Thursday, February 28, 2008

Encounters with the Strange and Unexplained 

As a highly awarded portrait photographer, Matt Hoyle has met a lot of interesting people throughout his career. But when he traveled across America in search of modern ghost stories, alien abductees and monster sightings to shoot his first photography book, he encountered a lot more than he ever expected.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:53 PM

Bigfoot casts a philosophical shadow 

On the heels of Darwin Day, the Hearst Museum displays plaster casts of alleged Sasquatch footprints — and ponders the nature of evidence and truth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:51 PM

Shipwreck mystery draws a crowd 

The mystery shipwreck discovered on a Wellfleet beach almost a month ago continues to draw the curious — and not just casual visitors.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:48 PM

DNA might solve identity of headless corpse 

When work started to determine who really was in serial killer Belle Gunness' coffin, Andrea Simmons had no idea just how much she was taking on.

Now she's found that along with solving that mystery, she's tackling new ones, including one big surprise: How did bones of children end up in Gunness' coffin?

See also: Area sleuth on trail of serial killer

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:40 PM

FBI documents contradict 9/11 Commission report 

Newly-released records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request contradict the 9/11 Commission’s report on the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and raise fresh questions about the role of Saudi government officials in connection to the hijackers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:48 PM

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

State land purchase preserves historic E. Tenn. cave : State and Regional News : Knoxville News Sentinel 

The state is buying an East Tennessee cave with bird-man creatures and other mysterious images carved or painted on the walls about 700 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:20 PM

On This Day in History: February 27 Famous Spook House Destroyed by Fire 

On Feb. 27, 1939, an infamous house in England was destroyed by fire. It was Borley Rectory, reputedly the “Most Haunted House in England.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:18 PM

Gautier Man Shares Story Of 1973 Alien Abduction 

Flying saucers and aliens abductions sound bizarre to some people in South Mississippi, but 76-year-old Charles Hickson of Gautier claims he actually lived that nightmare.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:01 PM

A 300-year old mystery 

"For the past 300 years, chunks of amber-colored beeswax, some reportedly weighing as much as 54 kilograms (about 125 pounds), have occasionally washed up on the shores of Oregon's Nehalem Bay after a storm," the January 4 edition of Science said.

"In a few instances, exceptionally low tides have revealed a wooden hull. But the "beeswax wreck" has been shrouded in mystery," the article said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:54 PM

Study sheds new light on bats' animal magnetism 

Bats use a magnetic substance called magnetite as an 'internal compass' to help them navigate, scientists have found. The research, which was partly funded by a Marie Curie grant from the EU, is published in the journal PLoS ONE.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:50 PM

Pensioner left murder confession say police 

A pensioner who died this month left a confession to a 37-year-old murder mystery in Liverpool, police have said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:47 PM

No mystery, bookstore closes 

Another bookstore bites the dust.

"There was one bookstore in town, about three feet of mysteries, and dead center there was `The Maltese Falcon,' a first edition," Mitchell said. "It was marked seven fifty, and I thought, I can afford $750. She charged me $7.50," Mitchell said. "I felt guilty, and I went back and bought the whole shelf." He later sold the book for $6,500.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:14 PM

Labyrinth of tunnels, chambers discovered beneath City of Industry, California, home 

Creepy story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 PM

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Haunted America - The Borden-Winslow House 

On August 4, 1982, Andrew Jackson Borden and his wife Abby Borden were murdered in their home in Fall River, Mass. They had been killed with several blows to their bodies with a hatchet, Mr. Borden having his head crushed. Their killer still remains a mystery, despite the heavy conjecture that it was their daughter Lizzie Borden. But could Andrew and Abby still be in the house?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 PM

Mystery Couple Not 'Whitey' Bulger, Greig 

The FBI's international manhunt for the Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive James J. "Whitey" Bulger and his girlfriend took a hit this week after widely circulated photos and video — thought to be the couple — turned out to be German tourists.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:07 PM

'Black Widow' Pleads Guilty to Stealing Southport Widow's Identity 

Sandra Camille Bridewell Powers - AKA the 'Black Widow' - may actually do some time. For more on Bridewell see here and here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:50 AM

Season of the witch 

"Where are all the witches?" I ask a street vendor selling fresh fruit and snow cones from a sidewalk cart near the cathedral.

Anywhere else such a question might raise an eyebrow, but not in Catemaco, Veracruz -- the witch ("brujo") capital of Mexico.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:35 AM

The Old Man Who Was Not There 

I am 58 now. When I was in my 20s I lived in San Francisco CA. My mom and I went regularly to the best occult book store I have ever come across. I had been going there for about three years when I and my mom had the most unusual experience there.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:30 AM

Exorcisms May Be On The Rise 

There is evidence, though, that the practice of exorcism is experiencing a revival.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:28 AM

Meteorites spark mysteries 

Five months after a meteorite made an international splash in Peru, experts are suggesting explanations for some of the space rock's effects - for example, the sickening odor villagers smelled at the crash site, and the bubbles that were seen emanating from the water-filled crater left behind. But a study due to be presented next month also raises fundamental questions about the event. In fact, an international research team declares that the impact "should not have happened" at all.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:23 AM

Exercise buffs appear to have 'younger' DNA, research suggests 

A recent study hints that fitness buffs appear to have "younger" DNA than the chronically sedentary.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:14 AM

The mystery cryptic animal of northern New South Wales 

Northern New South Wales has its own mystery animal stalking the streets and bush land. Many local people have seen it. When talking to friends they are often surprised to find that they too have seen it. It looks like someone has crossed a dog with a kangaroo. It is observed at night as locals drive their cars through the wildlife corridors that surround our homes. Fishing parties on Marshalls Creek have seen it, as have people relaxing on their verandah. Families pedaling their bicycles during the day have seen it. At first, they believe that the animal is a dog or fox. Closer observations reveal unexpected characteristics. “What on Earth is this?” they ask themselves.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:13 AM

Helping the Deaf Hear Music 

John Redden is a deaf professional musician. He can sing on key, harmonize on key, and hear musical intervals well enough to reproduce them. He does this with a cochlear implant, which is a computer chip surgically embedded in his skull. The chip drives 16 tiny electrodes threaded into his inner ear that stimulate his auditory nerves. It gets auditory data from an external computer sitting on his ear that looks like a hearing aid. Instead of amplifying sound, though, it digitizes it and sends it to the implant by radio through the skin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:06 AM

RIP Creature actor Ben Chapman 

One of the last surviving actors to play an iconic Universal movie monster, Ben Chapman, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, has died at age 79.

Very nice tribute.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:05 AM

The Sphinx and the Spy: The Clandestine World of John Mulholland 

At mid-century The Sphinx stood as America’s oldest and most prestigious magic magazine. Over its five-decade history, it had become part of the lifeblood of the conjuring world. Then, on June 29, 1953, John Mulholland wrote a letter to journal’s subscribers. “This is to inform you that as of June 1, 1953, the publication of The Sphinx has been suspended. The immediate cause is that my health does not permit me to do the necessary work. My Doctor orders me to confine my efforts at this time to the shows by which I earn my living.”


It was true that Mulholland's health was not good. An inveterate smoker, he suffered from ulcers, stomach disorders and arthritis. Editing The Sphinx for twenty-three years had taken a physical and financial toll. But rather than limiting his activities to his live performances, Mulholland had actually embarked on a new endeavor…an endeavor far more secretive than anything in the realm of conjuring. He had entered a world of covert operations, espionage, mind control, drugs, and even death. John Mulholland had gone to work for the CIA.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:00 AM

Storms reveal Oregon sunken treasure 

The storms that have lashed Oregon's scenic coast this winter have dredged up an unusual array of once-buried secrets: old shipwrecks, historic cannons, ghost forests -- even strangely shaped iron deposits.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:16 AM

Friday, February 22, 2008

New Frog Species Discovered in USA! 

Cryptomundo jumps on it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:40 AM

Mothman and The Thunderbird (Could They be One in the Same?) 

John Keel is the very definition of an UFO investigator. He didn't wait for sightings to come to him. He traveled the world in search of them. He journeyed to Egypt, the Himalayas and to India? He investigated the southeast? But his home was in New York. He loved the city but when not there he went to the far reaches of the globe in search of mystery and the unexplained.

See also: Was this a close encounter with a Thunderbird? (Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:38 AM

Escaping the unimaginable: Woman recalls finding out husband was abuser, satanic 

Austin ‘Trey’ Bernard was found guilty on child rape on December 3rd. He was the first of seven accused members of the former Hosanna Church to stand trial on charges of abusing young children.

FTA: “They were into satanic worship and they used a church, and God's name, and covered themselves with his name, with God's name to hide, to do these evil things.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:36 AM

Police concerned about order to stop screening 

Security details at Barack Obama's rally Wednesday stopped screening people for weapons at the front gates more than an hour before the Democratic presidential candidate took the stage at Reunion Arena.

The order apparently came from the Secret Service, Grassy Knoll Division.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:29 AM

RETURN OF 'THE BEAST' 

A mystery big cat has been spotted in the Mearns.

See also: Fisherman spots mystery cat

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:20 AM

The photographer accused of causing Diana's crash was at home the night she died 

The princess died in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, along with driver Henri Paul and lover Dodi Fayed, and James Andanson has been blamed by Dodi's father, Mohamed Al Fayed, for causing the accident.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:18 AM

Photos, stories help identify the wreck 

Archaeologists credit high-resolution photos as the key to solving the identity mystery of the George L. Olson shipwreck on Coos Bay’s North Spit.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:14 AM

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Pilots rescued after fighter jets vanish 

Eglin Air Force Base spokeswoman Shirley Pigott said the pilots were rescued after their single-seat F-15C Eagles disappeared Wednesday afternoon off the Florida Panhandle, about 35 miles south of Tyndall Air Force Base.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:50 PM

Excavations In Iran Unravel Mystery Of 'Red Snake' 

The 'Great Wall of Gorgan'in north-eastern Iran, a barrier of awesome scale and sophistication, including over 30 military forts, an aqueduct, and water channels along its route, is being explored by an international team of archaeologists from Iran and the Universities of Edinburgh and Durham. This vast Wall-also known as the 'Red Snake'-is more than 1000 years older than the Great Wall of China, and longer than Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall put together.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:19 PM

Giant frog gives scientists a mystery 

A frog the size of a bowling ball, with heavy armor and teeth, lived among dinosaurs millions of years ago -- intimidating enough that scientists who unearthed its fossils dubbed the beast Beelzebufo, or Devil Toad.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:18 PM

Police refute Bridgend suicides link 

A total of 17 people aged between 15 and 27 and living in and around Bridgend have hanged themselves since January 2007. Local police, who have dismissed fears of a suicide cult, continue to deny any connection between the deaths.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:10 PM

Bigfoot seekers to look for proof in West Virginia 

Some call it Sasquatch or Bigfoot. In other parts of the world, it's known as the Yeti or the Abominable Snowman.

Is Bigfoot in the Mountain State?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:09 PM

The Great L.A. Air Raid Mystery 

What was it that showed up on military radar screens the night of Feb. 24, 1942, prompting authorities to order a blackout and unleash an hourlong anti-aircraft barrage?

Could it have been enemy aircraft like those that attacked Pearl Harbor less than three months earlier? Was it just a weather balloon? Might it have been a UFO?

See also: UFOs: More sightings in Fenland

The UFO Lamp for space geeks (Cool.)

Why don't Americans believe UFOs are real?

New Books Expose Patented UFO Technology, Exotic Propulsion Systems (Press release.)

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:06 PM

Mysterious Creatures Found in Antarctica 

Scientists investigating the icy waters of Antarctica said Tuesday they have collected mysterious creatures including giant sea spiders and huge worms in the murky depths.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:58 AM

Anonymous: Inside the world of Scientology 

A mysterious online collective known only as ‘Anonymous’ has declared war on the Church of Scientology. Nicky Woolf tracks them down to find out why, and how.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:57 AM

Mysterious Pyramid Complex Discovered in Peru 

The remnants of at least ten pyramids have been discovered on the coast of Peru, marking what could be a vast ceremonial site of an ancient, little-known culture, archaeologists say.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:55 AM

Satellites spot lost Guatemala Mayan temples 

Ancient Mayan astronomers aligned their soaring temples with the stars and now modern archeologists have found the ruins of hidden cities in the Guatemalan jungle by peering down from space.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:54 AM

'Saboteurs' may have cut undersea internet cables, says UN agency 

The specialist team investigating the damage to several undersea internet cables that caused web and telecoms outages across the Middle East and Asia said it could have been an act of sabotage.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:49 AM

Tsar's missing art treasure that was looted and hidden by Nazis is now 'found' 

A team in Germany say they located the Russian Tsar's Amber Room after discovering two tonnes of gold in a man-made cavern 60ft undergound.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:22 AM

Mysterious material found on Saturn moons 

Astronomers said there's mounting evidence some mechanism has spread the material found on several of the moons from one to another and the material might have a common cometary origin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:16 AM

Monday, February 18, 2008

Oddball links area to lost city 

An aspiring screenwriter from Brooklyn contacted this paper the other day, researching a baffling 1934 Stockton incident, a mysterious man and the lost civilization of Lemuria.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:41 PM

The skunk ape: Florida's answer to the abominable snowman 

Deep in the swamps of Florida, something is stirring. Witnesses to its haunting presence speak of howls in the night, unexplained footprints in the mud and glimpses between the trees of a fiery-eyed creature that reeks of death.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:45 AM

A Revealing Night of Ghosts in Fort Lauderdale 

The train shrieks and rumbles in the night, rocking side to side down its tracks, whistle screaming on its journey through the dark abyss of eternity. Packed inside are souls whose trip with purgatory has no end in sight . . . souls of those who died tragically on the tracks of the Florida East Coast Railroad.

See also: Hobby group hunts ghosts

Real life ghost hunters search for supernatural evidence in Valley

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:38 AM

Rising market for Russian icons 

Fueled by religious patriotism and encouraged by both the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church, Russia's tycoons are reclaiming masterpieces that were scattered worldwide by the chaos of the Russian Revolution, the flight into exile of those opposed to the Communists, and the illegal export of art, which continued into the 1990s.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:25 AM

Exorcisms `more dangerous than Pagan beliefs' 

Pagans have hit out at the Catholic Church after a church spokesman blamed an increase in exorcisms on people dabbling in paganism.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:17 AM

A century-old mystery: Did serial killer fake her death? 

For a hundred years, people have doubted whether a zinc-lined casket in a Forest Park cemetery really entombed the body of one of America's worst female serial killers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 AM

History group seeks to link zipper pull to Amelia Earhart 

An aviation history group is turning to a historical society to see if a defunct zipper maker made a zipper pull found on an island where they think Amelia Earhart may have disappeared.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:09 AM

Hub’s silent serial killer 

Nearly 24 years after attorney Timothy M. Burke locked up a Revere shellfish huckster for life for killing an East Boston woman, the former prosecutor is making his case that the portly predator is also a Bay State serial killer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:08 AM

Texas reporter on UFO case leaves newspaper; News media trustworthy? 

The local newspaper reporter in Stephenville, Texas, who helped cover a UFO sighting case there is no longer working at the Stephenville Empire-Tribune newspaper, effective last Thursday, Feb. 7.

See also: IS THIS REAL? UFO investigator tries to separate fact from fiction

UFO sighting in Bubbenhall nearly wrecked our car, say couple

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:07 AM

Psychic's tales inflame mystery of Tobias' demise 

the Seth Tobias case just gets weirder and weirder.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 AM

Suicide websites blamed for deaths 

A network of "suicide gurus" who use the internet to advise people how to kill themselves are blamed for prompting depressed and vulnerable youngsters to take their own lives.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 AM

Old JFK documents may stir controversy 

A batch of old documents linked to the slaying of President John F. Kennedy has reportedly been unearthed, including a highly suspect transcript of a conversation between assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and Oswald's killer Jack Ruby, the Dallas Morning News said on Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:01 AM

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Hidden Hollywood sign uncovers history 

The sign that read "Outpost" in neon letters 30 feet high was, like the original "Hollywoodland" sign, raised up to publicize a new housing development, Hillside Homes of Happiness.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:05 AM

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Is Ritual Child Abuse Just a Hoax? 

Do we only see what we want to see? Or do we only see what we are shown?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:19 AM

Rock Carving Found After Recent Storm Sheds Further Light On Bronze Age Art 

The mysterious rock art had been hidden by a huge tree in Forestry Commission Scotland's Achnabreac Forest, in West Argyll, until it was blown down around three weeks ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:39 AM

Mystery shipwreck creates traffic jam at Oregon coast 

Storms first revealed the historic treasure last month.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:38 AM

Third right foot discovered in Gulf Islands 

Three severed right feet have washed ashore on the Gulf Islands in the past six months, in what police say is one of the most bizarre cases in recent memory.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:32 AM

Friend Is Questioned for Eight Hours in Killing of Therapist 

The case has alarmed Manhattan’s mental health community and made armchair detectives of many because it seems, on the surface, such a mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:28 AM

Discover This Hidden Gem 

Abandoned gold mine along the Potomac? It's more likely than you think.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:17 AM

Mystery watercolour found hidden in wall 

The painting has been dated back to the 1870s. But experts at Sotheby's were unable to identify the artist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:14 AM

Jets chase UFOs -- what's new? 

After tendering initial denials, the Air Force admitted it dispatched F-16s — 10 of them — into the Texas skies near Stephenville on the early evening of Jan. 8.

See also: Why should people and media care about UFOs?

A close encounter of the M27 kind? (With pic)

Chicago's Police investigate UFO incident (Abduction!)

UFOs over Silicon Valley

Ace Frehley sees UFO! (sort of)

Texas peace officers describe UFOs; firefighters also have role


Source Reveals Secret UFO Meeting at U.N.

New facts unfold in Texas UFO sightings: Police videotape, foreign-owned Texas newspapers

Mum baffled over UFO (With video)

U.S. biblical scholar's documentation of UFO incident provides insights into Extraterrestrials

Mystery lights still a puzzle

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:28 AM

Paranormal 'beings' reported at the sewage station 

A ghostbuster has been called in to Southern Water's wastewater treatment plant after reports of paranormal activity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:07 AM

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Stop talking about UFOs! 

Angelia Joiner, the reporter for The Empire Tribune in Stephenville, Texas who has been reporting on the local UFO flap, has "stepped down" from her post. Apparently her editor feels that unexplained craft in the skies over Texas is not much of a story. Town officials also reportedly feel that the story is becoming an embarrassment.

You can contact the Empire Tribune here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 AM

A Wild Man Discovered Near New Hampton, N. Y., 1870 

From The New York Times. This page will take you to a pdf of the full article.

And be sure to read this hysterical tongue-in-cheek article from October 25, 1879 that blames the annual sightings of Giant Snakes, Wild Men, Alien Big Cats, and Sea Monster sightings on Darwinism.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:51 AM

Council pays psychic for exorcism 

A psychic was paid £60 by a council to rid a County Durham home of a "poltergeist" after ghostly goings-on.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:44 AM

The Education of Amanda Knox 

A Report from the Hills of Italy, the Scene of an International Mystery.

See also: Meredith Kercher suspect sings the Beatles

And don't miss crime novelist Douglas Preston's take on Meredith Kercher's murder. Preston has had some unpleasant personal experience with the judge in the Kercher case, experience detailed in his soon-to-released book on the serial killer known as the Monster of Florence. You can read an article he wrote on the Monster here. Highly recommended, as are the rest of Preston's books. I'm particularly fond of his collaborations with Lincoln Child.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:41 AM

One dollar bill to be de-mystified 

Conspiracy theorists take note: The myths surrounding one of America's oldest and most enduring national symbols are about to be debunked...if you believe the government, that is.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:38 AM

Is this another Leeds ghost? 

This amazing picture appears to show a top hat-wearing phantom sat just behind the shoulder of an audience member at Leeds City Varieties theatre.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 AM

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Mini-muscleman: Meet the world's smallest bodybuilder 

Awesome. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:37 PM

Monday, February 11, 2008

Ephemerista! 

If you haven't been over to ephemera lately you might want to go check out the cool stuff he's got posted, including an interview with vintage roadside Americana collector Andrew Wood.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:24 PM

Prize Whippet, Phantom Mascot 

Remember Vivi, the prize Whippet that escaped from Kennedy International Airport in February after appearing in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show? Yeah, she's still out there. And people are still seeing her.

See also: Have You Seen This Dog? Only With Telepathy

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:02 PM

Tenant Discovered In Apartment 8 Years After He Died 

For years, the neighbours who lived in an apartment building in Bristol, England (left) would complain endlessly about a strange smell coming from another tenant's residence.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:54 PM

'Anonymous' takes anti-Scientology to the streets 

"Anonymous" now has a bunch of faces to go with its name.

See also:

Photo Essay: 'Anonymous' Protest Church of Scientology in Hollywood

Scientology protestors focus on Dallas woman's death

Companies deny Scientology links

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:36 PM

Model of Easter Island Collapse Might Reveal Message for Today 

When a thriving civilization suddenly collapses, it’s often a mystery – and an ominous one, at that. For Easter Island circa 1000-1400 AD, experts believe it was a case of humans overexploiting their natural resources – mostly, the palm tree. But exactly where did the culturally rich Rapanui society go too far?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:19 PM

The Young Pretender's 'secret service' ring goes up for auction 

Entrusted only to those loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie, it showed their allegiance to the Jacobite cause.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:16 PM

Mystery as 25 horses at remote farm attacked in dead of night 

Witchcraft or something else?

See also: Mystery as 73 sheep carcasses found strewn across fields

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:14 PM

The Mystery of the Voynich Manuscript 

New analysis of a famously cryptic medieval document suggests that it contains nothing but gibberish.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:12 PM

HOW MOBSTER NICKNAMES GET 'MADE' 

Thomas Cacciopoli: "Tommy Sneakers." He "likes sneakers."

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:37 PM

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Back soon 

I'll be out of town for a few days on family business so posting will be sporadic until then. I should be back by the weekend. Until then, check the links and dig through the archives. See you soon.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:49 AM

Monday, February 04, 2008

Scientology Elders Reach Out to the FBI to Help Prevent Internet Attacks 

A source tells Radar that Church leaders have been so flustered by "Anonymous"— the online collective disrupting the Church's day-to-day operations after it attempted to prevent the dissemination of the now-infamous Tom Cruise video—that they've asked the U.S. Attorney General's office in Los Angeles, the FBI, as well as the LAPD to launch a criminal investigation into possible criminal activity by any hackers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:01 PM

Congratulations Cat! 

Cat, over at Confessions of an Occult Mastermind, has reached the 200 post milestone. Congrats Cat! Now put that book together.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 AM

Elsie's UFO encounter on the A45 in south Northants 

One of the most famous UFO experiences in Northamptonshire is the 1978 tale of Elsie Oakensen who believed her car was stopped on her way home to Church Stowe by a flying machine.

Are UFOs using mind control? Alberta oil sands said to be part of plot

Alberta UFO sighting photos

Project Open Mind

Stephenville area's had its share of UFO sightings - Stephenville, TX UFO sighting - in 1897.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:48 AM

Best Ancient Gadgets According to Gadget Lab 

Gizmodo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:47 AM

Police: Identity thief who conned way into Ivy League arrested 

A fugitive for more than a year, Esther Reed was arrested Saturday by U.S. Marshals in suburban Chicago, said Clark Brazier, a spokesman for the police department in Traveler's Rest, South Carolina.

Arrest Hopefully Will Shed Light On Brooke Henson Case

Via the True Crime Weblog.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:45 AM

Smiley face found on Mars! 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:39 AM

Death photo of war reporter Pyle found 

But Ernie Pyle was not just any reporter. He was a household name during World War II and for years afterward. From 1941 until his death, Pyle riveted the nation with personal, straight-from-the-heart tales about hometown soldiers in history's greatest conflict.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 AM

The mystery of the kiss 

Scientists know how we pucker up and what happens when we do. Although the origins are unknown, theories abound.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:26 AM

Dark Deaths Engulf Wales 

The Welsh countryside is being visited by dampness, darkness, and death. The spirit and happiness of youthful hope is being snuffed out.

At Loren Coleman's The Copycat Effect.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:20 AM

Local witches are fired up and ready to picket in support of Miss Toronto Tourism Pageant Judge 

The witches of Toronto are on the march.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:18 AM

A mysterious curse? 

Did a Ouija-type board curse the new Mars Volta record?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:18 AM

The man and the many myths: Busted, plausible or confirmed? 

Let's clear up one thing right off: We're not here to talk about the Lincoln myths that have real academic value. Whether America's most esteemed president was a humanitarian or eloquent dirt bag, a moral leader or venal schemer, matters naught to us.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:09 AM

Adolf Hitler's 'lost fleet' found in Black Sea 

The submarines had been carried 2,000 miles overland from Germany to attack Russian shipping during the Second World War, but were scuttled as the war neared its end. Now, more than 60 years on, explorers have located the flotilla of three submarines off the coast of Turkey.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 AM

Answers could be near in 55-year-old case 

Mystery buffs, investigators and relatives in two different states and several communities are waiting for an answer to a question that has not been answered for 55 years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:03 AM

Mystery shrouds Civil War graves at cemetery 

So why, wonder four modern-day descendants of Civil War veterans, were the 12 buried anonymously?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:02 AM

Dutch man says he was with U.S. teen who vanished in Aruba 

Hidden camera footage broadcast on television in the Netherlands showed a Dutch student saying he was with the American teenager Natalee Holloway when she died on a beach in the Caribbean island of Aruba.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:48 AM

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Dirty Things Afoot at CleanFlicks: The Fall of Danny Thompson 

Remember CleanFlix, the Orem, Utah-based movie rental company that edited out the naughty bits so evil Hollywood films could be rented by God-fearing Christian families? The owner has been arrested for sex with underage girls. And he had porn. Lots and lots of porn.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:00 AM

Haunted Pub in Jefferson City, Mo. 

The three-story brick building on West Main Street in Jefferson City hasn’t changed much in the past 138 years – it’s a bar. Although the building was constructed in 1863 to house a tack and saddle shop, it became the West End Saloon in 1870.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:43 AM

One of our substations is missing 

NYC's hidden subway and el relics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:42 AM

The Secret King 

What role did the occult really play in the Third Reich? New from Feral House.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:32 AM

Mysterious 'mermaid' rises from the river 

In what can best be described as the Western Cape's own Loch Ness monster, the legendary "mermaid" known as the Kaaiman has reportedly been spotted in the Buffelsjags River at Suurbraak, a village close to Swellendam.

Via Doctor Fong.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:17 AM

The Cheshire Cat UFO 

It turned at a small angle towards us and I was amazed to see, framed in a white circle on the front of the dome an image of a large grinning Cheshire Cat!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:02 AM

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Lawndale "Thunderbird" Should Have Been Déjà Vu 

A giant eagle tries to carry away a 8-year-old boy - in 1929. The similarities to the Marlon Lowe incident of 1977 are interesting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:38 PM

Bigfoot on Monkey Mountain 

Motorist sighting near Missouri River Bluffs.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:30 PM

Goodall, Goddard & Patty: Female Power 

Cryptomundo charms the ladies.

See also: Water Horse Invades Japan (with amazing video)

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 PM

Friday, February 01, 2008

Are Tulpas Everything Esoteric? 

Tulpas have been associated with Tibetan mysticism - and seem `to be’ - thoughtforms — generated by human consciousness — and that some of these `created spaces’ can take on an extended `life’ (time) with intentionality’s. So, again, consciousness, creating a space, that has `time’/duration — and may - by existing — produce independent intentionality’s.

Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:35 PM

Chinese vase holds 300-year-old shopping list 

A Chinese shopping list written 300 years ago has been found stuffed inside an 18th century vase.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Mysterious Monument to Lost Love in Florida 

How Did One Small Man Move 1,100 Tons of Stone to Build a Marvel of Engineering?

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:02 PM

Why is Lake Peigneur Bubbling? 

More mysterious bubbling in Lake Peigneur, captured on home video. The US Geological survey tells us people at the lake reported bubbling Thursday morning. Now, possible new explanations are being explored.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:00 PM

What are these lights in sky over Northampton? 

With video.

See also:UFO believers reveal their own close encounters (with video)

British editor explores the UFO enigma

Argentinean Police Officers make report on UFO

I Had a Close Encounter with a UFO Near Stephenville

What have we been seeking for past 50 years?

The night the UFOs flew over Hicksville

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:58 PM