Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Cryptozoology and magic
Very interesting. From Cryptomundo.
posted by Prof. Hex at 2:36 PM
U.S. chemical weapons base intruders 'not human'
Sploid's got it.
posted by Prof. Hex at 2:33 PM
Giving deja vu a second look
Many of us have experienced deja vu - the unsettling sensation of knowing that a situation could not have been experienced, combined with the feeling that it has. It is usually so fleeting that psychologists have until recently thought it impossible to study. But for some people, the feeling of having been there before is a persistent sensation, making every day a 'Groundhog Day'.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:09 PM
Vampyre candidate for governor arrested
A fringe candidate for governor who played up his satanic side - and pledged public impalement for terrorists - wound up behind bars today thanks to a sharp-eyed sheriff's dispatcher.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:04 PM
Something strangely beautiful ..
Gordon is one of a dying breed of gentlemen-collectors - people who hunt down and collect the unusual, the different, and, if we're being honest about it - the downright weird.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM
Paranormal Hot Spots
THERE ARE MANY places around the US that seem to be focal points of high strangeness - vortexes of bizarre sightings, unexplained encounters and eerie events.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:10 AM
The Mysterious Smell of Moondust
Moondust. "I wish I could send you some," says Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan. Just a thimbleful scooped fresh off the lunar surface. "It's amazing stuff."
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:05 AM
Old safe containing jewelry unearthed
Workers excavating recently near Kennebec Savings Bank on Main Street discovered a safe containing all sorts of jewelry from the 1800s, including gold and gold-plated necklaces, bracelets, pins, and hair clips -- even a gold pocket watch.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:02 AM
Monday, January 30, 2006
"Discovering The Maltese Falcon and Sam Spade" Nominated for Edgar Award
The critically praised book "Discovering The Maltese Falcon and Sam Spade," edited by Richard Layman, has been nominated by the Mystery Writers of America for the Edgar Award -- the mystery field's most prestigious award -- as the Best Critical/Biographical book of the year.Looks like a cool book for Hammett fans but check out this little item: The sculptor who created the legendary statuette of the black bird for the 1941 Humphrey Bogart movie may have been an accomplice of the Black Dahlia murderer and the killer of author James Ellroy's mother.Say what now?
posted by Prof. Hex at 3:44 PM
On the jungle trail of the legendary Malaysian 'snaggle-toothed ghost'
The Malaysian state of Johor has announced it is to organise an official search for one of its most famous - and elusive - inhabitants: the legendary ape-man Bigfoot.
posted by Prof. Hex at 3:37 PM
Breaking News: Mokele-mbembe Sighted
There's some exciting news from the Milt Marcy Expedition, now in Africa, in pursuit of the Mokele-mbembe.
Word via Bill Gibbons is that Milt Marcy just emailed from Cameroon. The expedition travelled far up the Dja River and spoke to witnesses that had observed a Mokele-mbembe only two days before. Paul Ohlin, who replaced Pastor Gene Thomas in 1992 in the northern Congo, saw a Mokele-mbembe only three weeks ago!
posted by Prof. Hex at 3:32 PM
PARAGUAY: A FISH WITH HANDS AND FEET
With pic."A group of men went fishing as was their custom every afternoon, but this time they caught a surprise. When they set it on the ground, it began to walk." Found over at The Anomalist.
posted by Prof. Hex at 3:28 PM
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Hoan Kiem's Giant Turtle
In the midst of a very long article reviewing the eating establishments and the The Ho Chi Minh Museum of Hanoi, Vietnam, there's a surprising update on the Old City's most famous cryptid.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:04 AM
Scholars Repudiate Official Version of 9/11
An influential group of prominent experts and scholars have joined together alleging that senior government officials have covered up crucial facts about what really happened on 9/11. The members of this new non-partisan association, "Scholars for 9/11 Truth" (S9/11T), are convinced their research proves the current administration has been dishonest with the nation about events in New York and Washington, D.C.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:46 AM
Saturday, January 28, 2006
I WAS A TEENAGE MOVIE MAKER
This is an absolute must see. Don Glut started making amateur movies in the 50s and went on to make dozens of films. Don never let copyright get in the way of his creativity and used many popular characters in his movies, including Captain America, Captain Marvel, and Spider-Man (sometimes in the same movie: His 1963 film, The Adventures of the Spirit features Eisner's Spirit, The Phantom Avenger, The Green Hornet, the Wolf Man, Captain America, The Shadow, and Superman. It's a fan-boy dream come true).
The pictures from these productions are amazing. John Carpenter (Halloween) has claimed that Don was his original inspiration as a filmmaker. Along the way, Glut managed to get professional actors to star in his amateur productions and it sure looks like he had a ton of fun. Highly recommended. The production photos alone are worth it. You can even watch some of Don's movies at his home page. And be sure to check out his extensive writing credits. Don Glut is my new hero.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:47 PM
Friday, January 27, 2006
Do-it-yourself Chinese medicine: the hot & cold food cure
The Professor is fighting a cold. We'll see if this works.
posted by Prof. Hex at 10:30 PM
Starving woman curses God, dies in her sleep
A starving Kenyan woman placed a powerful tribal curse on God, accusing him of sending famine, and died in her sleep, local newspapers said Thursday.
The woman from eastern Kenya's drought-ravaged Kangundo district decided to invoke a dreaded oath from the Kamba community, famed for its potent witchcraft, media reports said.No comment from God. Yet.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 AM
Spychips
How Major Corporations and Government Plan to Track Your Every Move with RFID. New book. Link from boing boing.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:08 AM
Hide and seek
Matt Condon has spent thousands of hours on his hands and knees studying the ground and the tales it tells. A sort of dirt detective, Condon is trained to decipher the tiniest clues left by falling footsteps in pursuit of missing persons or fugitives.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:01 AM
Who you gonna CALL?
I'm gonna call the editor and complain about lame headlines. And I'll point out the typo in the first paragraph of this story that misspells the name of the paper's home state.
An article on the Bridgewater Triangle in Massachussetts, home to Bigfoot, swamp things, phantom dogs, UFOs and other assorted weirdness.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:57 AM
Death-threat scam is blocked
The letter, which the OFT described as 'morbid', claims to be from a 'Clairvoyant-Medium' and 'Grand Master of Occultism' named Morgan T. It predicts bad luck, imminent danger and severe abuse for those who ignore it.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:46 AM
Does a New Pill Contain the Fountain of Youth?
Dr. Joe McCord's latest research may unravel the mystery of aging. And if he succeeds, the answer could come in the form of a little yellow pill called Protandim.Protandim's ingredients? It is a combination of five plant ingredients. Two of them are pretty commonplace — green tea and turmeric, a spice used in Indian cooking. The others, among them withania somnifera and silybum marianum, are more exotic.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:33 AM
10 years later, mystery clings to Schultz slaying
When Olympic gold-medal wrestler David Schultz was murdered 10 years ago today, the homicide was no CSI whodunit.
That much was clear from the outset.
Instead, the killing of Schultz, perhaps the most beloved figure in his sport, became a tragic and fascinating case of why?
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:26 AM
Sunken ship becomes a bittersweet discovery
A group of local history buffs that found a ship submerged in Adams Bayou in 2002 had hoped it was a Civil War gunboat, but have received disappointing news that it is far younger.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:21 AM
Grave mystery of 1879
The uneasy 127-year sleep of John Wesley Hillmon is about to be disturbed - again.
Assuming, that is, that it's really Hillmon lying in the remnants of a simple wooden coffin at an unmarked gravesite in Lawrence, Kan.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:18 AM
Malaysia creates team to track 'Bigfoot'
A southern Malaysian state will appoint a team of scientists and experts to hunt for a "Bigfoot" beast after the reported sighting of three giant human-like creatures, officials said Thursday.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:09 AM
Thursday, January 26, 2006
American muckraker Sinclair's integrity challenged
He was a man for whom the term muckraker was coined, a crusading journalist and novelist who never hesitated to expose scandal at the highest levels of government and business.
But now the integrity of Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Upton Sinclair is being questioned 38 years after his death because of the discovery of a letter he wrote in 1929.You have to read to page two to find out that Jonah Goldberg is a douchebag. Unless you already knew that, of course.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:01 PM
ACLU Releases Government Photos
The FBI is spying on vegans. Your tax dollars at work!
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:47 PM
Chris Penn RIP
I don't know if you're interested but this piece on actor Chris Penn is worth a read. I always loved the guy. I once mentioned to a young actor that he reminded me of Chris Penn and he got offended. I told him if he could be half the actor Chris was he'd be lucky.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:28 PM
Jack, we never knew ya
Desperate White House scrubbing Abramoff photos.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:12 PM
Cross-dressing killer is a lady wrestler!
Holy crap!The cross-dressing murderer who terrorized Mexico City's old ladies for three long years is actually a female wrestling star.
Mataviejitas -- the "Little Old Lady Killer" - brutally murdered more than 40 defenseless old women, four of them this month alone.
Now cops say they've got the killer: a 48-year-old former Mexican wrestling star who is a woman herself.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:05 PM
Carcass of unknown animal found
The skeletal remains of an animal found on the coast here has caused a stir among villagers at Kampung Pengkalan Sungai Udang in Telok Gong.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:26 AM
Oz flying car launch site: exclusive pictures
An update on the Australian flying car.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:21 AM
Sex, Drugs and Three-Card Monte
Another stellar post from Rigorous Intuition. Read.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:18 AM
Predictions of big quakes may be within reach
With a rush of new findings and promising research, scientists are edging closer to settling an age-old debate: Will it ever be possible to predict when big earthquakes strike?
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:08 AM
Mena man to sell D.B. Cooper cash
A Mena resident who found the only money recovered from the famous 1971 D.B. Cooper plane hijacking and robbery is preparing to sell what is left of his bounty.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:05 AM
Hey Buddy: What Brought WTC7 Down?
Of the many mysteries surrounding 9-11, few have been of as much interest to as broad a range of people as the fate of World Trade Center 7, the 47-story office building that was the last to fall and appears to have been the first steel-framed skyscraper to collapse due solely to fire. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which this fall issued its final report on what happened to the Twin Towers, was supposed to report on WTC 7 at the same time. But that got pushed to December, then to this spring, and lately to the end of 2006. Now, NIST is soliciting a contractor to try to come up with the best explanation for why the building came down.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:04 AM
Phoenician Inscription Rock: History or hoax?
Concealed within a small valley at Hidden Mountain is a 15-square-foot piece of basalt. The surface is carved with 216 characters that resemble Phoenician or old Hebrew. Translations have postulated buried treasure, a battle description and a exiled Greek named Zakyneros from 500 B.C.
posted by Prof. Hex at 5:54 AM
Big Cats: They do exist!
Britain's big cats.
posted by Prof. Hex at 5:52 AM
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Clumsiness of new "Osama" propaganda: sign of increasing Bush administration desperation
This latest production may be the clumsiest and most transparent fakery of them all. Today, with the Bush administration cornered and bleeding from scandals, in need of a distraction and cover for an atrocity in Pakistan, more justification for a future conquest of Iran, and facing Peak Oil and Gas-related collapse, it is a fine time for another wag, another attempt at the same old trick. But it is a trick that is losing its power.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:57 AM
Why Won't The Media Touch This Book?
"Bush/Cheney stole their re-election in 2004.
They stole it not just in Ohio, but all throughout the USA, from coast to coast."Press release for Mark Crispin Miller's new book Fooled Again.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:55 AM
SNL Conspiracy Theory Rock
'Conspiracy Theory Rock' by Robert Smigel was shown on 'Saturday Night Live' during the March 14, 1998 broadcast but edited out of reruns.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:51 AM
Witchcraft at the Half-Way-Tree court?
A woman constable attached to the Half-Way-Tree Police Station had to seek medical attention Tuesday after she came in contact with a strange powdery substance sprinkled on the court compound Tuesday morning.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:43 AM
Firebug - Build a boat and learn to sail
The Firebug, a small sailing boat that you can build at home, build at the sailing club or build at school, then learn to sail! The Firebug is a 2.4 metre sailing dinghy, a small sailboat, 8 feet long. The construction from plywood is simple and full size patterns make it almost foolproof. You can learn wooden boat building, then when the boat is complete you can say, Now 'I'm going to teach myself to sail!'Very cool. Found over at Make Zine.And this is cool too. Inverted indoor gardening. Who'da thunk it?
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:36 AM
Professor Pan
Professor Pan has the latest on the Hossanna Church Satanic Ritual Abuse cover-up. He also has an index to get you up to speed.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:19 AM
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Hibernation Could Help Humans, Too
Groundhogs such as Punxsutawney Phil, who takes his annual bow on Feb. 2, might someday teach us more than just how much more winter lies ahead.
posted by Prof. Hex at 5:06 PM
Prank Mystery Solved After 36 Years
A mystery that has lingered for more than 36 years -- who stole the famous "S" from the clock tower at the University of Wisconsin at Stout? -- has been solved.
posted by Prof. Hex at 4:37 PM
Monday, January 23, 2006
Last Carter Family Member Dies
Janette Carter, the last surviving member of legendary country music institution the Carter Family, died yesterday of Parkinson's disease and other health complications at the age of eighty-two.
posted by Prof. Hex at 2:59 PM
'Miracle' cures shown to work
Doctors have found statistical evidence that alternative treatments such as special diets, herbal potions and faith healing can cure apparently terminal illness, but they remain unsure about the reasons.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:24 PM
Paging George Jetson
Flying car captured on Google Earth. With pic.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:16 PM
David and the Inflatable Goliath
Pentagon builds monster blimp. With pic.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:42 AM
'These were horrific torture techniques'
Iron Age bog bodies horribly tortured.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:41 AM
A Heretic for Our Times
Biologist Rupert Sheldrake's theories turn everything we know about the universe inside out.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:36 AM
Group busy stalking Big Thicket Bigfoot
The Texas Bigfoot Research Center goes looking for the big guy.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:35 AM
Cliff paintings in Ningxia may be origin of picture writing: expert
The prehistoric cliff paintings discovered in northwestern China may be a medium of primitive language and an origin of picture writing, experts have said.See also Ancient paintings suggest China invented skiing
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:28 AM
Ancient oak felled for wine barrels
The Morat tree, as it is called, was planted in the 1660s during the reign of Louis XIV, on the instructions of the King's main administrator, Jean-Baptiste Colbert. A huge tree-planting programme was organised at the time, to provide high quality timber for France's naval shipyards
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:28 AM
The Scariest Games
We're not talking about the harmless games children play at Halloween or even the various paranormal-themed action and role-playing computer games available. We're talking about the games that are played in the dark of night that truly can be paranormal in nature and have unexpected, even terrifying results.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:22 AM
We're definitely weird
Ohio is one strange place. Need proof? Check out the new 285-page tome "Weird Ohio" by James A. Willis, Andrew Henderson and Loren Coleman (Sterling Publishing Co., $19.95), which celebrates the Buckeye State's bizarre beasts, local legends and roadside distractions.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:20 AM
Where prophecy and policy converge
Premillenial theology informs the political thinking of many.Worth a look. Anyone concerned about American public life at the outset of the 21st century would do well to pay close attention to the prophetic scenario embraced by millions. For these believers, America faces not just shadowy terrorists but nothing less than the advance guard of Antichrist himself.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:07 AM
Local experts want priority in the hunt
With reports of Bigfoot sightings creating a stir overseas, local scientists want to be given first shot at carrying out an expedition to determine its existence.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:02 AM
A winemaker in tune with the cosmos
Rudolf Steiner and biodynamic farming.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:01 AM
Lincoln's ancestors help trace disease
The proud lineage of Abraham Lincoln has helped researchers at the University of Minnesota identify a genetic origin of ataxia, a disease that robs people of mobility and coordination.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:51 AM
Absinthe Linked To Cruise Mystery
An illegal alcoholic drink that gained notoriety in the 19th century for its hallucinogenic effects is emerging as the latest twist in a modern mystery surrounding a Greenwich man who vanished from his honeymoon cruise last summer.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:43 AM
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Woman Blogs About Driving A NYC Taxi Cab
Welcome to the world of Melissa Plaut, a New York City taxi driver who chronicles her chaotic, adventurous job in a blog.Here's her blog.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:20 PM
The mercenaries who converted the Vatican
For 500 years, popes have been protected by Swiss guards. Originally mercenaries, their bravery and loyalty convinced Julius II to enlist them permanently.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:45 PM
Acupuncture 'deactivates brain'
Acupuncture works by deactivating the area of the brain governing pain, a TV show will claim.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:38 PM
Skull-Headed Cane
Sweet!Found over at boing boing.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 PM
Ostman's Observation
Albert Ostman, who claims he was abducted by a sasquatch and held captive by a sasquatch family for six days in 1924, was difficult to please as to images that might appear like the creatures he saw.
He did not think the creature in the Patterson/Gimlin film matched his captors. Several attempts to draw a sasquatch under his direction also failed to please him. One day, however, he met with John Green and stated that he had found an image that looked just like the "old man" who carried him away.With the drawing of Ostman's "old man."
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:30 PM
Emela-Ntouka: Africa's Killer of Elephants
The Emela-ntouka has been an unknown animal of some confusion in Africa. A few chroniclers have felt it was merely another named cryptid representing the sightings of the Mokele-mbembe. But as revealed by an image seen here for the first time, it appears to be a beast unlike the saurapod-like Mokele-mbembe.Cool!
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:18 PM
Friday, January 20, 2006
Through Hike: A Murder Story
Dateline NBC is doing a piece on Blaine Norris, murderous horror film director. Norris's crime has been covered extensively on this site but apparently many details have not been in the press. And there's a new documentary about the case called Rough Cut.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:32 PM
Conspiracy theories out to change the world
Conspiracy theories are much more than hot air. The paranoids who create them aim to rewrite history as Heather Tyler discovers in a sobering guide to the wackiest stories on earth.Book review of The Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:01 PM
Inside a mind well ahead of its time
Paracelsus was an alchemist, shaman and magician. But he was also the first scientist, a doctor whose influence is still felt today, says Peter Ackroyd."I am different," Paracelsus wrote. "Let this not upset you." Book review of THE DEVIL'S DOCTOR: Paracelsus and the World of Renaissance Magic and Science by Philip Ball
posted by Prof. Hex at 5:57 PM
The mystery fish washed ashore is identified
Croy McCoy, a research scientist at the Department of Environment, told Cayman Net News that, based on the description and photos provided, he believes the fish is a member of the Family Macrouridae (Coryphaenoididae), better known as grenadiers or rattails.With pic.
posted by Prof. Hex at 5:45 PM
Kabbalist-astrologer describes 'oneness' in all things
Gahl Sasson is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and he seems content with that.
posted by Prof. Hex at 5:43 PM
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Indiana Jones and the Revenge of the Talkbackers
The Talkbackers over at Ain't It Cool News seem less than pleased with the proposed fourth Indiana Jones movie. Some of their suggested titles: Indiana Jones and the Search for Ancient Egyptian Adult Diapers Indiana Jones and the Mystical Walker of Moses Indiana Jones and the Embarrassment of Erectile Dysfunction Indiana Jones and the Lost Roth IRA Account Indiana Jones and the Early Bird Buffet Indiana Jones and the Riddle of the Gallstone Indiana Jones and the Flatulent Demon Indiana Jones and the Yearly Prostate Exam of Doom Indiana Jones and the Horn of Mylanta Indiana Jones and the Sandles with Black Socks Indiana Jones and the Knights of Canasta Indiana Jones and the Lost Remote Control Indiana Jones and the Bus Ride to Branson, Missouri You get the idea.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:52 PM
President Kennedy and the Voodoo Priest of New Orleans
Great story found over at Covert History. A great read.
posted by Prof. Hex at 4:50 PM
New Waspfish Discovered Off South Africa
|
