Tuesday, January 30, 2007

FBI turns to broad new wiretap method 

They're spying on you right now.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:05 PM

DOUCHEBAGS OF THE WEEK! 

Ten senators have voted to further delay raising the minimum wage. Two of those 10 senators are multimillionaires with a combined fortune of up to $35.5 million. One of them built his fortune with a little help from the lottery. And what the hell, let's throw Roy Blunt on the pile too.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:01 PM

How Kerry Votes Were Switched to Bush Votes 

The 2004 Ohio Presidential Election: Cuyahoga County Analysis.

Via Cannonfire.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:01 PM

UFO sighted over Hawaii 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:56 PM

Remains of Village Found Near Stonehenge 

A village of small houses that may have sheltered the builders of the mysterious Stonehenge - or people attending festivals there - has been found by archaeologists studying the stone circle in England.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:48 PM

SPYING ON GHOSTS 

Team uses sonar to pinpoint shipwrecks in Lake Erie.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:46 PM

Carlsbad man explores a medical da Vinci code 

Sweeney's research convinced him that da Vinci had a congenital defect – a webbed, or syndactyl, hand. The artist's drawings of his own hand, Sweeney contends, seem to depict a webbed third and fourth finger, characteristic of syndactyly, and a pointed little finger. Sweeney also singles out similarly deformed left hands in other da Vinci artworks - including the hand of Jesus Christ in "The Last Supper."

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:45 PM

Monday, January 29, 2007

Escalation of US Iran military planning part of six-year Administration push 

The motivations for an Iran strike were laid out as far back as 1992. In classified defense planning guidance - written for then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney by then-Pentagon staffers I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, World Bank Chief Paul Wolfowitz, and ambassador-nominee to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad - Cheney's aides called for the United States to assume the position of lone superpower and act preemptively to prevent the emergence of even regional competitors. The draft document was leaked to the New York Times and the Washington Post and caused an uproar among Democrats and many in George H. W. Bush's Administration.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:29 PM

Murder in a Teapot 

British officials say police have cracked the murder-by-poison case of former spy Alexander Litvinenko, including the discovery of a "hot" teapot at London's Millennium Hotel with an off-the-charts reading for Polonium-210, the radioactive material used in the killing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:32 PM

International Alchemy Conference 

In Vegas, of course, so start saving your pennies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:24 PM

Exhibit highlights U.S.'s first 'Lost Nuke' 

The story is truly one of Canada's most intriguing mysteries -- one of potential nuclear disaster, conspiracy and coverup.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:01 PM

Pollen Reveals Terracotta Army Origins 

At least one mystery about the imposing faux army recently was solved. It is now known that the horses and warriors were constructed in different locations, based on analysis of pollen found in fragments of terracotta that were collected from the clay figures.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:59 AM

Mysterious Ice Chunk Falls From Sky, Hits Car 

With pic of car.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:58 AM

Australian Scientists Hope Cave Chamber Will Settle 'Hobbit' Debate 

The chance discovery of an enormous chamber beneath the Indonesian cave where hobbit-like creatures were discovered promises to settle the debate about who - or what - the tiny creatures were.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:54 AM

Report: Chinese police detain men for 'ghost bride' deaths 

Police in northern China have detained three men for the deaths of two women whose corpses were to be sold as "ghost brides" to accompany dead men in the afterlife, state media said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:56 AM

North Carolina 911 Callers Report Seeing UFOs, Call 911 

Redundant Headline Seems Redundant.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:48 AM

Archaeologist digs for proof of Sasquatch 

"A strong case can be made that Bigfoot exists," said Strain, whose Jamestown-area home includes a room full of books, videos, cast footprints, notes and reports on the creature. "I've seen things I have no other explanation for."

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:45 AM

Roar of Mich. cougar debate grows louder 

No cougars live in Michigan, say some state and federal wildlife officials.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:44 AM

Some States More Likely To Have Serial Killers 

With link to full study.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:42 AM

High on giraffe liver 

Review of Strange Attractor Journal Three, edited by Mark Pilkington.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:40 AM

Friday, January 26, 2007

Does This Missouri Man Have a Piece of an Alien Craft? 

Part One at From The Shadows.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:56 PM

How the Moon rules your life 

For eons, folklore has blamed the Moon for everything from lunacy to bad luck. And, for the last few centuries, scientists have scoffed. Now, according to new research they're not so sure.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:53 PM

Beasts hounded to extinction 

Evidence is mounting against ancient humans in the case of disappearing megafauna.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:48 PM

Old Stone Mill case is not closed 

"The case of the Newport Tower is still open," he said. "The origins of the tower are a mystery, but it is a mystery that will be solved, although maybe not in my lifetime."

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:44 PM

'Physchics' to probe drag artist's death 

Paul Harris, who performed under the stage name Sapphire at clubs around King's Cross, died last January from head injuries. At the inquest, the Tribune reported how his family believed his lifestyle may have made him the target of a random homophobic street attack.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:43 PM

Death and Dishonor: Bush's New Assassination Order 

The real story here is the story behind the story. After all, George W. Bush has already authorized his agents to kill American citizens -- without arrest, charge, trial, or even any warning -- if the victim has been designated -- arbitrarily, at the whim of the "Leader," outside any judicial process or oversight -- as an "enemy combatant."

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:41 PM

UFO spotted over the Carolinas 

Countless calls were made to emergency centers from across the Carolinas from people who reported seeing an unexplained bright light falling from the sky.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:39 PM

R. Crumb and Bigfoot 

Cryptomundo takes a look.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:32 PM

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Vote fraud: Not just a conspiracy theory anymore 

Cannonfire keeps an eye on it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:35 PM

HOW TO - Isolate amniotic stem cells from a placenta, at home 

Very cool, but as Boing Boing points out, not for the squeamish.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:29 PM

A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine 

Over at Strange Maps. Also check out the world in Orwell's 1984.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:24 PM

The Many Benefits of Tea Tree Oil 

The name tea tree originated in 1770 when British explorer James Cook made a drink from this long-leaved herb found only in the coastal wetlands of Australia. While Cook realized that this new found herb could treat scurvy, only recently have the myriad of health benefits from tea tree oil been discovered.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:20 PM

The World's Most Dangerous Bookstore 

Enduring legends are borne of disbelief: Scotland has its Loch Ness Monster, the Himalays its Abominable Snowman, and Oklahoma City, not to be outdone, has the Bookman.

Via Wit of the Staircase.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:10 PM

The REAL Frankensteins 

As revealed in a National Geographic documentary to be screened later this month, the creation of the two-headed dog was the first step in an astonishing race by Cold War scientists to achieve the seemingly impossible - the first ever human head transplant.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:06 PM

2007 Top 10 weirdest USB drives! 

Hysterical. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:35 PM

Dinosaur may have resembled the biplane 

The intriguing possibility of a biplane dinosaur - Microraptor gui - is suggested by Sankar Chatterjee of Texas Tech University in this week's online issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:33 PM

New Look For Cryptomundo 

Cryptomundo has a new design. Check it out.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:26 PM

'Mona Lisa' claim draws skepticism 

I bet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:25 AM

Psychologist to examine "jungle woman" 

A Spanish psychologist travelled to see Cambodia's "jungle woman" Tuesday in hopes of evaluating her condition since she was recently discovered naked and unable to speak after apparently spending nearly two decades alone in the wild.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:23 AM

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Mystery in the many British Isles 

Blame Shakespeare or my school textbooks, but I -- like probably many another -- thought the British Isles consisted of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Actually, they number many more than 1,000, with more than 900 lying off the rugged coast of Scotland.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:33 PM

Mystery in the Potomac 

Two years ago when Sharpsburg resident Dave Lemarie learned that male fish containing eggs had been discovered in the Potomac River basin, he and his wife stopped drinking tap water.

Lemarie, a biologist who is not studying the river - reasoned that if the water did that to the fish, it could not be good for people.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:49 PM

Police identify man they believe poisoned Russian spy 

The suspected killer was captured on cameras at Heathrow as he flew into Britain to carry out the murder.

Friends of the ex-spy say that the man was a hired killer, sent by the Kremlin, who vanished hours after poisoning Alexander Litvinenko.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:48 PM

DNA test for jungle girl's dad 

This weekend the questions are multiplying about how the girl vanished in 1989, what she endured in the jungle and why she was not found until villagers stood guard to catch a thief a week ago.

See also: Naked man deepens mystery of jungle girl

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:44 PM

The lure of the straight razor 

Shaving with a lethal weapon has an alpha-male appeal that has driven up sales of what was once standard issue. But modern newbies often learn one thing too late.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:42 PM

Mystery of 'combustion' smoldered for centuries 

Is spontaneous human combustion real?

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:39 PM

Friday, January 19, 2007

Whoops! Spy coins not true 

Reversing itself, the Defense Department says an espionage report it produced that warned about Canadian coins with tiny radio frequency transmitters was not true.

Suuuure. With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:42 PM

Croatoan 

Are the Dare Stones a hoax or a true record of the Lost Colony?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:04 PM

Defendant turns on others, tells of rape, killing 

Good article on the horrific 1979 rape and murder of Janet Chandler by Wackenhut Security Guards.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:39 PM

Mystery over roadside underwear 

With brilliant photograph.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:23 PM

Tears reveal some of their deepest secrets to researchers 

It's no secret why we shed tears. But exactly what our tears are made of has remained a mystery to scientists.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:20 PM

Ancient mystery solved? Taft man says 'Murphy Mover' explains pyramids 

James Murphy said his Apex Delivery and Lifting System - or Murphy Mover - is more than just an explanation. It's a nearly energy free way of lifting and moving large objects.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:19 PM

Mona Lisa's Resting Place May Be Found 

It may be that the world's most famously enigmatic woman has shed some of her mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:56 PM

Mystery visitor makes 58th appearance at Poe's grave 

For the 58th year in a row, a mystery visitor has paid tribute to Edgar Allan Poe by placing roses and a bottle of cognac on the writer's grave to mark his birthday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:55 PM

Thursday, January 18, 2007

'Jungle woman' found after 19 years in wild 

The woman - believed to be Rochom P'ngieng, who would now be 27 years old - cannot speak any intelligible language, so details of her story have been difficult to confirm.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:53 PM

Bill O'Reilly - Douchebag of the Week! 

Bill O'Reilly plays blame the victim.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:25 PM

Mike Marcum and the Time Machine 

Marcum attempted to construct a time machine in 1995 on the porch of his house in Stanberry, Mo., because he wanted to get winning lottery numbers from the future.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:10 PM

THE SCEPTICS vs BIG CATS 

Monsters of Kent has the showdown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:00 PM

Leather Cthulhu Mask on Ebay 

Disturbingly cool. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:11 PM

Top 100 Cryptic Mammals 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:05 AM

UFO Observed in Western Iran 

A radiant Unidentified Flying Object was again observed in the sky of Central Sepidar in the vicinity of Bouyer Ahmad in western Iran.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 AM

Alien Gods and Magic In Ireland 

According to Julius Caesar, the people of Gaul claimed to be descendants of Dis (equivalent to Pluto), the God of the Underworld inhabited by the dead.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:45 AM

Officials give up search for last week's bad smell in NYC 

he who smelt it, dealt it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:44 AM

Air Force colonel reports lights 'not of this world' 

With pics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 AM

Big Bopper's Son Wants Mystery Solved, 

Expert To Examine Cause Of 1959 Plane Crash On "Day The Music Died".

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 AM

'Occult-obsessed killer left murder-by-numbers clue' 

A MAN fascinated by the occult who stabbed a driving instructor to death more than 18 years ago left behind two vital pieces of evidence including a numerology clue which now link him to the crime, a jury heard yesterday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:35 AM

What's on the Far Side of the Moon? 

Why can we never see it? What's there? Rumors in certain circles speculate that it's the perfect place for an alien base.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:34 AM

Mystery Ice Ball Crashes Through Roof 

With scary pic - that was one big ice ball,

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:31 AM

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Reading Shakespeare has dramatic effect on human brain 

Just stumbled on this.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:56 PM

Bush: It's all 'unacceptable' 

President Bush thinks a lot of things are "unacceptable" - except, of course, his presidency.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:32 PM

Spice Healer 

An ingredient in curry shows promise for treating Alzheimer's, cancer and other diseases.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:51 AM

Spice Healer 

An ingredient in curry shows promise for treating Alzheimer's, cancer and other diseases.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 AM

A Variation on Vampire Lore That Won't Die 

A look at Richard Matheson's I Am Legend.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:23 AM

Confessions of an Occult Mastermind 

Cat's posted the latest edition of Questions You've Asked Me and a new love spell over at Confessions of an Occult Mastermind. Tell her the Professor sent you.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:13 AM

We Are Family 

Rigorous Intuition on the Bush administration's Manson Family Values.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:01 AM

Giant Owls, Mystery Millionaires & the CIA 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:25 AM

No shortage of spirits down the pub 

Ghost-hunting in the UK.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:21 AM

Napoleon's Mysterious Death Unmasked 

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:17 AM

U. of C. team traces mystery of oldest city 

Hamoukar came to a violent demise.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Skull suggests possible humans-Neanderthals interbreeding 

A skull found in a cave in Romania includes features of both modern humans and Neanderthals, possibly suggesting that the two may have interbred thousands of years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:31 AM

Want to discover a planet? All you need is Internet connection 

Amateur astronomer William Bianco doesn't huddle over a backyard telescope to hunt for undiscovered planets. He logs onto his computer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:20 AM

Who made Harry Houdini disappear? 

Review of Don Bell's The Man Who Killed Houdini.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:42 AM

Literary Loss 

Paul Krassner remembers Robert Anton Wilson.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:40 AM

Monday, January 15, 2007

TRUTH AT LAST, TRUTH AT LAST: The Real Story of James Earl Ray 

Covert History has got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:04 PM

Kenelm Digby 

This auction on Ebay got me thinking about the interesting life of the man.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:01 PM

Secret Park Avenue Crypt Unearthed! 

Who built the private tunnel that seems to lead to the Metro-North tracks?

Via Wit of the Staircase.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:20 PM

Modern Remedy From Ancient Lore: Rosemary 

Egyptians and Greeks considered rosemary to be a sacred plant, associated with love, death, and remembrance. In Egypt rosemary was used to embalm the dead, and sprigs were placed in tombs to symbolize the memory of the departed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:28 PM

Mind Games 

New on the Internet: a community of people who believe the government is beaming voices into their minds. They may be crazy, but the Pentagon has pursued a weapon that can do just that.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:41 AM

Expert explores UFO legend 

What was it, exactly, that crash-landed in the desert near Roswell, N.M. in July 1947?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 AM

Big Stink's source yet to be sniffed out 

Add the Big Stink of '07 to Jimmy Hoffa's whereabouts, Bigfoot and other mysteries of the ages.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:44 AM

For hexed or vexed, a store casts its spell 

What becomes clear, through the herbal fog, is that the unusual is commonplace at Harry's Occult Shop, a onetime pharmacy in the 1200 block of South Street that specializes in remedies of a more mystical nature.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:40 AM

Stonehenge most likely didn't stand alone 

The world famous Stonehenge in the plains of Salisbury in southern England that has intrigued anthropologists for centuries did not stand in isolation, but was juxtaposed between two more world famous prehistoric stone formations.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:12 AM

Cybersleuths dig up dirt as high-profile crimes unfold 

Soon after the media reported Friday that a St. Louis-area boy who had been missing four days was found -- along with a teen who had been missing four years -- people all over the country took up the case.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:07 AM

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Convicted Watergate 'plumber' claims LBJ may have had JFK assassinated 

E. Howard Hunt writes a book.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:27 PM

IVY GAL FLED HER PAST 

Follow up on con-woman Esther Elizabeth Reed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:54 PM

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Desire for streetcars surges in US 

Despite being celebrated in literature and film, streetcars had largely disappeared from America's cities by the end of the Second World War, to be replaced by buses and trains. Now, they are steadily making a clattering comeback.

About time. Via Raw Story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:27 PM

More dead birds 

No more dead crows have been found lately in the neighborhood around the Promenade Mall. But while that may be good news, the people who live on nearby streets are confronted with another mystery: there are no living crows out there, either.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:04 PM

Deaths of birds solved 

Not really.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:48 PM

Professor re-examines mysterious document 

Ten meters long and at least 1,000 years old, the Joshua Roll is one of the most mysterious documents in history.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:47 PM

Robert Anton Wilson, 74, Who Wrote Mind-Twisting Novels, Dies 

Best obituary headline ever.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:43 PM

CIA plane ownership leads to inquiry 

The Oregon State Bar is investigating a Portland attorney who represented a company that owned an executive jet the CIA reportedly used to transport terrorist suspects to foreign countries for interrogation.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:36 PM

Satellites to illuminate mystery of northern lights 

A team of scientists from Canada and the United States will launch an ambitious project in February to unravel the science behind the shimmering aurora borealis seen in northern skies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:21 PM

Cyber-Sleuths Try To Crack Missing Boy Mystery 

Net detectives take on the Trenton Duckett mystery. I like to call them "Netectives".

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:19 PM

Drilling 'boosts Homeric theory' 

The Mediterranean island of Kefalonia was probably once two separate islands, new geophysical studies suggest.

Really good article, with pics.

If correct, the researchers say, it would support their view that Paliki was the real site for Homer's Ithaca

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:14 PM

Image of Christ appears on laundry room floor 

Doris Wells never expected to receive what she called a sign from God, but family and friends agree that is what she got.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:08 PM

A bible-based Indiana Jones 

Bob Cornuke says he uses God's word to lead him to archaeological sites, but his critics have reservations.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:04 PM

Hunt for Leonardo Da Vinci painting to resume in Florence 

A real-life Da Vinci mystery, complete with tantalizing clues and sharp art sleuths, may soon be solved, as researchers resume the search for a lost Leonardo masterpiece believed to be hidden within a wall in a Florence palace.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:55 PM

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Living with things that go bump in the night 

Haunted Condo.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:51 PM

Immortal Mayhem 

It's a mad, mad Marilyn world as cannibals, collectors and defenders battle over Monroe's platinum legacy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:35 PM

Scientists create ball lightning in lab 

The mysterious phenomenon of ball lightening has been unravelled after Brazilian researchers cooked up a simple recipe for similar eerie orbs - even getting them to bounce around for several seconds.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 PM

RIP Robert Anton Wilson 

This doesn't seem to have hit the news yet, but it appears that Robert Anton Wilson has died. He will be missed.

Hat tip to Gary Buell.

Here's RAW's blog, inluding his final entries.

Cryptomundo says goodbye.

I've said it before but it bears repeating: Without Robert Anton Wilson there is no Professor Hex. Thank you Bob.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:29 PM

Indian serial killer suspect admits sex with dead bodies 

A suspect in the gruesome murders of 17 people, mostly children, near the Indian capital has told investigators he had sex with the dead bodies and ate their organs, a report said.

The Times of India said Surender Koli admitted to carrying out the crimes alone and that his employer, businessman Moninder Singh Pandher, who has also been arrested and charged, was unaware of the killing spree.

The grisly revelations emerged after the two accused were subjected to "narco-analysis" -- including truth drugs, polygraph tests and brain mapping -- at a national forensic laboratory.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:19 PM

Moment 600 years ago that terror came to Mummies of the Amazon 

The Chachapoyas were a tall, fairhaired, light-skinned race that some researchers believe may have come from Europe.

Little is known about them except that they were one of the more advanced ancient civilisations in the area. Adept at fighting, they commanded a large kingdom from the year 800 to 1500 that stretched across the Andes.

With amazing pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:14 PM

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

RIP Yvonne De Carlo 

Yvonne De Carlo, the beautiful star who played Moses' wife in "The Ten Commandments" but achieved her greatest popularity on TV's "The Munsters," has died. She was 84.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:45 PM

Under the Red Sky 

Rigorous Intuition puts it in perspective.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:33 PM

Black Dahlia Mug Shot! 

Ebayer escalante_sandy is auctioning a set of mug shots that include an original of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, from her 1943 Santa Barbara arrest for underage drinking.

Via this post at Larry Harnisch's blog.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:53 PM

Top 10 Haunted Lighthouses 

Even ghosts seem to love these majestic coastal beacons.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:48 AM

The truth about aphrodisiacs 

For thousands of years certain foods have been thought to stimulate sexual desire. But how do they work?

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:32 AM

UFO Crash in Central Iran 

An Unidentified Flying Object crashed in Barez Mounts in the central province of Kerman Wednesday morning.

More falling victims of the Space War.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:30 AM

Stuttering: What We Know After 60 Years 1947-2007 

Cutting the tongue and stuffing a dishtowel in a child's mouth were two ways people treated stuttering just a few decades ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:13 AM

Sleuths close in on Odysseus home 

British history sleuths say they have uncovered new geological evidence to solve one of the great riddles of ancient Greece -- pinpointing the ancient island of Ithaca, home of Homer's legendary hero Odysseus.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:07 AM

Spontaneous combustion by Vietnam girl remains a mystery 

The case of the 15-year-old girl whose hair went up in flames is not unique but has yet to be explained scientifically, a Vietnamese scientist said Wednesday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:06 AM

Dead wattle bird may hold key to mystery deaths 

A tiny dead wattle bird being rushed to Perth this morning could hold the key to the mystery deaths of thousands of birds that dropped from the sky in the holiday town of Esperance.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:04 AM

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Giant Squid Hitches Free Ride to the Marquesas 

Crafty.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:17 PM

Spies embedding tiny transmitters in Canadian coins, U.S. report says 

Canadian coins containing tiny transmitters have mysteriously turned up in the pockets of at least three American contractors who visited Canada, says a branch of the U.S. Defense Department.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:57 PM

Escape artist must pay for disappearing hoax 

Police unimpressed with Michael Patrick's drowning-in-the-ocean trick.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:54 PM

Canary in a Coalmine 

Thousands of birds fall from sky in W Australia

Bird Deaths Shut Down Downtown Austin

Barn owls dying by thousands along I-84

Hat tip.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:47 PM

Common Yoga Injuries, and How to Avoid Them 

Sensible advice from Dr. Johnny Benjamin. Via Fark.

Believe it or not, the lotus pose is most problematic among my patients. Unlike some other poses, it doesn't look tough, and practically everybody did it as a kid. They get lulled into a false sense of complacency. But when you're 50 or 60 years old, the lotus is a lot harder on the joints.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:44 PM

New Book: The Terror 

Cryptomundo takes a look at the new novel by noted horror and science-fiction author Dan Simmons. Simmons is a hell of a writer and the new book focuses on the ill-fated Arctic expedition of Sir John Franklin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:47 PM

Tucker Carlson - Douchebag of the Week! 

And it's only Tuesday!

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:21 PM

Bush Sr. Early CIA Ties Revealed 

Previously disclosed FBI files include a memo from bureau director J. Edgar Hoover, noting that his organization had given a briefing to two men in the intelligence community on November 23, 1963, the day after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The memo refers to one as "Mr. George Bush of the Central Intelligence Agency" and the other as "Captain William Edwards of the Defense Intelligence Agency."

When Nation magazine contributor Joseph McBride first uncovered this document in 1988, George Herbert Walker Bush, then vice president and seeking the presidency, insisted through a spokesman that he was not the man mentioned in the memo: "I was in Houston, Texas, at the time and involved in the independent oil drilling business. And I was running for the Senate in late '63. I don't have any idea of what he's talking about." The spokesman added, "Must be another George Bush."

Via Raw Story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:12 PM

Human skin is an anthropologist's map 

For more than a decade, Jablonski has been trying to get her arms around a ubiquitous and yet mysterious topic: the biology, evolution and social function of human skin. The results of her studies have been published by the University of California Press as "Skin: A Natural History."

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:06 PM

Sky Wars 

Is Joseph Cannon right? Are secret tests being conducted in the skies? Or is something more sinister going on? Have the space wars started? It reminds me of this famous video from the space shuttle, where it appears a UFO was fired on from Earth.

Huge Object Sighted over Cambridge, England

Mystery light over Singapore

Scientists find Extraterrestrial genes in Human DNA

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:03 PM

Geologists Discover Origin of Earth's Mysterious Black Diamonds 

If indeed "a diamond is forever," the most primitive origins of Earth's so-called black diamonds were in deep, universal time, geologists have discovered. Black diamonds came from none other than interstellar space.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:55 PM

Mystery of the Boeing that simply vanished 

What happened to flight KI 574?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:52 PM

Psychic Surgery - magic or science? 

Press release for an Indian television show.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:47 PM

Author takes a new look at an old mystery 

A new book on the Morro Castle ocean liner disaster of 1934.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:46 PM

RIP Iwao Takamoto 

Iwao Takamoto, the renowned animator responsible for designing Scooby-Doo and a number of other beloved Hanna-Barbera characters, has died at the age of 81.

Interesting life. Takamoto picked up his design skills in a Japanese internment camp. He also designed Astro, Muttley, and Penelope Pitstop.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:44 PM

Monday, January 08, 2007

ID THEFT 101 

A cunning co-ed con artist was able to dupe some of the nation's top universities - including Harvard and Columbia - into granting her admission by stealing other people's identities, including that of a woman who has been missing for more than seven years, investigators have discovered.

Interesting story on Esther Elizabeth Reed, con woman extraordinaire and possible intelligence agent. I'm using her full name because I know she'll google this. Hi Esther. You should probably turn yourself in.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:42 PM

Amazing Pulps on eBay 

Ebay seller neatstuffcollectibles has an amazing bunch of pulps currently up for auction. Check out this beautiful set of 76 issues of Weird Tales magazine and this monumental set of 7,500 hundred pulps. Both listings have beautiful scans but might take a while to load. Completely worth it, though.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:52 PM

Written in Stone, the Secret of Coumesourde 

The Coumesourde Stone and Rennes-le-Chateau. Via Daily Grail.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:48 PM

Mystery Tusk: Not A Circus Elephant 

Cryptomundo takes a look, with nice pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:20 PM

The Evil Eye and Witchcraft 

Simple Glances That Kill.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:37 PM

THEY'RE HERE! 

The UFO story, published Monday, became the most-read piece to appear on chicagotribune.com. It was the top story on the Tribune Web site for four straight days, garnering more than 1 million page views from people around the world.

The reaction is proof that we live in a curious world. Maybe a curious universe too.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:32 PM

Mystery smell settles over Manhattan 

New York officials evacuated a number of buildings and shut down some trains after a mysterious gaslike odor was reported Monday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:30 PM

Pa. Man Gets Letter Postmarked 1954 

A western Pennsylvania man is trying to solve a mystery that recently landed in his mailbox: a letter mailed more than 50 years ago and addressed to a Frederick Zane Yost.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:19 PM

Second big cat 'sighted' in Canterbury 

Folklore suggests that a large, black, panther-type animal is roaming Mid-Canterbury.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:17 PM

Dead Bird Mystery In Austin, Texas 

A 10-block section of downtown Austin, Texas, was closed to traffic Monday after about 60 dead birds were found in the area along Congress Avenue.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:16 PM

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Fire in the sky 

Cannonfire wonders what's falling from the skies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:21 PM

Canadian victim of CIA brainwashing seeks class-action against government 

MK Ultra and Dr. Ewen Cameron torture Canadians.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:54 PM

Ghosts: The 'Stone Tape' Theory 

The hypothesis being that rather like a TV programme can be recorded onto iron particles coated onto a plastic tape, then events can be recorded into the very fabric of buildings or indeed the surrounding Earth. The events can be played back at a later time thus causing the viewer to interpret the playback as a ghost.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:47 PM

Satanists trapped between the devil and the Holy See 

Priests are to work alongside Italian police officers to tackle a rising tide of crimes linked to devil worship.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:39 PM

Serial killers: The mind of a psychopath 

India's serial killers, including Charles Sobhraj and the Stone Man.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:32 PM

Dark matter mapped in 3-D detail 

The most detailed 3-D map of the universe ever made, stretching back over billions of years, provides the best evidence yet that mysterious "dark matter" serves as the unseen scaffolding on which everything we can see is hung, astronomers reported Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:23 PM

'Maybe there is something out there' 

Another article on the Skunk Ape documentary "Footprints".

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:08 PM

Offshore trenches baffle scientists 

Scientists are puzzling over a new mystery of the deep discovered 40 miles offshore from Horry and Georgetown counties last fall while mapping fish habitat with the latest technology.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:07 PM

Carved in stone 

Petroglyphs in Maine.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 PM

Sasquatch seeker 

Fisher Branch-area resident Michelle Baril has collected stories about sasquatch sightings as a hobby through most of her life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:04 PM

Yesterday's Papers 

A Rigorous Intuition round-up.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:41 PM

Inventor of Instant Noodles Dies at 96 

Momofuku Ando, the Japanese inventor of instant noodles - a dish that has sustained American college students for decades - has died. He was 96.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:28 PM

Saturday, January 06, 2007

The Nithari Killings 

Child Cannibalism in India

Noida Killer ate liver of children to get heat


Grisly secrets of Delhi suburb sewer

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:11 PM

The Erie Collar Bomber - Fugitive 

America's Most Wanted on the murder of Brian Wells.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:07 PM

Friday, January 05, 2007

White House visitor records closed 

The White House and the Secret Service quietly signed an agreement last spring in the midst of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal declaring that records identifying visitors to the White House are not open to the public.

Sure it's only January, but Bush is still the front runner for Douchebag of the Year.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:58 PM

'Mammoth' Maine find; Mass. boat pulls up tusk 

A fisherman pulled up what appears to be the tusk of a wooly mammoth from Georges Bank off the Maine coast.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:52 PM

Cancer cure patented 

A group of researchers claim that they are patenting a possible cure for cancer involving nothing more than sugar and short-chain fatty acid combination.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:27 PM

Easter Islanders wonder how many statues are enough 

What should be done about the hundreds of other stone icons, many of them damaged or still embedded in the ground, that are scattered around the island?

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:21 AM

Wonder warriors of China 

Yang Pei Yan is one lucky farmer. He was digging a well in 1974 near Xi'an, in eastern central China, when he found some broken pottery and old bronze weapons. He showed them to his friends, someone told the government and it changed his life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:17 AM

1870s dead horse photo sparks mystery 

It's a cliche, beating a dead horse, but it sure fits what's happening in a southeast Wisconsin city trying to unravel the mystery of an 1870s photo of a stovepipe-hatted man sitting on a dead horse in the middle of a dusty, deserted street. With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:14 AM

The Demon Was an Idea (Part Two) 

More Rigorous Intuition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:28 AM

Disc-shaped UFO over Chicago's O'Hare Airport triggers national, international news coverage 

Eyewitness reports from United Airlines employees and pilots about a gray, metallic, disc-shaped craft hovering over Chicago's O'Hare International Airport have resulted in widespread news coverage within the mainstream U.S. media and international news outlets.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:13 AM

Expert: Falling object was out of this world 

The rocklike object that came hurtling through the roof of a township home earlier this week definitely came from outer space, but its exact origin and makeup remained a mystery last night.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:02 AM

MAGICAL LANDSCAPE' IS ALL AROUND US 

No-one knows this better than Philip Carr-Gomm, a Lewes author and psychologist who has the odd distinction of teaching magic by post.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:00 AM

Golden boy turns serial child-killer 

He is an alumnus of one of the subcontinent's most prestigious and expensive schools, Bishop Cotton at Bangalore, which dates back more than 100 years to the days of the British Raj and has as its motto the noble injunction "Overcome Evil with Good".

Today, however, there are only evil in perceptions of Moninder Singh Pandher, the millionaire New Delhi businessman at the centre of what is emerging as one of the world's most horrendous cases of sexual depravity and pedophile serial killing.

Grisly. This has got black magic written all over it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:56 AM

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Experts Brought In To Examine Mysterious Object 

Police Tight-Lipped, Many Think It May Have Been Meteor.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:18 PM

Disappearance Of Indonesian Jet Baffling 

"It is kind of strange," said Febrizal Lubis, a pilot for another Indonesian airline. "The plane was going along at 35,000 feet, and then with no mayday or distress signal, it disappeared like that."

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:08 PM

Palaeography tutorial (how to read old handwriting) 

An online tutorial. Via MetaFilter.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:39 PM

Teller's Macbeth 

Speaking of Penn and Teller (see below), it looks like Teller will be staging a radical modernization of Macbeth in New Jersey in late 2007.

The premise is that "Macbeth" is Shakespeare's supernatural horror story, and should be done as violently and amazingly as a modern supernatural horror movie. Aaron Posner, the director, and I have been talking about this for three years and this fall hit on this simple goal: to use Shakespeare's images and ideas to scare the living hell out of the audience.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:46 PM

THE BLUEWATER 'BIG CAT' 

The 'big cats' roaming the surrounding areas of Europe's largest shopping centre, Bluewater, are not mere eerie urban legends.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:26 PM

Celebrity Patents 

Patents filed at the USPTO by celebrities. Penn Jillette is a naughty, naughty boy. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:33 PM

Man Bat tale tops 2006 for weirdness 

According to Godfrey's account, a 53-year-old La Crosse man and his 25-year-old son were driving on Briggs Road in Holmen at about 9:30 p.m. on that Tuesday. Suddenly, a creature that resembled the demonic vampire out of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" or "Van Helsing" flew right at their windshield, flying straight up into the night sky just inches from striking the glass.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:10 AM

Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain 

A synthetic chemical similar to the active ingredient in marijuana makes new cells grow in rat brains. What is more, in rats this cell growth appears to be linked with reducing anxiety and depression. The results suggest that marijuana, or its derivatives, could actually be good for the brain.

Via Daily Grail.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:59 AM

Mystery Metal Crashes Through NJ Roof 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:59 AM

Douchebag of the Week! 

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson cited communications with God in predicting Tuesday that horrific terrorism aimed at the United States will result in "mass killing" during the second half of 2007.

Is the White House using Pat Robertson to prepare us for another 9/11 or is Robertson a crazy old man who hears voices? Either way, Pat Robertson is our Douchebag of the Week!

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:57 AM

Happy World Hypnotism Day! 

You should celebrate by getting very sleepy...very sleepy...you can only hear the sound of my voice...very sleepy...

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:42 AM

Flickin the Bird Pump up Finger 

I could have used one of these yesterday. Perfect for pesky tailgaters. Via OhGizmo!

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:35 AM

UFO 'seen burning up in sky' 

Mr Lindop was watching TV at in his home at Moorhouse Close, Wellington, when he looked out of the window and saw a strange tubular object in the sky.

See also: People claim seeing a UFO in Istanbul

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 AM

Historic sea map set for auction 

The Nicolay Rutter is said to be the oldest accurate chart of the country. It was made from a voyage King James V took around Scotland in 1540.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:23 AM

Untangling the Mystery of the Inca 

The ancient Andean empire built great cities but left no written records - except perhaps in mysterious knotted strings called khipu. Can an anthropologist and some mathematicians crack the code?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:14 AM

Werewolves emerge from the dark 

CSI: Lycanthropy with artist David Altmejd.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:12 AM

Mystery deepens over missing plane 

An Indonesian jetliner that vanished with 102 people aboard did not issue distress signals or report any mechanical problems, a top aviation official said Thursday, contradicting earlier reports.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 AM

Mystery baby turns 80 

Robert Paul Cammett was a New Year's Day baby in 1927, but for weeks after his birth he lay in a Boston hospital unclaimed.

He was known only as "baby boy Hebert" - born on the Haverhill to Boston commuter train on Jan. 1, 1927.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:04 AM

A Surprising Secret to a Long Life: Stay in School 

A few extra years of school is associated with extra years of life and vastly improved health decades later, in old age.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:00 AM

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Engimas beg question of Extraterrestrial interventions on Human Society 

The implications of several important recent findings seem to have escaped the attention of many independent investigators. Established archaeologists and anthropologists have either ignored or railed against the findings of these controversial DNA studies. I am referring to genetic studies into the origin of the domesticated dog and into the diet of our Paleolithic and early Neolithic ancestors.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:04 PM

Vinland and Gotham City 

Strange Maps takes a look at the controversial Vinland Map and Batman's Gotham City.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 PM

London-on-Sea: the future of a city in decay 

Global warming puts great swaths of London underwater. With map. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:33 AM

Doctor Fong's House of Mysteries! 

Doctor Fong has got some great stuff up today, including a very weird UFO video and the complete (I think) episode of "Collect Call of Cathulhu" from the Ghostbusters animated series. That's right - Venkman, Stantz, Spengler and Zeddmore are all that stand between us and the Tentacled One. Stick that in your Tobin Spirit Guide! Frankly, Gozer the Gozerian looks like a punk compared to the Elder Gods.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:16 AM

Moving tombstones? 

"The environment seems to change," Ryan said. "I've been to that place 500 times and every time it's different. The whole environment changes. The trees move. The tombstones move. I know it sounds weird, but...I've got every section mapped out and they're not the way they were."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 AM

Top 10 Discoveries of 2006 

How do you know it's been an extraordinary year in archaeology? When the discovery of the earliest Maya writing and a 2,500-year-old sarcophagus decorated with scenes from the Iliad don't crack ARCHAEOLOGY's Top 10 list.

Via Daily Grail.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:44 AM

Nessie: Echoes of the Past 

For many years, people have speculated what this strange creature might be, with explanations ranging from a genuine monster to the theory that we are witnessing a replaying of past events locked within the memory of water, a theory that is looking increasingly plausible.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:41 AM

Ancient tome on herbal medicine shows new truths 

"Our findings," they wrote in the journal, "show that potential drugs can be identified by searching historical herbal texts."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:39 AM

A new theory for mass deaths under Spanish conquest stirs heated debate in Mexico 

Mexicans have long been taught to blame diseases brought by the Spaniards for wiping out most of their Indian ancestors. But recent research suggests things may not be that simple.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 AM

La Befana....the Witch of Christmas 

She is portrayed as a broomstick riding hag, one leaves ricotta cheese out for her, because her teeth are so bad. It is widely recognised that she is a form of Hecate or Hekate, the ancient mythological Goddess of the Witches.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

Missouri man reels in ancient fishhook 

A man hunting for American Indian artifacts with his sons along a gravel bar on the Missouri River has uncovered an ancient fishhook that is making collectors envious.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:31 AM

UFO crashes in South Africa 

A UFO was sighted at Lephalale, where it was described as a strange object "on an orange cloud, singing like a million turbines" - hitting the earth with a bang at 04:33 on Saturday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:29 AM

Mysterious Structures Reappear on Central Oregon Coast Beach 

Some three hundred years ago - so the prevailing theory goes - a massive tsunami hit what would become the Oregon coast, changing the landscape and leveling entire forests, not unlike the blast of Mount St. Helens 25 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:23 AM

Big Cat Sightings Are Now Very Common 

In the past month there have been four sightings of big cats across north Kent.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:22 AM

Ancient Messages, Hidden in a Dusty Bottle From Long Ago 

The lineup of wines to be served with dinner was extraordinary, including a Montrachet from 1939 and a Volnay Caillerets from 1929. Still, the wine I couldn't wait to try was the '46 Meursault Charmes.

That would be the 1846.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:16 AM

2,000-year-old toilet may solve an ancient mystery 

The discovery of a 2,000-year-old toilet at one of the world's most important archaeological sites is focusing renewed interest on a question that has preoccupied scholars for more than half a century: Who lived at Qumran?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:12 AM

Parrots stake claim in Brooklyn 

Yo, Polly, wanna cracker?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:09 AM

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Building The Amazing Steam Candle! 

Very cool video. Great project for kids. Via Make Blog.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:15 PM

Top 25 Censored Stories of 2007 

#2 Halliburton Charged with Selling Nuclear Technologies to Iran.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:56 PM

Seeing the light 

Another mystery from Rosslyn Chapel.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:42 PM

Cloudbusting 

Diepersloot has installed 24 cannons on his 1,200-acre farm. At the approach of a storm, his 20ft cannons emit an electronic blast. As the sound waves travel up into the sky, they disrupt the water that is gathering to turn into hail, causing it to fall as mere rain. At least that's the theory, and an expensive one at that: Diepersloot's cannons set him back $50,000-$70,000 each.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:25 PM

Ark. sheriff explores link between meth and arrowheads 

I think I linked to this before but it's worth another look.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 AM

Death for Murder Ink 

The world's most famous mystery book shop has closed its door. A sad day. When I was a kid I thought that Murder Ink sounded like the coolest place ever. I'm not sure I was wrong.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:57 AM

The Demon Was an Idea (Part One) 

New Rigorous Intuition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:39 AM

UFO Over O'Hare? 

In the sky! A bird? A plane? A ... UFO?

O'Hare workers say they spotted UFO

Sighting of UFO is reported at O'Hare; FAA is unconvinced

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:33 AM

Gobekli Tepe: Garden of Eden? 

Since 1994, archaeologist Klaus Schmidt has overseen an astonishing archaeological dig called Gobekli Tepe. Located in southern Turkey, South African palaeolithic art expert David Lewis has called Gobekli Tepe "the most important archaeological dig anywhere in the world."

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:31 AM

Buried treasure in Johnson County 

Texas tales of treasure.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:30 AM

Egypt: The Lost History of the Pyramids 

Lake Moeris once bordered the Fayum Oasis and on its shores was the famous Labyrinth, described by Herodotus as "an endless wonder to me". The Labyrinth contained 1,500 rooms and an equal number of underground chambers that the Greek historian was not permitted to inspect.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:29 AM

Blunt-Kinder Administration Books Scientology Museum for State Capitol 

Missouri tax dollars at work. Check out the exhibit's Wiki page which includes such informational tidbits as "Psychiatrists follow a long-standing "master plan" for world domination" and "Psychiatrists are responsible for creating suicide bombers and were behind the September 11, 2001 attacks".

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 AM

Student filmmakers chase after elusive Skunk Ape 

This is not some cheesy monster movie. It's the real experience of Florida International University film students who spent months on the trail of one of the shaggiest tales in folklore -- the Skunk Ape, a k a Florida's Bigfoot.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:57 AM

Next, buy a lottery ticket 

An Arkansas man has found a 2.37-carat white diamond at the world's only diamond-bearing site where visitors are allowed to search for and keep the gems they find.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 AM

Alexander Litvinenko and Satanic Society Ritual Murders 

A new suspect has now been charged with being the "Monster of Florence" And that is Francesco Calemandrei, a wealthy pharmacist, who is said to have implicated Satanists from the very top of society, including those close to Silvio Berlusconi, the intimate circle of Tony Blair and even an ex US President, I must not say more at this time.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:48 AM

The Mystery of Ever-Burning Lamps 

Imagine that you find a small burning lamp hidden deep in an ancient vault. This mysterious lamp, which is in perfect preservation, has burned continuously without fuel for the last 2,000 years. What would you think of your remarkable discovery?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:24 AM

Rural legends: Cougars roam southern Illinois 

Many levelheaded residents will swear that cougars now live in southern Illinois, while the powers that be will testify that if mountain lions are indeed in this region, then so are tigers and bears.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:19 AM

Did old whiskey bottle hold suicide note? 

Beneath the surface of a rebuilt interstate, Tim Dickinson found a mystery that has him wondering about the possible death of a man more than 100 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:55 AM