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:41 PM

Rocket Men 

The men who really, really want to fly

More on the world's first rocketbelt convention. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:06 PM

Baker's Panel Rules Out Iraq Victory 

A commission formed to assess the Iraq war and recommend a new course has ruled out the prospect of victory for America, according to draft policy options shared with The New York Sun by commission officials.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:08 AM

HOW ROVE TWISTED FOLEY'S ARM 

According to the source, Foley said he was being pressured by "the White House and Rove gang," who insisted that Foley run. If he didn't, Foley was told, it might impact his lobbying career.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:06 AM

The ghoulish quest for God 

In 1853 a Unitarian Minister attempted create a New Messiah from "a pile of magnets, various steel shafts and spheres, zinc and copper plates and a dining room table."

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:53 AM

Diddlergate 

Fordham to testify he warned about Foley

A balanced editorial from the Pasadena Weekly

Bush, Hastert to Appear at Fundraiser

Ethics panel questions page supervisors

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:54 AM

A Ghostly Guide 

Oxford's creepy colleges and haunted homes are revealed in a new book by resident Rob Walters.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

CT scan reveals mummy likely mommy 

The mystery surrounding Pa-Ib, a 2,500-year-old Egyptian mummy owned by the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, has begun to unravel.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:31 AM

Fight the Real Enemy 

New Rigorous Intuition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:30 AM

Voss: 'Vein of truth' in legends 

Although paranormal investigator Noah Voss has never seen a full-0spectral ghost, he has encountered a "fair amount of things" that he can't quite explain.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:28 AM

Favorite haunts of film fiends 

Don't let the palm trees, shopping malls and congested freeways fool you. Tucked away in the rocky canyons, the serene neighborhoods and the steep hillsides of Southern California are the creepy settings to some of Hollywood's most frightening moments.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:23 AM

Ghostly image caught on film 

Ghostly miner? Alas, no pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:17 AM

Mystery of flying stones 

A family, claiming to be "attacked" by a series of "flying stones" for the past one month, has been the talk of the town in Batu Gajah.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 AM

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

MOUSSAOUI COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW FBI WITHHELD EVIDENCE IN 9/11 COVER-UP 

Recently-released court documents from the trial of Zacharias Moussaoui show clear evidence of the FBI attempt to cover-up the whereabouts and activities of lead 9.11 hijacker Mohamed Atta in Florida between January and May of 2001, confirming reports which have appeared exclusively in the MadCowMorningNews.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:53 AM

Explorer hopes plaster cast will raise funds to search for Bigfoot 

"We need equipment and material for our paranormal investigations and research but we have no funding nor aid from the government," he said. "Therefore we are forced to put the cast up for sale."

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:34 AM

The Heavyweight Champion of Halloween 

It's the season for ghosts, apparitions, graveyard specters and headless horsemen, which makes it the perfect time to remember Slaughterhouse Henry Baker, boxing's headless heavyweight.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:33 AM

Attack of the Flying Killer Robot Insects 

DARPA has recently awarded contracts to several companies to develope a micro-miniature, autonomous, hummingbird-sized robot. The specs are here. The salient specifications for purposes of this post are that this UAV nanodrone will be capable of searching for a target and delivering a small payload.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:24 AM

Get in the spirit 

Ghost hunting, Midwest style.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:02 AM

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Report: Rep. confronted Foley in 2000 

Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., confronted then-Rep. Mark Foley about his Internet communications with teenagers as early as 2000, according to a newspaper report.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:02 PM

Is your iPod psychic? 

Steven Levy really liked Steely Dan, but so too, it seemed, did his iPod. Like a lot of people, he began to wonder about its shuffle - was the random function really random or a result of dirty tricks, blunders... or even telepathy?

Via Raw Story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:01 PM

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Source Undercuts Hastert on Foley Timeline 

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's chief of staff met with disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley to discuss the time and attention Foley was giving House pages years before the speaker's office admits becoming aware of the issue, a current House staffer told ABC News.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:46 PM

Buck O'Neil, Negro Leagues Pioneer, Is Dead at 94 

Rest in peace, Buck. Thanks for everything.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:47 AM

Friday, October 06, 2006

Rove aide resigns in fallout over Abramoff report 

Last week's report by the U.S. House of Representatives Government Reform Committee said Rove aide Susan Ralston had passed inside White House information to Abramoff while she was also accepting his tickets to as many as nine sports and entertainment events.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:19 PM

Marijuana may block Alzheimer's 

The active ingredient in marijuana may stall decline from Alzheimer's disease, research suggests.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:08 PM

Surprised GOP Reacts - Thought Child Molester Would Be 'Greeted As Liberator' 

So here's their next move: They're bringing in Jim Baker to clean up. You'll remember former Secretary of State Baker. He's the guy they called when it became clear they lost the 2000 election fair and square. He "fixed" that little problem pretty well, and now they want him to fix this.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:06 PM

Nascar Fuel Expert Claims Invention of "Pigoline" Gas 

A Nascar fuel specialist claims he has invented a way to make high-end gasoline from animal waste. Dean Gokel says he can produce 110 octane "pigoline"--gasoline made from hog waste--that is indistinguishable on a molecular level from petroleum-based additives.

Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:33 PM

More Sea Serpents 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:22 PM

Still Crooked After All These Years 

A nice litle round-up about presidential brother Neil Bush - cokehead, sex tourist, and paragon of Bush family virtues.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:10 PM

Jerome's Ghost Walk revisits murder mystery 

On July 7, 1931, a beautiful prostitute was found strangled in one of Jerome's classier bordellos. Police speculated that the murder of Juanita Marie "Sammie" Dean, whose clients included the mayor and his son, was a crime of passion.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:16 PM

Diddlergate 

Three More Former Pages Accuse Foley of Online Sexual Approaches

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:50 AM

In Case I Disappear 

I have been told a thousand times at least, in the years I have spent reporting on the astonishing and repugnant abuses, lies and failures of the Bush administration, to watch my back. "Be careful," people always tell me. "These people are capable of anything. Stay off small planes, make sure you aren't being followed." A running joke between my mother and me is that she has a "safe room" set up for me in her cabin in the woods, in the event I have to flee because of something I wrote or said.

I always laughed and shook my head whenever I heard this stuff. Extreme paranoia wrapped in the tinfoil of conspiracy, I thought. This is still America, and these Bush fools will soon pass into history, I thought. I am a citizen, and the First Amendment hasn't yet been red-lined, I thought.

Matters are different now.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:50 AM

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Accused GOP Pedophile Ties DA to Blackmail Plot 

No, not Foley, another paragon of GOP family values.

Best part:

After his 2003 arrest for his relationship with the Westminster High School freshman, Nielsen came out of the closet, joined liberal-leaning organizations and has attempted to portray his legal woes as anti-gay discrimination. Last year, Nielsen managed to get Orange County Register reporter Richard Chang to boost his public image with a story that hailed his concern for-you can't make this stuff up-kittens made homeless by the Katrina disaster in Louisiana. That story did not mention the sexual predator charges. (Ken Brusic's Register, often a shameless if effective arm of the local Republican Party, has refused to tell its readers about Nielsen's arrest.)

Republicans always protect pedophiles in their midst. Via Raw Story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:21 PM

Diddlergate 

House ethics panel to subpoena documents

Voters Say Scandals Will Affect Votes

Ex-page says Foley messaged him in 1990s

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:21 PM

"Monster" fossil found in Jurassic graveyard 

"One of them was this gigantic monster, with vertebrae the size of dinner plates and teeth the size of cucumbers," Joern Hurum, an assistant professor at the University of Oslo, told Reuters on Thursday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:04 PM

Did Jimmy Carter Withold Information on a 1956 UFO Incident? 

Sloppy press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:01 PM

4,000 birds mysteriously die in northwest Iran 

Canary in a coal mine?

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:59 PM

Kids' kickabout reveals church's mystery crypt 

A MYSTERIOUS catacomb hidden deep beneath Kirton churchyard has been uncovered by youngsters playing an illicit game of football in the grounds.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:57 PM

Space Shot: 1935 

For much of the last century, balloons could go far higher than airplanes. One ascent set a record that lasted into the jet age.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:56 PM

Officials: Serial killer photo not missing Ormond woman 

Los Angeles sheriff's investigators looking into pictures of women taken more than 20 years ago by a serial killer said Wednesday that a long-missing Ormond Beach college student who resembles one of the women was not photographed by the murderer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:53 PM

Heart of 19th-century French saint coming to U.S. for first time 

In life, St. John Vianney was a revered 19th-century French clergyman who was said to be blessed with the ability to read the hearts of worshippers. In death, his own heart has became an object of worship.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:49 PM

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Clerk asked to look into report of Foley incident at page's dorm 

A senior House Republican has asked the House clerk to look into allegations that then-Rep. Mark Foley was turned away from the congressional page dorm on Capitol Hill after arriving there intoxicated one night.

Associated Press Follows Fox and Labels Foley as a Democrat!

Remember, Fox News is the only news agency in the country that went to court for the right to knowingly lie to the public under the guise of truth. Never forget it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:52 PM

Aide Says He Reported Foley 2 Years Ago 

A senior congressional aide said Wednesday that he alerted House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office two years ago about worrisome conduct by former Rep. Mark Foley with teenage pages.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:27 PM

Grisly murder in Glasgow 

Scottish police in Glasgow are investigating the mysterious murder of a Polish student who was found buried inside a Roman Catholic church in Glasgow.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:22 PM

Mystery black creature spotted 

Very weird.

As she approached it the odd thing was that there was no scuffle or running involved. The black thing seemed to glide sidewards very gracefully and quietly like a ghost into the grass.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:20 PM

A secret society opens its doors 

For more than two centuries, the Freemasons and their grandiose rituals have played a secretive and mysterious role in American life. One of the Masons' symbols looks a lot like the all-seeing eye on the back of every $1 bill. And look whose picture is on the other side.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:16 PM

Parking Lot Sale Unearths Lost Lincoln Letter 

An amateur historian believes he has unearthed a letter written by the President Lincoln - after buying it for $1.89 at a parking lot sale.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:13 PM

The prehistory of prebiotics 

Our plain-dwelling ancestors were big-time eaters of inulin-containing plants, and prebiotic consumption was significantly higher than today, an archaeologist told attendees at the 5th Orafti Research Conference in Boston.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:43 PM

Is Talladega cursed? 

For years it has been rumored that the Superspeedway was haunted, perhaps because of the manic nature of the race, which produces uncertain outcomes. Fans have been electrocuted, helicopters have crashed, lives have been lost; and all of that files in the history annals with a certain amount of lore.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:41 PM

FBI examines threat to page in Foley scandal 

The FBI is investigating a possible threat against the north Louisiana teenager who was on the receiving end of suggestive e-mails from disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley, a Louisiana congressman said Tuesday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:37 PM

NO SIGN OF 'BEAST OF BALBIRNIE' 

The so-called 'Beast of Balbirnie' is still at large almost a year after a paw print was discovered in woods in Markinch.


With pic of print cast.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:36 PM

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

The century of drought 

One third of the planet will be desert by the year 2100, say climate experts in the most dire warning yet of the effects of global warming.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 PM

Robert Anton Wilson needs our help 

The great Robert Anton Wilson is gravely ill and needs help. Give if you can.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:21 PM

Foley claims abuse by a clergyman 

Foley's lawyer, David Roth, stated at a press conference that Foley was abused between the ages of 13 and 15 by a clergyman and that Foley, as an adult, has never had sex with a minor. Apparently, he will reveal the name of the clergyman at a later date. And finally, "Mark Foley wants you to know that he is a gay man."

We pretty much had that last one.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:15 PM

New Foley Instant Messages; Had Internet Sex While Awaiting House Vote 

Former Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) interrupted a vote on the floor of the House in 2003 to engage in Internet sex with a high school student who had served as a congressional page, according to new Internet instant messages provided to ABC News by former pages.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:04 PM

Tom Reynolds hides behind children 

Rep. Tom Reynolds uses children to deflect tough questions about the Foley affair.

At one point, reporters asked if he could make the children leave so they could as adult questions, and he refused.

Disgusting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:49 AM

To Know Better 

New Rigorous Intuition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:50 AM

Foley still logging into chat account with screen name linked to scandal 

So much for rehab.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 AM

Intel Officials: Rice's July 2001 Briefing Described Urgent Threat, '10 On a Scale of 1 to 10' 

The question is why did they continue to ignore warning after warning. Incompetence or something more sinister?

Rumsfeld and Ashcroft were warned as well.

They knew it was coming. Ashcroft even stopped flying on commercial aircraft in late July of 2001. And then they waited for Americans to die so they could start their war of imperialism in the Middle East.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:59 AM

Anthro prof helps date oldest writing sample in Western Hemisphere 

A team of archaeologists including Professor of Anthropology Stephen Houston recently reported the discovery of what appears to be the oldest writing in the Western Hemisphere.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:26 AM

Ancient canoe joins Newport ship 

A 3,400-year-old hollowed out log which is thought to be a Bronze Age canoe is being moved to a storage unit developed for Newport's medieval ship.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:23 AM

Bulgarian Archaeologists: Ancient Thracians Made Brain Surgeries 

Bulgarian archaeological expedition discovered an ancient Thracian man's skull, which had undergone cranium surgery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:22 AM

King Arthur expert, Vermont native, dies at 89 

Norma Lorre Goodrich, a prolific author and former professor who unearthed what she called the true story behind the legend of King Arthur, died Sept. 19, her longtime assistant told the Los Angeles Times. She was 89.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:20 AM

Strange, bright lights surprise stargazers 

Sky-watchers across the western U.S. reported seeing bright lights late Sunday, but theories abound on just what they saw.

See also: What made the circle?

And: Strange sighting puzzles couple

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:19 AM

Alchemy: One Year Later 

A Retrospective Look at a Year of Alchemical Practice and the Lessons Learned.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Victorians not afraid to explore paranormal 

A hundred years ago, one of the most ambitious of research projects was launched, a study that linked scholars and mediums on three continents to discover whether living humans could talk to dead ones.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:14 AM

Flowers' Ouija death threat 

The Killers singer Brandon Flowers is convinced he is going to die on his birthday - because a Ouija board predicted it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:13 AM

Could spiritual healing actually work? 

Once dismissed as hokum, new evidence is forcing doctors to accept the power of spiritual healing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:08 AM

Monday, October 02, 2006

Battlefield Foley 

Has Mark Foley checked himself in to a $cientology "rehab" center?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:44 PM

Records Show Tenet Briefed Rice on Al Qaeda Threat 

review of White House records has determined that George J. Tenet, then the director of central intelligence, did brief Condoleezza Rice and other top officials on July 10, 2001, about the looming threat from Al Qaeda, a State Department spokesman said Monday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:24 PM

Republicans knew about Foley in 2001 

Despite repeated warning signs going back at least five years, almost nothing was done in Congress to stop Foley's suspect behavior with pages.

I am shocked! Shocked I tell you!

See also: Cong. Tom Reynolds'(R-NY) chief of staff tried to get ABC to cover-up evidence of Foley predatory sex chat

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:46 PM

E-mails Show Foley Sought to Rendezvous with Page 

In addition to explicit sexual language, former Congressman Mark Foley's Internet messages also include repeated efforts to get the underage recipient to rendezvous with him at night.

From the text of the message it seems clear that Foley had at least one person-to-person encounter with the boy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 PM

When did Jack Abramoff find out about the Iraq war? 

Before you did, it seems.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:44 PM

Coroner: At least 6 dead in Amish school shooting - Oct 2, 2006 

See the Loren Coleman related post below.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:38 PM

More School Shootings? 

Loren Coleman has a warning.

In general, of course, we seem to now be in an unfortunate high copycat effect pattern, and it could be a deadly time for students in North America, as well as internationally, for several weeks, no matter what the day or date.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:48 AM

The Roots of the Gunfight at the OK Corral 

Why was there a shootout on October 26, 1881 at the OK Corral?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:21 AM

Debunking Booth myth 

It has been nine months since the legendary Phil Brown authored a column entitled "Did John Wilkes Booth die in Enid?"

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:14 AM

Lurid confession deepens Juarez mystery for some 

Man who investigated serial killings of women says details don't mesh.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:12 AM

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Happy Birthday Cryptomundo! 

The Professor would like to wish a Happy First Birthday to the fine folks over at Cryptomundo. A bit belated, I know, but I was out of town.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:01 PM

The Heavenly Voyage of the Seven Sisters 

A futuristic sailboat designed by aliens. Maybe. Alas, no pic, but I found a small one here. Scroll down. Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:38 PM

UFO class appeals to skeptics, believers 

Skeptics and believers both can learn more about the lore of unidentified flying objects in a new class at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:03 PM

Ghostly Tar Heels 

North Carolina has its share of ghosts and haunted places.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:02 PM

Diana crash witness: I saw a dozen 'shady figures' in tunnel 

A key eyewitness to the car crash that killed Princess Diana has broken his silence to tell how he saw a dozen people at the scene moments before her death.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:58 PM

Are UFOs whizzing over our heads? 

The skies over the Noosa hinterland are proving a hotspot for UFOs, with a recent string of unexplained sightings.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:57 PM

Oxford Archeologists to Study the Salt Men in Iran 

With Salty Man pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:54 PM

Battles over the Bard 

Review of The Shakespeare Wars by Ron Rosenbaum.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:51 PM

Forgotten Book Reveals 200 year old Seedlings 

Two-hundred-year-old seeds found at the National Archives have sprung back to life following careful coaxing from experts at Kew Gardens.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:46 PM

Museums shun artifacts from long-lost ship 

"This ship was the Holy Grail for shipwreck hunters around the Great Lakes," Zych said last month. But "I've been turned down by one museum after another."

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:44 PM

Jesus Didn't Exist! A Controversial New Non-Fiction Proves that Jesus Christ Never Existed as a Historical Person 

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:40 PM

Williamsburg author tells the story of Sir Walter Raleigh 

Williamsburg author Aleck Loker recently published "Walter Ralegh's Virginia: Roanoke Island and the Lost Colony" (Solitude Press, $16.95). The book examines Sir Walter Raleigh's settlement of Roanoke Island and the unsolved mystery surrounding the fate of the island's settlers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:38 PM

Warning Ahead Of Full Moon 

An occult sect that slaughters sheep in sadistic "moon rituals" is expected to make a major new attack, police have been warned.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:38 PM

Expert will lecture on reclusive giant squid (Correspondent 

It's longer than a school bus and can weigh more than 1,000 pounds. It's the world's largest invertebrate and yet, until recently, had never been seen alive in its natural habitat.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:36 PM

"Buddy Christ" in Iraq 

Cannonfire's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:32 PM

Born in Time (Part Two) 

Rigorous Intuition follows up.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:30 PM