Monday, April 30, 2007
On vacation for a bit
I'll be out of town for about a week (road trip to Beantown!) with only limited access to computers so in my absence I encourage you to catch up on posts you might have missed and browse my links. Cannonfire has been quite good lately, especially this short post that puts a whole new spin on the US Attorney scandal and helps illustrate that going up against any tentacle of the Bush crime family can be bad for your health. Be safe and have a great week.
posted by Prof. Hex at 3:36 PM
Exploring Beyond Limits: The OBE Experience
During my first conscious out-of-body experience, I encountered the woman I would one day marry.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:21 AM
Police seek ID of woman who died almost 100 years ago
With a skeleton, hair, some clothing and old bottles, police have managed to build an impressive profile of a young woman whose body was dumped in an old well nearly a century ago.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:19 AM
The Unnatural History of Winged Snakes in North America
In the modern age, the "big three" cryptozoologically dominate: Sasquatch, lake monsters and the Chupacabra. Rewind the clock back 125 years though and a new "top three list" of whispered-about mystery creatures emerges from North America: "Wild men of the woods" (likely an early nomenclature for what will later come to be known as Bigfoot), sea serpents and...Winged Snakes.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:14 AM
Mysteries behind animal prophesy
There are some quite remarkable mysteries in animal behaviour which scientists have still not completely understood. One of these is their capacity to sense death and disaster in advance.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:04 AM
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Revenge of the Dark Knight
Hard-edged comics guru Frank Miller is hot in Hollywood. Now for the graphic details.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:59 PM
Postcards Show the Year 2000 (circa 1900)
A collection of postcards from the dawn of the twentieth century that depict what life would be like in the year 2000.Via Fark.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:56 PM
Official Caught Using Escort Service Demanded Anti-Prostitution 'Loyalty Oaths'
Former U.S. AID director Randall Tobias, who resigned yesterday upon admitting that he frequented a Washington escort service, oversaw a controversial policy advocated by the religious right that required any US-based group receiving anti-AIDS funds to take an anti-prostitution "loyalty oath."
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:45 PM
Friday, April 27, 2007
Bush official who promoted abstinence and denounced condoms resigns -- after admitting he used "D.C. Madam's" escort service
More Republican family values. I bet he used a condom.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 PM
Author of fake article puzzled
Parody writer punks Fox News without really trying.
posted by Prof. Hex at 2:59 PM
What would happen if the robots turned against us?
Interesting question, but I trust that the good people at Cyberdyne have a plan to deal with this sort of thing.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:43 PM
McCain goes to Senate floor and demands that America withdraw its troops now
...from Haiti and Somalia.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:54 PM
One of America's last typewriter repairmen
Whitlock probably has been repairing typewriters longer than almost anyone in the US. When he started in 1930, Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight was a fresh memory, Herbert Hoover was president, and the Empire State Building was under construction.Another goodie from Fark.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM
Bizarre death of church man
A church organist was found dead at his Teesside home naked inside a giant plastic bag.Via Fark.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:40 PM
Thailand: Amulets Money
Buddhists have become obsessed with a magic amulet which resembles a rap star's bling-sized medallion, despite warnings that the circular icon is a cosmic crutch, corrupting religion and society. When a fresh batch of Jatukam Ramathep amulets went on sale in April, buyers stampeded, trampling a woman to death. Thieves have infiltrated shops, homes and temples to steal the lucrative charm.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:37 PM
Ghost-hunters of France
When you think of ghosts, you think of...the UK. But some intrepid ghost-hunters say France does have its share of spirits.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:35 PM
California garage-sale mystery: Junk - or Ansel Adams?
With pic.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:26 PM
An opium market mystery
Drug traffickers have a symbiotic relationship with insurgents and terrorist groups such as the Taliban and al-Qaida. Instability makes opium cultivation possible; opium buys protection and pays for weapons and foot soldiers, and these in turn create an environment in which drug lords, insurgents and terrorists can operate with impunity.
Opium is the glue that holds this murky relationship together. If profits fall, these sinister forces have the most to lose. I suspect that the big traffickers are hoarding surplus opium as a hedge against future price shocks and as a source of funding for future terrorist attacks, in Afghanistan or elsewhere.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:20 PM
Mystery blasts rock area in Fort Mojave
Early Thursday morning, residents in the Tierra Verde community were startled awake by a loud boom that shook their houses and rattled their windows.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:17 PM
UK airline pilots spot giant UFO
Two experienced airline pilots at the controls of separate flights have reported seeing a mystery object "up to a mile wide" hovering off the coast of Alderney on Monday, This is Guernsey reports.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:48 AM
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Grandmothers arrested over satanic sex abuse at school
Three women teachers were among six people arrested yesterday accused of sedating and sexually abusing children as young as 3 at a school near Rome.
The teachers - two of whom are grandmothers who had taught at the school and at Sunday school for decades - are said to have part in the repeated abuse of 15 children aged 3 and 5 for a year, filming them in sexual acts with satanic overtones at the teachers’ homes and in a wood.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:54 AM
British Pilot, Passengers Say They Saw UFOs
The BBC says a commercial airline pilot reported seeing two unidentified flying objects in the sky near Guernsey.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:28 AM
Former Gonzales aide gets immunity
A House panel granted immunity Wednesday to a former Justice Department aide in its probe of the firings of eight U.S. attorneys, while senators authorized a subpoena for the White House's political director.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:18 AM
Ghost Yacht Crew Kidnapped?
The family of 56-year-old Derek Batten, missing skipper of Kaz II, the catamaran found drifting off the Australian coast last week, are convinced that foul play is responsible for his mysterious disappearance.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:14 AM
LSD as Therapy? Write about It, Get Barred from US
BC psychotherapist denied entry after border guard googled his work.Via About.com.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:13 AM
Underwater archeology center proposed in once arterial sea route
A museum curator has suggested that Vietnam establish a center to study aquatic relics as Vietnam’s coast could host thousands of such objects left behind by ships traveling along the Silk Road centuries ago.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:09 AM
UFO debris? Not, it's a chunk of rock
The University of Washington research engineer who analyzed a mysterious black fragment that some thought was debris from a UFO said it's probably a meteor chunk or old lava.With video.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:08 AM
Neo-Nazi Leader Arrested for Child Pornography
Kevin Alfred Strom, the founder of National Vanguard and a major neo-Nazi leader for nearly 20 years, has been arrested and charged with child pornography and witness tampering.The article notes that Strom was instrumental in promoting the "folk-singing, neo-Nazi duet" Prussian Blue, comprised of 14-year-old twin girls.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:58 AM
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Mystery Of Ghostly Graveyard Rider
With unconvincing pic.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:16 PM
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Network Hosting Attorney Scandal E-Mails Also Hosted Ohio's 2004 Election Results
Did the most powerful Republicans in America have the computer capacity, software skills and electronic infrastructure in place on Election Night 2004 to tamper with the Ohio results to ensure George W. Bush's re-election?
The answer appears to be yes.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:18 PM
'America's Birth Certificate' Turns 500
Centuries before it became a continent or country synonymous with wealth, power, freedom or democracy, "America" was coined by a Renaissance cartographer as the catchall designation for a world that Europeans had yet to name or explore.Via Fark. I was always interested in the theory that America is named after Richard Amerike rather than Amerigo Vespucci.
posted by Prof. Hex at 5:50 PM
'I saw a UFO' - Jagger claims
Michael C Luckman - author of Alien Rock: The Rock 'n' Roll Extraterrestrial Connection - says The Rolling Stones rocker developed an interest in extraterrestrial phenomena after a close encounter of the third kind in the 60s.
posted by Prof. Hex at 4:59 PM
The Scholars and the Goddess
Historically speaking, the "ancient" rituals of the Goddess movement are almost certainly bunk.
posted by Prof. Hex at 4:58 PM
Scientists unearth Superman's 'kryptonite'
A mineral found by geologists in Serbia shares virtually the same chemical composition as the fictional kryptonite from outer space, used by the superhero's nemesis Lex Luther to weaken him in the film "Superman Returns".
posted by Prof. Hex at 4:37 PM
The ancient art of Tai chi
In 12th-century China, a Taoist monk known as Chang San-Feng is said to have studied the physical movements of five animals and concluded that two – the snake and the crane – were best suited to overpower opponents who were fierce and tenacious. From that ancient observation, the slow, graceful movements of tai chi were born.
posted by Prof. Hex at 4:34 PM
Anger as sailors' final radio contact revealed
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of three men from a catamaran off North Queensland deepened yesterday after it emerged they made radio contact hours after police presumed they had gone missing.
posted by Prof. Hex at 4:30 PM
Lynch, Tillman's brother: U.S. military lied
Former Pfc. Jessica Lynch and the brother of Army Ranger Pat Tillman told a House panel Tuesday that the U.S. military lied about Tillman's death and Lynch's capture.
posted by Prof. Hex at 3:12 PM
Monday, April 23, 2007
Studies back Parkinson's, pesticides link
Evidence that pesticides can cause Parkinson's disease is stronger than it has ever been after a meeting of experts who have put together links in animals and people, scientists say.Via Raw Story.
posted by Prof. Hex at 4:52 PM
VA Allows Wiccan Symbols on Headstones
About freaking time.
posted by Prof. Hex at 2:08 PM
Second "ghost ship" found off Queensland coast
Cthulhu?
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 AM
Aspirin may protect against cancer
Regular aspirin use may protect more than just your heart - it could also reduce your risk of getting cancer.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:22 AM
'Demon' bewitches still, 30 years later
Do you believe in the Dover Demon?
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:11 AM
On the trail of a master of horror
H.P. Lovecraft sites lure fans to R.I.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:07 AM
Families of 'Mary Celeste' sailors to scour islands
Relatives of three Australian yachtsmen whose catamaran was found drifting off the Great Barrier Reef vowed today to continue searching for the missing men, as theories about their mysterious "Mary Celeste" disappearance continued to emerge.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:06 AM
Is strange rock from UFO or just a piece of poppycock?
Lipson and LeFevre believe that 60 years ago a plane that crashed in Kelso contained slag from a UFO. They've tracked down newspaper stories and testimony, and gathered the clues at their museum.
But it's the black chunk of rock they keep locked in a glass case that may be their best clue, and a scientist may test the rock this week.See also: Flying Saucers and the Cosmic Water
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 AM
Psychic hired to visit fatal accident scene
She is featured on several psychic detective television programs, including those on Court TV. She also is a registered nurse with psychiatric nursing experience and has a Web site devoted to her national appearances and programs.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:02 AM
Future of mound remains cloudy
In its days, the Pillsbury Temple Mound witnessed vanished cultures, puzzled Spanish invaders and largely escaped the development along Manatee's shorelines.
But its future - in the hands of the South Florida Museum's board of directors - remains blurry.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:00 AM
Friday, April 20, 2007
Japanese ChampQuest '07
Cryptomundo wishes them luck.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:04 AM
420
Well, today is 4/20, a day steeped in meaning for potheads everywhere. It's also someone's birthday. Lemme see, who was that....oh! That's right! I almost forgot! Happy Birthday Tito Puente!
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:55 AM
Wreckage from secret 1947 mission found
The real story, it turns out, wasn't on the front pages of those newspapers from 1947. It was buried deeper, where reporters said the plane's crew members were "flying disk" investigators, searching for UFOs, and carrying a payload of "top secret material." One newspaper reported that "material" included pieces of flying saucers, being taken to California for examination by the Air Force.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:38 AM
The mysterious case of the missing remains
A detective tracks down the thief who stole ashes from a Santa Ana cemetery. At the end of the trail, he says, he found a witch.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:36 AM
The wave that destroyed Atlantis
If you believe Atlantis was Crete, that is.
The legend of Atlantis, the country that disappeared under the sea, may be more than just a myth. Research on the Greek island of Crete suggests Europe's earliest civilisation was destroyed by a giant tsunami.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:20 AM
Feng shui master claims estate
A mystery Hong Kong feng shui master on Friday claimed the estate of Asia's richest woman Nina Wang, setting the stage for a spectacular courtroom battle over her $4.2bn fortune.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:18 AM
Yacht in Marie Celeste-style mystery
Rescuers are trying to solve the mystery of a yacht found floating off the Queensland coast with food on a table ready to eat and computers running, but no crew.Wiki page on the Celeste is here. See also: Mystery Deepens - Second Ghost Ship in Six Months
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:11 AM
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Doolittle Resigns Appropriations Panel Seat
Probably a good idea as his home just got raided by the FBI. Every time I see Doolittle:  I think Calhoun: 
"I am Tim Calhoun, and I am running for candidate for President for America. My candidacy is based on honesty, so there are a few things about me you should know. I've been in jail. It's not important how many times, but if you must know... I'd say... one, two, thirty-one times. There are times when I'm not gay at all. But then there are other times I'm so gay it more than makes up for it. Here's where I stand on the issues: I'm glad that drunk driving is illegal. When I am drunk, I drive like crap. I propose that for scientific testing purposes, we breed a type of midget even smaller than the normal midget. We can call them Shetland Midgets. There's nothing on this card. In conclusion, and in summary, read my lips: (whispering gibberish). I think that says it all. Vote for me, Tim Calhoun, for Candidate for President for America for goodbye."He seems qualified for the Bush White House.
posted by Prof. Hex at 2:56 PM
Manipulative Extraterrestrials influenced Adolf Hitler, scholars suggest
Some reports also allege that Adolf Hitler escaped capture by the U.S. and its Allies with the assistance of Manipulative Extraterrestrials.Thanks Scott!
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:23 AM
D.A. drops drug charges against punk rocker
Prosecutors Tuesday dropped all charges against a punk rocker arrested earlier this month in Orange County after a field test showed the Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap he was carrying contained the date-rape drug Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate, or GHB.Via Wit of the Staircase.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:12 AM
The End of a 1,400-Year-Old Business
Japanese temple builder Kongo Gumi, in operation under the founders' descendants since 578, succumbed to excess debt and an unfavorable business climate in 2006.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:39 AM
Lake Hodges features many fish species - and maybe a monster
I had never heard of Hodgee before, but he even has a web site.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:35 AM
UFO Over Vatican
With pic.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:30 AM
Rare maps a surprising discovery
Imagine you move a dusty old file and it turns out to contain a priceless atlas. Or that you pick up a couple of old boards in your shed and a set of hand-drawn maps falls into your hands.
posted by Prof. Hex at 8:26 AM
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
RIP: Kitty Carlisle Hart
Kitty Carlisle Hart, an actress and singer who earned a niche in movie history by singing in the Marx Brothers' "A Night at the Opera" but who achieved her greatest fame as a panelist on TV's "To Tell the Truth," has died. She was 96.
posted by Prof. Hex at 10:30 PM
Mysterious creatures roaming Geauga County
They might be a kind of curly horned sheep. Of course, they could be a funky breed of mountain goat, too. Or . . . well, this sounds sort of silly, but the idea has been tossed out there . . . maybe they're mutant deer.With pic.
posted by Prof. Hex at 10:26 PM
Va. Tech Killer Ruled Mentally Ill by Court; Let Go After Hospital Visit
A court found that Virginia Tech killer Seung-Hui Cho was "mentally ill" and potentially dangerous. Then it let him go.
posted by Prof. Hex at 10:14 PM
The Copycat Effect: VA Tech Shooting
Loren Coleman takes a look at the Virginia Tech tragedy.See also: VA Tech's GarudaAnd: Tragic Month of AprilAnd: Gunman's cryptic phrase sparks frenzy.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:15 AM
Mexico researchers find child sacrifices
Archeologists have discovered the remains of two dozen children who were apparent sacrificial victims to a rain god by Mexican Indians nearly a thousand years ago, researchers said Tuesday.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:13 AM
Turn up your radio
Art deco in Australia with exceptionally cool radio picture.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:08 AM
Waiting for Bigfoot
Randy Harrington's quest to find Bigfoot, Part Two.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 AM
Man walks on burning coal to prove innocence
In a bid to prove his innocence after being accused of killing a goat, a tribal man walked on blazing coal in a village in Rajasthan.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:01 AM
Titanic explorer says U.S. slipping as world's science leader
The underwater explorer who found the wreckage of the Titanic said Tuesday that America is in danger of losing its standing as the world's leader in science to China, India and other countries.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:00 AM
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Virginia Tech killer identified
Cho Seung-Hui, 23.See also: A Second Killer Escaped The Police?Via Raw Story.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:22 AM
Lawyer claims OKC bomber mix-up
Has John Doe No. 2 been identified?
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:11 AM
Death and the maidens
Penn researchers tackle Mesopotamian mystery.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:09 AM
Psychic's tip followed by police;
Medium advised investigators to check canal locks, inquest told.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:07 AM
Carbonear home to first church in North America?
The Conception Bay town can trace its roots to 1550 when it was first mentioned by the Fishing Admirals. It was settled by Nicholas Guy in 1630.
But if the findings of a recently deceased British historian can be substantiated, the town may well be able to trace its roots back even farther - perhaps to the late 1400s.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:06 AM
Monday, April 16, 2007
At least 31 dead in Va. Tech shooting
A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at a college in Virginia on Monday, killing at least 30 people in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history. The gunman also was killed, and more than a dozen other people were injured.
posted by Prof. Hex at 2:05 PM
Monk details sex, drugs, weeping icon at Texas monestary
One of five monks facing charges of sexually abusing children told authorities that an inner circle of monks at the monastery there had sex with one another, smoked marijuana and used an eyedropper to produce fake tears on a Virgin Mary icon.
posted by Prof. Hex at 1:52 PM
Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?
The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:18 AM
Deal Near on a Lost Welles
One of American cinema's lost masterpieces could finally reach theaters next year after a deal nears completion to edit and release Orson Welles's final, uncompleted film, "The Other Side of the Wind," according to the director and actor Peter Bogdanovich.Via MetaFilter.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:13 AM
RIP Anna Mitchell-Hedges
Anna Mitchell-Hedges, the alleged discoverer of the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull, passed away on April 11, aged 100.
posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 AM
Bigfoot and the Cherokee Hill
A journey into sacred lands where the creature has been known for generations.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:20 AM
The mystery of Maury Island
"People are always talking about Roswell," says Philip Lipson of the Seattle Museum of Mysteries, "and very few people realize that the first UFO incident was in Puget Sound."
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 AM
The immune-boosting effects of tai chi
The new study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, is the first — and most rigorous — of a welter of rigorous new studies designed to probe the health effects of tai chi.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:16 AM
Scroll from 1871, displayed in Salem, tries to encompass history of the world
His 21-foot scroll, "A Chronological Chart of Ancient, Modern, and Biblical History" was a best seller of the 1870s but is little-known today.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:12 AM
Town seeking its 'ancient harlot'
An Irish village has cleared the latest hurdle in its campaign to change its names to the Fort of the Harlot.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:11 AM
So who was the Zodiac killer?
The movie opens in Britain.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:08 AM
EXCLUSIVE: OUIJA BOARD GAMES LEFT ME SCARED FOR LIFE
The actor, who appears in paranormal drama Sea Of Souls this week, confessed to a teenage brush with a Ouija board - used to communicate with the dead during a seance.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:07 AM
Cougar sightings: Fact or fiction?
Include U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director Dale Hall among those who believe there is some credibility to reports of cougars — or mountain lions — in the Northeast.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 AM
Sears catalog houses become obsession
Across the country, otherwise ordinary people have been transformed by obsession into identifying and preserving "kit houses" from Sears.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 AM
Friday, April 13, 2007
New Loch Ness Monster Photo
Cryptomundo's got it.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:55 PM
Four years of Rove emails missing
"It was an honest mistake I tells ya!
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:37 PM
NASA Releases New Photos of the Martian Face
Strangely, it appears to be Don Imus.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:46 AM
The roots of some common superstitions
So, exactly what are superstitions? Merriam-Webster provides a handful of definitions, including "... fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance" and "a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary."
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:43 AM
Holy homage, Batman!
Ever wonder who would win a fight between Captain Kirk and Batman? So did this guy.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:39 AM
Quantum secrets of photosynthesis revealed
Through photosynthesis, green plants and cyanobacteria are able to transfer sunlight energy to molecular reaction centers for conversion into chemical energy with nearly 100-percent efficiency.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:37 AM
Chinglish unlikely to vanish by Olympics - New Zealand's source for oddstuff - strange, weird & bizarre news on Stuff.co.nz
China is littered with wrong, embarrassing and sometimes plain rude signs in Chinese English, examples of which often end up on the Internet, such as writing "oil gate" for a petrol station, and "the slippery are very crafty" – slippery when wet.Well, in their defense, the slippery are very crafty.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:34 AM
Big cat sightings a shock for residents
Sightings of a big cat have been reported by East Herts men - and one of them even tried to feed the mysterious animal some stewing steak!
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:29 AM
Fugitive says he met missing ex-FBI agent in Iran
An American fugitive living in Iran since he murdered an Iranian opposition activist in the US in 1980 has revealed that he met a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent shortly before the latter disappeared on the Iranian island of Kish a month ago.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:23 AM
Woman boasts famous pen pals
Her letters to world leaders and entertainers drew responses that fill scrapbooks and boxes.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:15 AM
Mystery of hidden rosary
A rosary hidden under floorboards at Gorton Monastery 140 years ago has sparked a mystery about the Victorian child who may have who put it there.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:09 AM
The Goans get tough and mystery remains
Did the Portuguese discover Australia?
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:05 AM
Archaeologists Looking For Treasurers Of Revolutionary War Hero In S.C.
Searchers found a brass candleholder, a small British cannonball along with rifle shot and horse gear. It may not seem like much, but for those looking for hideaways of the state's craftiest Revolutionary War hero, it's a treasure trove.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:02 AM
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Knights Templar Encyclopedia
The Knights Templar Encyclopedia is the first of its kind. Written by renowned medieval historian Dr. Karen Ralls, it has hundreds of entries on all aspects of these enigmatic knights of the Crusades, from scholarly sources only.
posted by Prof. Hex at 10:53 AM
The 'grave slab code' baffles experts
What could be a 900-year-old code is baffling archaeologist Peter Ryder.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:41 AM
RIP: Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, whose dark comic talent and urgent moral vision in novels such as "Slaughterhouse-Five," "Cat's Cradle" and "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater" caught the temper of his times and the imagination of a generation, died Wednesday night in Manhattan. He was 84.I met Mr. Vonnegut years ago and he was very kind and generous with his time. "So it goes," as it he might say.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:40 AM
Historian uses rods to locate stone circles
A Cambridge historian is to use water divining rods to pinpoint the location of forgotten West Cumbrian stone circles.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:38 AM
The Johnsville News
Now that the Duke "Rape" Case has collapsed it might be a good time to visit The Johnsville News, which has covered the hoax extensively.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:35 AM
The dark legacy of Carlos Castaneda
At the heart of Castaneda's movement was a group of intensely devoted women, all of whom were or had been his lovers. They were known as the witches, and two of them, Florinda Donner-Grau and Taisha Abelar, vanished the day after Castaneda's death, along with Cleargreen president Amalia Marquez and Tensegrity instructor Kylie Lundahl. A few weeks later, Patricia Partin, Castaneda's adopted daughter as well as his lover, also disappeared. In February 2006, a skeleton found in Death Valley, Calif., was identified through DNA analysis as Partin's.At Salon. Via Supernatural News.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:26 AM
Disappearing Honeybees Concern Beekeepers and Farmers
Beekeeper David Hackenberg owns the Buffy Bee honey farm outside Tampa, Florida. He says he has lost as many as two-thirds of his beehives within a matter of weeks.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 AM
Waiting for Bigfoot
This is the first in a two-part series on Kansan Randy Harrington's quest to find Bigfoot.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:16 AM
White House Claims It Lost RNC Emails
I am shocked, SHOCKED! Cannonfire has more on the "Oops" excuse.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:14 AM
New "Paddler" Photo Surfaces
Lake monster or sub?
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:10 AM
UFO sightings a mystery to Maidstone mayor
According to a Winnipeg researcher who maintains a registry of UFO sightings in Canada, Maidstone leads the country in this respect, and by a huge margin.See also: Expert: V-shaped 'UFO' is a kite
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:08 AM
It had thunder of a sonic boom, resident says
Skyquakes over Florida.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:03 AM
And that's renaissance magic ...
After lying almost untouched in the vaults of an Italian university for 500 years, a book on the magic arts written by Leonardo da Vinci's best friend and teacher has been translated into English for the first time.
The world's oldest magic text, De viribus quantitatis (On The Powers Of Numbers) was penned by Luca Pacioli, a Franciscan monk who shared lodgings with Da Vinci and is believed to have helped the artist with The Last Supper.Via Wit of the Staircase.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:03 AM
Mexican sacrifice victims came from afar
Archaeologists have discovered new evidence to suggest ancient Mexicans brought human sacrifice victims from locations hundreds of miles away.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:03 AM
Worst...candidate...EVER!!
Joe Cannon takes a look at an unelectable politician.
posted by Prof. Hex at 7:00 AM
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Friday the 13th Fright Night Movie Freak Out!
This Friday the 13th I will be kid sitting my wonderful nieces, Goblina and Fantomina, and I have promised them an evening of scary movies. Now the quandry - what are good scary movies for a six and eight year old? My brother, Herr Hex, lets them watch just about anything they want (within reason - just like our old man did) and they don't have nightmares or any ill effects (so far). I do want to tread that fine line between fun horror and oh-my-god-I'm-gonna-be-scarred-for-life-thanks-Uncle-Professor. If you have any good suggestions, please click on the time stamp for this post and leave me a comment. Or email me. My short list right now is The Blob, the original House on Haunted Hill, and the Howard Hawks classic The Thing from Outer Space (a movie I watched for the first time with my dad when I was about their age). I appreciate any input. I think they'd enjoy Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow but there might be too much head chopping in that one. For some reason I think that Sam Raimi's Evil Dead II might be fun for kids - it's so over the top I can't imagine they'd take it seriously.
posted by Prof. Hex at 12:30 PM
The unresolved story of ABC News' false Saddam-anthrax reports
Your liberal media in action.
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:52 AM
How did an 18ft python end up dead on a country road?
In England?
posted by Prof. Hex at 11:31 AM
3,200-year-old hair of famed Pharaoh Ramses II returned to Egyptian Museum
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