Sunday, November 30, 2008

The Black Scorpion 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Friday, November 28, 2008

The Monster That Challenged the World 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Crawling Hand 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

UFO spotted over town 

With pic.

See also: Amazing Footage of UFO's doing impossible flying manuevers!

Argentina: A UFO or a Condor in Tupungato?

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:22 PM

LAIR OF THE BEASTS: Monster of the Mountains 

Just recently, Britain’s Center for Fortean Zoology—the world’s only full-time group dedicated to investigating unknown animals such as the Loch Ness Monster and the Chupacabras—dispatched a team of personnel to the wilds of the Caucasus Mountains, in search of one of the most intriguing and perplexing of all strange beasts: the Almasty.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:13 PM

Ancient Greeks had their heads in the sky 

Using advanced new imaging techniques, scientists have reconstructed the gear structure of the mysterious Antikythera mechanism, one of the world's oldest computers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:06 PM

The Brazilian “Lost Thunderbird”: False Fortean Memories 

It’s an old black and white photo of a “Thunderbird”/Pterodactyl shot down proudly displayed by a bunch of cowboys standing. It’s the elusive Lost Thunderbird Photo, which many people including noted cryptozoologists remember seeing, and yet, no one can produce the photo itself.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:27 AM

Huge Cave Bears: When and Why They Disappeared 

During the Middle Ages, the bones of cave bears, thought to be the remains of dragons, were collected and used for medicine, the researchers say.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 AM

Giant Italian Snake 

The “monster” turns out to be a snake, possibly between 15 and 20ft long of a kind not previously known in Italy. An expert says it may be 100 years old.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:22 AM

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

44 Years Later, a Washington, D.C. Death Unresolved 

On a perfect October day in 1964, Mary Pinchot Meyer—mistress of John Kennedy, friend of Jackie Kennedy and ex-wife of a top CIA man, Cord Meyer—was murdered in the rarefied Washington precinct of Georgetown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:26 PM

The Mysterious Lost Ship of the Mojave 

Legends say that deep in California’s Salton Sea Basin lies an ancient tall ship filled with pearls and other goodies that would make a pirate’s Christmas. And, although there are a number of theories, no one knows for sure where the ship came from or how it got there.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:15 PM

Has Glenrothes 'beast' moved to Methil? 

Hot on the claws of a possible Glenrothes sighting of the so-called Beast of Balbirnie, a Methil family have now claimed they believe they may have had a close encounter with a big cat which some people think is stalking the area.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:09 PM

U of A researcher uses lasers to find meteorite craters 

Just days after a meteorite streaked across the Edmonton sky, a University of Alberta researcher plans to use new laser technology to help locate craters.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:50 PM

Poland exhumes WWII leader to find out if his death was plotted by British traitor and Russians 

Authorities hope the exhumation of General Wladyslaw Sikorski, head of occupied Poland's government-in-exile, which was based in Britain, will cast light on suspicions that his death was ordered by Soviet or British leaders who were starting to find him politically inconvenient.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:47 PM

Disturbing UFO incident in Birmingham 

A police helicopter flying over Birmingham narrowly avoided tragedy when it nearly collided with a UFO, a report has claimed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:34 AM

Protecting history - the effort to save ancient Indian mounds 

“I don't want anything to happen to it. It's hard to describe, but it's so serene and peaceful-like up there. People probably won't believe you, but there is just something about being up there on that mound. It's a good feeling.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:37 AM

Only known painting of Lucrezia Borgia discovered in Australian gallery 

A mysterious Renaissance portrait that has hung in an Australian art gallery for 43 years has been identified as potentially the only painting in existence of the infamous femme fatale Lucrezia Borgia

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 AM

Wreck of Titanic sister ship finds new destiny as tourist attraction 

Nearly 92 years have elapsed since Captain Charles Bartlett, standing in his pyjamas on the bridge of the biggest vessel in the world, the HMHS Britannic, gave the call to abandon ship.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:15 AM

Psychic reading ban lifted in Vermont 

Ordinances like this were originally established to prevent fraud or simply out of fear of the unknown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:26 AM

Awesome Or Off-Putting: GhostRadar 

GhostRadar is super fancy technological equipment that, had it been around in the 80s, would have allowed us all to laugh at how primitive the Ghostbusters’ equipment really looked. It doesn’t let you catch ghosts, mind you, but it does tell you when they are present.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:23 AM

Monday, November 24, 2008

Conan Doyle Norfolk mystery solved 

It was always strongly believed that as the master of the detective novel wrote the Adventure of the Dancing Men at Hill House he was intrigued by pictures drawn by the landlord's young son Gilbert Cubitt.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:37 PM

Beaches gallery hides possible Jackson Pollock after robbery scare 

Is someone trying to steal a controversial Pollock painting?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:24 PM

Scientists Explain Mystery of 'Face Blindness' 

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:10 PM

MI6's secret tunnels | A deep, dark secret 

A lift takes us down 100 feet, deeper than the London Underground, which we can hear rumbling above us. A set of atom-bomb-proof doors are swung open and we step out into the secret of Furnival Street: the Kingsway tunnels, a miniature city beneath a city.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:57 PM

The $180,000 Beardsley that hung in a Boston bathroom 

While nine of the 13 original drawings have ended up in Harvard University’s Fogg Art Museum, the other three remained untraced.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:57 PM

Witchcraft trial book could fetch 76,000 pounds 

The Paisley “witches” were executed over 300 years ago and the 17th-century tome tells the tale of the case of Christian Shaw, who accused six people of “bewitching” her.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:16 PM

Alien-like Squid Filmed at Ultra-Deep Oil-Drilling Site 

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:32 PM

Tarantula 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Secrets of the Screaming Man 

“It was like all of their favorite mummy movies had suddenly come to life,” says Geffen, recalling the look on the museumgoers’ faces. “They had all heard of Screaming Man, and there he was, off to see the doctor.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:40 PM

The enigma of Lake Ontario's 11,000-year-old footprints 

The area's first evidence of human habitation – or the impressions of 'a lobster-like animal'

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:43 PM

A large 'cat' was on the prowl in Troup County 

Last weekend, a deer hunter on public land near West Point Lake was so certain he saw a panther that he shot and killed it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:38 PM

Forgery of Biblical antiquities has become big business 

If you're going to fake a Biblical antiquity, keep it simple.

And don't mention Jesus.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:34 PM

Fake lunar photos of the 1800's and synchronicity 

Paging through the catalog, I found a mystery: an account of how scientists in the 1800's created fake lunar photos--in the name of science. In The Moon, Considered as a Planet, a World, and a Satellite, James Hall Nasmyth and James Carpenter published actual photos of what the moon looked like--almost.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:10 PM

Archaeology professor scrutinizes age-old mystery 

One of Nicolle Hirschfeld's fondest memories is participating in the excavation of the Uluburun, the oldest shipwreck found in the Mediterranean, dating back to the 14th century B.C.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:14 AM

A demon, a diamond, and now meat 

Mystery meat and other new England weirdness.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:28 AM

As Taboos Ease, Saudi Girl Group Dares to Rock 

They cannot perform in public. They cannot pose for album cover photographs. Even their jam sessions are secret, for fear of offending the religious authorities in this ultraconservative kingdom.

But the members of Saudi Arabia’s first all-girl rock band, the Accolade, are clearly not afraid of taboos.

Great article on some gutsy young women.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:01 AM

Treasure hunters uncover Roman tombstone in Scotland 

Treasure hunters have unearthed the first Roman tombstone in Scotland for more than 170 years, among other rare artifacts that were dug up at the site.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:39 AM

Solving the mystery of Herod’s sarcophagus 

New evidence from the site of Herod the Great’s planned mausoleum appears to prove that it was the site of his grave in the late 1st century BC.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:37 AM

Bay Area mob lynched kidnappers 75 years ago 

This week is the 75th anniversary of one of the darkest days in the history of the Bay Area, when vigilantes dragged two terrified men from the county jail in San Jose and lynched them from trees in a downtown park as a mob of 10,000 citizens went mad with blood lust.

An incredible story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 AM

New Clues In Lusitania's Sinking 

When the Lusitania went down, it left a mystery behind: What was the cause of the second blast? After nearly a century of investigation, argument and intrigue, clues are starting to surface.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:12 AM

Britain's first mission to the Moon to probe mysterious moonquakes 

Britain is to launch its first mission to the Moon to try and understand the cause of mysterious quakes which vibrate through the lunar rock.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:03 AM

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Monster on the Campus 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Friday, November 21, 2008

Meteor caught on tape lit up the sky in Western Canada 

Amazing.




Via LiveLeak.

And here's a near-miss caught on film from 1972!

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:13 PM

Psychic detective used to crack Oregon's unsolved murders 

Psychic detectives might sound a little far fetched, but law enforcement agencies all across Oregon are using these people to help crack some notorious cases.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:10 PM

Amanda Knox's family appeal for funds to help her defence in Meredith Kercher murder trial 

The family of Amanda Knox, the American student accused of killing her British flatmate Meredith Kercher, has launched an online appeal for funds to pay for her legal costs as she prepares to face trial for murder.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:08 PM

Best Pareidolia Ever 

Remarkable photo. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:42 AM

Biography Channel chronicles witches, past and present 

The documentary demonstrates how witches’ status changed from the respected shamans of early European communities to the scourge of the Inquisition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:14 AM

Villagers resurrect almost-forgotten copy of The Bixby Letter; will seek authentication 

The Bixby Letter, as Evelyn well knew, was a page-long piece of the fabric of America; a well-established piece of folk history shrouded in equal parts reverence and controversy.

The legend goes something like this: In 1864, Abraham Lincoln, fresh off his election to serve a second term as president, wrote an eloquent and remorseful letter to Lydia Bixby, a Boston native who had supposedly lost five sons in the Civil War.

Wiki

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:12 AM

One-of-a-kind coin returns to New Orleans 

“Well, traveling with a coin worth millions of dollars is, I mean it’s fun, but at the same time, you’ve got to be a little guarded,” Hollis said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:04 AM

Another unexplained sighting in Stephenville 

What in the world continues to fly in the skies over Stephenville? Or maybe it's out of this world.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

‘Cure’ for Indian ‘werewolf boy’ found 

A cure for an Indian boy with ‘werewolf syndrome’, a condition which leaves the face and body of the sufferer covered in hair, has been found by Colombia University researchers in New York.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:18 AM

Mysterious bright light seen over Edmonton 

Calls are pouring in about the sight of a bright light in the skies over the Edmonton area.

See also: Mysterious fireball lights up western Canadian sky

Possible meteor lights up the skies in northern Alberta

Video link here.

UPDATE: New pic!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:16 AM

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Mystery surrounds big cat theory 

Terry Goater has spent more than 30 years on the trail of a ‘big cat’ that resides around the Inverell area, and he is seeking information from the public about any sightings of this mysterious animal.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:58 PM

Mexico: Boeing-737 crew report UFO sighting 

Information is filtering through regarding a possible encounter with a UFO that occurred on the 27th of October 2008 in the skies over Mexico City.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:14 PM

Detective handcuffed to Oswald can't escape photo 

You know — THAT photo.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:56 PM

The Astounding She Monster 

If you're not too afraid, make a date with the woman you'll never forget!

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

In Search of the Mysterious Sea Serpent 

Sea serpents have been sighted for centuries, there are a number of records in Europe dating back to the mid 16th century, at least. The secretive creatures were known to ancient cultures in the Near East; Aristotle was aware of them, and they make an appearance in the Bible.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:00 PM

Buried Mars Glaciers May Be Remnants of Past Ice Age 

Low, wide glaciers half a mile thick adorn the middle latitudes of Mars, say scientists who used radar probes to peer into debris-covered formations.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:58 PM

Japan’s Yeti: Hibagon 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:38 PM

Debunking myths about muti, ritualistic and serial murders 

The use of human body parts for medicinal purposes – “muti”, derived from the word meaning tree – is based in the belief that it is possible to appropriate the life force of one person through its literal consumption of another.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:06 PM

Ecuadorean Dwarfs May Unlock Cancer Clues 

Scientists Study a Small Population That Has Neither Cancer nor Diabetes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:04 PM

Mystery Over Copernicus' Remains Nears End, Scientists Say They Have Identified 16th-Century Polish Astronomer's Bones 

Researchers said Thursday they have identified the remains of Nicolaus Copernicus by comparing DNA from a skeleton and hair retrieved from one of the 16th-century astronomer's books.


With computer generated reconstruction that looks an awful lot like James Cromwell.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:58 PM

CE - 5 --- Close Encounters Of The Fifth Kind 

Specifically, CE-5 is when a human 'calls' a spacecraft into the local area thru a form of meditation and vectoring - this art-form is something that Greer claims to be able to teach to those with an open mind.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

From Tiny Sect, Weighty Issue for Justices 

In 2003, the president of the Summum church wrote to the mayor here with a proposal: the church wanted to erect a monument inscribed with the Seven Aphorisms in the city park, “similar in size and nature” to the one devoted to the Ten Commandments.

More on Summum here.

Thanks Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:13 AM

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Jonestown, 30 years later: original audio recordings from People's Temple and Guyana 

Not exactly the feel-good post of the year but interesting stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:29 PM

Mystery rumbles on over strange sounds 

An 'ear' witness who heard a mysterious rumbling noise in the Amlwch area on Tuesday afternoon, believes that the source was neither an earth tremor or a plane.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:54 PM

A Stripper, a Mobster, and a Murder 

Murder, Miami style.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:46 PM

Scientists advance towards cracking genome of woolly mammoth 

Scientists said on Wednesday they had reconstructed around half of the genome of the woolly mammoth, a species that became extinct at the end of the last Ice Age some 11,000 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:18 PM

Doctors Find Worm In Woman's Brain 

With video. Not safe for lunch.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:13 PM

Elvis Alive? New DNA Could Provide Evidence 

With video. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:57 AM

Is global warming forcing Bigfoot to move north? 

If you were a nine-foot tall animal covered in dense fur – say, Bigfoot – you would probably seek cooler climes if temps began inching up. That’s the hypothesis one Queens College biologist posed to me last night – without, I should note, acknowledging that such an animal exists at all.

See also: REDBRIDGE: 'Bigfoot' spotted again

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:42 AM

UFO sightings over Bucks County 

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:35 AM

Rutgers' undersea robot missing 

Just days away from reaching the Azores, a Rutgers University undersea robot went missing after "phoning home" a damage report in the midst of its record-setting trans-Atlantic mission.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:33 AM

Lost Tomb of the Knights Templar by Ben Hammott 

The long awaited book by Rennes-le-Chateau researcher Ben Hammott is now released, revealing how Ben deciphered clues hidden in an ancient church by a priest 100 years ago to find a lost tomb, treasure and 2000 year old relics.

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:22 AM

“Jetpack Dreams: One Man’s Up and Down (But Mostly Down) Search for the Greatest Invention that Never Was” 

Book review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:19 AM

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Voodoo on the Vine 

Clearly, Biodynamic wines' sign is ascending – even if no one involved in making or selling them wants to volunteer information about the severed cows' heads or a bevy of other animal and vegetable preparations that read like a shopping list for Shakespeare's three weird sisters. Also left unmentioned is a reliance upon provably bad science and an unabashed embrace of supernatural concepts such as astrology and even alchemy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:47 PM

Cold case profiled on AMW ends with couple's suicide 

This last Saturday a couple wanted for the murder of a Post Falls woman were profiled on America's Most Wanted. Three hours later they were found dead in the mountains near Tucson, Arizona.

AMW page.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:25 PM

Attack of the Giant Leeches 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Cell phone use can trigger the release of mercury from your fillings 

Add this to the long list of how your cell phone can be harmful to your health.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:46 PM

New Meredith Kercher witness casts doubt on Amanda Knox's alibi 

Just over two weeks before the trial begins of Amanda Knox, the American student accused of murdering her British flatmate Meredith Kercher at Perugia in Umbria, a new eyewitness has reportedly come forward with evidence which if accepted would appear to cast doubt on Ms Knox’s alibi.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:40 PM

Man ordered to stop 'blood readings' at beauty shop 

Jerry Scheppele, 56, of Garnavillo scheduled appointments at the Razors Edge Beauty Shop, performed a finger pin prick on clients and placed the blood on a glass slide.

The slides were placed under a microscope that projects the blood images on a television screen.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:40 PM

The Psychology Of Deja Vu 

For a long time, this eerie sensation has been attributed to everything from paranormal disturbances to neurological disorders.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:36 PM

Science minister 'has sixth sense' 

The Government's new science minister believes he has a "sixth sense" to predict the future, it was revealed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:47 PM

1,300-year-old Islamic note may solve mystery 

An Arabic traveler who engraved his name on a block of red sandstone over 1,300 years ago may help solve a question about the Qur'an that has vexed historians for hundreds of years: Why was the text seemingly written without diacritical marks?

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:33 PM

UFO Round-Up 

After UFO sightings, alien hunters to gather here

Pennsylvania Hunters make UFO report

Book Review: UFO, Conspiracy & Beyond by Undisclosed Sources

UFOs were of military interest during the Soviet era (with link to below video)

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:37 AM

How the Freemasons Rule the World 

The Society is not so visible in most countries where it exists but its members are men of immense influence and wealth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:14 AM

The ‘Mystery Spot’ in California 

Supernatural phenomena or just unfamiliar territory?

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:13 AM

Texas officials say layover mystery a homicide 

A mysterious disappearance of an Alzheimer's patient during a layover at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport seven years ago became a homicide case Monday after an examination of skeletal remains found miles from the airfield.

Strange story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:59 AM

16th-Century Mapmaker's Amazing Knowledge 

How was it that a German priest writing in Latin and living in a French city far from the coast became the first person to tell the world that a vast ocean lay to the west of the American continents?

Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:55 AM

Images may hold answer to 67-year-old mystery 

A geological survey last week found three anomalies in the ground beneath a home in Carolina Beach. Now, Ron Crowson has to figure out whether the variations in the soil revealed in images taken by ground-penetrating radar could be the burial sites of a mother and daughter who disappeared 67 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:50 AM

After 30 years, new clue in mystery of missing mobster 

The low drone of an orange backhoe hummed yesterday through the Riverside neighborhood where the authorities believe Joseph “Joe Onions” Scanlon was buried after he was shot in the back of the head in a Providence social club three decades ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:48 AM

Monday, November 17, 2008

Family sees mysterious cross as a sign 

Gerry Karwowski had probably passed the large white oak at the back of his farm hundreds of times before.

This time something caught his eye.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:57 AM

Quick-witted octogenarians 'have unusual brains' 

People who manage to stay razor sharp well into old age have brains that 'protect' them from dementia, scientists have discovered.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:48 AM

Mysterious wallaby found on French road 

A young wallaby mysteriously wandered onto a road in a small north-west French town where he was caught by a local resident, the fire department said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:32 AM

Sunday, November 16, 2008

THEM! 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

On the origins of 'Sheboygan' 

Ever wonder where it came from?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:24 PM

Jill the tripper eludes her captors 

To date 14,000 police man hours, thousands of knocked doors, hundreds of thousands of phone calls and $18 million in costs have failed to find the phantom killer who moves through Europe like a wraith and leaves dead innocents in her wake.

Very good article.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:19 PM

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter provides insights into UFO phenomena 

"It was the darndest thing I've ever seen. It was big, it was very bright, it changed colors and it was about the size of the moon. We watched it for ten minutes, but none of us could figure out what it was.

See also: Laurinburg couple reports UFO sighting in Barnes Bridge area

Selective damage to car drives UFO theorists

Lake County residents see mysterious object flash across sky

UFO group to discuss Madison mystery

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:47 AM

INSIDE STORY: How a Boy Became the Changeling Impostor 

One of the enduring questions behind Angelina Jolie's film Changeling is why a little boy pretended to be a distraught mother's missing son. Now after almost 80 years, that mystery has been solved.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:57 AM

Could this be grave of King Richard? 

Mystery surrounding one of the county's medieval legends has been reignited after an ancient stone coffin linked to Richard III was unearthed on a building site.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:45 AM

"The Enemy Within: 2,000 Years of Witch-hunting in the Western World" by John Demos 

Review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:10 AM

Gordon House: communion with the dead 

For a brief moment in the last months of peace before the second world war, No 27 Rubislaw Den North was at the centre of a spiritualist-inspired peace mission to prevent war with Germany.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:07 AM

The Whatsit Of Wanstead Woods. 

If recent rumours are anything to go by, then some strange beast is loitering around the outskirts of London.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 AM

Saturday, November 15, 2008

How Tasmania's lady of the lake was silenced 

New evidence backs claims that pioneering Tasmanian eco-warrior Brenda Hean's plane was sabotaged.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:04 PM

Roadshow turns up 1m treasure 

Thirty-two years after it started, Antiques Roadshow has delivered its first seven-figure surprise.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:56 PM

Friday, November 14, 2008

The Land Unknown 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Cannock Chase Bigfoot has paranormal origins as far back as 1879 

In ‘Shropshire Folk-Lore’, Charlotte Sophia Burne writes: “A very weird story of an encounter with an animal ghost arose of late years within my own knowledge.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:57 PM

The Amazing Extraterrestrial Mothership is Back! 

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:50 PM

Pancho Barnes: A socialite, an aviatrix and a legend in her own time 

Nice article.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:13 AM

Festival looks at Scotland's 'wizard' 

Speaking ahead of his Saturday night talk, present-day scientist Howie Firth explained, “Michael Scot, or Michael the Scot, was known across the whole of Europe in the 13th century for his pioneering work in knowledge. He was amongst the first to make Aristotle’s works available in translation after a gap of several hundred years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:07 AM

Maldives seek to buy a new homeland 

The Maldives will begin to divert a portion of the country's billion-dollar annual tourist revenue into buying a new homeland - as an insurance policy against climate change that threatens to turn the 300,000 islanders into environmental refugees.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:24 AM

'Mr. Mummy' Reveals Great Pyramid Secret: Built From Inside? 

n his illustrated lecture, Brier revealed a radical new pyramid theory that threatens to finally answer how the ancient Egyptians, 4,500 years ago, built what would remain the tallest man-made structure in the world for 3,800 years -- raising 2-ton blocks to its top.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:23 AM

Seattle Bids Tuba Man a Sad Goodbye 

Edward Scott McMichael was a busker with perfect pitch and an improbable horn whom most people in this city knew by another name, Tuba Man.

Sad story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:35 AM

Found Footage: In the Future, Frankenstein Will Be a TV Star! 

A near-future tale of television ratings and nuclear-powered monsters, Frankenstein 1970 was spawned in the year 1958. It's the story of how the great-grandson of Baron von Frankenstein has grown so poor by 1970 that he has to allow a TV crew from America to film at his castle. Lucky for monster-lovers, he's using the money from the TV production to fund his final experiment: A reanimated creature powered by atomics!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:21 AM

The Rise and Fall of the Astrological Almanac 

Printed almanacs first appeared in the 15th century, in the very infancy of printing - one was issued at Gothenberg in 1448, only eight years after the invention of moveable type; but in written form, almanacs had been circulating long before that.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:08 AM

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Mad Science: Does the Full Moon Really Make People Crazy? 

Tonight is the full moon, and according to several scientific studies that means you're far more likely to be the victim of a crime or creamed in an accident.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:57 PM

Tech puts JFK conspiracy theories to rest 

Somehow I doubt it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:18 PM

UFO "A Flying Aircraft Carrier" - says Sabre Jet Pilot 

Imagine a UFO as big as an aircraft carrier, hovering motionless in mid air, then traveling at speeds up to 7600 miles an hour...and disappearing from radar instantaneously as if its crew were aware that the jet that was chasing them was locked on and about to fire 24 missiles.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:07 PM

Lizzie Borden: The intrigue remains 

There’s something about Lizzie that makes it tough, once you know her story, to get her out of your head.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:16 PM

Fantagraphics Looses the Beasts Again 

In last year's "Beasts," Fantagraphics editor Jacob Covey compiled an illustrated encyclopedia of cryptozoological curiosities. Apparently, the Chupacabra has a big family, as Covey is back this year with a collection of that book and a brand new book of more than 90 new beasts.

Good interview, cool books.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:56 PM

Clerics say cultism fuelling grisly crimes 

Two Church leaders have cited occultism as a major factor behind the incidence of abduction, rape and ghastly murder sweeping sections of Jamaica.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:10 PM

Google Earth revives ancient Rome 

Google has added a new twist to its popular 3D map tool, Google Earth, offering millions of users the chance to visit a virtual ancient Rome.

Cool. Via Fark Geek.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:11 PM

Seventh foot will help solve puzzle, expert says 

Famed oceanographer believes science will provide answer after B.C. couple finds latest severed appendage to wash up on shore.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:58 AM

UFO sightings: 140 years of UFO pictures 

Image gallery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:57 AM

A mystery glows on Saturn 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:04 AM

'Texas Jack' May Be A Virginian 

Interesting article on Wyatt Earp's friend “Texas Jack” Vermillion.

Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:01 AM

More Local Lion Sightings Reported 

Animal control officials are stepping up patrols in Chesterfield and Richmond as residents continue to report sightings of what they say could be some sort of lion.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:40 AM

Fresh sightings of the Lytham Beast 

The beast, which was originally spotted on Green Drive in Lytham, has now been seen in St Annes by Peter and Elizabeth Robinson, who believe they have solved the mystery.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:35 AM

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

To the end of the line with James M. Cain 

Cain's seedy Los Angeles.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:39 PM

It Came From Outer Space 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Dispatches from the Bottom of the Earth: An Antarctic Expedition in Search of Lost Mountains Encased in Ice 

Marine geophysicist Robin Bell is leading an expedition to Antarctica to explore a mysterious mountain range beneath the ice sheet and will be updating Scientific American readers regularly. Following are her initial thoughts as she--and her team--prepare to set off.

With bonus Lovecraft reference.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:28 PM

Elvis mystery solved! 

The whereabouts of Presley's girlfriend who was at the world's first superstar jam session went unknown for decades. Until now.

Cute story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:17 PM

Nessie mystery turns 75 

More than 1,000 people claim to have seen the Loch Ness monster since a mysterious shape was first photographed 75 years ago.

With audio.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:25 PM

Mystery beast attacks sheep 

A mutilated sheep carcass found in Hognaston could serve as Ashbourne's best evidence yet that a big cat is roaming the area.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:30 PM

Evidence for a New History 

In "Worlds Before Our Own," Brad Steiger argues for prehistoric civilizations

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:38 PM

Three more Bigfoot sightings reported 

Brian Vike, Director of HBCC UFO research is still trying to verify three sasquatch sightings in Moricetown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:07 PM

Egypt unveils discovery of 4,300-year-old pyramid 

Archaeologists have discovered a new pyramid under the sands of Saqqara, an ancient burial site that has yielded a string of unearthed pyramids in recent years but remains largely unexplored.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:36 AM

Another mystery foot washes up in British Columbia! 

What the hell is going on up there?

Another foot washes up on B.C. south coast

Another severed foot washes up on B.C. shore

7th Foot Washes Up On West Coast (with photo gallery)

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:08 AM

The Healing Power of Tears 

There is scientific evidence that crying may be healthy for you. Tears produced by emotional crying may be a way that the body disposes off toxic substances.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:01 AM

NY serial killer Arthur Shawcross dead at age 63 

Serial killer Arthur J. Shawcross, who was serving life in prison for strangling 11 women in the Rochester area between 1988 and 1990, has died at age 63.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:46 AM

Tai chi combats arthritis, study shows 

Tai chi, the slow, stately Chinese exercise, may also reduce the chronic pain of people who suffer from osteoarthritis.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:32 AM

Sasquatch documentary comes to Eagle 

Rumors of huge “monkey-men” creatures have been reported since the late 1800s.

See also: Bigfoot/Sasquatch Truly Exists, Says Team of Explorers

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:04 AM

My Barack Pages 

New Rigorous Intuition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:09 AM

A story of the treasure seekers 

“We are lucky in this country that we have got thousands of years of people dropping things,” smiles metal detector enthusiast Tim Kennett, as his equipment bleeps again during his search for lost possessions in the countryside around south Shropshire.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:55 AM

Mystery animal spotted in pine forest 

Is it the ‘coupan’ of local legend?

From 2004: On the trail of the 'coupan'

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:54 AM

"Al Zaar" The Egyptian Exorcism Ritual 

Al Zaar as an event never failed change; descending from the Atheist African tribes as a way to heal bizarre cureless diseases, it ended up as a widely practiced ritual to release jinn from the humanly bodies!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:01 AM

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Cosmetic surgery addict injected cooking oil into her own face 

With very disturbing pic. You've been warned.

Thanks, Lady Zorro!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:57 PM

Beach Girls And The Monster 

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 PM

Veteran recalls WWII 'divine' encounter 

It's been more than 64 years, but Beers remembers the divine encounter as if it were yesterday. After all these years, he is still haunted and intrigued by the encounter with the man in the blue suit, the man in the white robe and the mysterious French phrase he was told to memorize if he wanted to stay safe on his mission through enemy territory.

Fascinating story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:38 PM

Beast of Galloway still in sight 

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing - I would swear for all the world I was looking at a young panther."

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:35 PM

Is 'Bigfoot' on the loose in woods? 

Park officials have denied a bigfoot-like creature is on the loose in Wanstead’s woods after a “strange and hairy” bear-like animal was spotted by a fisherman.

Wiki on the area.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:18 PM

Husband's coffin kills woman in Brazil 

Police say a woman has died on the way to a cemetery when a traffic accident hurled her husband's coffin against the back of her neck.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:34 PM

Ghost hunters asked to examine scary photo 

With creepy pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:32 PM

Can you copyright a magic trick? 

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:28 PM

Could unknown Okanagan creature be baby Ogopogo? 

A TV documentary crew has added to the mystery surrounding Ogopogo by finding an unknown biological specimen in the depths of Okanagan Lake.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:04 AM

16 Minutes Of Pure Unadulterated Gigantic Black Triangular Craft (UFO) Video 

Awesome Or Off-Putting has got the goods. NSFW audio on the video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:08 AM

Elkton remembers 1958's 'Little Blue Man' hoax 

Picture it: You're driving along a country road on a Thursday night in the early spring, and out of nowhere, something strange appears from the darkness alongside the road. An illuminated, bluish figure moving very quickly, perhaps even dancing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:40 AM

20 Most Prolific Authors and Writers in Literary History 

Wow. Via The Louis L'Amour Project.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:04 AM

Monday, November 10, 2008

The Top 10 Most Mysterious Creatures of Modern Times 

10 mystifying beasts that science has yet to explain.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:07 PM

Broadmoor files could unmask Jack the Ripper 

Among the patients whose files are to be disclosed, as the psychiatric hospital opens its archives to public view for the first time, is Thomas Hayne Cutbush, who was identified at the time as a leading suspect in the killing and mutilation of at least 11 women in the East End of London between 1888 and 1891.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:38 PM

Author interweaves story of Spiro Mounds' rise, fall 

Even more drama and intrigue unfolded during the 20th century, when the mounds, long unoccupied, were plundered as a treasure trove of artifacts. The looters, hoping to gain a few dollars at the height of the Depression, sold priceless items at what La Vere termed bargain basement prices, including on the streets of Kansas City.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:31 PM

Did John Wilkes Booth really die in 1865? 

The Postmortem Career of John Wilkes Booth

Did John Wilkes Booth Live In Texas?

John Wilkes Booth relatives unconvinced

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:46 AM

No sign of Ogopogo 

High-tech gear has failed to solve the age-old mystery of Ogopogo.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:05 AM

The Abominable Snowman Of The Himalayas 

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:25 AM

Cambodians rely on magic against modern Thai weapons 

A couple of weeks after their deadly border shootout, a Cambodian infantryman admits Thai troops have better weapons, but he's confident his pink "magic scarf" will ward off bullets.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:03 AM

'Murder' team sensed evil 

Sensing Murder The Book reveals the secrets behind the hit TV show of the same name including hauntings and threats.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 AM

Square Today, Octagon Tomorrow 

Curious Expeditions takes a look at the Octagon Houses and the fascinating man who created them.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

New shipwreck documentary released on anniversary Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking 

Thirty-three years ago today after a fierce winter storm sent the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald to the bottom of Lake Superior, a new video has been released that explores the latest theories behind the ship's sinking.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:29 AM

FEMA Firefighters Manual Covers UFO Attacks, Crashes 

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 AM

Iron Age ‘town in the sky’ is revealed 

Going back to the time when Caractacus was the Iron Age King of Wales, experts say the Gaer Fawr hillfort in Guilsfield, near Welshpool, was once a multi-tiered “town in the sky” which would have been the equivalent of a modern-day skyscraper.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:07 AM

Santa Muerte is no saint, say Mexican bishops 

The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Mexico City condemned devotion to Santa Muerte "Saint Death" that masquerades as authentic Catholic Christianity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:05 AM

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Crash revives talk of Taiwanese Bermuda Triangle 

The two-seat Taiwanese fighter jet disappeared last week during a routine training mission over the Taiwan Strait. Debris and body parts were found the next day, but authorities are at a loss to explain what happened.

Via Underwater Times.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:05 PM

Old Ephraim, the Ten-Foot Grizzly Bear 

He roamed the mountains from Soda Springs, Idaho to the Logan Canyon in northern Utah from 1911 to 1923.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:11 AM

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Police: 90-year-old living with 3 siblings' bodies 

Police in the Chicago suburb of Evanston say a 90-year-old woman apparently has been living in a house with the bodies of her three siblings -- one of whom may have been dead since the early 1980s.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:49 PM

That Lucan puzzle 

It's one of the greatest riddles of our time.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:37 PM

New Bell Witch mystery: how gravestone came back 

The latest chapter of Middle Tennessee's famed Bell Witch story could be titled "The Tale of the Homesick Headstone."

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:25 PM

Surfer Catches Monster Wave-of-a-Lifetime, Barely Lives to Tell the Tale 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:13 PM

Cyprus officials search for mystery 'monster' 

Rumours are again rife that some kind of reptile or large sea creature is lurking below the water in the Kouris Dam.

Via Underwater Times.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:21 AM

Bruce Springsteen and the Jersey Devil 

Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:03 AM

The Man-Eating Tree 

In 1881 Carle Liche recounted a trip he took to Madagascar in the magazine the South Australian Register. In the article he claims that while in that country he witnesses a primitive tribe carry a woman up to a tree, place her at its roots, and then back away.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:57 AM

EYEWITNESS COMES FORWARD: 'I saw a UFO over Mablethorpe beach!' 

With sketch.

See also: Southern New York residents stand by 1980s UFO sightings

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:32 AM

Friday, November 07, 2008

Obama apologizes to Nancy Reagan for seance remark 

I guess technically Nancy Reagan did not hold seances in the White House but she sure did love her some astrology.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:42 PM

Rocks of ages 

After the darkest night of each year, the feeble light of the rising sun shines on a cairn on the crest of a hill named Loughcrew in Ireland's County Meath.

Thanks to an extraordinary feat of prehistoric architecture, it illuminates the length of a man-made passage hewn back into the mountain.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:21 PM

Rail crew reports mountain lion 

The railroad workers who came across a mysterious beast near Blair, Neb., might never know if they actually saw a mountain lion. But they knew one thing that night: They weren't coming down until it was gone.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:12 PM

The Psychology of the Sceptic 

Important read. Via this excellent post at Daily Grail.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:42 PM

U-boat's Kaipara secrets unveiled? 

Spies, collaborators, stolen Nazi art treasures and sabotage are not images normally associated with rural Northland, but a family's search into their past might reveal New Zealand's part in a wartime secret.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:10 PM

Leonardo codex to be dismantled 

The world's top Leonardo Da Vinci expert on Tuesday spoke out in favour of dismantling a 12-volume collection of work by the Renaissance genius.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:44 AM

Mystery of the screaming mummy 

It was a blood-curdling discovery. The mummy of a young man with his hands and feed bound, his face contorted in an eternal scream of pain. But who was he and how did he die?

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:09 AM

Mark Twitchell case on hold 

Filmmaker sees court in three weeks after evidence disclosure


See also: Alleged murder victim 'ultimate ninja'

'Dexter' murder case raises alarms over pop-culture violence

No one more shocked than accused's ex

Alleged killer 'model tenant'

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 AM

Military Tech: Quantum Ghosts and Other Bizarre Military Research 

Soldiers who can communicate with each other telepathically. Amputated limbs that grow back with the help of a nano-scaffold. Equipment that can see through dense smoke or fog by exploiting quantum effects. Your tax dollars are hard at work trying to create the most sci-fi military in the world.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:25 AM

Oh-Mah - The 'Boss of the Woods' 

After putting on my boots, we heard a screaming howl. My friends started saying Oh-mah was coming and we had to leave.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 AM

Mideast Shaman discovery 

An ancient grave unearthed in modern-day Israel is likely one of the earliest known shaman burial sites. Israeli archaeologists say the grave contains 50 tortoise shells, a human foot and body parts from numerous animals.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:38 AM

What's zap? 

UFO shoots beam of light into ground in Bristol. With pic and video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:11 AM

Kreskin Makes Another Amazing Revelation 

The legendary mentalist revealed the presidential pick he made 11 months ago, when he devised an alphanumeric code and sealed it away in a lock box when at least a dozen candidates were still in the running last December.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 AM

Italian Mystery Cat Hunt 

On November 3, 2008, police and animal rescue squads were combing the countryside around the southern Italian city of Benevento, in the latest in a 15-year-long string of panther alerts in Italy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:35 AM

Everything's Bigfoot in Texas 

In a high school cafetorium, a small man in his mid-70s was lecturing to a rapt audience of several hundred people. Dr. Henner Fahrenbach, a retired zoologist from Oregon, is also a self-proclaimed expert in the behavioral habits of a bipedal ape sometimes known as Sasquatch.

Nice article.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 AM

Raising Eyebrows With Acupuncture Facelifts 

The quest for youth has made Americans turn to Botox nearly 3 million times last year where nearly a quarter million people had an eye-lid lift. But how does an acupuncture facelift sound?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

Haunted house investigation gets too hot for Halloween 

Imagine coming home to find a set of muddy boot prints running through your home. They start in the middle of the bedroom, walk through the hallway, and end with a half-boot print leading into a credenza in your living room.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:00 AM

China’s ancient dynasties rose and fell with monsoons 

A new study has linked the rise and fall of China’s ancient dynasties with monsoon cycles, with the weakening of the natural phenomenon proving to be the last straw for the kingdoms.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:31 AM

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Don't get me started - a perfume that claims to make you feel younger 

It's called Ageless Fantasy (who came up with that name? It sounds like a sci-fi Mills & Boon novel) and apparently 'defies your skin's natural age-revealing scent'. By doing so, you'll be delighted to hear, Ageless Fantasy makes men believe that women are 'at least eight years younger'.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:46 PM

Massive UFO reported in Ohio 

Along the Ohio River, at the nexus of the borders of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, a huge object said to be "about the size of a large shopping mall and parking lot" was reportedly sighted in the early morning hours of Friday, Oct. 24, by a military veteran who worked in the helicopter aviation field while in the military.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 PM

Aquarium octopus causes havoc 

An octopus in an aquarium in Germany has been creating havoc by short-circuiting its aquarium lights, juggling its fellow inhabitants and throwing rocks at the glass.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:38 PM

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Ghost in the Machine? Physicists May Have Detected a New Particle at Fermilab 

Researchers say experiments at the Tevatron have produced particles that they are unable to explain using the standard model of physics, and say it’s possible that they’ve detected a previously unknown particle.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:16 PM

Were screams in the night really Bigfoot? 

"It seemed to be two parts screaming howl and one part roar, as it had that deep quality but was still high-pitched," he wrote. "I sat there for a minute stunned, and then realized what it must be."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:12 PM

Old-time radio finding new life 

Old time radio mounting a comeback thanks to satellite radio and the Internet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:01 PM

Nazi UFOs 

Yes, there is a wiki page.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:30 PM

Argentina: Alleged UFO Photographed Over Concordia 

With pic.

See also: UFO making a sighting in small town Katy?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:05 PM

Water Witcher a talent good for finding water amongst other things 

At first glance, Vito Nevoral seems an unlikely candidate for the scientific art of dowsing. The charismatic Vito is a dedicated family man, a martial arts devotee and teacher, and a supremely talented singer, widely admired for his popular performances in tribute to Elvis Presley

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:50 PM

Tattooed pigs banned from modern art exhibition 

Pigs tattooed with Louis Vuitton logos have been banned from a modern art exhibition.

Thanks Andrea!

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:41 PM

Local scholar believes William Shakespeare was a man of few words 

Mark Twain. Walt Whitman. Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Malcolm X. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
And Newton’s Alex McNeil.

This widely variegated group of people all have one thing in common: They think we’ve all been tricked.

None of them thinks William Shakespeare actually wrote anything.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:38 PM

Twitchell friends say allegations are false 

Friends of accused killer Mark Twitchell are insistent that the allegations against him are false, and that there’s no way that a man in the prime of his life could be capable of a brutal murder.

See also: Suspect snapshot sinister

'Killer' garage lures curious

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:31 PM

Searching Mexico for shamans 

Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico. Standing in front of ten shotgun-armed Huichol natives with serious faces, I debated if pursuing an investigation into the ancient world of shamanic rituals was worth my life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:06 PM

DR. PRINCE BEGINS WAIT FOR 'GHOST' 

Scientist Sleeps in the 'Haunted' House of Alexander MacDonald in Nova Scotia.INSTALLS SERIES OF BELLS Puts Them on Strings Attached to His Fingers and Waits Alone for Visitor.

From the New York Times, March 8, 1922. Link goes to page with PDF link.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:07 AM

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Massive waves a mystery at Maine harbor 

Dockworker Marcy Ingall saw a giant wave in the distance last Tuesday afternoon and stopped in her tracks. It was an hour before low tide in Maine's Boothbay Harbor, yet without warning, the muddy harbor floor suddenly filled with rushing, swirling water.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:01 PM

A STRANGE OCEAN MONSTER; THE HORNED SEA-HORSE SEEN BY THE CREW OF A WHALING SHIP 

From the New York Times, August 1, 1880. (Link goes to page with PDF)

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 AM

Monday, November 03, 2008

The original 007? 

Born in 1527, John Dee was not a notorious womaniser and pre-dated the invention of both the Martini and the fast car by several centuries. According to some, however, he was the inspiration behind Bond's three-digit code number.

Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:04 PM

Author: Legend of the Dog Man still haunts the woods of Michigan 

With "interactive story" and video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:59 PM

Treasure hunters set to coin it with Roman haul 

The collection of bronze coins, which may be worth hundreds of thousands in sterling, were discovered in a field north of Newport Pagnell and have now been declared as treasure.


See also: San Diego Treasure Hunters. We're Not As Nerdy As You Think.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:53 PM

Forensic scientists: China's reformist second-to-last emperor was murdered 

The emperor, who died at the age of 36, was well known for trying to reform the weak feudal system of the Qing Dynasty and adopt a constitutional monarchy in 1898. But his reform failed in a coup launched by the conservative Empress Dowager Cixi, the widow of Emperor Xianfeng and aunt of Guangxu.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 PM

Century-old Pierrepoint journal shows hangman's spiral into alcoholism 

Henry Pierrepoint, founder of the prolific dynasty of hangmen who between them executed 800 people, was driven to alcoholism by the job, his 100-year-old pocketbook shows.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:30 PM

No On 8 

It's been recently brought to my attention that viewers in California may be seeing an ad from Google promoting Proposition 8. I have reconfigured my Adsense to stop this ad but Google may decide to add another, similar advertiser in that space and, since I don't live in California, I will not see it.

So let me be clear - Proposition 8 is discrimination. It should be roundly defeated and groups that have supported this divisive measure should be ashamed of themselves.

I do not live in California, but if I did I would be voting No on Prop 8.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:12 PM

Mystery on the River 

The FAA and other public agencies say they have no idea what plummeted from the sky and plowed into the ground near the Colorado River back in May. But numerous eyewitnesses saw it and they saw the flotilla of helicopters that arrived soon after to retrieve it.



Part 2 features Men in Black, special ops Night Stalkers and X-Men clean-up crews.



Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:32 PM

Missing marker from Bell family cemetery makes an eerie return 

In 1817, an angry spirit took up residence on the Bell farm in Adams, about an hour's drive northwest of Nashville. Some people identified her as Kate Batts, an eccentric woman who believed John Bell had cheated her in a land deal.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:44 AM

Haunting dreams of suicide girl, 18 

The inquest in Truro heard that Miss Glenn, who had a history of sleepwalking, told her family that she had been suffering nightmares after being told that a woman had hanged herself in the apartment.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:40 AM

FOOTPRINTS OF MONSTER MEN 

From the New York Times, August 18, 1882. (Links to page with PDF)

An unusually large number of interested auditors was present last evening at the meeting of the Academy of Sciences. The walls of the apartment in which the meeting was held were hung with cloth diagrams of the mammoth footprints unearthed within the walls of the Nevada State Prison.

The footprints, according to reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle, measured 19 inches in length and appeared to be wearing some kind of sandal. Scientists estimated them to be from the Pliocene.

This remarkable event is also mentioned in Nature, A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science, published in (1882-83) at Harvard University.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Did alleged killer imitate his own slasher film? 

Police are alleging that Mark Andrew Twitchell lured Brian Altinger to his death in a deadly reenactment of his latest film - a film where the victim was killed and hacked to pieces.

Even more disturbing - Twitchell's movie featured the victim being tortured for personal information about social network passwords. Twitchell allegedly sent emails to Mr. Altinger's friends after his death in an attempt to make them believe Altinger had left the country.

Twitchell is also a fan of the serial killer television series Dexter and may have picked up a few tricks from the show. Neighbors described plastic over the windows, a Dexter trademark, and the police have yet to find the body. Dexter disposes of his victims at sea. I hope they're looking near water.

There may also be another victim - one who got away. Neighbors report another man seen running from the area being chased by someone wearing a black and gold goalie mask - the same mask used in Twitchell's movie. This second victim may have been lured by the promise of acting in a low budget film.

It seems the neighbors thought he was making another slasher pic. Can you cover up murder by pretending you're shooting a slasher film?

Link.

More here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:03 AM

The Leather Man slept here? 

Facts about the early life of the historical figure are not known, but the Old Leather Man became well known to residents of Connecticut and New York around 1856, according to DeLuca's research. The author writes that "Old Leathery," as he was sometimes called, started his famous clockwise circle of travel around 1883, making "... A regular route of 365 miles every 34 days, until he died on March 20, 1889."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 AM

Yma Sumac RIP 

Yma Sumac, the Peruvian-born singer whose spectacular multi-octave vocal range and exotic persona made her an international sensation in the 1950s, has died. She was 86.



Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:42 AM

300-year-old lost painting heads to auction block 

A lost painting by Italian master Sebastiano Ricci has turned up in Texas after a 300-year journey that has seen it change hands from a European nobleman playboy to a Missouri fur trader and finally to generations of an American family.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:31 AM

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Beggars and ghosts light up arson probe 

The blaze also brought back memories of a series of more than 70 bizarre, unexplained fires which eventually gutted a Buckingham Road house less than 500 metres up the road from Video Tavern in 2001.

At the time, an independent fire consultant and electrical engineer, commissioned by the owner's insurance company, ruled out arson and said the spontaneous fires were suspected to be the result of 'poltergeist activity'.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:53 PM

Cars returned to downtown L.A.'s Angels Flight funicular 

Original engineering on the tiny railway, which began taking passengers up the steep incline to Bunker Hill in the early 1900s, has been restored as well. A reopening date has yet to be scheduled.

Good news for Angelenos. With nice photo gallery.

Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:45 AM

'Crossing the Continent 1527-1540' by Robert Goodwin 

Esteban Dorantes lived the most remarkable life of anyone you've never heard of, unless you're a scholar of the Spanish settlement of the New World.

In documents of that time, he is identified, at various times, as a slave, an ambassador, a spy, a scout, an explorer and even a kind of shaman. He was all of these things and more.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:05 AM

From Napoleon to Night Skies: The greatest films never made 

Floods put a stop to Terry Gilliam's pet project; Stanley Kubrick's studio pulled the plug on his; Orson Welles ran out of funds. Some of the greatest directors laboured over films that ultimately never saw the light of day.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:24 AM

Masonic theory that put Knox in the dock 

The best article on the prosecution of the Meredith Kercher murder case I have read thus far.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:06 AM

The 'Haunt' Project 

If you want to move beyond the kid's stuff you have to try something a little crazier than that, and perhaps do something like what Professor Chris French and his team at the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths College in the UK did: they built a room and saturated various parts of it with electromagnetic fields and infrasound - which are both suspected by some researchers as being correlated with reports of hauntings and paranormal experiences.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:49 AM

Suspected cougar tracks prove inconclusive 

Rutledge has observed both a black animal, which he believes is a panther, and a tan-coloured animal, which he suspects is a cougar.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:13 AM

Man’s death in custody linked to ancient curse 

The death in police custody of a man suspected of vandalising Dornoch Cathedral has led to speculation that a curse, said to have been laid in mediaeval times, has struck again.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:28 AM