Friday, March 30, 2007

Raising Alexandria 

More than 2,000 years after Alexander the Great founded the city, archaeologists are discovering its fabled remains, from the likely site of Cleopatra's palace to pieces of an astonishing lighthouse that was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

That's Alexandria in the upper left corner of this page. Link via Daily Grail.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:51 AM

Alligator in Kansas! 

An alligator has turned up in Lake Shawnee in Topeka, Kansas. Of course, wildlife experts are saying it's an abandoned pet, but this is not the first alligator to show up in Kansas.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:04 AM

Startling Secrets Of Ostrich People 

They are the Vadoma, or two-toed tribe, and they provide an unmatched example of genetic effects in a small population, for they have the condition known as ectrodactyly in which the middle three toes are absent.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:37 AM

Mystery of angelic apparition 

Former policeman Andy Key has his very own guardian angel. He also has the photograph to prove it.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 AM

3D Helps Solve the Mystery of the Great Pyramid 

Dassault Systemes' real-time 3D solutions enabled Jean-Pierre Houdin to model and explore the pyramid in 3D and run simulations confirming his theory that the pyramid was built from the inside!

Press release. See also: Ancient riddle of the Great Pyramid's construction is turned inside out

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:25 AM

French nun in Pope John Paul's beatification case speaks of 'cure' 

Smiling broadly, the French nun whose claims could be accepted as the miracle that the Vatican needs to beatify Pope John Paul II said Friday that she was inexplicably and suddenly "cured" of Parkinson's disease – thanks to him.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:23 AM

Thursday, March 29, 2007

These Mysterious Hills 

An exploration of the anomalous, fortean, and otherwise strange or atypical phenomena, folklore and local history of the beautiful green hill country that ranges across western Massachusetts and southern Vermont, specifically Berkshire and Bennington Counties.

Neat site run by Joe Durwin, who's currently writing a book on the Bennington Triangle. I look forward to reading it. Here is his blog on the Triangle.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:46 PM

No Fading Star: Actress Gets Roles at 97 

So cool.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:23 PM

School: Pirates are not welcome 

Flying Spaghetti Monster-worshipping pirate sent home from school for eyepatch. According to school officials, the eye patch was disruptive. Makes you wonder what they would do if a kid with a real need for an eyepatch enrolled. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:34 PM

New Malaysian Bigfoot Tracks! 

Cryptomundo has photos!

Also at Cryptomundo is this informative essay on the so-called "de Loys ape" photo that was so common in cryptozooogy books when I was a kid.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:21 PM

Silvis woman claims to have seen a UFO maybe 

What she saw through the open window of her car was a triangular shape in the sky, with bright red, green and white lights along its edges, outlining the shape.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:17 PM

Black Panther Sightings In Upshur County 

Another report of a mysterious black panther, roaming a densely wooded area in western Upshur County.

Includes obligatory "there's no such thing as a black panther" quote from wildlife officials.

See also: Mountain lions are a fellow native

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:14 PM

New lease of life for tattered documents 

Interesting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:12 PM

Was phantom tale maid up? 

Years ago, a hotel near Newcastle gained notoriety when rumours circulated that it was haunted.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:06 PM

Serial Abandonment? Mystery Mom Dumped 3 Babies in 3 Years 

This week, DNA tests established all three babies were almost certainly born to the same mother.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:55 AM

Detectives Wonder If Serial Killer Left Skeletons In South Florida 

The discovery of eight human skeletons in a remote, wooded area just east of downtown has authorities quietly wondering whether a serial killer might be at work.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:53 AM

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

John McCain - Douchebag of the Week! 

Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZzhole) told CNN that that President Bush's escalation in Iraq is going so well, "General Petraeus goes out there almost every day in an unarmed humvee." On Monday, he told radio host Bill Bennett that there "are neighborhoods in Baghdad where you and I could walk through those neighborhoods, today." Then, apparently unfamiliar with the concept of recorded media, he denied he ever said it. Straight talk, indeed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:32 PM

Unkown satellite-like device falls into Somalia 

The space wars continue.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:01 AM

Safe travels to John Cooley 

The Professor's friend and frequent partner-in-crime John Cooley leaves today for several months in Argentina and Peru. He's set up a blog to keep track of his adventures and has promised to keep us informed of any strange and mysterious happenings in the southern hemisphere. There's not much on there right now (except a picture of a cute dog) but if you have any insights on Buenos Aires (or happen to be Argentinean or Peruvian) please leave him a message in his comments.

Have fun, pal.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:47 AM

The Galileo sketches that turned the universe on its head 

Long-lost illustrations by Galileo of the Moon's surface as he saw it through his telescope have come to light after four centuries.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:08 AM

Mudflap Man Stickers, For The Equal Opportunity Offender 

This one's for the ladies. Okay, not most ladies. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 AM

Mystery follows Jane Austen to the auction block 

There's a reason for the fascination: the work being sold by Christie's on April 19 is the only known oil painting of noted British author Jane Austen - or is it?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 AM

Houdini family divided over his remains 

The family of Harry Houdini's widow hopes to stop plans for exhuming the escape artist's remains, saying they are worried a disinterment to determine if he was murdered smacked of sensationalism.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:55 AM

Message in a Bottle Has a Grand Adventure 

Bottle travels more than 2,066 nautical miles in five years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:51 AM

Hidden rooms found at cafe 

The two rooms, which were filled with rotted wooden kegs, a rusted pulley system and glass bottles dating back to the 1920s, confirmed CyberCafe owner Jeff Kahn's suspicion that his building had once housed an illegal speakeasy.

With pics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:47 AM

Mystery over ball of light 

A strange ball of light was witnessed above All Saints Church, Driffield, last week.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:43 AM

Study into ancestry of Thomas Jefferson shows rare class of DNA 

DNA testing carried out by University of Leicester geneticists and funded by The Wellcome Trust has thrown new light on the ancestry of one of the USA’s most revered figures, the third President, Thomas Jefferson.

Cool.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:42 AM

Just one more thing: No more 'Columbo'? 

Television idiots won't back new Columbo movie because they think Peter Falk is too old. Have they never heard of The Golden Girls?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:40 AM

Group Renews Search for 1950 Air Crash 

All 58 people on board Northwest Airlines Flight 2501 died when the DC-4 plummeted into Lake Michigan on June 23, 1950, en route from New York to Minneapolis and later, Seattle.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 AM

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

A Mystery at Hong Kong Horse Racing Track 

It was a device worthy of Rube Goldberg, or perhaps Wile E. Coyote. A remote-controlled mechanism with a dozen launching tubes was found buried in the turf at Hong Kong’s most famous horse racing track last week; it was rigged with compressed air to fire tiny, liquid-filled darts into the bellies of horses at the starting gate.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:41 PM

Pennsylvania one of top states for Bigfoot sightings 

Does Bigfoot exist?

The answer to that is still up for debate, but Pennsylvania ranks fourth among states in the number of alleged sightings of the elusive human-ape creature, members of the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society said.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:31 PM

Toadzilla! 

Dog-sized toad found in Australia. With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:20 AM

UFO mystery at RAF Lakenheath 

Mystery surrounds claims that jets from RAF Lakenheath were called to intercept a UFO. UFO experts claim to have a recording which they have posted on the internet as proof that London Military Air Traffic Control contacted a flight of US Air Force F-15s from the base, after a UFO was picked up on their radar on January 12.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:10 AM

Is this the Beast of Banff? 

Big cat and pic. With links to video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:56 AM

Can the monkey god save Rama's underwater bridge? 

Hindu groups are launching an international campaign today to halt India's plans to create a shipping channel by dredging the sea between India and Sri Lanka.

They say that the project will destroy an ancient chain of shoals known as Adam's Bridge, which Hindus believe was built by an army of monkeys to allow Lord Rama to cross to Lanka to rescue his abducted wife.

Here's the Wiki entry on Adam's Bridge, with cool pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:55 AM

The Leather Man's story lives on 

His body was found 118 years ago this month on a Mount Pleasant farm, close to where Old Chappaqua Road now snakes under the Taconic State Parkway. Like the exact date of his passing in 1889, the Leather Man's story is mostly unknown. The man who wandered back and forth between the Connecticut and Hudson rivers took with him in death the secrets of his identity and his impetus.

With leatheriffic pic!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 AM

It was the find of a lifetime 

A Picasso buried under another Picasso.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 AM

Location Mystery Of Ulysses' Ithaca 

Dutch Fugro NV company will use its modern equipment, which it normally uses in oil finding sites to exactly locate Ulysses' island kingdom of Ithaca and thus solve the secret of ancient Greece's greatest poet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 AM

Monday, March 26, 2007

Ignorance is Bliss 

Time and Newsweek finally figure out that Bush's failures don't sell magazines.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:07 PM

The real smell of ancient history at a Rome museum exhibit 

I expect Miss Wit of the Staircase to be jumping on a plane to Italy any minute now. Link via Raw Story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:51 PM

Evidence Suggests U.S. Attorney Firings May Have Been Part of White House Scheme to Help Game 2008 Election 

I am shocked! Shocked!

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 PM

Embattled AG now accused in sex scandal 'cover-up' 

I know what you were thinking - this Attorney General controversy just doesn't have enough gay pedophilia to be a proper Republican scandal. Well fret no more!

And this is from World Net Daily - they're just to the right of Genghis Khan. Gonzales must really be in trouble.

On March 2, 2007, Governor Rick Perry appointed Jay Kimbrough, his former staff chief and homeland security director, to serve as "special master" to lead an investigation into the Texas Youth Commission sex abuse scandal. Shortly thereafter, the commission stopped a hiring practice that had allowed convicted felons to work as administrators in the system. The practice had involved a requirement that prior criminal records be destroyed for employees hired by the commission.

I don't even know where to start.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:09 PM

Chinese Fisherman Serve Up World's Largest Shark Steak 

We're gonna need a bigger wok.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:33 AM

Lake Champlain Thunderbird 

So is Lake Champlain the epicenter of giant monsters or what?

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:29 AM

Confessions of an Occult Mastermind 

Cat has some new posts up, including a new money spell and a new edition of Questions You've Asked Me.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:47 AM

Eye in the Sky 

Satellite Discoveries has a YouTube page.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:41 AM

Medicine Hat prepares for shocking trial 

Accused believes he is a 300-year-old werewolf. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:51 AM

What American accent do you have? 

Take the quiz! The Professor is a Midland, which means I have a "good voice for TV and radio." Good face for radio, too.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:40 AM

Inside the Hollow Earth 

Strange Maps peers inside.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:33 AM

Atlantis, Egypt, and Ireland? 

Book Of Thoth takes a look. Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:27 AM

The Last Confessions of E. Howard Hunt 

He was the ultimate keeper of secrets, lurking in the shadows of American history. He toppled banana republics, planned the Bay of Pigs invasion and led the Watergate break-in. Now he would reveal what he'd always kept hidden: who killed JFK.

Via Covert History.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:09 AM

The secret White House comunication system 

The White House has its own internal email system, ending in the .gov suffix, as mandated by the Presidential Records Act. The law requires that public business be conducted on a public server.

Yet documents made public in the course of the U.S. Attorney Purge scandal reveal that key Administration figures used such email addresses ending with "gwb43.com."

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:03 AM

The Robert F. Kennedy Assassination: The Acoustics Evidence 

Some years following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel on the night of June 4/5 1968 critics of the official version of the assassination said there were audio recordings of more than 8 shots fired when RFK was shot. Such conclusions, if correct, would have established that more than one gunman had been firing because the assassin’s gun could not hold more than 8 bullets.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 AM

Crews Search Lake Michigan For Signs Of Decades-Old Plane Wreckage 

Fifty-six years is too long for the wreckage of a missing plane to go undiscovered, say underwater search crews and amateur historians who have launched an impressive effort to find the remnants of Northwest Airlines Flight 2501. The DC-4 disappeared over Lake Michigan in June 1950.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 AM

Minnesota men find travel niche in haunted places 

Dave Schrader of Circle Pines and Tim Dennis of Burnsville are leading groups as large as 220 people on trips to haunted hotels, spooky cruise ships and, this year, an abandoned prison.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:50 AM

Digging for history 

Members of the Briggs Project Team said Sunday that remnants of a mid-1800s shipwreck off the Ogden Dunes beach might be from a ship used to transport runaway slaves to freedom.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 AM

Maltese lawyer in Australia claims 'scientific evidence for afterlife' 

"My afterlife evidence is not just a summary of the available evidence," he says, "but a legal presentation of the evidence. The presentation of the admissible evidence is done in plain English but in a legally admissible way."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:19 AM

Knot knowledge ties together human history 

Nice article.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:10 AM

British wreck could yield $1-billion in treasure 

Up to a billion dollars worth of gold and silver on a sunken 17th-century English warship may soon be recovered following an agreement with Spanish authorities.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:09 AM

If New Mexico Builds It, Will Space Travelers Come? 

Voters to Decide on Plan for Commercial Spaceport.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:05 AM

Sunday, March 25, 2007

How Spontaneous Human Combustion Works 

Howstuffworks takes a look at SHC. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:12 PM

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The Robert E. Howard Bookshelf 

I was wondering what books the creator of Conan the Cimmerian, Bran Mak Morn, and Solomon Kane had on his bookshelf. I wonder no more.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:10 PM

Houdini Kin Wants To Exhume Body To Solve Mystery Of His Death 

Eighty-one years later, Houdini's great-nephew wants to exhume the escape artist's body to determine if enemies poisoned his renowned relative for debunking their bogus claims of contact with the dead. A team of top-level forensic investigators would conduct new tests once Houdini's body was disinterred.

I think this is a good idea. The circumstances around Houdini's death have never quite added up for me.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:37 PM

Colossal squid is largest ever caught 

New Zealand's biggest aquatic celebrity, a colossal squid, has officially weighed-in at 495 kilograms, making it the largest ever caught.

With great pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:15 AM

In Search of the Mad Gasser 

The Mad Gasser of Mattoon is often held up as a classic example of mass hysteria and has led to even more extraordinary claims of Nazi or alien involvement. But is the case really as mysterious as it seems? Jonathan Downes ventures to the American Midwest to investigate.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:03 AM

Desk Nessie! 

I just scored one of these at an estate sale. The Professor is pleased.

And don't forget to bid on the Loch Ness Monster Cheeto Cheese Puff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:35 AM

Vintage Alien 

Theresa Duncan directed me to this "vintage" alien photo from artist Stephen Berkman. Thanks Theresa.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:29 AM

University of Missouri Professor Understands the Power of the Kalanoro 

According to travelafricamag.com, the Kalanoro is a physical creature covered with hair, less than three feet tall with long fingernails. One was reportedly captured by the Royal Geographical Society in 1889. The society discovered the Kalanoro not only had feet that point backward, the creatures were telepathic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:18 AM

Chinese Flying Dragon 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 AM

Fortean Times Sale 

FT is having a big sale with out of this world prices!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:13 AM

Man at centre of UFO probe by police dies 

His death comes nearly 28 years after he had his strange encounter while walking his dog in West Lothian.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:12 AM

Texas dog heading home after 900-mile mystery trip 

There’s no fence too high or distance too far to stop Stetson.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 AM

Another sane person spots a mountain lion 

I remain a skeptic when it comes to mountain lions in Virginia, but last Sunday I did have one of the ministers at our church tell me he had seen one near his house, and, of course, my wife swears she saw one.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:05 AM

The Mystery of Korea's First Aviator 

One can imagine the astonishment of the general Korean population of Seoul in 1913 when they heard a strange roar from the sky and, glancing up into the heavens, espied a strange box-like device flying through the air.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:03 AM

Homeopath believes weak remedies bring strong cures 

Tennenbaum, 65, a former New York City history teacher and dean, practices homeopathy, a treatment method based on what adherents reverently call "the law of similars."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:02 AM

X-ray system unlocks the mysteries of 2000-year-old geared device 

The Antikythera Mechanism is believed to be one of the world’s oldest known geared devices. It dates from around the 1st century BC and is the most sophisticated mechanism known from the ancient world.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:00 AM

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

New book says Portuguese discovered Australia 

A 16th century maritime map in a Los Angeles library vault proves that Portuguese adventurers, not British or Dutch, were the first Europeans to discover Australia, says a new book which details the secret discovery of Australia.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 PM

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Zodiac's written clues fascinate document expert 

One I missed from earlier this month.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:44 AM

It's the Real Thing 

Rigorous Intuition is thirsty for knowledge.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:41 AM

Rewriting History: America and the Vikings 

The Vinland Mappa Mundi and the Kensington Runestone are just two pieces of a puzzle that point to Viking explorers having prospered in North America long before Christopher Columbus supposedly discovered the New World.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:39 AM

The Real Bigfoot and Genuine Bigfoot Tracks 

By noted researcher Mark A. Hall. Part One. Part Two.

See also: Unknown Chilean Primate?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:35 AM

Jury awards Procter & Gamble $19.25 million in lawsuit over Satanism rumors 

Procter & Gamble Co. has won a jury award of $19.25 million in a civil lawsuit filed against four former Amway distributors accused of spreading false rumors linking the company to Satanism to advance their own business.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 AM

Fear of Yoga 

Super-Love Cults, Commie Swamis, Loose-Limbed Women, and Other Hysteric Headlines.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 AM

Pyramid's Secret Doors to Be Opened 

Doors will soon open to reveal one of the mysteries of the Great Pyramid in Giza, Dr. Zahi Hawass, chief of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, told Discovery News in an exclusive interview.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:20 AM

Mystery of attacks on 27 horses at stud farm 

The owner of a stud farm where 27 horses have had their manes and tails viciously cut off spoke yesterday of her horror after the bizarre attacks.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:16 AM

Girl's survival after fall is a mystery 

How a 5-year-old girl survived a three-story fall onto a concrete sidewalk Saturday is still a mystery to emergency personnel.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 AM

Sticking to tradition 

Irish martial art has a storied past and a modern-day practioner in Milton.

Here is some more information.

Via Fark

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:56 AM

U.S. Attorney's firing may be linked to CIA probe 

Fired San Diego U.S. attorney Carol Lam notified the Justice Department that she intended to execute search warrants on a high-ranking CIA official as part of a corruption probe the day before a Justice Department official sent an e-mail that said Lam needed to be fired, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:20 AM

Camel Bookmobile 

In Kenya, the bookmobile is a camel. Really cool. Marsha Hamilton has instructions on how you can donate books.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:03 AM

Friday, March 16, 2007

Flying Humanoids Filmed Over Mexican Skies 

Video via this Rigorous Intuition discussion thread, which has pictures of other similar "unknowns" and links to more video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:44 PM

Random Beer Name Generator 

My beer was L. Ron Hubbard and Cletus's Tubular Pilsner.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:58 AM

Family's fear as UFO heads for thier home 

I fear certain headline writers need spell check.

See also: Judges: UFO Conspiracy Didn't Cost Woman Election

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:02 AM

Scientific evidence suggests Puerto Rican woman is an Extraterrestrial-Human hybrid 

Milagros Garcia is an alleged Alien and Human inter-species hybrid. The blood DNA from this Puerto Rican woman has yielded analyses so unusual and interesting that the physician involved is now interested in meeting the subject for further study. The DNA is possible in humans but is very rare.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:59 AM

Lee farmer offers reward for information in cattle slayings, mutilations 

Strange.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:35 AM

The Crystal Skulls: An Ancient Mystery 

According to common historical accounts, the "Skull of Denstiny" was found in 1927 by the English explorer Fredrik A Mitchell-Hedges among Mayan ruins, in Lubaantun. Other voices declare that the investigator bought the piece in a Sothebys auction that took place in London in the year 1943.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:01 AM

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Newly revealed emails implicate Rove in US attorney firings 

"New unreleased e-mails from top administration officials show the idea of firing all 93 U.S. attorneys was raised by White House adviser Karl Rove in early January 2005," reports ABC News.

Also worth reading: This editorial from USA Today outlines some of the important questions and Talking Points Memo has a Canned US Attorney Scandal Timeline that's quite informative.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:34 PM

Outside the Box 

New Rigorous Intuition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:23 PM

New Species Declared: Clouded Leopard On Borneo And Sumatra 

With cool pic. Via Cryptomundo.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:22 PM

Rocky Mountain Bigfoot Investigation 

Cryptomundo's got a link and photos.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:21 PM

Experts: Events at Yonkers cemetery may be crude attempt at hex ceremony 

A pierced animal heart, hollowed gourd and other objects found at St. John's Cemetery Wednesday night look like a crude attempt at a Palo Mayombe hex ceremony, an Afro-Cuban religion, experts said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:03 PM

Following in H.P. Lovecraft's creepy footsteps 

A visit to Lovecraft's hometown is a must for American culture buffs and fans of the author of "At the Mountains of Madness," a famous novella about a doomed archaeological expedition. Visitors can stroll the same streets where Lovecraft imagined stories about dormant gods returning to torment or annihilate mankind.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:53 PM

Modern technology reveals mummy's past 

Acquired by a Hermann, Mo., dentist at the turn of the century in the Middle East, the mummy ended up in an attic of some of his relatives, before being donated to the Science Center in 1985.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:40 PM

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

19th Century Shipping Posters 

Cool collection on Flickr. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:48 AM

Do you have plans for a Pi Day party? 

Today's a great day to be a nerd. Not only is it Albert Einstein's birthday, but it's one of the few times that math geeks get to show off their prowess with Pi.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:28 AM

Mexican Wrestler Campaigns to Stop the Enemies of the Sea 

Mexico's famous professional wrestler "Hijo del Santo," or "Son of the Saint" broadened his battle arena March 8 to encompass the Pacific Ocean's eastern coastline, where overfishing, turtle egg hunting, and pollution are threatening marine resources.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:23 AM

Lab has conducted fascinating research on the paranormal 

The subject is things we cannot explain, such as extrasensory perception (ESP) and paranormal events. Such matters have been studied at a Princeton laboratory since 1979, but the laboratory will close at the end of February.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:21 AM

Newly Unearthed Footage Exposes 9/11 Media Scripting 

More media clairvoyance on 9/11.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:01 AM

Jim the Wonder Dog 

Missouri's psychic canine.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:58 AM

Rattlesnake pits. Poisonous ants. Undiscovered ancient pyramids. 

Walter Witschey is having the time of his life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:17 AM

Sightings Of Ufos Over Sussex Reported 

With video link.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 AM

Satellites track monster whirlpool off the NSW coast 

A massive, mysterious whirlpool of cold water has developed off the coast of Sydney, forcing the sea surface to fall almost 1m and ocean currents to change course.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 AM

Retired cop recalls brush with Zodiac 

What haunts Charlie Beene, a retired San Francisco police captain now living in Billings, is just how close his fellow officers came to cracking the riddle for good - by capturing the notorious killer as he left a still-fresh crime scene.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:59 AM

Rare finds make stacks of cash for book scouts 

Meet Wayne Pernu, book scout.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:58 AM

Monday, March 12, 2007

Cryptids In Maine 

Cryptomundo is curious.

See also: New Manitoba Bigfoot Video

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:24 AM

Witch rumors prompt teacher lawsuit 

Jurors in federal court are scheduled to start hearing Wednesday about how Berrios endured harassment from former Hampton Bays Elementary School principal Andrew Albano, who she claims falsely accused her of being a witch.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:12 AM

Cop Story: Ohio 

A profile of "cult expert" cop Dale Griffis. Touches on the Son of Sam case and the West Memphis Three.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:58 AM

UFO prompts flurry of calls to police 

Was it a planet? A plane? A meteorite? Little green men?

See also: FOIA turns 40 amid more secrecy

UFOs spotted throughout the years in Weld County

Alien UFO Detector Strap: Dating Necessity

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:53 AM

Sleuthing may solve coffin's mystery 

Students from a Madison County high school think they know the identity of a body in a cast-iron coffin found by excavators late last year.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:45 AM

Friday, March 09, 2007

Exclusive interview with Richard S. Prather 

Linda Pendleton very kindly directed me to this in-depth and fascinating interview with Richard S. Prather she conducted in December of 2006. Prather, of course, was the creator of Shell Scott and wrote many other crime novels, including the recent Hard Case Crime edition of The Peddler.

In this incredible interview, Prather gives detailed notes on how to write a novel (he literally tells you exactly how to do it using Jack Woodford's technique), and touches on topics as diverse as books every writer should read, plotting, numerology, automatic writing, channeling, gurus, UFOs and more!

Linda Pendleton is the widow of the late Don Pendleton, creator of Mack Bolan, the Executioner, and a writer in her own right. I would like to thank her for providing this very valuable resource.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:18 AM

Thursday, March 08, 2007

13 things that do not make sense 

Very informative.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:35 PM

Scientists Study Earth's Missing Crust 

Right about where Plato said Atlantis was.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:08 PM

The Provenzano Code: the Mafia's answer to Dan Brown 

If you thought cracking "The Da Vinci Code" was tough, try unscrambling "The Provenzano Code," the cryptic cipher the Mafia's "boss of bosses" invented to rule the mob for years when he was Italy's most wanted man.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:01 PM

Infamous Hauntings of Oregon Coast Lighthouses 

The rugged Oregon Coast is the site of several haunted lighthouses.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:56 PM

Big mystery in little lake 

Fascinating story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:51 PM

Interloping critter spooks Peabody neighborhood 

"I've never seen anything that looked like that," said Linda Vecchione, 49, of Peabody.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:48 PM

RIP: Richard S. Prather 

Sad news. I've got a stack of Prather's Shell Scott books next to my bed. This site has some good information on Prather and a nice interview. That particular interview is what turned me on to Jack Woodford and his excellent book on writing Trial and Error.

There was a guy named Jack Woodford, who wrote the best book for writers that I ever read. It's called Writing and Selling. It was originally called Trial and Error. If you can find it, I highly recommend that book. I think it's the single best book for people who want to be writers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:10 PM

ABC, NBC still haven't covered U.S. attorney firings 

Your liberal media at work.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:47 PM

What the Death of Captain America Really Means 

Good article.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:41 PM

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

RIP: CAPTAIN AMERICA 

Until they bring him back in the special collector's edition "Captain America Reborn (Again)".

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:48 PM

Something Wiki This Way Comes 

Jesus rode a dinosaur? Really? Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 PM

Big Bopper autopsy puts rumors to rest 

J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson suffered massive fractures and likely died immediately in the 1959 plane crash that also killed early rock 'n' rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, a forensic anthropologist said Tuesday after exhuming the body.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:55 PM

Woman spots UFO headed for Spurs 

A resident watched gobsmacked from a window of her home off the High Road as a scarlet coloured oval object with flashing red lights soared across the sky.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:14 PM

Mystery Solved? The Shipwreck that Thwarted Napoleon 

A tactfully sunken ship might have blocked Napoleon from entering a Middle Eastern port on his quest to conquer the British Empire in Egypt and India, and sent the future emperor retreating back to France.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:02 PM

The Sea Gypsies of Surin Island 

One of the smallest ethnic minorities in Asia, The Sea Gypsies were virtually unknown by the outside world until the 2004 Tsunami ravaged South East Asia. One of the most amazing stories reported by the international press was that not one of the Sea Gypsies died.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:01 PM

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

The tales of 'Monster of Rustaq' 

Al Wasaibi said that claims of an evil spirit or jinn were only being treated as rumours by the ROP.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:08 PM

The Walls of Wadi Rum 

The spectacular sandstone deep in the Arabian desert have been climbed for millennia, but only recently for sport.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:07 PM

"Extinct" bird found in Thailand 

The rediscovery has revived regional interest in the large-billed reed warbler, which has long been a mystery bird for ornithologists.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:05 PM

The right-wing cult of contrived masculinity 

I couldn't have said it better myself. Highly recommended.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:35 PM

Libby guilty on 4 of 5 counts 

"We're not saying that we didn't think Mr. Libby was guilty of the things we found him guilty of. It seemed like he was the fall guy."

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:31 PM

Russia Journalist Worked on Weapons Story 

A journalist who fell to his death from a fifth-story window had received threats while gathering material for a report claiming Russia planned to provide sophisticated weapons to Syria and Iran, his newspaper said Tuesday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:05 PM

Europe Struggles with Influx of Iraqi Refugees 

Impeach George Bush.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:10 PM

Man pierces Milosevic's grave with pole 

Former President Slobodan Milosevic's grave has been desecrated by a man who pierced it with a wooden pole in an ancient Balkan ritual to make sure that an evil spirit never returns, his former party said Monday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:03 PM

NASA mulls how to ward off asteroid 

NASA and the Air Force are studying ways to ward off a medium-sized asteroid that will streak within 18,000 miles of Earth in 2029 and has an extremely slight chance of crashing into our planet in 2036.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:00 PM

Ancient prayer appeals to niche 

People once sought taweez to heal scorpion and snake bites. Today in Silicon Valley, the ancient prayer is believed to ward off migraines, messy marriages and depression.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:58 AM

Welcome to the Yowie capital of Australia 

"Weird things are definitely afoot on Springbrook Mountain. Going back over a hundred years or so Springbrook is the hotspot in Australia for Yowie sightings."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:54 AM

No Spirits Our Ghost Prefers Lime Cordial 

The medium is being called in to track down a spirit with a penchant for lime cordial after the levels of the drink mysteriously dropped during the night when there has been no one there to drink it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:50 AM

First woman in space Valentina Tereshkova marks her jubilee 

The first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova marks her jubilee and in her 70 years she dreams of flying to Mars.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:48 AM

Cave relics thief dies month before prison date 

Ayau said mysterious deaths have befallen others who have tampered with Hawaiian burial sites. "What Mr. Carta did was very terrible, and something like this is what comes with the territory when you invade that world, which is what Mr. Carta did," Ayau said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:45 AM

Midwest urban legend 

When a student at St. Cloud State University went missing in the Spring of 2006 and was later found drowned in the Mississippi River, a Minnesota criminology professor decided to investigate.

Lee Gilbertson, assistant professor of criminal justice at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, typed "missing student" and "drowning" into a search engine after the student was found.

He was shocked.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:43 AM

'Viking' gold ring finds new home 

The gold ring, made in the 9th or 10th Century, was found in a field at Nercwys by two amateur detectorists.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:32 AM

Monday, March 05, 2007

Naughty Super Bowl Sparks Beefs To FCC 

Best. Complaint. Ever. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:33 PM

Justice official resigns 

Top House Democrat says 'wheels coming off' Bush defense of US attorney firings.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:24 PM

Kremlin critic shot in front of his Maryland home 

A few hours after meeting a former KGB general outside a spy museum here, a Russia scholar and outspoken critic of the Kremlin became engulfed in the kind of intrigue he studies, when he was shot outside his suburban Maryland home.

See also: Foul play suspected after Russian reporter dies in fall

KREMLIN, INC. - Why are Vladimir Putin’s opponents dying?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:16 PM

Unsolved Zodiac case attracts obsessed, amateur detectives 

Tom Voigt was just a toddler when the elusive Zodiac killer last struck, gunning down a San Francisco cabbie and sending a blood-soaked piece of his shirt to The Chronicle in 1969.

Yet Voigt insists that the fear instilled by the Zodiac is one of his first memories, an indelible impression that has morphed into a near-obsession.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:36 PM

Too many cooks spoil the witch's broth 

Making money in the occult - with great pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:35 PM

Masons are beginning to open their doors to the curious eyes of the world 

As an international fraternity steeped in the rich history and long-standing traditions of over a thousand years of often secretive existence, it's little wonder Freemasonry is looked upon with suspicion and distrust by outsiders.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:25 PM

Miracle therapy excited Bangor 

During the winter of 1907 dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people flocked to see a mysterious figure known in the Bangor newspapers only as The Boy Phenomenon.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:24 PM

UFOs over Harborough? 

With pic and video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:23 PM

The true beauty of Lady Jane Grey 

The great unsolved mystery of what Lady Jane Grey, England's shortest reigning monarch, looked like may finally have been cracked, thanks to a piece of jewellery, a flower related to the cabbage and the historian David Starkey.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:19 PM

Technology creates extreme genealogists 

Just as modern equipment has made it possible for any reasonably motivated person to climb Mount Everest or dive to the Andrea Doria, new technologies have made it possible to achieve incredible genealogical feats with relatively modest effort.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:08 PM

Green Tea May Give Full Body Protection 

Research now shows that a major component in green tea may short-circuit the cancer process more extensively than scientists had realized.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:01 PM

Marijuana, the wonder drug 

A new study in the journal Neurology is being hailed as unassailable proof that marijuana is a valuable medicine. It is a sad commentary on the state of modern medicine that we still need "proof" of something that medicine has known for 5,000 years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:00 PM

Friday, March 02, 2007

Buy Loren Coleman A Beer 

If you met Loren Coleman, famed cryptozoologist and writer, would you buy him a beer? I would. And not a cheap one either - one of those good $5 dollar ales.

Here's your chance. Loren is having some financial trouble and is struggling to keep his excellent and informative web site, Cryptomundo, on line. Cryptomundo is a valuable resource for all things cryptozoological and a worthy addition to the Weird Wide Web.

You can help by donating a little cash. There's a Pay Pal link on the site and here are instructions on how to help by check or money order, or by buying a signed copy of one of Loren's many classic books. I bought a copy of Mysterious America, one of my favorite books from my youth and one of the reasons you're reading this right now.

So pretend you're hanging out with Loren Coleman this weekend. For the price of a beer or two you can help keep one of the best sites on the Web open and available to all of us. Every little bit helps. I don't have huge traffic on this blog, but $5 bucks from every reader would go a long way.

And no, I don't think he'll spend the money on beer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:42 AM

Telepathy Confirmed In Recent Tests 

At Book of Thoth. Via the Anomalist.

Best part: Professor Peter Atkins commented in a radio interview that the samples used were tiny, and that the effects were statistically insignificant, further, that the experiments had not been conducted in a "scientific" way.

Professor Atkins later admitted that he had not actually seen any of the findings of the experiment, but insisted that it made no difference to his original statement, adding that there are no serious reasons for believing in the effect of telepathy.

I have never met Professor Atkins, but I feel it is safe to say that he is a dwarf who enjoys dressing in women's clothing and fondling livestock. I see no serious reasons for believing otherwise.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:30 AM

The Curse of the Stolen Cloak 

Servandus, a Roman who lived in Britain around 1,700 years ago, was unhappy about having his cloak stolen. So he asked a god to destroy the culprit.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:29 AM

A true believer 

It was a beautiful summer night, and Michael Lee Hill went to the water, as he of ten does, carrying a camcorder and a quest: Record the UFOs.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:15 AM

INVESTIGATIONS REVEAL TRUTH OF CHILE'S UFO “CHUPACABRAS” 

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:04 AM

Robotic Sub Readies for Dive Into Earth's Deepest Sinkhole 

An underwater robot, shaped like a flattened orange, maneuvered untethered and autonomously within a 115-meter-deep sinkhole during tests this month in Mexico, a prelude to its mission to probe the mysterious nether reaches of the world's deepest sinkhole.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:00 AM

Man vows to film Tasmanian tiger 

A German tourist who claims to have photographed a Tasmanian tiger, solving one of Australia's enduring wildlife myths, said on Friday he had returned to the country to video the animal and end doubts over his find.

The Tasmanian tiger, or Thylacine, was a striped, wolf-like native mammal which was hunted to extinction by European settlers. The last one died in a zoo in 1936.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:58 AM

Hendrix Welsh anthem recording a hoax 

The wailing, authentic sounding rendition of Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau stirred up a hornet's nest in the world of rock aficionados and collectors.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:55 AM

'Domestic' wolf killed sheep 

An elusive predator that killed more than 120 sheep in eastern Montana last year was a "domestic" wolf, and if its owner can be found that person would be liable for the damages, state wildlife officials said Wednesday.

DNA testing at two labs determined the wolf, which was killed on a ranch east of Jordan last November, was the product of "human-manipulated breeding in a domestic, captive situation," according to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Franken-Wolf!

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 AM

Skunk ape tracker seeks to protect the creature 

With skunky pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:47 AM

Towers in Peru called solar observatory 

With pic and map.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:38 AM

NASA called in to solve Lakes creature mystery 

EXPERTS from American space agency NASA could help solve the sighting of a mystery creature on Windermere.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:37 AM

Top 25 Crimes of the Century 

According to TIME, that is.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 AM

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Picasso Theft Shrouded In Mystery 

"We are investigating every possibility, but this appears to have been a highly sophisticated job," said a police source.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:34 PM

Huge 'Ocean' Discovered Inside Earth 

Scientists scanning the deep interior of Earth have found evidence of a vast water reservoir beneath eastern Asia that is at least the volume of the Arctic Ocean.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:38 PM

Voodoo hex at the fire station? 

A Middleton fire marshal has been on paid leave since July while officials investigate allegations he used a department computer to consult with an online psychic and conspired with others to buy an Internet voodoo hex against the chief.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:36 PM

Victim of the Beast 666 

A gravestone in a Salt Lake City cemetery is the focus of a curious mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:34 PM

This repo man drives off with ocean freighters 

IF repossessing a used Chevrolet can be tricky, consider retrieving the Aztec Express, a 700-foot cargo ship under guard in Haiti as civil unrest spread through the country.

Cool article. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:57 PM

Columbine High School Evacuated After Bomb Threats 

Jackie Kelly with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said that the caller started making the threats at about 9:30 a.m. and has called several times since then.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:38 PM

Hiccups Finally End For Teen After Five Weeks Of Suffering 

No word yet on the movie deal.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:25 PM

Breaking News on the Zodiac? 

According to Tom Voigt at ZodiacKiller.com, the San Francisco Chronicle may have discovered new evidence in the case. Keep your eyes peeled.

Until then see: UNDYING LEGEND OF A KILLER

I've also added ZodiacKiller.com to my links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:07 PM

As it were: Houdini comes to Columbus 

A look back to 1907.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:02 PM

German clairvoyant jailed for fraud 

A clairvoyant who made off with a family fortune after promising to rid it of a curse was given a three-year-jail sentence for fraud on Thursday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:02 PM

No Guru, No Method, No Teacher 

New Rigorous Intuition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:52 AM