Xoom

Twins Born 3 Years Apart

2008-09-06T22:04:00.002-06:00

Creating medical history of sorts, an embryological twin was born after a gap of three years at a fertility clinic here.

A baby boy was born in the clinic three years after his twin sister was born in 2005.

The doctor said "sperm and ovum were taken from the couple and three embryos were formed in the laboratory of the clinic in January, 2005".

One of them was separated and placed in Rubai's womb and she gave birth to a female child, Ishani, in October that year, the doctor said.

The other two embryos were preserved in liquid nitrogen in a deep freezer. Three years later, when the couple wanted another child, one of the preserved embryos was taken out of the freezer and inserted in the mother's womb.

It's hard to keep up with medical breakthroughs these days. What's next, they'll tell us they've cloned a sheep?

RE: The Zodiac Story

2008-09-04T16:01:00.003-06:00

Good find, Mac.

Here's the video to that story:

Here is a link to the follow-up of the story. This could either be one of the greatest finds in true crime history (the greatest for me) or the most disappointing.

Can't wait to see. More as it comes...

C

FBI Investigates New Evidence In The Zodiac Murders

2008-09-03T12:18:00.003-06:00

For any of you not familiar with the Zodiac Killer, his murder spree took the lives of five known victims between December 1968 and October 1969. Although suspects were questioned, no hard evidence has left the mystery unsolved to this day. Perhaps this could be the long needed break in the case.

The FBI confirmed to CBS13 on Thursday that they are now running laboratory tests on some items that may link a suspect to the killer.

The evidence was given to the FBI by a Pollock Pines man who also claims he recently found the disguise worn by the Zodiac Killer during one of his attacks.
"The identity of the Zodiac Killer is Jack Tarrance. He's my stepfather," said Dennis Kaufman.

Eight years of Dennis Kaufman's life has been consumed with attempting to prove the only father he's known since he was five-years-old is none other than the Zodiac Killer.

During the quest to prove his stepfather’s guilt, Kaufman found several pieces of intriguing evidence, including handwriting comparisons, phone taps, a knife, and the famous Zodiac Hood.

Just recently, Kaufman remembered his stepfather asking him several times about an old PA system, which led him to take it apart.

"When I first opened it up that did affect me. My heart skipped a couple of beats when I saw it," he said.

The material folded and tucked inside, Kaufman believes, may unmask the zodiac killer.

"It was a black hood with a zodiac on it," Kaufman said.

It's similar to the hood worn during the vicious 1968 Lake Berryessa attack, which could be key evidence connecting his stepfather to the killings. He also believes there are dozens of additional victims which were never linked to the Zodiac, including Kaufman's own mother, who he claims was suffocated.

"She sat there and told me Jack was trying to kill her and I didn't listen. I can only imagine how she felt. Imagine how scary that would be. That is what kept me going this whole time," he said.

The FBI confirmed they are running DNA tests on items that Kaufman gave them.

One can only hope that this new evidence could bring closure to the mystery. If the evidence pans out and proves in fact that Jack Tarrance is the Zodiac, it would be a bittersweet victory of some sort… Jack Tarrance died in 2006.

One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s… Ticket Across the Pacific?

2008-09-02T14:08:00.003-06:00

Here’s an interesting piece. Who knew that sailing across the Pacific Ocean aboard a trash boat could be so much fun? I guess you can make anything happen with enough ingenuity… And a relentless desire to raise awareness of “ocean debris” - By sailing 2,600 freaking miles across the Pacific Ocean. Am I crazy for thinking that’s absolutely crazy?

I in no way want to belittle these guys' accomplishment, or the importance of ocean junk, but personally, I’d just make a donation to a local charity to assist in raising awareness. But hey… that’s just me. All in all, I have to hand it to these guys. They managed to do something different.

Another Strange Find

2008-08-29T23:48:00.005-06:00

Here's another one for you. At first glance, it would appear that someone has just opened one of Cleveland's dresser drawers. It is very similar, but not quite as disturbing and not as covered in jelly. These happen to be Malachite crystals. Nothing mysterious or unexplainable, just thought you guys should know that this kind of stuff is out there. Watch your backs.

Not to change the subject but...Who the hell is Varian? What is Cleveland thinking? Where did he get the money? He still owes me money. Hasn't he seen Hostel?

I love how he blows back into town, posts some crap about having the plague and then flies off to meet some internet chick.

WTF?

Does Cleveland even get what it means to be part of a team? Fine, go, you've stayed your hour. We don't need Cleveland here at team Xoom. If he's gonna blow us off like this, maybe we should start combing the pervert clubs for his replacement. Shouldn't be too hard to find someone else sitting around naked, filming themselves being a jack off in their fruit salad, silk jacket. I hope the ghost of Bruce Lee kicks his ass.

Have fun in Hong Kong you Hong Dong.

Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Donny, you're out of your element!

I Can Go Get My Pliers Now

2008-08-29T21:24:00.005-06:00

I posted something the other day about a run in I had with some kind of C.H.U.D. creature. It made me scream like a little girl and almost piss my pants. Some of you might not be familiar with the story, so catch up before reading on.

I sent out an appeal for help, and my cry was heard. A person claiming to be a Mycologist sent me an email explaining it. He said that it was actually two fungus creatures getting it on! The dark clumps in the middle and bottom are one kind of fungus while the spines shooting out are actually parasitizing the clumps. He said he couldn't tell me more without a sample. I said he could take a flying f**k at a rolling donut, with all due respect of course. I'm going in there with bleach water and a couple of cans of Sterno and I'll break up this little mold orgy before it gets out of hand.

I really like those pliers.

He also said that my photosensitive theories about the creature were not only baseless, but quite simply, retarded.

Good call on the Manilow coif MacReady. Did you get that picture from Cleveland's, "Pictures I like to look at while I sit around half naked gulping and throwing wine" file?

MacReady's Top 5 Disappearances: Recap

2008-08-29T09:00:00.000-06:00

So there you have it folks, my top 5 disappearances. Although there are many other disappearances out there, these are the ones that I chose. I once again must reiterate for guys like Cleveland "I spilled the Wine" Williams - My list in no way dictates what the best or most mysterious disappearance, just my favorites.

5. Louis Le Prince

4. Steve Fosset

3. Jimmy Hoffa

2. Amelia Earhart

1. Flight 19

If you have any disappearances that you think should've made the list, let me know. I'll be happy to investigate.

MacReady’s Top 5 Disappearances: #1 – Flight 19

2008-08-28T16:00:00.000-06:00

The mysteries surrounding Flight 19 have long been a fascination of mine. If you’ve ever heard of the Bermuda Triangle, then you’ve probably heard to Flight 19.

It all began on December 5th, 1945 when Flight 19, a group five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers, was on a routine over water navigation training exercise - It became anything but routine. Forty minutes after completing leg three of the exercise “Naval Air Station, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, navigation problem No. 1,” Flight 19 was lost.

Lieutenant Robert F. Fox in FT-74 was forming up with his group of students for the same mission when he received an unidentified transmission.

A male voice had asked Powers [one of the students] what his compass read, the recorded reply being "I don't know where we are. We must have got lost after that last turn." Fox then transmitted; "This is FT-74, plane or boat calling 'Powers' please identify yourself so someone can help you." The response after a few moments was a request from the others in the flight for suggestions. FT-74 tried again and a man identified as FT-28 (Taylor) came on. "FT-28, this is FT-74, what is your trouble?" "Both of my compasses are out", Taylor replied, "and I am trying to find Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am over land but it's broken. I am sure I'm in the Keys but I don't know how far down and I don't know how to get to Fort Lauderdale."

Florida Keys? Why would Taylor, Flight 19’s instructor, think they were flying over the Florida Keys? Wouldn’t he remember flying that far off course?

Taylor had been known “fly by the seat of his pants”, which led to him getting lost several times in the past as well as having to ditch at sea.

In the end, Taylor’s attempt of find Fort Lauderdale would inadvertently be the demise of Flight 19. So certain in his location over the Florida keys, Taylor would lead his group northeast in an attempt to find land, in reality he was leading his group deep into the heart of the Atlantic ocean, never to be seen again.

In another strange event, a PBM Mariner flying boat exploded in midair while searching for Flight 19. The Navy would later report this to be a mechanical failure.

The initial 500-page Navy board of investigation report put the blame on Taylor, but was later amending to “Cause Unknown” due to Taylor's mother claims that the Navy was unfairly blaming her son for the loss of five aircraft and 14 men.

So where is Flight 19 now?

In 1991, salvage operator, Graham Hawkes discovered the wreckage of five Avengers off the coast of Florida. This had to be it… but it wasn’t.

The serial numbers did not match. The five Avengers found were indeed lost at sea, but on five separate occasions. Yes you heard right, five Avengers from five different missions on five separate dates - all crashed in the same spot. How is this possible?

As you can imagine, this amazing find did little in providing solid answers, and in return created a number of new questions.

What do you think happened to Flight 19? Did Taylor lead his men aimlessly out to sea? Did the aliens from Close Encounters of the Third Kind abduct them? Did Flight 19 slip into some sort of time warp through the Bermuda Triangle?

Truly, I don’t think there will ever be an answer to the puzzle of Flight 19. For its mysterious nature and my fascination with the Bermuda Triangle, Flight 19 tops my list as the #1 disappearance.

DNC Protestors Fear the Crap Canon

2008-08-28T12:00:00.000-06:00

Have you heard the Brown Note?

If so, you or anyone in your vicinity would know… Trust me. For those of you unfamiliar with the famous Brown Note, I’ll be more than happy to explain.

The Brown Note has long been rumored as an ultra low frequency that causes anyone within range to unwillingly let loose a chocolate goose. Allez Cuisine!

So why is the Brown Note making news?

Rumor has it that the Crap Canon is in place and will be used as a deterrent for protesters at the DNC.

Mark Cohen, co-founder of Re-create 68, an alliance of local activists working for the protection of first amendment rights, said he believes this could be deployed at the convention in August to subdue crowds.

“We know this weapon and weapons like it have been used at other large protests before,” he said.

Cohen, who described Brown Note as a “sonic weapon used to disrupt people’s equilibrium,” cited eyewitness accounts of its use during free-trade agreement protests in Miami in 2003.

“I think these weapons were mostly intended for military use and so their use for dealing with innocent protesters seems highly inappropriate,” he said. “The idea that they might be field testing them on people who are doing nothing more than exercising their first amendment rights is disturbing.”

His group is preparing against a possible attack by Brown Note and other crowd-control measures by dispatching street medics at the convention trained in treating injuries in demonstration situations.

“It’s all we can do,” Cohen said.

I must say, I was very tempted to add another “do” at the end of Cohen’s last statement, but I’m way past the cheeky games of toilet humor.

When confronted by the rumors of the Brown Note, Admiral Motti had only this to offer:

Any attack made by the Rebels against the DNC would be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data they have obtained. This Crap Canon is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use it.

RE: OMG - Dick's Creature

2008-08-27T19:20:00.001-06:00

Dick, that creature is pathetic. I've seen more intimidating creatures at Barry Manilow concerts. Yes, I said Barry Manilow. What, you can't take a little Barry Manilow. Oh Mandy - Well, you came and you gave without takin'

Wait a second... That creature of yours looks like Mr. Manilow's hair.

I'm just kiddin Dick. I'll give you this much - If I were in your shoes and looked up to see that thing, I'd definitely would have gone pee pee everywhere.

You should have caught the illusive furry creature and kept it as your own. It could have been the Xoom mascot.

MacReady’s Top 5 Disappearances: #2 – Amelia Earhart

2008-08-27T16:35:00.000-06:00

If you’ve been following the post of Cleveland “It came out” Williams (which I highly doubt you are), you would know that my #2 pick is going to be Amelia Earhart. Not only does Cleveland specialize in the art of exposing himself (literally), but also the art of exposing the topics of my future post.

What was I talking about again? – Oh yeah… Amelia Earhart.

Amelia Mary Earhart was a legend in the world of aviation. Notable achievements include the Distinguished Flying Cross, which she was awarded for her solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

With many accomplishments to her name, and without a doubt more to come, it all came to an end on July 2nd, 1937 during her final approach to Howland Island.

Through a series of misunderstandings or errors (the details of which are still controversial), the final approach to Howland Island using radio navigation wasn't successful. Fred Noonan had earlier written about problems affecting the accuracy of radio direction finding in navigation. Some sources have noted Earhart's apparent lack of understanding of her Bendix direction finding loop antenna, which at the time was very new technology. Another cited cause of possible confusion was that the USCG cutter Itasca and Earhart planned their communication schedule using time systems set a half hour apart (with Earhart using Greenwich Civil Time (GCT) and the Itasca under a Naval time zone designation system).

Motion picture evidence from Lae suggests that an antenna mounted underneath the fuselage may have been torn off from the fuel-heavy Electra during taxi or takeoff from Lae's turf runway, though no antenna was reported found at Lae. Don Dwiggins, in his biography of Paul Mantz (who assisted Earhart and Noonan in their flight planning), noted that the aviators had cut off their long-wire antenna, due to the annoyance of having to crank it back into the aircraft after each use.

Many believe Amelia’s plane crashed on the Japanese-controlled Saipan Island.

Regardless of what happened that day, Amelia's life achievements and legend will continue to amaze us, and the mystery of her disappearance will continue to puzzle us.

Guess. Where. I'm. Going...

2008-08-27T00:23:00.003-06:00

In,

Guys,

This girl, Varian, I've been talking too, turns out I'm gonna get to meet her. Yep. That's right, I'm going to Hong Kong baby! And I asked her, first thing, if she'd take me to BRUCE FRICKIN' LEE'S HOUSE!!!

Maybe you guys can list some other sites to see (especially Mr. Xoom and his Hong Kong Film watching self).

I'm going. That's it. This girl is awesome. I'll keep you updated on any and all arrangements. Maybe I can find out the truth behind this devil mirror while finding love.

C--You know he's out...

Toss Another ET On The Barbie

2008-08-26T20:56:00.004-06:00

Well it looks like the Aussies are becoming very popular with alien tourists. In recent weeks an apparent "armada" has invaded the Northern Territory.

The objects being reported and photographed range from dark colored disks flying in broad daylight to mystery spook lights after dark.

Last month, Roger Perner, 52, of the Hunter Valley in NSW, was taking pictures of eagles at Policeman's Point in Timber Creek on the Victoria River when he noticed a strange object in one of the shots.

In March, Ruth Palmer, 27, of Rosebery, Palmerston, took a picture of her husband Richard Magree in front of the Devils Marbles, near infamous UFO town Wycliffe Well. When she looked at the photograph she noticed a strange object in the sky flying above her husband's shoulder.

Stephen Jones, of Alice Springs, was also baffled when he photographed strange lights in the sky near Banka Banka, while driving from Darwin to Alice Springs in February.

You can read the article here. I may be wrong about this, but I think it warrants another Crocodile Dundee sequel. What's Paul Hogan doing now anyway?

"Oh My God, What The Hell Is That?!"

2008-08-24T20:45:00.008-06:00

So I was doing some plumbing yesterday. I was in the crawlspace of a new house that had been vacant for about a year. I had just finished sweating the last two copper joints for the washing machine when a strange sensation came over me. I had been alone, but I didn't really feel that way anymore. I glanced around, probing the darkness with my handy headlamp, but saw nothing. I went back to the task at hand and started packing up my gear. I got everything packed up except my pliers and couldn't remember where I had set them. I began to look around on the little ledge below the floor joists. As my light rounded the corner, I was suddenly face to whatever with THIS CRAZY LOOKING SON OF A BITCH!!!!

What the hell is this folks? I've been under many many houses over the years, and I've been in some nasty places and seen some nasty shit, but I've never seen anything like this.

I was paralyzed. I tried to call out for help, but no sound would come out. I just stood there, staring. I wouldn't shine the light on it for more than three or four seconds at a time, as it might have been photosensitive and grown to immense proportions. I just made my observations in short intervals.

When the feeling returned to my legs, I slowly backed away. Never breaking eye contact, never faster than a crawl, until I'd finally reached the door and emerged into the sweet salvation of the sunshine. I sprinted to my truck and grabbed my camera, shovel, and a Japanese pull saw.

When I returned to the crawlspace, I was relieved/terrified to see the entity still in place. Sitting there, being alien. I readied the shovel in defense and snapped a few photos because I knew no one would believe me. Fearing the possibility of the flash causing the gigantism issue I mentioned earlier, I limited the amount of pics taken. You may view a slide show of the mystery Cryptid here.

Someone please tell me what this thing is and how I can stop it. I have to get my pliers back.

The Sick One Speaks Again

2008-08-24T17:53:00.000-06:00

Look who came out to play... And share his opinion.

Yes. Amelia Earhart is going to be my number 2. As far as your concerns over my list not being creepy enough – Suck a big one.

MacReady’s Top 5 Disappearances is just that – MacReady’s Top 5 Disappearances.

I figured I’d be catching some flack over this from you. This list represents my favorite disappearances, not the creepiest, and certainly not yours.

Let it be known that early in my selection process, you actually made the short list for my top 5, but in the end… I thought the French guy was way more interesting.

How does it feel to get beat out by a French guy with the last name Prince?

With all that said, it's good to have you back.

From the 'Uh Oh, Cutman's Auto Insurance Just Went Up Again' Files

2008-08-24T14:45:00.000-06:00

What a headline:

Drunk, High, Naked Driver Crashes Into Parked Car While Masturbating...

Sheesh, Cutman:

Canadian James Boppre[Known in the States as "Richard Cutman" - ed.], former owner of a successful landscaping business, was on parole with house arrest on condition of sobriety after drunk driving and weapons convictions. On the evening of July 30th, Boppre fell off the wagon in a serious way. It started out with booze and ended with Boppre crashing into a parked car, speeding, drunk, high on crack, and masturbating naked with a similarly nude hooker, who was also masturbating.

Oh, nevermind. Can't be Cutman. It was a female hooker...

Sorry for the mix-up, Dick.

Hat Tip: Jalopnik.com

MacCready and His Disappearances...

2008-08-24T14:13:00.003-06:00

MacNugget,

After ragging on me about my "Tank Man" not being creepy, you go and try to post the same type of stuff. Your Top 5 Disappearances? What are you, Letterman of Xoom?

I know, I know. Amelia Earhart will be on here. Hoffa is cliche. You'd better bring something unpredictable, man. I mean, I've been sick, but now I'm just depressed.

"Tank Man" baby.

"Tank Man."

Out.

MacReady’s Top 5 Disappearances: #3 – A Man Named Hoffa

2008-08-24T11:15:00.000-06:00

On July 30, 1975, James Riddle "Jimmy" Hoffa disappeared – Never to be seen again.

His life story was fascinating to say the least, but would ultimately be overshadowed by the mysterious circumstances surrounding his disappearance. When mapping out the timeline of Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance, it’s hard to distinguish fact from fiction.

Since Hoffa’s disappearance, every wise guy from Sicily to The Bronx has claimed his or her involvement - A Dago fairytale grandfathers could tell their grandchildren. “Did I ever tell you that I shook hands with Hoffa?” Did I ever tell you I know where Hoffa’s body is?” Did I ever tell you... and so on and so on.

Hoffa once said, “To the best of my recollection, I must recall on my memory, I cannot remember.”

One thing can be certain, the people who truly know what happened to Hoffa on that day have done a great job of following his quote, cause they sure aren’t talking.

To view a full timeline of Hoffa events, click here.

Five Hoaxes That Fooled The Entire World

2008-08-24T08:35:00.000-06:00

Great article up over at Neatorama on five of the great hoaxes in world history. Here's a blurb on the mechanical chess playing "Turk":

This might not seem so impressive in the day and age of computers, but at the time, a mechanical man who could beat anyone at chess was quite the novelty.

Wolfgang von Kempelen constructed just that. It baffled people from 1770 until 1854. It was a life-sized man from the waist up, dressed in robes and a turban (to emphasize the mystic quality, I suppose). It sat with a cabinet which opened to reveal all kinds of cogs and gears and complicated-looking machinery, which were designed to hide a person sitting on a sliding seat. The person could maneuver around in the cabinet to conceal himself as the presenter opened various cabinet doors to prove that nothing was inside but machinery. The person inside would then use various levers to make the Turk move, pick up chess pieces and even shake his head disapprovingly at opponents trying to cheat. The Turk defeated the likes of Benjamin Franklin and Napoleon Bonaparte. Edgar Allan Poe wrote an essay on it, guessing how the tricks were done, but was largely incorrect.

Go check out the rest at the link.

Somehow, I don't think Tom Biscardi and the Georgia Bigfoot hoaxers will make a similar list in the future...

MacReady’s Top 5 Disappearances: #4 – An Aviation Legend is Gone

2008-08-23T17:30:00.000-06:00

On Monday, September 3, 2007, at 8:45 am, Steve Fossett took off in a single-engine Bellanca Super Decathlon airplane from a private airstrip near Carson City – Never to be seen again.

According to Civil Air Patrol, Fossett took off with enough fuel for a four to five area flight. No flight plans were filed. Fossett’s disappearance set into motion the largest search-and-rescue effort ever conducted for a person within the U.S., costing 1.6 million dollars. On September 7, 2007, Google Inc. even stepped in and offered its satellite connections in efforts to help find Fossett.

After only two weeks of search efforts, the rescue was called off. This has led to many conspiracies among skeptics. From alien abductions to an elaborate pseudocide, nothing has been off limits to the theorist.

Many believe Fossett may have accidentally, or willingly, flied into military controlled airspace and subsequently shot down. This may be a stretch to many, and I stand neutral on the debate, but if he did in fact fly over military air space, I have no doubts that he could have and probably would have been shot down.

Remote viewer Ed Dames claims that Fossett was in fact not in Nevada when his plane crashed, but was instead miles away in the Sierra Nevada region of California. If true, this would mean all search efforts were conducted in the wrong place. It is also worth noting that Ed Dames was trained in remote viewing by the United States Government's "Stargate Project".

Without a shadow of doubt, Steve Fossett was a fascinating person with a story destine for the silver screen – That’s why Steve Fossett is #4 on my Top 5 Disappearances.

The Michigan Dog Man

2008-08-23T14:15:00.001-06:00

I'd never heard of the Michigan Dog Man. I'd never really heard of anything supernatural coming out of Michigan except 8 Mile. It sounds like your basic local folklore kind of stuff.

On April Fools Day, 1987, a Traverse City DJ, named Steve Cook played a song he'd written. The song was called The Legend. It sounds a lot like C.W. McCall's Convoy. It was supposed to be a joke based on all the tales he had collected over the years. His listeners didn't see it as a joke. Call after call came in with people reporting their Dog Man sightings, or their friend of a friend Dog Man stories. Almost overnight, a freaky ass monster was thrust from the dark forest it haunted, and into the limelight.

There are tons of stories, creepy pictures of it's eye and teeth caught by a motion activated camera. There's even a bizarre, Blair Witchy video of this thing, morphing from a man into the Dog Man.

I think this is a steaming pile of Dog Man crap, but I can, and do appreciate a good hoax every now and again. I also can't figure out why he's a Dog Man and not a Werewolf or a Wolf Man. Maybe he humped somebody's leg or pissed on someones furniture.

By the way MacReady, I liked your Mysterious Hum posts. I heard a mysterious hum coming from that room you and Cleveland were in. Weird stuff to be sure, but you know, I was actually afraid to investigate.

Welcome Back Cleveland!

2008-08-23T07:30:00.000-06:00

Hope you're feeling better, man. We've missed ya. And glad to see the three Heroes of Xoom, united again...

K-9 Injustice

2008-08-22T17:26:00.000-06:00

Typically, I keep my post limited to the supernatural or unexplained phenomenon, but as a dog owner, I felt this story needed to be told.

Now that I’m done using Xoom as my personal soapbox, tune in over the next few days to see the remaining stories on my Top 5 Disappearances. Some of the stories listed on my top 5 may be shockers to you the viewer, but I had to take many things into consideration, including personal interest.

MacReady’s Top 5 Disappearances: #5 – The Forgotten Inventor of Motion Picture

2008-08-22T14:06:00.000-06:00

Does the name “Louis Le Prince” ring a bell? Most likely not, but his invention of the 1888 Single Lens Camera Projector MKI is now held as the first Motion Picture Camera.

What’s that, you thought Thomas Edison invented the Motion Picture Camera? Au contraire my friend - Louis Le Prince applied for a patent on his camera well before Edison, but was denied due to an interfering patent. Edison, who later applied, was granted his patent with no opposition.

Louis Le Prince, who later became a US citizen, continued to research and develop his camera. In September of 1890, his plan to perform a public exhibition of his camera at Jumel Mansion, New York was cut short due to his disappearance.

In September 1890, Le Prince boarded a train on a Friday, promising friends he would rejoin them in Paris on the following Monday for the return journey to England, to be followed by a trip to the US to promote his new camera. However, Le Prince did not arrive at the appointed time and he was never seen again by his family or friends. All that could be established about his last whereabouts was that he was seen on 16 September 1890 boarding the 2:42 train at Dijon for his return to Paris.

The French police, Scotland Yard and the family undertook exhaustive searches but never found his body or luggage. This mysterious disappearance case was never solved.

Many theories have been suggested, varying from suicide to an elaborately planned self-disappearing act ordered by his family. All these theories could be plausible, but my favorite theory deploys much more sinister implications.

Patent Wars assassination, "Equity 6928" (1900):

Christopher Rawlence pursues the assassination theory, along with other theories, and discusses the Le Prince family's suspicions of Thomas Edison over patents (the Equity 6928) in his 1990 book and documentary The Missing Reel. At the time that he vanished, Le Prince was about to patent his 1889 projector in England and then leave Europe for his scheduled New York official exhibition. His widow assumed foul play though no concrete evidence has ever emerged and Rawlence prefers the suicide theory. In 1898, Le Prince's elder son Adolphe, who had assisted his father in many of his experiments, was called as a witness for the American Mutoscope Company in their litigation with Edison [Equity 6928]. By citing Le Prince's achievements Mutuscope hoped to annul Edison's subsequent claims to have invented the moving picture camera. Le Prince's widow Lizzie and Adolphe hoped that this would gain recognition for Le Prince's achievement but when the case went against Mutoscope their hopes were dashed. Two years later Adolphe Le Prince was found dead while out duck shooting on Fire Island near New York. Suicide was presumed.

Like any good conspiracy, this theory can in no way be proved. Although many would argue that Edison was a mean old bastard capable of ordering the assassination, there is no hard-core evidence to prove his evolvement.

In 2003, while doing research in the Paris Police Archives, the photo of a drowning victim was found – believed to be Louis Le Prince.

Le Prince had indeed succeeded making pictures move at least seven years before the Lumière brothers and Thomas Edison, and so suggests a re-writing of the history of early cinema." Richard Howells (Screen vol.47 #2, p.179~200, Oxford University Press, 2006

Back On The Field

2008-08-22T12:30:00.004-06:00

Guys,

Sorry I haven't been posting the last couple of days. I think I've been sicker than I've ever been in my life and haven't been able to do anything (some tears please). I'm feeling a little better (I think) and though I'm on one leg, I'm ready to fight.

In regards to the Bigfoot hoax, I chewed on this for a while, and I think we should try to contact the guys involved, and here's why: at first I was pissed that this type of thing would get any kind of publicity. But, if you think about, it's more bizarre for anyone to try to put together a hoax than actually finding the damn thing. I guarantee you, if we ever see a Sasquatch, there's no doubt we're gonna be disappointed. Example, the Chupacabra thing running down the road (whatever it is). Not too exciting. But the mystery makes it great. And these guys (and the guys on the Patterson footage if indeed it's not real) are a part of the legend of Bigfoot. They'll go down in history as a piece (real or not) of the puzzle that is the Sasquatch. All because they thought it would be cool.

That's strange.

I'll be posting more now, as I've got the strength to keep something down while looking at the computer.

Out (but not out of it).

The Bigfoot Hoaxers Resurface, Blame Biscardi

2008-08-22T10:24:00.000-06:00

Here's the latest on the Bigfoot Hoax Saga:

Bigfoot hoaxers Rick Dyer and Matthew Whitton are back in the limelight — and they're blaming Tom Biscardi, the California promoter who trotted them out for a nationally televised press conference last Friday.

Back home in Georgia after their brief moment in the big time, Dyer and Whitton told two Atlanta TV stations Wednesday that the entire affair was a "joke" that got out of hand.

"I just wanted to put out some good news," Dyer told Joanna Massee of WGCL-TV. "People are upset with the war and stuff — what's so bad about Bigfoot? Nobody got hurt."

Biscardi is claiming these guys took some money and tricked him into doing the press conference, and says he's planning to sue. However, that story just doesn't square at all with the stuff Biscardi was telling reporters before the press conference - things like he "prodded the corpse" and it was completely real, etc. Now he's saying he had no idea the thing was fake? Does this guy think we don't have Youtube or DVRs and can't just go and look up the stupid things he was saying before the press conference versus his story now?

It's just bizarre.

Encounters of the Spooky Kind - About as Good as Movies Get...

2008-08-22T07:45:00.001-06:00

Just saw this fantastic film again last night. It's about as perfect a genre film as you'll ever see. Encounters of the Spooky Kind, AKA Spooky Encounters, is a groundbreaking 1981 Sammo Hung film which was the first successful meld of kung fu, comedy and the supernatural. The movie was a big influence for Sam Raimi's Evil Dead II, and also was a great precursor to the also classic Hong Kong film Mr. Vampire.

If you haven't checked this film out, and are a fan of kung fu, comedy, and/or the paranormal, do yourself a favor and give it a look. Yes, it's an old school film with some cheesy makeup and old school effects, but that's part of this flick's charm. The movie is funny, highly creative, and has some great action set pieces - far better kung fu than you'll see in any modern day flick. Great to watch with a crowd.

UPDATE: The Mysterious Hum

2008-08-21T15:22:00.000-06:00

MacReady here with some more updates to "The Mysterious Hum" post. In my previous post, I included some reports from the Department of Energy regarding the military's low frequency communications system, ELF.

Here's a later report describing the effects of the ELF system on primates.

Publication Date: 1983 Apr 01

Description/Abstract:

In a study initiated to determine the biological effects of ELF electric and magnetic fields associated with a submarine communications system ELF- exposed male rhesus monkeys gained weight at a slightly faster rate than control males. In order to obtain sufficient data on the physiological effects of electromagnetic fields, a second ELF study was initiated. Whereas the first study was initiated with wild-caught young adult animals, the second study utilized colony-bred animals beginning at 30 days of age. The emphasis of the second study was to substantiate previous findings and determine the underlying mechanisms involved. As in the first study, 30 primates (male and female) were exposed to the ELF electric and magnetic fields, and 30 control animals received the same care and treatment, but were not exposed. This report deals with the development of the permanent teeth relative to ELF exposure and sex. A consistent trend noted was that the teeth of female animals erupted at a slightly earlier age than males. However, no significant differences due to ELF exposure or sex were detected.

Oh that's great – Although the ELF system causes "a physiological perturbation" we can all rest assure that the hum itself is non-discriminatorily affecting us all?

I would put this one to rest and blame it on the ELF communications system. Which if true, would leave a bunch of people frustrated… You try getting the government to shut down the communications system for its submarine fleets.

One Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin is doing just that.

Let's Go To Oak Island (part 2)

2008-08-21T13:15:00.001-06:00

(continued from part 1)

The next attempt at securing the treasure was made in 1861 by the Oak Island Association. First they cleared out the Money Pit down to 88 feet. Then they ran a new hole to the east of the pit hoping to intercept the channel from the sea. The new shaft was dug out to120 feet without hitting the channel and then abandoned.

A second shaft was run, this one to the west, down to 118 feet. They then attempted to tunnel over to the Money Pit. Again the water started to enter this pit as well as the Money Pit. Bailing was attempted and appeared to work. Then...

CRASH!

The bottom fell out. Water rushed into the shafts and the bottom of the Money Pit dropped over 15 feet. Everything in the Money Pit had fallen farther down the hole. The big questions were why and how far?

Over the next several years different companies tried to crack the mystery unsuccessfully. They dug more shafts, tried to fill in the drain on the beach, built a new dam (which was destroyed by a storm), and drilled for more core samples. They met with little success.

In 1893 a man named Fred Blair along with a group called The Oak Island Treasure Company began their search. Their first task was to investigate the "Cave-in Pit". Discovered in 1878 about 350 feet east of the Money Pit, the cave-in pit appears to have been a shaft dug out by the designers of the Money Pit perhaps as a ventilation shaft for the digging of the flood tunnel. It apparently intersected or closely passed the flood tunnel. While it was being cleared by the Treasure Company it started to flood at a depth of 55 feet and was abandoned.

Over the next several years The Oak Island Treasure Company would dig more shafts, pump more water, and still get nowhere. In 1897 they did manage to clear out the Money Pit down to 111 feet where they actually saw the entrance of the flood tunnel temporarily stopped up with rocks. However, the water worked its way through again and filled the pit.

The treasure company then decided that they would attempt to seal off the flow of water from Smith's Cove by dynamiting the flood tunnel. Five charges were set off in holes drilled near the flood tunnel. They didn't work. The water flowed into the Money Pit as rapidly as ever.

At the same time a new set of core samples were drilled at the pit itself. The results were surprising.

At 126 feet, wood was struck and then iron. This material is probably part of the material that fell during the crash of the Pit. On other drillings the wood was encountered at 122 feet and the iron was missed completely indicating that the material may be laying in a haphazard way due to the fall.

Between 130 and 151 feet and also between 160 and 171 feet a blue clay was found which consisted of clay, sand, and water. This clay can be used to form a watertight seal and is probably the same "putty"; that was found at the 50 foot level of the Pit.

The major find was in the gap between the putty layers. A cement vault was discovered. The vault itself was 7 feet high with 7 inch thick walls. Inside the vault the drill first struck wood, then a void several inches high and an unknown substance. Next a layer of soft metal was reached, then almost 3 feet of metal pieces, and then more soft metal.

When the drill was brought back up another twist was added to the whole mystery. Attached to the auger was a small piece of sheepskin parchment with the letters "vi"; "ui"; or "wi"; What the parchment is a part of is still in question.

More convinced than ever that a great treasure was beneath the island, The Treasure Company began sinking more shafts in the attempts to get to the cement vault. They all met with failure due to flooding.

In May of 1899, yet another startling discovery was made. There was a second flood tunnel! This one was located in the South Shore Cove. The designers had been more ingenious and had done more work than previously thought. Though this find certainly strengthened the case that something valuable was buried below it didn't bring anyone closer to actually finding the treasure.

Blair and The Oak Island Treasure Company continued to sink new shafts and drill more core samples, but no progress was made and no new information obtained.

Between 1900 and 1936 several attempts were made to obtain the treasure. All met with no success.

In 1936 Gilbert Hadden, in conjunction with Fred Blair, began a new investigation of the island. Hadden cleared some of the earlier shafts near the Pit and made plans for exploratory drilling the next summer. However, he made two discoveries away from the Pit.

The first was a fragment of a stone bearing inscriptions similar to those found on the inscribed stone discovered at the 90 foot level of the Money Pit. The second discovery was of several old timbers in Smith's Cove. These timbers seem to have been from the original designers due to the fact that they were joined using wooden pins rather than metal. As will be seen later these timbers were only a small part of a much larger construction.

The next treasure hunter was Erwin Hamilton. He began his search in 1938 by clearing out previous shafts and doing some exploratory drilling. In 1939 during drilling two more discoveries were made. The first was the finding of rocks and gravel at 190 feet. According to Hamilton they were foreign and therefore placed there by someone. The second finding came after clearing out an earlier shaft down to 176 feet. At this point a layer of limestone was encountered and drilled through. The drilling brought up oak splinters. Apparently there was wood BELOW the natural limestone.

In 1959 Bob Restall and his family began their attack on the island which ultimately proved tragic.

His one discovery was made on the Smith's Cove beach while attempting to stop the drain system. He found a rock with "1704" inscribed on it. Though others believed it was prank left by a previous search team, Restall believed it was from the time of the original construction.

In 1965 tragedy struck. While excavating a shaft Bob passed out and fell into the water at the bottom. His son, Bobbie, attempted to rescue him as did two of the workers. All four apparently were overcome by some sort of gas, perhaps carbon monoxide from a generator, passed out and drowned.

Bob Dunfield was the next to take on the island. In 1965 he attempted to solve the problem with heavy machinery - bulldozers and cranes. He attempted to block the inflow of water at Smith's Cove, and may have succeeded. Then on the south side of the island a trench was dug in the hope of intercepting the other water tunnel and blocking it off. The flood tunnel wasn't found, but an unknown refilled shaft was found, possibly one dug by the designers of the Pit. The shaft apparently went down to 45 and stopped, its purpose is unknown.

Dunfield's other findings were based on drilling. It was determined that at 140 feet there was a 2 foot thick layer of limestone and then a forty foot void. At the bottom of the void was bedrock. This information matched with a drilling done back in 1955. There seemed to be a large, natural underground cavern, something apparently common with limestone around the world.

Daniel Blankenship, the current searcher, began his quest in 1965. In 1966 he dug out more of the original shaft found by Bob Dunfield in 1965. It turned out that the shaft did go beyond 45 feet. Blankenship found a hand-wrought nail and a washer at 60 feet. At 90 feet he met a layer of rocks in stagnant water. He assumed this was part of the south water tunnel but couldn't explore further because the shaft could not be stopped from caving in.

A pair of wrought-iron scissors were discovered in 1967 buried below the drains at Smith's Cove. It was determined that the scissors were Spanish-American, probably made in Mexico, and they were up to 300 years old. Also found was a heart shaped stone.

Smith's Cove revealed some more secrets in 1970 to Triton Alliance, a group formed by Blankenship to continue the search. While Triton was building a new cofferdam they discovered the remains of what appeared to be the original builders' cofferdam. The findings included several logs 2 feet thick and up to 65 feet long. They were marked every four feet with Roman numerals carved in them and some contained wooden pins or nails. The wood has been carbon dated to 250 years ago.

The western end of the island has also revealed several items. Two wooden structures, along with wrought-iron nails and metal straps were found at the western beach. Nine feet below the beach a pair of leather shoes were unearthed.

The next major discoveries came in 1976 when Triton dug what is known as Borehole 10-X, a 237 foot tube of steel sunk 180 feet northeast of the Money Pit. During the digging several apparently artificial cavities were found down to 230 feet.

A camera lowered down to a bedrock cavity at 230 feet returned some amazing images. At first a severed hand could be seen floating in the water. Later three chests (of the treasure type I would presume) and various tools could be made out. Finally a human body was detected.

After seeing the images, the decision was made to send divers down for a look. Several attempts were made but strong current and poor visibility made it impossible to see anything. Soon after, the hole itself collapsed and has not been reopened.

Blankenship and Triton still continue the quest.

Please guys, let's go. I've already packed my stuff.

Top 10 Disappearances

2008-08-21T11:02:00.000-06:00

I came upon this list over at listverse.com

I’ll be the first to admit, many of these disappearances have slipped me by unnoticed, but that in no way makes them less interesting – In fact, they’re all quite interesting.

10. The disappearance of Oliver Larch
9. The Flannan Isles lighthouse keepers
8. The Bennington Triangle
7. The Vanished Cripple
6. The Disappearing Diplomat
5. Time Tunnel
4. The Norfolk Regiment
3. The Legend of David Lang
2. The Stonehenge Disappearance
1. The Village That Disappeared

As noted previously, these disappearances are all quite interesting. With that said, I’ll add a second note: There are several notable disappearances missing from this list.

Over the next week or so, I’ll bring you my top 5 disappearances, full of fantastic details.

I'm All Ears!!!

2008-08-20T22:01:00.005-06:00

Here's one I hadn't seen before. This is not photo shopped or George Lucasized. This is a cat with four ears! No shit!

Stop me if you've heard this one. This Chicago couple walks into a bar and the bartender has this four eared cat. No joke. That's how Valerie and Ted Rock acquired Yoda.

"We were at a pub on the south side of Chicago with a group of friends when we noticed a small cage sitting on the bar and people passing around a kitten. He had been part of a large litter and the owners were looking to find a home for him. Ted and I had just lost a cat that was our pet for over 20 years, and we were sure we were done with cats. When he was passed around he reached for Ted, crawled up into the crook of his neck and fell asleep - Ted was a goner. It was a done deal when the kitten made himself at home on Ted's shoulder. We decided to name him Yoda.I understand the Star Wars character was based on George Lucas' cat."

Ted was a goner?

Anyway, they took the cat to the local vet who got a veterinary boner over the anomaly. He scoured the globe trying to find a similar case. He finally located another cat with four ears in Germany. The German four eared people and the American four eared people chatted on the phone and decided that they had very rare and valuable cats. The Rocks have even had a tracking chip implanted...in Yoda's ear.

Hilarious "Engrish" Translation

2008-08-20T21:24:00.004-06:00

The Chinese government has lately become very sensitive about their "Engrish" errors, and have started a campaign to stamp out bad English translations in the country. They obviously missed this establishment, which I believe is a restaurant. This restaurant obviously used an Internet-based translator to turn their Chinese name into English, and they faithfully reproduced the results that the translator spit back at them:

I think they should've run the translator's results by an actual English speaker before they went out and had a sign made, eh?

RE: The Mysterious Hum

2008-08-20T16:01:00.000-06:00

Mr. Xoom posted a few weeks back about a Wisconsin couple that’s been plagued by a mysterious low-pitched humming s

ound.

I recently stumbled upon other reported cases of this phenomenon, providing proof that this Wisconsin couple isn’t crazy.

Citizens in Britain and portions of the Southwestern U.S. have been complaining about a maddening hum that just won't go away. And researchers have been unable to pinpoint its source. Not everyone can hear the low-pitched hum, and those who do say that it seems artificial in nature - and is driving them crazy. In 1977, a British newspaper received nearly 800 letters from people complaining of loss of sleep, irritability, deteriorating health, inability to read or study because of the incessant hum.

Most famous in the U.S. is the Taos Hum. There the annoyance was so acute for the "hearers" in Taos, New Mexico that they banded together in 1993 and petitioned Congress to investigate and help them find the source of the noise. No conclusive causes were discovered. One prevailing theory holds that the hum is created by a military communications system used to contact submarines.

After looking into the possibility of low frequency military communications systems (ELF), I found a few interesting reports that would suggest this is the cause of the maddening hum.

The following summaries were taken from the Department of Energy’s Office of Scientific & Technical Information website.

Publication Date: 1980 Jan 01

Description/Abstract:

The U.S. Navy has proposed a submarine communications system that operates at extremely low frequencies (ELF), using a land-based transmitting antenna. Research evaluating the environmental impact of this system has been reviewed by two committees: an Ad Hoc Committee formed by the Navy in 1973 to study research from 1968-73; and a committee formed in 1976 by NAS to review all existing data.

The results of these committee reviews are summarized, with emphasis on the work of the NAS committee. Research with primates to determine the effects of chronic ELF radiation exposure is reviewed. NAS recognized the possibility of a physiological perturbation but could find no experimental or theoretical basis to assume that exposure to a magnetic field of 0.02 mT and an electrical field of 0.07 v/m would be potentially hazardous.

I love the last sentence - "NAS recognized the possibility of a physiological perturbation"

Basically the government agencies said they recognize the possibility of the ELF radiation causing disruption and annoyance to living things and the way they function. This report can be viewed here.

I know that's no smoking gun, but does lend evidence to the theory.

Let's Go To Oak Island! (part 1)

2008-08-20T12:45:00.000-06:00

I heard about this a few years ago. As far as I know, it's true. Mr. Xoom and the others will certainly cane or umbrella me if it isn't, but I think it's a great story.

In the summer of 1793, a teenager named Daniel McGinnis, was taking a stroll on Oak Island, Nova Scotia. He stumbled upon a circular depression in the ground below an oak tree. The branches of the tree looked as if they been cut in order to use a pulley. Local pirate tales ran rampart, so Daniel returned later with some friends. Over the next several days, the boys would begin to unearth one of the most intriguing mysteries in history.

Two feet below the surface the boys uncovered a layer of flagstones. At ten feet down, they ran into a layer of oak logs and again at twenty and thirty feet. At this point they knew they couldn't go any further alone. They departed but agreed to return.

It took eight years, but the explorers finally returned, this time with the help of the Onslow Company, formed exclusively for the expedition. They resumed where they had left off and continued to ninety feet, finding a layer of logs at every ten foot interval. Besides the logs, at forty feet a layer of charcoal was uncovered, at fifty feet a layer of putty, and at sixty, a layer of coconut fiber.

At ninety feet a mysterious stone with some kind of strange glyphs was hauled up. No one has ever actually deciphered it. After a layer of logs was removed at ninety feet, water began to fill the pit. Pumping didn't help, so another pit was dug parallel to the original. At ninety feet, it too filled with water. The search was abandoned and the pit didn't get another visitor for forty five years.

In 1849, the Truro Company was formed to continue the search. It was discovered that the first crew had activated an ingenious booby trap. A tunnel dug from nearby Smith's Cove, would fill the pit with water just as fast as it could be pumped out. The Truro company decided to drill core samples to determine what was down there.

At 98 feet the drill went through a spruce platform. Then it encountered 4 inches of oak and then 22 inches of what was characterized as "metal in pieces""; Next 8 inches of oak, another 22 inches of metal, 4 inches of oak and another layer of spruce. The conclusion was that they had drilled through 2 casks or chests filled will coins. Upon pulling out the drill they found splinters of oak and strands of what looked like coconut husk.

The Truro Company returned in 1850 with plans to dig another parallel hole and then tunnel over to the Money Pit. Just like before, as they tunneled over, water began to rush in. They brought in pumps to try to get rid of the water but it was impossible to keep the water out. During the pumping someone noticed that at Smith's Cove during low tide there was water coming OUT of the beach.

It turns out that the pit designers had created a drain system, spread over a 145 foot length of beach, which resembled the fingers of a hand. Each finger was a channel dug into the clay under the beach and lined by rocks. The channels were then filled with beach rocks, covered with several inches of eel grass, and then covered by several more inches of coconut fiber. The effect of this filtering system was that the channels remained clear of silt and sand while water was still allowed to flow along them. The fingers met at a point inland where they fed sea water into a sloping channel which eventually joined the Money Pit some 500 feet away. Later investigations showed this underground channel to have been 4 feet wide, 2 1/2 feet high, lined with stone, and meeting the Money Pit between the depths of 95 to 110 feet.

To the Truro Company, the answer was now simple - just block off the water flow from the beach and dig out the treasure. Their first attempt was to build a dam just off the beach at Smith's Cove, drain the water, and then dismantle the drain channels. Unfortunately a storm blew up and destroyed the dam before they could finish.

An interesting note: the remains of an older dam were found when building the new one.

The next plan was to dig a pit 100 feet or so inland in the hopes of meeting with the water channel underground at which point they could plug the channel. This scheme too failed. And this was the last attempt by the Truro company to uncover the secrets of Oak Island.

To Be Continued...

Indonesian Woman Grows Wires from her Stomach

2008-08-20T10:08:00.000-06:00

You heard right. This is the newest news out of Indonesia. NOORSYAIDAH. A 40 years old kindergarten teacher from Sangatta, East Kutai (I can't even find this place on the map) has developed a slight problem over the years – She grows wire from her stomach. The first symptoms started in 1991 and have since continued. The wires vary in size from 10 to 20 cm long.

One of her sisters said that she tried to help by trimming the wires. Alas, whenever she trimmed the wires, the wire retreated as if it were hiding and then popped up in another part of Noorsyaidah’s body.

I truly don’t know what to make of this, and neither do experts.

There have been 4 Medical Specialists taking this matter seriously and have treated her in several ways. And as the result, doctors can’t figure out what exactly is happening to her. The doctors have taken an X-Ray image from her stomach and found that there are more than 40 metal wires inside her and some of them are bursting out of her skin.

Imagine the hell she must go through at airports.

Currently, the Ministry of Health (who knows which one) is investigated this matter.

Should I or shouldn't I

2008-08-20T07:35:00.000-06:00

I just need to know if anyone out there has seen Lost Boys: The Tribe. I'm really dragging my feet. I know I need to see it just because it's a sequel to one of the best vampire pop culture fests ever! How does it measure up? How could it measure up?

Damn, The Lost Boys. "How do you like your maggots Michael?" What a rockin' line! Wait, speaking of rocking let's hear it for the saxophone wielding, super muscle bound, dog chain wearing "Still Believing" Tim Cappello! He was singing like he meant it. There's also that moment when Corey Haim puts the stuffed aardvark or whatever in the closet and we see a poster of a half naked Rob Lowe hanging on the door. What the hell? Great stuff. I love this movie and can't bear the thought of it being spoiled by a little bastard lamefest.

Does The Tribe have any merit?

Biscardi's Site Confirms Georgia Bigfoot a Hoax

2008-08-19T17:59:00.000-06:00

What do you know? Confirmation that the Georgia Bigfoot body in the freezer was just a rubber costume frozen under the ice. Biscardi's site is claiming they didn't know about this until after the Friday press conference, but I'm not sure that fits with the things he was saying in interviews on Fox News and elsewhere. At the very least, it would be massively unprofessional for Biscardi to have taken the word of these guys and called the press conference without confirming or taking a look at the "body" himself first.

Now Biscardi is saying that HE was a victim in this affair, claiming the two Georgians took an advance from him, which Internet rumors put at $50,000, and then took off when the hoax was revealed. Others aren't buying Biscardi's babe in the woods routine. And to top it all off, one of the hoaxers, police officer Matthew Whitton, is being fired for his role in the hoax. Not too big of a deal, I guess, as Clayton County, GA Chief of Police Jeffrey Turner says he hasn't heard from Whitton since this hoax stuff hit.

This whole thing was a disgrace from the get go. I'm just surprised so many people fell for something at the beginning which was always obviously a hoax.

A Mix of Chinese Folklore with a Hint of Madness

2008-08-19T16:46:00.000-06:00

Forget the Olympics, I'm going here. Built in Singapore in 1937 by brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, the Haw Par Villa features a mix of Chinese Folklore, Legends, and History.

It reminds me of Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”

I was right in the middle of a fucking reptile zoo, and somebody was giving booze to these goddamn things. Won't be long now before they tear us to shreds.

Cleveland – Do you or your “special lady friend” know anything about this place? It sounds like it has some cool attractions.

The Ten Courts of Hell

What’s not to like about this place right?

The Strange Phenomenon of Stone Encased Animals

2008-08-19T13:17:00.000-06:00

Now we’ve covered a variety of stories here at Xoom, some strange, some inspirational, and some - just simply hilarious. This little piece of phenomenon pie falls under a different category, the category of… What the Hell?

In 1821, Tilloch's Philosophical Magazine carried an unusual item about a stone mason named David Virtue who made an astonishing discovery while working on a large chunk of rock that had come from about 22 feet below the surface. Upon breaking it open "he found a lizard embedded in the stone. It was coiled up in a round cavity of its own form, being an exact impression of the animal. It was about an inch and a quarter long, of a brownish yellow color, and had a round head, with bright sparkling projecting eyes. It was apparently dead, but after being about five minutes exposed to the air it showed signs of life. It soon ran about with much celerity."

After closer examination, there apparently have been several reports of this occurring over the years. How could something like this be?

Frogs can hibernate for extended periods of time by forming cocoons at the bottom of water holes or deep in the mud. They do this by breathing through their skin. But how could this explain the weird cases of frogs encased in stone.

Rock can take millions of years to form. Are we to believe that these animals have been encased for millions of years, only to frolic away happily after being released?

Strange.

I'd be more inclined to believe this if more evidence was presented to back it up.

The Amazing Cyril Takayama...

2008-08-19T07:05:00.001-06:00

Another trick from Cyril to start your day...

This trick is a pretty simple effect for Cyril, but he shows that even something that seems comparatively basic can startle and amaze. Stick around for the grand finale and just look at the awe on those ladies' faces... It must be very cool to be able to walk into any old place and just brighten people's day the way Cyril does with his magic.

Cyril Magic - The best video clips are here

RE: African Woman Gives Birth to... Cups?

2008-08-18T21:15:00.000-06:00

I feel sorry for the poor bastard who makes the unfortunate mistake of drinking from one of these cups.

Ass Bag Justice

2008-08-18T19:23:00.000-06:00

In.

Okay MacCready, good call about "Dick." He wants to post videos about me "whining" and look at him. But, ass bag? Are you serious? And you need convincing that the "Tank Man" is the most creepy post on the blog?

We're always looking into stories about alien abduction, right? Well, the "Tank Man" was abducted and vanished--VANISHED--right here on Earth. Just for stating his beliefs. That's creepy to me because it could happen to any of us at any time. Imagine how creepy his family thought it was. Just like the disappearance of the people on the Mary Celeste, this man will not be found. Like Hoffa. Like "Dick" after watching porn. Gone.

And it's recent.

So, my point is made. Your post is obscure. You just got slapped by an ass bag.

But again, good job on calling Cutman out. He needs a little humiliation. Me, I'm fearless. Once you're caught in a Chinese jacket with a glass of cheap wine and your stuff tick-tocking, there's no place lower to go. And don't worry, yours is coming.

Out.

African Woman Gives Birth to... Cups?

2008-08-18T17:15:00.000-06:00

All I can really say about this is that, apparently, the rest of the world is much more interesting than the United States:

A Mozambican woman recently gave birth to three cups in the southern province of Gaza, independent television channel Stv reported on Thursday, showing images of the crockery.

The channel said the 18-year-old woman who lives in Xai Xai, gave birth to the cups on her way to hospital after she had complained of labour pains.

Images of the three cups were shown on the television station and the woman said she was three months pregnant at the time of the "birth".

The Mozambican association of traditional healers (Ametramo) told the station that there was nothing strange about the story.

Ametramo president Aulerio Demoraz said similar cases had occurred in other parts of the world "due to witchcraft".

He said the woman needed to be treated with traditional medicines in order to exorcise the "evil spirits" which made her give birth to the cups.

Those rascally evil spirits... making women give birth to crockery! Oh, the humanity.

(And yes, I'd feel like a big ass if this story were actually true, so in the spirit of hedging my bets, I hope this woman and her family are doing okay.)

Mary Celeste - I Blame the Booze

2008-08-18T15:07:00.000-06:00

The Mary Celeste was a 103-foot (31 m), 282-ton brigantine built in 1861, but with an expiration date of December 4, 1872.

It was on this date of 1872 when the Mary Celeste was spotted drifting at sea with no signs of distress.

Upon arrival, crewmembers of the Dei Graita were astonished to find the Mary Celeste in good condition, however, there was a catch. The entire crew of the Mary Celeste was missing.

Oliver Deveau, the chief mate of the Dei Gratia, led a party in a small boat to board the Mary Celeste. He found the ship in generally good condition, though he reported that "the whole ship was a thoroughly wet mess". There was only one operational pump, with a lot of water between decks and three and a half feet (1.1 m) of water in the hold. The forehatch and the lazarette were both open, the clock was not functioning and the compass was destroyed. The sextant and marine chronometer were missing, and the only lifeboat appeared to have been intentionally launched rather than torn away, suggesting the ship had been deliberately abandoned.

So what happened?

Over the years, many theories have been suggested, as well as the elaborate exaggerations of the story.

According to an original 1873 news article from the Boston Post, pirates seized the Mary Celeste. Although a reasonable explanation, the pirate theory has been contested. Many theories suggest there may have been a more sinister cause to this ghost ship tale…. Booze.

Yep, you heard right. The entire crew of the Mary Celeste may have fell victim to the majestic powers of alcohol…. But not in the way you’re thinking.

Of the theories consistent with the account given by the crew of the Dei Gratia, the most plausible are based on the barrels of alcohol. Briggs had never hauled such a dangerous cargo before and did not trust it. Nine leaking barrels would have caused a buildup of vapor in the hold. Historian Conrad Byers believed that Captain Briggs ordered the hold to be opened, resulting in a violent rush of fumes and then steam. Believing the ship was about to explode, Briggs ordered everyone into the lifeboat, failing, in his haste, to properly secure it to the ship with a strong towline. The wind picked up and blew the ship away from them. The occupants of the lifeboat either drowned or drifted out to sea to die of hunger, thirst and exposure.

I couldn’t imagine the desperate feeling those crew members felt while watching their ship drift away, never to be seen again.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

2008-08-18T12:59:00.000-06:00

I was having trouble sleeping the other night. I tried everything that usually works, but just couldn't doze off. I ended up poking around on the internet and stumbled upon something that I find truly unexplainable.

Meet Thai Ngoc, also known as Hai Ngoc, a sixty four year old Vietnamese pig farmer. Nothing really special about him, aside from the fact that he hasn't slept at all in thirty five years!

Apparently this guy got sick in 1973 and hasn't been able to sleep since. I know that I can be a real prick if I don't get at least 6 hours of sleep, but I can't imagine how I'd behave after almost 12,000 consecutive nights without rest. It doesn't seem to bother Thai Ngoc. He regularly carries two 50 kg bags of grain over 3 miles to his home. Doctors in Da Nang were totally baffled, but still had to give Thai a clean bill of health. He only thing he suffers from is a slight decline in liver function. In 2006 he stated that he was starting to feel like a plant without water.

When he's not pig farming Hai Ngoc likes to stay up all night guarding his farm. He also functions as a human alarm clock for neighbors. He says he doesn't mind since he's up anyway. He dug two fish ponds in three months, while the rest of the world slumbered.

To sum up, let me put this into perspective. The last time this guy slept, Richard Nixon was president, the World Trade Center had just opened and none of the people posting on this blog had been born yet!

Whoa!

RE: To the Dick - Formally Known As Richard Cutman

2008-08-16T17:30:00.000-06:00

Dick, the way you've been crying lately, I'm fulling expecting to sign on one day only to see that you've posted a Chris Crocker type web blog addressing all your problems... much like Cleveland "No Pants" Williams did.

LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!!!

Come on guys.

Oh yeah Cleveland... You'll have to do a little more convincing if you expect anyone to believe that your "Tank Man" is creepier than anything posted yet. Ass Bag.

The Away Team's Lineup

2008-08-16T14:38:00.000-06:00

A forensic artist named Bill MacDonald, has sifted though hundreds of eyewitness alien reports and compiled a list of the seven basic alien species wandering planet earth.

The first category are the Roswell aliens. These are small and fairly humanoid with reptilian skin. They have very human like eyes with some "Asian" characteristics.

Next are the Greys. Those classic large headed critters, whose black eyes take up the majority of their face. They are the worker class beings. They do most of the dirty work like abducting and probing.

In 3rd place we have the Ancients. These tall creatures have an almost, Praying Mantis, appearance.

The Nordics follow up with their Fabio look alikes. These beings resemble humans in every way, except that they are perfect. The men look fit and athletic and the women have great jugs.

The Hybrids, from what I understand resemble children with very fine hair.

The sixth race of alien is the Reptilian. These tend to be humanoid in proportion, but have huge eyes and even bigger mouths. They have three toes and probably a freaky forked snake tongue.

The final classification is the Neonate. These small, fetus like creatures seem to be the most intelligent and resemble the small creatures on Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

There are many other videos and classification systems out there, but at least this one corresponds with the ones I've seen.

Where's The "Tank Man?"--Looking Back While Looking At

2008-08-16T11:49:00.000-06:00

In. In. In.

Maybe. Maybe not.

We'll see.

With the Olympics in Beijing and me talking to Varian, I want to know (and the world should know)--what happened to the "Tank Man," the guy who faced down tanks, then disappeared from existence after Tiananmen Square?

Check this:

"The man stood alone in the middle of the road as the tanks approached. He held two bags, one in each hand. As the tanks came to a stop, he appeared to be trying to wave them away. In response, the front tank attempted to drive around the man, but the man repeatedly stepped into the path of the tank in a show of nonviolent action. After blocking the tanks, the man climbed up onto the top of the lead tank and had a conversation with the driver. He is believed to have said "Get out of my city, you are not wanted here."

Obviously, this rashed a few sacks, because nobody knows anything about anything when it comes to the legendary "Tank Man." Footage of whom Time Magazine dubbed the "Unknown Rebel" was smuggled out of China and he...well, who knows? Here's what the Chinese Government had to say:

The last official statement from the PRC government about the "Tank Man" came from Jiang Zemin in a 1990 interview with Barbara Walters. When asked about the whereabouts of the "Tank Man", Jiang responded that the young man was "I think never killed."

Creepier than anything posted yet. What happened to the "Tank Man?"

I want to know.

Out.

An Appropriate and Measured Response

2008-08-16T09:01:00.000-06:00

F**k you guys!

I tried to be mature, but I guess I missed the freakin' memo about making Cutman look like an ass in EVERY DAMN POST!!!

I can take a joke just as well as anyone, I try not to take myself too seriously. I like to "dish it out" so of course every now and again I'll have to "take it". No big deal. No sweat off my sack.

Maybe I should start ending all of my posts with stuff like, "Cleveland's a jack off that likes to sit around, fagging off with a glass of wine and talking to himself." Perhaps, "MacReady has a vagina" is the appropriate way to wrap up a successful posting.

I just keep trying to do my job, and I don't like being kicked in the mini-Cutmans. I suppose this will be met with more animosity, but so be it. The gloves are off now fellas, go f**k yourselves!

UFOs in Ancient Art

2008-08-15T17:35:00.000-06:00

I remember a time years ago when UFO videos were rarely discussed and usually dismissed as hoaxes or explained away as camera anomalies. But occasionally, stories or footage would surface that was truly unexplainable.

Nowadays, any yahoo with a camera, an Internet connection, and the desire to be a part of the buzz has the ability to showcase their newest bullshit UFO footage along with their even wackier ideas, somehow to convince us that Bill Nye is actually one of “Them”.

The “UFO Market” has been flooded with wannabe “Agents” trying to sell their newest piss-poor footage or story. This has led to the questioning of Ufology and it’s legitimacy.

So today, I’ve deciding not to post the newest UFO video, or the newest Alien Theory – I’ve decided to post a few pieces of artwork that represent UFOs and Aliens long before cameras and the Internet came along.

Now I know I just said “pieces of artwork that represent UFOs and Aliens”, so let me rephrase that. I’ve decided to post a few pieces of artwork that feature certain elements that could be depicting UFOs or Aliens.

Many of these pieces of artwork can be easily explained as nothing more than a star, or a comet, where some of the art really raise questions as to what the artist was really attempting to depict.

Pop culture has truly influenced our vision of what a UFO or Alien is supposed to look like, but these paintings may be giving us a look at what the untarnished minds of the past were truly seeing. An artist puts deep thought and reason into what he or she will create, whereas a camera is limited to the standard point and shoot.

So what do you think? Are these paintings accurate representations of what Alien Visitors look like, or are they nothing more than simple paintings with simple explanations? Have we taken our pre-conceived ideas of what UFOs and Aliens look like and applied it to nothing more than misunderstood objects within the paintings of yesterday?

As a researcher of the unexplained, part of me wants the UFO debate to end with an alien craft landing on the White House Garden with a big sign that says, “We’re Here”. The other part of me gets great thrill from the unknown and wants the riddle to stay wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

Somewhere there’s a key to the mystery, just maybe in our lifetime we’ll use it to unlock the enigma and finally solve the age-old question – Are we alone?

For more UFOs in Ancient Art, check out this site. It has a large number of paintings as well as information on the art, artists, years, and theories.

I'd like to give a shout out to my boy Winston Churchill for providing me with the enigma quote. I'd also like to thanks Mr. Xoom for clarifying to Dick Cutman that this quote was made famous by Winston Church hill, not Joe Pesci in JFK.

Imagine that? Tom Biscardi and Georgia Bigfoot Guys Release Almost Nothing at Press Conference

2008-08-15T14:41:00.003-06:00

Hoax Hoax Hoax. Hoaxie Hoax Hoax a-hoax.

They released almost nothing. Said the body is at an undisclosed location awaiting an autopsy. Released two more blurry photos(why blurry - isn't this 2008?) of the body and a supposed bigfoot in the woods.

Don't even feel like wasting anymore energy writing anything about it - which is why we've generally avoided the story here at Xoom, and have been skeptical of it from the very beginning. It never passed the smell test on any level, even from the start.

Basically, these guys are a bunch of douchebags trying to get rich by drumming up publicity for a "documentary" they are going to make about the "bigfoot autopsy". Don't put any money in these guys' pockets when that comes out. It's not like they are providing real entertainment here, like a fictional movie or something that's good on its own terms. The entire entertainment value of their project relies on the lie that they've captured a bigfoot body, nothing more.

Read the story about the press conference here, if you'd like.

Amazing Bowler with No Arms and One Leg

2008-08-15T11:35:00.000-06:00

I find this quite amazing. Wow.

I in no way want to take anything away from the stories Cutman posted about the blind painter and the blind kid with clicking sonar powers, but I just can’t get over this.

Here’s another video of the same guy, hitting another strike.

I don’t go bowling very often, but I know my own game well enough that I can honestly say this guy would whoop my ass and send me on my way.

Take a Boat Ride With the Incredible Cyril Takayama

2008-08-15T07:41:00.001-06:00

More in our series of clips from the incredible Cyril Takayama.

Taking some cameras out on an ocean-bound sightseeing ship, Cyril goes down to the glass view ports and stuns some lucky sightseers.

RE: MacCready Taps into his Psychic Abilities

2008-08-14T20:09:00.000-06:00

Cleveland in.

MacCready, I don't know what you're on, but Double Decker Tacos ain't it. I see visions like that all the time. No big deal. One day I saw two male dogs getting it on and right after, Cutman called.

It happens. Stop blogging about your wet dreams of Sawyer (couldn't you at least dream about Sun?) and put something interesting up.

It's just coincidence.

So go ahead Cutman, get on the plane.

Trust me.

Out.

Bigfoot-Hoaxing Ass Clowns

2008-08-14T17:38:00.000-06:00

You've heard about the two guys in Georgia who claim to have found a Bigfoot corpse in the woods and now have it locked away in a freezer right?

If not, you aren't missing anything... don't waste any of your time giving these guys a single shed of belief towards their ridiculous claim.

Mr. Xoom expressed skepticism towards these clowns in a previous post, so instead of redirecting you to these fraud's website, giving them more hits, take the time to visit this link to see how all this madness began and why these guys are a shame to the Bigfoot tracking community.

Tisk Tisk.

Ernest Borgnine's Open Mic Captures His Shocking Longevity Secret

2008-08-14T15:25:00.002-06:00

Open mics are wonderful things. May celebrities keep forgetting that any open mic should be considered a live mic, and you can't "whisper" around one, either.

Good news, Cutman - apparently you are going to live forever!

Link: sevenload.com

Hat Tip: Hot Air.

MacReady Taps into his Psychic Abilities

2008-08-14T13:32:00.000-06:00

MacReady here.

I’ve never been short on weird dreams. I’ve always had extremely vivid dreams – Some weird, others not. For me, it seems that late night Taco Bell is some sort of a screwed up mind elixir to the dream world.

Although I didn’t eat Taco Bell last night, I had no problem tapping into my out of control sub-conscious mind.

My dream last night had very many strange elements to it, but here’s the two important parts you need to know.

Some sort of mistake had occurred and the world was thrust into WWIII

Sawyer from the “Lost Series” Shot a bird in a tree. The bullet went through the bird into the tree, cracking the tree, causing Crude Oil to spill from its trunk.

Okay, yes I know… that’s really stupid right? Well this morning, I was doing my same routine, checking Fark.com for world news. Here are two of the first articles I saw – Right next to each other.

Japanese local government mistakenly broadcasts alert warning of imminent missile attack to 20 government buildings. "New pants required" alert was broadcast shortly after.

Congressman claims that trees contain 40% crude oil. Wants to start cutting down national forests to solve the oil crisis. Why didn't anyone think of this sooner?

I’m in no way claiming to be the next Nostradamus, but it was very strange to see these two news articles – Next to each other.

Let it be said also that there’s no way I could have seen these articles previous to last nights dream, I was gone all night and went straight to bed when I got home.

I guess it’s all one big quinky-dink, but you never know…

There was one more element to my dream last night that I really shouldn’t speak of, but I should at least warn him…

Cutman, whatever you do…don’t get on the plane.

Is the USS Salem Haunted?

2008-08-14T11:40:00.002-06:00

Word is that the Cold War era vessel USS Salem is haunted. Strange noises are heard echoing through the cavernous metal halls. Deck hatches bang open and shut. But the clincher, apparently, has been the multiple sightings of a ghost-like figure working away at the machinery on the ship's bow.

Mass Paranormal of Quincy is on the case:

Armed with infrared cameras and parabolic microphones, Mass Paranormal scoured the decks of the 718-foot vessel in July. The Salem never fired its guns in combat but was a symbol of America's power in the 1950s.

"The first 30 seconds on the recorder we heard a woman telling us to 'get out' three times," said Tom Ventosi, co-founder and vice president of the Quincy paranormal group. There were additional "appearances," but the team doesn't want to ruin the surprise.

I was initially quite intrigued by this story. Then I saw this part of the whole deal:

The team is planning an all-night investigation aboard the ship on Aug. 23, and it is inviting others to experience the spooky happenings with their own eyes and ears.

Mass Paranormal and the Salem are charging $85 per person for the experience, which will feature an appearance by Shannon Sylvia from the Sci-Fi Channel show "Ghost Hunters International."

Sigh. Charging admission and getting TV exposure (before you prove anything) are not hallmarks of a serious investigative effort. I mean come on, guys. I'm not saying that making a little dough and getting some publicity automatically equals a con, but it's just the kind of Barnum and Bailey hucksterism that gives ghost hunting a bad name - continuing to make it harder for those of us who endeavor to approach the field as actual science gain credibility.

Way to go.

TAPS Ghost Hunters Episode--The Crescent Hotel

2008-08-14T07:33:00.000-06:00

In.

Guys, the TAPS Ghost Hunters show on the Sci Fi Channel did an episode on the Crescent Hotel a while back. AND, they captured what might be one of the best apparition images I've ever seen. Down in the basement (and I was here and will post my personal photos) they caught this:

Creepy, huh? I told you this hotel was the real deal. From what I'm told, this lit up the TAPS message boards like Cutman's eyes watching scat porn.

This image was captured in front of this locker:

Also, the table below is the last existing operating table from Dr. Norman Baker's cancer experiments (a captured image from the show):

I have personal photos I will post of this as well. Real world horror + camera captured apparitions=Cleveland found it!

Arkansas is one messed, up creepy place. And here is the cool thing, during Halloween, you can actually spend the night down there! Maybe something to consider?

Anyway, more to come.

Out.

Meet Cyril Takayama

2008-08-13T19:08:00.000-06:00

He may not be paranormal, but Cyril Takayama is definitely one of the coolest magicians in the world, routinely blowing away audiences in person and on television with his innovative up-close effects. Cyril does magic in full view of shocked spectators that often surround him from all angles in seemingly impromptu situations.

Here's one such performance:

Psychiatrist's Paranormal "Eye-Beam" to Be Tested by Noted Debunker James Randi

2008-08-13T16:55:00.002-06:00

For some time now, the James Randi Educational Foundation has had a standing challenge: show them, under testable and provable conditions, evidence of any supernatural, paranormal, or occult power or event and they will shell out a $1 million prize as a reward.

This challenge was created as a debunking tool for the unexplained. All kinds of people claim they can do supernatural or paranormal things, or that they can show you evidence of things unexplainable by science. If that's so, says Randi, prove it and get the $1 million prize. Over the years, several people have stepped forward to try and win this challenge, but none thus far have been able to pass the test of proof under Randi's scientific method and observation. The supernatural, according to Randi, remains completely unproven.

Enter Dallas psychiatrist Colin A. Ross, M.D.

Dr. Ross claims he can "make a tone sound out of a speaker using nothing but an energy beam he sends out through his eyes."

For more than 300 years, Western science has stated that no energy of any kind is emitted from the eyes. When you feel someone staring at you, Western science dismisses this as coincidence or some other form of misunderstanding.

Dr. Ross, founder of the Colin A. Ross Institute, is the author of over 135 scientific papers and 18 books, many of them dealing with psychological trauma and multiple personality disorder. He has spoken to mental health professionals throughout North America, as well as in Europe, China, Australia and New Zealand, including several conference presentations on energy fields. In a forthcoming book entitled Human Energy Fields, Dr. Ross explains a new science and medicine of human energy fields in detail.

"Once this energy is identified and captured, as I have done, then it can be studied and used for many applications in medicine and other fields," said Dr. Ross.

Dr. Ross plans to get tested by Randi and his team soon. Do you think Randi's finally gonna have to shell out that $1 million? Stay tuned and we'll keep you updated on any new developments in this case.

Colonel Robert Willingham Talks About Mexico UFO Crash In His Own Words

2008-08-13T14:33:00.000-06:00

Just an update to the story I did yesterday on the retired Air Force Colonel and Fighter Pilot who says he witnessed a UFO crash in Mexico in 1955. He also says he was present for at least part of the aftermath on the ground.

Here he is now, telling his story in his own words:

Are You a Combination of Two People, Wrapped Up Into One?

2008-08-13T12:21:00.001-06:00

Imagine this. You’re a mother of three grown children and in desperate need of a kidney transplant. All three children are tested as potential donors, only the test results come back with something completely unexpected – Two of the children are genetically not yours.

You may be thinking, perhaps there was a mix up at the hospital… Twice?

Not at all – This is actually a real world case of medical rarity. Although the mother had conceived all three children, test results showed she was genetically not the mother of two of the children. So what gives?

In 2003, Dr Margot Kruskall of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that the mother in question was a Chimera, a physical mix of fraternal twin sisters.

So why did test results reveal two of the three children not hers? - Because genetically, they were her twin sister’s.

Because she was born a physical mix of fraternal twins, her ovaries somehow produced eggs belonging to both herself and her twin sister, who in reality, didn’t even exist. This resulted in one son sharing DNA with the mother, and two sons sharing DNA with their non-existing Aunt.

That’s pretty far out.

Imagine the overwhelming feeling one individual would have discovering they were actually a genetic combination of two people, with two distinct sets of DNA. I can just imagine some big fat-cat defense lawyer using this…

“Clearly, the DNA evidence proves my client’s innocence – The guilty culprit is the evil twin.”

RE: Cleveland's Mistake/Crescent F**n Hotel!

2008-08-13T10:29:00.000-06:00

In.

Cleveland here. Just having a glass of wine.

Thank you Mr. Xoom for pointing out that slight (Cutman penis size) mistake. Yes, it was MacCready's post, but I don't care if it was Queen Lizzy's post, it sucked. One video? BOOORRRINNNGG!! And what's with the real-time postings? No sex lives to spend some time on? Or the man-to-hand relationships take up mere seconds, then BLAM! Kleenex and right back to updates? Jesus guys, breathe a little.

That said, yes, I was second with the post. No, I did not plagiarize it, mine was better.

The End.

Now...

The Crescent Hotel...

Guys, this thing's the real deal. It's not far from Monte Ne and ,yes, there are the same old same old cheesy ghost stories: man dies during construction, man haunts room 218. What separates this from your every day haunted hotel is the REAL story behind the stories. It all starts with a man named Norman Baker. It appears Dr. Baker turned the hotel into a cancer clinic from 1937-1940. And let's just say, helping cancer victims was the last thing on his mind. He wanted to find a cure through experimentation, death be damned. As a topper, he then exploited family members of the patients for money---pretending they were alive long after they were dead.

He was busted by the police for mail fraud. He died years later of....cancer!

I will posting a lot more on this, as well as including personal pictures tomorrow.

Wait til you see the last surviving morgue table in the basement!

No Lie.

Out.

Legendary "Goat Sucker" caught on tape and it's not MacReady

2008-08-12T22:51:00.000-06:00

While Goat Sucking may be second only to Extreme Ironing on MacReady's list of extra-curricular activities, this is something entirely different.

The Chupacabra or "goat sucker" has been on the unexplainable radar for several years. This supposed cryptid was first reported in Puerto Rico in 1995. In March of that year, a rancher discovered eight of his sheep with punctures to the chest and throat and totally drained of blood. Similar livestock situations began to pop up here and there, mainly in the U.S. and Mexico.

The internet is full of Chupacabra stuff. The early eyewitness version above, has evolved or devolved over the years to resemble a mangy coyote, kind of like Cleveland. In fact, the ones that have been killed or found dead, usually turn out to be coyotes or dogs.

This video, posted on CNN today, was recorded by the dash cam of a Dewitt County, Texas, sheriffs deputy while on patrol. The video shows a kind of pathetic looking creature running along in front of the cruiser. At one point the creature looks back towards the camera, revealing a long kind of disproportionate snout. The demon dog eventually runs into the brush and that's it.

It really resembles a creature that was killed last year that turned out to be a coyote with Demodectic mange, again, like Cleveland. I'll leave it up to you to decide if this one is the real deal.

Hong Kong Man Humps Bench, Gets Stuck - From the "I Didn't Know Cutman Was In Hong Kong" Files...

2008-08-12T17:01:00.001-06:00

After apparently learning that it's not proper to have sex with cows, it appears that Cutman has turned his attention toward inanimate pleasures:

Many an adolescent boy, hormones raging, has succumbed to the siren song of a hump-able inanimate object (the mattress cushion, a toilet paper roll or in one cinematic instance, a pie). But let's hope they learn a lesson from the 41-year-old Hong Kong man who almost lost his penis as a result of intercourse with a steel park bench.

Xing [EDITORS NOTE: "Xing" is how the Chinese pronounce "Richard Cutman"] (pictured in his compromising situation) was apparently feeling lonely in the park late at night when he decided to attempt to satisfy his sexual appetites by inserting his penis into one of numerous small holes in a steel park bench. Apparently ignorant of spatial realities, it wasn't until he was aroused that he realized he could no longer extract his manhood from the bench, panicked and called the police.

By the time doctors got to work on Xing's predicament (pun intended), it was so swollen that they had to cut the entire bench free and load it into the ambulance with Xing attached. At the hospital, it took four hours to separate Xing from his special bench, and doctors stated that in another hour they would have had to remove his penis.

Yes, this would be about the most embarrassing thing ever. I don't condone sexual intercourse outside of marriage, and unless Hong Kong has radically different laws than we have in the States I don't think this guy could've been married to this bench, so shame on him.

Also, looking at the size of the holes in this picture, I just can't imagine how this dude thought his stuff was gonna be a good fit here. I don't care how small a guy you are, them holes is tiny... Sorry, Dick Cutman, I don't mean to twist the knife.

USAF Colonel Robert Willingham Recounts The Night A UFO Crashed In Mexico

2008-08-12T14:35:00.000-06:00

A retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and fighter pilot has recently made waves in the UFO community by claiming he was a witness to a 1955 UFO crash just over the Rio Grande on the Mexican side of the river. He is very detailed in his story and pretty convincing, especially given his pedigree and record:

A radio message warned Willingham and the others about a fast-moving UFO that was approaching Texas from the northwestern U.S. “Suddenly it came into their view, looking like an intensely bright light – like a bright star seen through a telescope,” Torres said. “It blazed across the sky past them, and everyone in all the planes saw it. But, because of the location of Willingham’s jet, he was in the best position to see what happened after the object flew by.”

Willingham estimated that the object was traveling at 2,000 miles per hour, and he saw it make a sudden 90-degree turn, without slowing down. As the UFO streaked toward the Texas-Mexico border, Willingham received permission to break from the formation and pursue the object in his F-86 fighter. Following the object’s vapor trail, Willingham followed it down to near Del Rio, Texas, where he saw it suddenly begin to wobble and descend rapidly.

As the pilot watched in stunned silence, the UFO plunged toward the Rio Grande River, plowing into the ground just south of Langtry, Texas and digging out a 300-yard long furrow before finally coming to rest alongside a sandy hill.

Willingham then claims to have returned to the base after completing his mission and switched into a small, private plane in order to go back to the crash site and check it out from the ground:

The aviator returned to the scene of the crash a few hours later, according to Uriarte. “They landed the small plane right alongside the crashed UFO and noticed that a large number of Mexican soldiers had already taken control of the crash site. They had cordoned off the area and would not allow Willingham or Perkins to approach the main part of the wreckage. However, what they were able to see and look at was so amazing that it forever changed their lives.”

Before being forced to leave the area by the Mexican military, Willingham picked up a chunk of strange metal debris that was about the size of a man’s hand. He later tried to burn it, cut it, and otherwise deform it, but he was not able to. “It was a piece of something not of this world,” Uriarte said.

According to one source, U.S. soldiers later showed up at this scene, killed the Mexican entourage, and carted the UFO remains to Area 51...

Now the obvious question I have after reading this is... what did Willingham do with the piece of metal he supposedly picked up? Anybody know?

Cleveland's Mistake

2008-08-12T13:19:00.000-06:00

Mr. Xoom did not post on the Raytheon exoskeleton. That was MacReady.

And yet again, MacReady gets plagiarized! You guys are shameless.

But nice to see you back, Cleveland. Did you find any ghosts or goblins at The Crescent?

Forget the Cloaking Technology, I Want This!

2008-08-12T12:35:00.000-06:00

Cleveland in--

Guys, forget your Predator cloaking technology crap. You're both already invisible enough (and when you're not, you should be). The Raytheon Exoskeleton is the way to go. I know Mr. Xoom posted earlier about this (kinda skimpy post X) but it's worth another look. It really is sort of half Iron Man half Aliens Power Loader.

Wearing one of these, a man can do 500 pull-downs with breaking a sweat! Cutman can't even do one without breaking wind.

Ways to fight wars better? Guess so, but--

Whoa....
Whoa....

Just thought of something...

What if we combine the Raytheon Exoskeleton and the Cloaking Technology?

Exoskeleton meet Cloaking Technology. Cloaking Technology, Exoskeleton.

Now...

Talk.

Cleveland Out.

Calculating Intelligent Life (Part 2)

2008-08-12T11:21:00.000-06:00

Here's part 2 of my original post on calculating intelligent life using the Drake Theory. If you haven't checked it out yet, it's definitely worth a look. Without the previous post, this one will be hard to follow. Cutman... Don't even try.

Please open your Sears Catalogue and follow along as I try to explain my calculation.

Here we go.

N* = 100 Billion

I use this number because that is the general estimation of stars in our galaxy.

Fp = .5%

This is an extremely low fraction of how many stars have planets based on new findings, but I'm being conservative for a reason.

Ne = 1

This is the amount of planets able to sustain life. Recent studies have shown that the Goldilock Zone is getting larger and larger, but for right now, lets assume that each star ecologically has a similar Goldilock Zone to our star system and is only capable of sustain life on one planet. For my equation, lets look at Ne = 1 as a certainty.

Fl = 100%

Here's where my numbers go from conservative to certainty… at least in my mind.

If a planet lies within the Goldilock Zone, it means it lies within the perfect place with the perfect conditions for life to form. If Earth were a tiny bit closer to the sun – we would fry. If Earth were a tiny bit further from the sun, we would freeze.

So looking back at Ne = 1, then it must be said that the conditions are perfect for Fl to equal 100%

Fi = 1%

This is my absolutely novice guess of how many little alien farm animals have evolved into something more intelligent.

Fc = 100%

Fc is used to determine how many intelligent life forms have the ability to communicate. This part seems a little stupid to me. I consider communication to be a vital part in the process of life becoming intelligent, so we'll leave this number at 100% to represent Fi.

FL = 10 billion years (the estimated age of the Milky Way)

Using 10 billion years, we would be assuming that 100% of the intelligent life forms that have evolved since the beginning of the Milky Way haven't somehow blown themselves up with nuclear bombs. Seems pretty optimistic right? Hey what can I say, I probably give humanity and any other intelligent life forms out there more credit than deserved.

So with all that we get N = 5,000,000 or 5 million intelligent life forms have evolved since the formation of the Milky Way.

If we were to make a few adjustments to this calculation for not only our Galaxy, but also the entire universe, we get a much more astounding number.

Right now the current count of stars in the Universe is 70 sextillion and the estimated age of the Universe is 13.37 Billion years old.

Putting those calculations in we get:

N = 4.6795E+14

And I don't even know what the hell that number is, but it's a lot of civilizations.

Now trust me when I say I'm not a mathematician. And trust me when I say I'm sure some of the readers of this will be mathematicians – So I expect fully to be put in my place by someone who knows a lot more about this than me.

More so than anything, I did this for fun and as a way of saying were crazy if we think out of 70 Sextillion stars out there, were the only intelligent civilization around.

Seems pretty arrogant to me.

And this calculation doesn't even dive into the Multiverse theory.

Let the arguments begin.

Calculating Intelligent Life

2008-08-12T09:20:00.001-06:00

Do you know the Drake Equation by heart? If not, here it is. Good luck!

Don’t worry… it’s French to me too. Here’s a basic explanation for us uneducated folks.

The Drake equation (also sometimes called the "Green Bank equation", the "Green Bank Formula," or often erroneously labeled the "Sagan equation") is a famous result in the speculative fields of exobiology and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).

This equation was devised by Dr. Frank Drake (now Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz) in 1960, in an attempt to estimate the number of extraterrestrial civilizations in our galaxy with which we might come in contact. The main purpose of the equation is to allow scientists to quantify the uncertainty of the factors which determine the number of such extraterrestrial civilizations.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give your Mr. Carl Sagan.

Hmm, seems to me like a lot of speculation. If you go over to ActiveMind.com, they’ve got a Drake Equation Calculator that does all the hard work for you.

In my next post, I'll run the numbers and we'll see how many E.T.s this equation determines are running around up there...

Headline: "Superior Post Sucks Ass"

2008-08-12T07:30:00.000-06:00

Well I suppose MacReady and Mr. Xoom are right and Mark's kindergarten cut and paste job were far superior to my post. I guess it takes a lot more thought and ability to completely copy the original article word for word. I let people reading my post have the choice to read the article when they finish.

I also see that MacReady has a new strategy. He'll let us do all the research and then shark the story when he checks the "edit posts" section. Smooth man. There's plenty out there for everyone Mark, do your own work.

Finally, where the hell did you get your picture? It looks like something you'd see on an Atari 2600. How are people supposed to be intrigued by your story when it looks like you've taken a big shit on it?

Oh well, I guess as long as I post good stuff, at least we know MacReady will too.

So suck an ass fellas, keep smiling and celebrating. The Cutman doesn't back down.

P.S. Quit calling me Dick you assholes.

Predator Dreams - So That's What You Guys Were Doing All Day...

2008-08-11T21:31:00.000-06:00

Fantasizing about the new Predator suits science is about to drop on the world, and the naked women you'll finally be able to see, for the first time in your lives, as a result. No wonder you weren't posting...

I must say though, MacReady, your response to Dick's double posting of the Predator image was just classic. Made me laugh out loud.

I will give Dick points for using a cooler Predator pic for his post, though.

RE: The Superior Cloaking Suit Post

2008-08-11T19:42:00.000-06:00

I’m so sorry Dick, I beat you to the post. My predator Cloaking Suit Post was far superior to your inferior post , and better yet… it was first – Which puts you in a distant last!

I’ll always be one step ahead of you!

Now that I know who you are Dick... I know who I am. I'm not a mistake! It all makes sense. In a comic, you know how you can tell who the arch-villain's going to be?

He's the exact opposite of the hero, and most time's they're friends, like you and me.

I should've known way back when. You know why, Dick? Because of the kids. They called me Mr. Right.

That must make you Mr. Wrong.

I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

MacReady can keep his cyber suit, I want one of these!

2008-08-11T17:25:00.000-06:00

Holy crap! The next generation of high school boys may have an edge on their predecessors when it comes to spying on the girls locker room.

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, announced today that they are one step closer to developing cloaking material. Just like the Predator, this technology affects the way light is reflected off of an object. They use metamaterials which are a combination of metal, ceramic, and teflon materials. Read the article here.

So go ahead and get your loader MacReady, I'll stealth your ass with my Dungeons and Dragons cloak.

Predator Cloaking Technology Coming Soon?

2008-08-11T17:23:00.001-06:00

Scientist now say cloaking technology is becoming a reality.

WASHINGTON — Scientists say they are a step closer to developing materials that could render people and objects invisible.

Researchers have demonstrated for the first time they were able to cloak three-dimensional objects using artificially engineered materials that redirect light around the objects. Previously, they only have been able to cloak very thin two-dimensional objects.

The findings, by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, led by Xiang Zhang, are to be released later this week in the journals Nature and Science.

The new work moves scientists a step closer to hiding people and objects from visible light, which could have broad applications, including military ones.

Pretty cool stuff - as long as it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Imagine if the Caped Crusader that Mr. Xoom posted on earlier had had this technology.

So where in the hell is everybody today?

2008-08-11T14:25:00.001-06:00

Kinda eerie that you guys go on a ghost hunt last night and then the only post I see up from you today is an auto-post from Cutman... (great story, though, Cutman)

Really Amazing Story - Kid Uses Personal "Sonar" To See World Around Him

2008-08-11T12:11:00.002-06:00

Sixteen year old, Ben Underwood was just shy of his 2nd birthday when he lost his eyes. He had Bilateral Retinoblastoma, cancer, in both of them and had to grow up in a world without sight.

Ben didn't let it slow him down. In time he learned that when he made clicking noises with his tongue, the sound would bounce of of things around him in different ways. As he honed his sonar or human echolocation, techniques, he became more and more aware of his surroundings until finally his clickings painted an audible "picture" of the world.

In one particular video, he walks down the street pointing out a fire hydrant, a parked car....no wait, it's a large recycling bin. He then schools the interviewer in a game of foosball. (listen to the news guy talk smack) He rides a bike and even plays video games by breaking down the different sounds the characters and environments make. Just watch the videos. This kid blows my mind.

For more info, check out his website.

Here is an introductory video on Ben and his incredible method of "seeing" the world around him. You even get to see him shoot baskets here:

Real Hero Beats Up Robber in a Batman Mask

2008-08-11T09:22:00.001-06:00

This little story from Tulsa, Oklahoma is quite awesome. Some creep in a Batman mask tried to rob a local grocery story. Luckily for the store, the law, and YouTube watchers everywhere, American Airlines Mechanic Craig Stutzman was there to enact his own brand of vigilante justice:

The 44-year-old American Airlines mechanic brawled with an armed man at a Food Pyramid store Thursday, thwarting a robbery, possibly saving lives and putting on a show for the store's surveillance cameras that looked like a pay-per-view mixed martial arts bout.

"I guess you never know how you'll react in a situation like that until it happens, but I just went for it,” Stutzman said.

The fight left Stutzman with a swollen jaw and a dozen stitches on his forehead. Police arrived shortly after Stutzman subdued the gun-wielding man, identified by Tulsa police as Tony Leroy Cleveland, 38.

According to the Tulsa World, the robber tried to shoot his gun at a customer, the gun jammed, and Stutzman went all Paul Kersey on the jerk. Good for him:

One thing that stuck out about this video was how Stutzman's heroics are contrasted by the other customers' "nancy boy"-ness. Now I'm not saying flat out that I would leap at an armed robber and try to take him down... Stutzman's right, nobody can say that until they are in the situation. But I do think I can safely say that if somebody else were in a duel to the death with some maniac I'd jump in and lend the good guy a hand rather, than just sit back and let him do all the heavy lifting.

Yet only two guys in the store initially get anywhere near this brawl, and it takes them forever until they actually do anything. One guy jaws away on the phone and keeps his distance, and another guy keeps running up like he's going to do something before leaping back out of the way anytime the perp makes a move - leaving Stutzman to battle it out basically by himself for an agonizing amount of time. Finally, once the bad guy must be nearing exhaustion, phone man gets a few kicks in and the other customers help the real hero hold the robber down... just in time for them to look like studs as the police roll up.

Well, sorry guys... surveillance cameras caught the whole thing, so now your nancy-ness is on full display, in glorious Techniclor, for the entire world to see.

If this video were recast with the Xoom Team, I'd have to say that I, Mr. Xoom, would obviously be the heroic Stutzman, MacReady would be the one on the phone, calling for help instead of dishing it out himself, and Cleveland would be the little Lord Fauntleroy who jaunts in every time it looks like victory is at hand, only to spring away to a safe distance when baddie twitches a finger or utters some harsh language.

And, oh yeah, I almost forgot - Cutman would obviously be the perp we were all beating the hell out of on camera.

Catharsis, man. Catharsis.

Hat tip: Powerline.

Losing the Yeti in Forgotten Nation of Bhutan

2008-08-11T07:03:00.001-06:00

Found a great article on The Anomalist today about the rapid modernization of the once isolated nation of Bhutan, and the resulting loss of some of its ancient traditions. Bhutan became famous in the 20th Century for its legend of the Abominable Snowman, or "Yeti" - the feared vicious wildman of the Himalayas.

Now, as modern conveniences such as electricity and paved roads are finally reaching the country, the younger generation is beginning to scoff at the terrifying tales of the Yeti as told by their elders:

SIGNYAR, Bhutan (AP) — He remembers the darkness of the pine forest, and the footprints, and his terror when the creature began to howl. He remembers the stories of his childhood, of a beast that stalked the upper reaches of the mountains, and how fear spread through the village every time it was spotted.

In a remote Himalayan kingdom that held out against the modern world for as long as it could, the old man remembers a time when the yeti was a normal part of life.

"The creature has always been out there, and it's out there still," says Sonam Dorji, 77, sitting on the pockmarked wooden floor of his small farmhouse. It's a cold Himalayan morning, and he warms himself beside a wood stove. The smell of burning pine fills the room. "If you travel the ancient trails, even today, there's a good chance you'll meet him."

His son-in-law, listening to the old man's stories, laughs dismissively from across the room.

Tshering Sithar is 39, a bulldozer operator helping pave the road to this village, which until recently could only be reached on foot.

"What is there to say?" he asks. "There's nothing out there in the forest. Any educated person today knows this."

The story goes on to detail a fascinating clash between rapid modernization and the old traditions that are being pushed aside. In a nation that has supposedly advanced 300 - 400 years in the past few decades, the Yeti is becoming increasingly unwelcome.

Just a decade or so ago, the yeti helped explain the often intimidating natural world nearly everyone lived in — the nighttime shadows, the terrifying noises on lonely forest paths, the strange footprints. But increasingly, the sounds of the forest are drowned out by music played on cheap stereos smuggled in from China.

People who no longer need the yeti can dismiss it. Believing, Choden says, "is an implicit sign of being too traditional, or even backward."

Now I'm not saying there's no Yeti - after all, most of the world didn't believe in gorillas until just over a hundred years ago, and the Himalayas are far more remote and inhospitable than the mountains of central Africa - but clearly the burden of proof for such a claim is pretty high.

This kind of marginalization of traditional beliefs is, of course, ripe for a feature film: "young punks who laugh off the Yeti warnings of their forefathers get a surprise on their camping trip". But it's also emblematic of the world as a whole. As access to instant worldwide information and fact-checking becomes the norm, old wives tales are often pushed to the side. And even though there's a temptation to wish we still lived in a world full of the unknown and mysterious, where ghosts and goblins might be hiding around every dark corner of the woods, and isolated magical villages still exist high in the Himalayas, we must ultimately be clear that the new paradigm of prosperity and knowledge is preferable - even if it isn't always quite as fun.

Ghosts Caught On Security Cameras

2008-08-10T11:42:00.000-06:00

A gas station owner in Parma, Ohio got more than he bargained for when watching his security cam footage. He thought he caught a ghost. The image is very blurry and darts around the screen like a real life Slimer. At one point the ghost remained stationary for a half hour before flying out of frame only to return later for some more bizarre aerobatics. Some say it's an out of focus blue plastic bag a la American Beauty. It's a little creepy, but nothing to write home about. The customers at the gas station seem to be pretty amazed. Publicity stunt? Mr. Xoom posted a link to an explanation for the alleged phenomenon.

,

This next one allegedly shows a female figure hovering in the background during a surgery. I won't drop any spoilers, but I don't really know about this one either. Kind of a stretch.

Finally, this one actually gave me the willies a little. It's not that impressive until the end, but then, Boy Howdy.

Just some random youtube ghost moments for you to ruminate on. Someday, when we get the right clearances, we'll upload some of the stuff we've captured on video. It ain't bugs on lenses I can tell you that...

Ghost Video from Asheville High School in North Carolina

2008-08-08T18:02:00.000-06:00

A new ghost video has just come out, this time caught on surveillance video in the wee hours of the morning at Asheville High School in North Carolina:

Surveillance video at Asheville High caught the image of a shadow moving through the school's hallways at 2:51 a.m. last Friday.

The motion activated recorder turned off for 24 seconds, meaning nothing was moving. Then, the shape appeared again above the elevator and traveled to the hallway.

The school's spokesman won't say it's a ghost, but he won't deny the possibility.

Even the custodian has been consulted about this spectral event:

The custodian also thinks there's something other-worldly going on. He says he's seen a lot of unexplainable things over the years, but he expects it in a building that's nearly 100 years old.

Granted, this video is very creepy, but honestly, stuff like this usually turns out to be something as simple as a bug on the lens of the camera.

Now, in other cases like this, I thought the bug explanation was pretty clear, as that's exactly what it looked like to me the first time I saw it(just look at how the thing moved, guys). In this case, though, it doesn't have that immediate look - like something crawling on the lens. That certainly doesn't mean that or a similar explanation is not the cause here, I'm just saying it isn't obviously that this time around.

We'll keep you posted on any developments with this case.

RE: The Tree Man

2008-08-08T16:08:00.000-06:00

I literally just threw up a little in my mouth when I saw this picture. Cutman, I won't say you ruined my day with your post, but at the very least, you set in motion the potential for it to go south from here on out.

I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

The Search for the Egyptian Labyrinth

2008-08-08T14:45:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure how many people are aware of the Labyrinth of ancient Egypt, but it was one of the most impressive structures ever built. Its grandeur, according to ancient witnesses, surpassed even the pyramids. Here is the great contemporary historian Herodotus describing his visit to this Egyptian wonder:

“Yet the temple at Ephesus and that in Samos are surely remarkable. The pyramids, too, were greater than words can tell, and each of them is the equivalent of many of the great works of the Greeks; but the labyrinth surpasses the pyramids also.

It has twelve covered courts – six in a row facing north, six south – the gates of the one range exactly fronting the gates of the other. Inside, the building is of two storeys and contains three thousand rooms, of which half are underground, and the other half directly above them. I was taken through the rooms in the upper storey, so what I shall say of them is from my own observation, but the underground ones I can speak of only from report, because the Egyptians in charge refused to let me see them, as they contain the tombs of the kings who built the labyrinth, and also the tombs of the sacred crocodiles. The upper rooms, on the contrary, I did actually see, and it is hard to believe that they are the work of men; the baffling and intricate passages from room to room and from court to court were an endless wonder to me, as we passed from a courtyard into rooms, from rooms into galleries, from galleries into more rooms and thence into yet more courtyards. The roof of every chamber, courtyard, and gallery is, like the walls, of stone. The walls are covered with carved figures, and each court is exquisitely built of white marble and surrounded by a colonnade.”

Next Herodotus describes Lake Moeris, where the Labyrinth was located:

The length of the lake is north and south, and its depth at the deepest is 50 fathoms [300 feet]. That it is handmade and dug, it itself is the best evidence. For in about the middle of the lake stand two pyramids that top the water, each one by 50 fathoms [300 feet], and each built as much again underwater; and on top of each there is a huge stone figure of a man sitting on a throne.

This stuff sounds like something out of Lord of the Rings.

Here is Strabo describing his visit to the Labyrinth in the first century B.C. for his "Geography":

“In front of the entrances are crypts, as it were, which are long and numerous and have winding passages communicating with one another, so that no stranger can find his way either into any court or out of it without a guide. But the marvellous thing is that the roof of each of the chambers consists of a single stone, and that the breadths of the crypts are likewise roofed with single slabs of surpassing size, with no intermixture anywhere of timber or of any other material.”

Though some have claimed to have found the site over the years, for all practical purposes the location of the Labyrinth remains a mystery - probably buried in the sands of Lybia.

Does the Xoom team want to break out the passports and go digging for some history? Cause I would love to get a look at this place...

Hat tip: The Anomalist.

The Tree Man

2008-08-08T13:04:00.000-06:00

He lost his job, his wife left him with two kids and to make ends meet he has to appear in a local freak show. He is, "The Tree Man".

An Indonesian fisherman named Dede fell and cut his knee when he was a child, from that moment on life would be pretty rough. He began to develop tree root-like growths from his hands and feet. First they were annoying, but they grew so large that soon he was unable to carry out simple chores. Eventually the crusty welts had spread all over his body, baffling local doctors and making Dede the subject of ridicule, to many of the locals.

Now, American dermatologist, Dr Anthony Gaspari of the University of Maryland, thinks he has identified the cause and possibly, has a cure. Dr. Gaspari contends that Dede's growths are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus or HPV. Most of us have danced with HPV at one time or another, it's what causes warts. Apparently, Dede has a genetic defect that prevents his immune system from keeping the warts reigned in. In essence, the virus commandeered his skin cells and tricked them into producing these wicked appendages.

Dr. Gaspari thinks there is a very good chance he can help Dede. Through daily doses of synthetic Vitamin A, the warts should reduce in size and number within a few months. He won't be back to normal, but he will be able to use his hands again. A little further down the road the "cutaneous horns" on his hands and feet could be surgically removed and the more resilient wart patches could be frozen off.

Dede just wants to live to see his grandkids, and now, thanks to Dr. Gaspari and good old vitamin A, he just might get to.

RE: Remote Viewing

2008-08-08T10:36:00.000-06:00

Nice post on remote viewing, Dick. I never really thought it could work, but if they say anyone can do it maybe I should give it a go? Hmmm, let's see - how about I try to concentrate and remote view you, Cutman? Okay, here goes...

...

...

...

You're fat.

Holy shit, it works!

And not only that, but I happened to have some modeling clay here on the desk while I was concentrating on remote viewing you, and when I opened my eyes after coming out of my trance, I discovered, to my shock, that my hands had auto-sculpted my remote viewing experience! Here's the picture I got of you in my mind's eye, perfectly recreated in sculpture:

Eerie, isn't it? Yes, that was Richard Cutman on the toilet passing this morning's Krispy Kreme; captured psychically as it happened by CW. Well now we've proven that there's something to remote viewing after all, haven't we? Awesome, dude.

Remote Viewing: Apparently has nothing to do with the TV controller

2008-08-08T09:30:00.000-06:00

Let's talk about Technical Remote Viewing. Sounds technical. TRV is the ability to consistently obtain data on demand from a distant place without any actual contact. Just by focusing your thoughts on a subject. Basically, if I'm in New York and you're in Alaska, I could draw or write down what's in your pocket or what color shirt you're wearing. Pretty neato. There are actually more valuable benefits: espionage, finding kidnap victims, searching for missing persons, etc.

The skill requires intense practice and dedication. Your conscious mind doesn't even know what you're doing, this way the information won't be contaminated by your own bias or how many drinks you've had that afternoon. Following the "viewing", while writing down the data retrieved, the "viewer" is plugged into the "collective unconscious" or Matrix! Whoa... no way!

I've heard about this for years. I've read stories about the government fighting wars with armies of prone remote viewer spies. I've listened to remote viewers on Art Bell's show, telling their tales and selling themselves. I just don't know how much to believe about it.

PSI Tech, which touts itself as the "founders of the remote viewing industry" offers virtual training using Professor Ideo to school you on the ins and outs of seeing remotely. You can read this article about the program written by a guy with a really cool mustache.

I would really like to see a demonstration of that can be confirmed. PSI Tech says that everyone is capable of developing this skill. So if someone proves that it actually works, you can sign me up.

This is really sad... Mr. T in hot water!

2008-08-07T21:27:00.001-06:00

Mr. T. was set to star in a campaign for Snickers called "get some nuts". They have filmed at least one hilarious commercial for it so far, but now the campaign is sadly being pulled by Mars because of misplaced political correctness.

Here is the "offensive" ad:

If Mr. T. didn't exist, we'd have to invent him to make the world that much more worth living in.

Now apparently, that ad is "homophobic" according to some, even though only two people have complained in the entire country of Great Britain, which is the only place thus far the ad has aired.

However, a bunch of sticks in the mud in the U.S. have gotten wind of the ad and launched a campaign at getting it yanked from the air. Sadly, Mars has caved, pulling the entire campaign worldwide, and yet again, the touchy busybodies among us have made the world a little less fun to live in... and for no good reason.

If gay people want to become completely accepted as part of mainstream American society, which they of course should be, then they have to accept a key component of that status - ridicule. EVERY group in America gets poked fun at one way or another, from Rednecks to NASCAR fans to teen girls to PETA to Christians to whoever. Being able to take a little ribbing is part of being an American, and trying to be above that is not only wrong, but is keeping you "separate" by your own ridiculous making.

There's nothing wrong with a little joking around here and there... we all get it, so why should gay people be any different?

Here is Mr. T. defending himself on Bill O'Reilly:

You may think this story doesn't really fall under the purview of the paranormal or unexplained, but I disagree. I think it's borderline paranormal; certainly unexplainable, how so many people can be so humorless and controlling as to have an innocent, funny ad pulled because they have found a way to be "offended" by it.

Grow up, guys, and learn to laugh at yourself. You'll feel a lot better. I promise.

Hat Tip: Hot Air.

CALIFORNIA’S GOT A FEVER, AND THE ONLY PERSCRIPTION IS MORE COWBELL.

2008-08-07T20:15:00.000-06:00

What the hell is this all about?

The ground is so hot in one part of Southern California it can melt the shoes right off your feet.

An unexplained "thermal anomaly" caused a patch of land in Ventura County, just north of Los Angeles, to reach a temperature of over 800 degrees on Friday, baffling experts who have been monitoring the area for weeks.

The anomaly was discovered after the land got so hot that it started a brush fire and burned three acres last month.

Firefighters were brought to the scene after reports of a blaze, but by the time they arrived only smoldering dirt and brush remained.

That sounds pretty crazy. Must be one of two things: A Geothermal Anomaly – Or…something completely different, something much more sinister. Dun Dun Dun…

Okay, so I know that’s ridiculous, but it seemed like a good lead in for the Audio Recordings of Hell, but that’s another story for later.

All right, back to the real explanations now.

One theory is that natural hydrocarbons, such as oil or gas, are burning deep in the earth and seeping out through cracks in the area, causing the surface to rapidly heat and generate smoke.

According to the Star, Allen King, a former geologist with the U.S. Forest Service recently stuck a thermometer into the ground and got a reading of 550 degrees — so hot that it melted the glue holding the sole of his boots together.

"After that we were more cautious about standing in one place for too long," he said.

Sounds to me like you shouldn’t be standing there at all.

RE: Droid Army

2008-08-07T18:15:00.000-06:00

Nice post on the Droid Army. Here's a video that further shows how far robotics have come. I feel it'll be a while before we have a T-1000, T-850 series Model 101, or even an ED-209 patrolling the streets of Iraq, but nonetheless... this is quite impressive.

Kudos to the guys over at Sarcos.

Here Comes Planet X or Run For Your Life, The Earth Is Screwed!

2008-08-07T16:02:00.000-06:00

Hurricanes like nothing we've ever seen. "Herds" of tornadoes wreaking havoc across the heartland. Constant earthquakes and volcanic activity. These are just a few of the things that will besiege mankind, heralding the arrival of Nibiru, the tenth planet or Planet X.

Planet X is supposedly the tenth planet in our solar system, I guess it would actually be the ninth considering Pluto's demotion, but we'll still call it the tenth planet. It resides in an elliptical orbit that takes it out past Pluto then back around the sun, about every 3600 years. It's always so far away that no one can actually see it. Most of the time.

Astronomers first became aware of a possible new planet in the eighties, when they noticed strange perturbations in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. For awhile, many held Pluto responsible, but Pluto is far to small to cause these changes.

The Sumerians were actually the first to describe the tenth planet. According to Sumerian cuneiform tablets, Nibiru, which means, "Planet of the Crossing", is home to a super advanced race called the Anunnaki. The Anunnaki taught the Sumerians everything they knew. These alien beings were gods who would someday return and wreak a little hell.

Many Planet X believers think that the return of Nibiru was foretold by the Mayans. The claim is that the Mayan calender ends December 23, 2012, and that means the end of the world as we know it.

The stuff I described at the beginning is just the precursor, the real fun happens when Planet X actually passes between us and the sun. Allegedly, Nibiru will come so close that our planet will wobble like a drunk for a few days and then the poles will completely shift. More earthquakes, icecap melting, typhoons, calamity, etc. The surface of the planet will be completely changed. Vast portions of the continental US will be under water. Civilization will come to an end. The roughly 7% of humanity that survives will have to live in this crazy, Inconvenient Truth, world for several years until the poles right themselves again(?)

I'm really just scratching the surface here. There is more information out there on this thing than you could possibly ever need. From aliens, to God and fallen angels. Secret government cover ups and underground star wars, this little ghost planet has shaken up a lot of people.

HITLER: A UFO Flying MO-FO?

2008-08-07T13:25:00.000-06:00

While doing various research online, I somehow always end up finding a Nazi / UFO connection. Although I find many of the pictures and evidence presented online rather ridiculous and absurd, there does seem to be a few shreds of truth still lurking out there.

So what was "The Bell?" What about the "Fly Trap?" Were the Nazis developing anti-gravity based UFO’s?

I found a few quotes over at Wiki that would support the information presented in the previous video.

Sir Roy Feddon, Chief of the Technical Mission to Germany for the Ministry of Aircraft Production, stated in 1945:

“I have seen enough of their designs and production plans to realize that if they (the Germans) had managed to prolong the war some months longer, we would have been confronted with a set of entirely new and deadly developments in air warfare.”
In 1956, Captain Edward J. Ruppelt, Chief of the US Air Force Project Bluebook, stated the following:

“When WWII ended, the Germans had several radical types of aircraft and guided missiles under development. The majority were in the most preliminary stages, but they were the only known craft that could even approach the performance of objects reported to UFO observers.”

It’s worth noting that after WWII, many of Germany’s top scientists immediately became some of America’s top scientist.

The front page of The New York Times on November 17, 1945, bore a curiously vague headline: “88 German Scientists Reach Here, Reputedly With Top War Secrets.” The scientists had arrived on a converted ocean liner the day before—60 years ago today—and been immediately “whisked away” aboard a fleet of buses. “Unusual precautions were taken to keep the arrival secret, and reporters who went on board the ship and found the eighty-eight men waiting to land … were warned away,” the Times reported. The paper speculated that the group’s arrival was the result of a program announced weeks earlier by the War Department to bring German scientists to America, and in spite of the secrecy, the Times guessed right. Men who just seven months earlier had been at war with the United States were being ushered onto our shores by the government. The purpose: to jump-start American high-tech industry.

Did they bring the secrets of Nazi technologies, anti-gravity, or even working designs for UFO’s to America as well? If so, I sure hope their design plans were better than the ones Mr. Xoom posted a few weeks back. No matter what I do, that stubborn-assed saucer just refuses to take flight.

Our 100th Post!

2008-08-07T12:05:00.000-06:00

Not much of a milestone for many blogs out there, but nonetheless I'm proud to say that Cutman's "Mea Culpa... I Are A Dumbass" post was Xoom's 100th blog post. Not bad for having only been around a couple of weeks with a few days off for field work. We'll keep doing our best to bring you stuff worth reading.

And by the way, we're getting some great tips from you guys on possible phenomenon to investigate, so keep 'em coming.

Cool Faux Ghost

2008-08-07T10:30:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I've showed my ass by posting something fake as legitimate, now I'm gonna post something that I know is fake, but still pretty cool.

The video in question is supposed to show a pantry door being opened by an invisible force. After the door is closed and the camera backs away we see a child behind the glass. When the door is opened again the child is gone.

There are many ways one could pull this off, but I think this guy used fishing line to open the door. After the child appears, the recording is paused, child removed, resume taping, show child is not there.

Check it out. Fakes can be fun too.

Mea Culpa... I are a Dumbass

2008-08-07T07:45:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I get so caught up in something that I fail to do my very best. This is one of those occasions.

I don't know how I found it originally, but through some random page jumping I ended up watching the "Fallen Angel" video. My overly skeptical mind tends to filter out the usual phony baloney, but sometimes, against all odds, things slip through. I got creeped out and became obsessed with finding English subtitles rather than digging for the truth. I guess I wouldn't really have had to dig, but that's not the point.

The bottom line is this: I apologize for not doing my job. We have a responsibility to do our best to bring you guys the truth. I blew it.

I don't mind my reputation being called into question, but I hope I haven't compromised the integrity of this project. Kudos to Mr. Xoom for calling me out on a job undone. I will strive to bring you nothing short of the very best from this day forward.

Again, my most sincere apologies, to my team, my friends, but most of all, to you, our readers.

P.S. The Cutman does not bang cattle.

Skynet coming online - USA To Have "Droid Army" In the Near Future

2008-08-06T20:14:00.001-06:00

I guess we better start training our kids John Connor style post-haste:

The U.S. military may be 30 percent robotic by the year 2020, according to Doug Few and Bill Smart of Washington University in St. Louis.

"When the military says 'robot' they mean everything from self-driving trucks up to what you would conventionally think of as a robot. You would more accurately call them autonomous systems rather than robots," says Smart, assistant professor of computer science and engineering.

At present, all of the U.S. Army's robots are teleoperated. Current military policy is to leave human beings "in the loop" for important decision-making.

Sure, that is until these bots become "self-aware" and decide to take us out of the loop. Haven't we watched enough James Cameron movies and Outer Limits episodes to respect the powers we're meddling with here?

Bonus: South Korea and some other countries are working on robots that DO NOT have humans "in the loop" in target and fire operations...

No Fate.

Re: Creepy Video Shows Fallen Angel

2008-08-06T17:23:00.002-06:00

Cutman,

The video you posted was very cool, but I'm a little perplexed by your questions about it, since right there in the comments section to the clip you linked a guy posts a link to the website where these hoaxers explain how they produced this piece...

I'm glad you said you were skeptical in your original post, but too many more boners like that and you're going to diminish our reputation as crack investigators of the unexplained...

Nice police work, Lou.

The Earth Is Growing?

2008-08-06T15:03:00.001-06:00

Yeah Right? Next they'll be saying the earth isn’t flat.

In all seriousness though, I love this video below. When something questions conventional science the way this does, it just puts a smile on my face.

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Now, as I said before, I love this video…but that in no way is my declaration as a follower of the expanding earth theory. There are many arguments towards the expanding earth theory, but overall the scientific community has dismissed it. If the majority of intelligent people are against something, then chances are they're right. Of course that's not to say that history hasn't proved that crap wrong in the past. If your not a visual person and couldn’t quite follow the video, your IQ is on par with Cutman and you should see a doctor, but non the less, here’s a brief explanation as to what the expanding earth theory is.

The Expanding Earth theory is an attempt to explain the position and movement of continents (continental drift) on the surface of the Earth. The expanded earth theory (and plate tectonics) incorporates the appearance of new crustal material at mid-ocean ridges, but the process of subduction is largely absent in this model. In this model the continents drifted away from each other because of further expansion at the rip-zones, where oceans currently lie. The result is an increasing radius of the earth.

The theory has a relatively small following today, compared with the almost universally accepted theory of plate tectonics, and is considered to be discredited by mainstream geologists. Many of those that remain are proponents of the ideas of the late Australian geologist S. Warren Carey. While Carey's ideas were popular for a time in the 1950s and 1960s, most workers in earth science believe that evidence collected over the last several decades supports a fixed size Earth, due to subduction, over the expanded Earth.

Here’s another video that questions plate tectonic theory.

Let me know what all you scientist out there think.

From the 'Uh oh, who let Cutman out again?' Files - "Fiend Had Sex With 400 Cows"

2008-08-06T12:52:00.001-06:00

Do we need to bail Cutman out again guys?

A TWISTED oddball with an insatiable animal fetish was arrested after allegedly having sex with 400 cows.

The 53-year-old cleaner told police he did not fancy women and only cows and horses got him randy.

I don't know... I guess it could've been some other pervert out there...

Among the clues he left behind at every scene were empty packages of the same cookies. Police found another packet on him when they arrested him.

Nope, that's definitely Cutman, alright.

In all seriousness, the guy they caught doing this was an absolute sicko - even more than in the obvious cow-screwing way. He evidently tortured and killed most of his bovine sex partners after he did the business. They say he killed about 400 cows in four years, and he could get five years in jail for the material losses of the local farmers.

He deserves much more, in my opinion.

Creepy Video Shows Alleged Fallen Angel

2008-08-06T10:45:00.002-06:00

I came across something the other night that kind of creeped me out. I'm very skeptical of these kinds of things, but this one is definitely worth watching once.

I don't know a whole lot about it. I know that it supposedly takes place in Catalonia. I know that it sounds like two men are looking for something. I know that they come across something that looks really weird. I know that it's not the "Fallen Angel" from the 1988 Poison video.

I won't really go into what a fallen angel is because I could go on for hours. Many different people think they are many different things, aliens from Planet X, to actual, heavenly angels who have fallen from God's grace.

Watch the video here. I don't know if the subtitles are accurate. People looking for John Travolta's, Michael or Nicolas Cage in City of Angels, need not click. I remain very skeptical, but want to know what everyone else thinks.