The Poe Toaster

Last night, it happened again. Every year on January 19th, a mysterious man pays a late night visit to the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground in Baltimore, Maryland. Dressed in black from head to toe, his face hidden by a scarf and a silver-tipped cane in one hand, the man glides through the cemetery and stops in front of an old gravestone. There, he deposits three red roses on the grave and pulls out a bottle of cognac. He toasts the man who was once buried beneath his feet before resting the bottle against the headstone and quickly exiting the graveyard.

Since 1949, the same scene has taken place at Edgar Allen Poe's original gravesite on the anniversary of the great author's birth. No one knows (for sure) who the "Poe Toaster" is--or what led him to start such an unusual tradition. In recent years, crowds of spectators have begun waiting inside the cemetery, hoping to catch a glimpse of the black-clad figure. Usually, they keep a respectful distance. (There was one unfortunate incident in 2006.) This year over 150 people gathered to witness the spectacle. Thankfully all those present allowed the Poe Toaster to go about his business in peace.

For more information (and to see the only known picture of the Poe Toaster), click here.

The Floating Schoolhouse and More!

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you've already seen pictures of the Chinese schoolhouse located inside a cave. Now you can marvel at a floating school (shown above), an underground school, and a school made from shipping containers! Check them out here.

Buy Me a Ticket to Sweden!

Some savvy Swedes have come up with a novel way to attract tourists to their country's wilderness. They plan to build the world's largest moose. (Now why didn't I think of that?) By 2009, the enormous wooden creature will grace the top of Mount Vithatten. According to its creators, it will be "a destination for people all over the world, [and] a monument dedicated to wilderness, nature and the king of the forest." Awesome. (Though I'm still not sure if it's all just a hoax.)

I may sound like I'm poking fun at the moose-builders, but I'm not. The next time I'm in Sweden I will DEFINITELY plan a visit!

Read more, watch a movie, and purchase shares in the project here!

Deadly Souvenirs

(Above: The mysterious Uluru)

Earlier this week, a reader sent a link to a very interesting story out of Australia. (Thanks, Elizabeth!) A small town in the outback recently celebrated the return of an antique boomerang that had been stolen from its museum in 1983. The thief--an American tourist, I'm sad to report--had finally sent the artifact back to its rightful owners along with a check. He didn't explain why he'd chosen to return the boomerang after so many years--but I suspect I know the answer.

See, the story also mentioned a phenomenon known in Australia as "sorry rocks." Every year, tourists steal stones from the giant red rock formation called Uluru, despite warnings that the site is sacred to the local Aborigines. Many of those stones eventually make their way back to Uluru--mailed by people who believe the "sorry rocks" have brought them terrible luck. According to some reports, at least one pilfered rock is returned to Uluru every day, and many are accompanied by desperate notes of apology.

I thought of the "sorry rocks" when I stumbled upon another story this morning. A young Czech man recently died in a bizarre fire, and when the authorities arrived at his apartment to investigate, they discovered thousands of priceless prehistoric treasures. Pins, brooches, spears, bowls, and rings--each worthy of a place in a museum. Archaeologists believe the young man had been using a metal detector to locate and plunder ancient graves near Prague. Unfortunately for the young man, it appears he never had a chance to say he was sorry. Read more (and see pictures) here.




Of course the most famous "deadly souvenirs" were those taken from the tomb of King Tut. You've probably heard of the terrible curse that afflicted many of those responsible for opening the tomb. (If you haven't, click here.) But you may not know that some say the curse is still active. One British woman claims to have come across a forgotten collection of artifacts that her husband's grandfather had taken from Tut's tomb shortly after it was discovered. Since the day of her discovery, she's experienced nothing but illness, tragedy and heartbreak. Unfortunately, her family refuses to sell the items (which are said to be worth more than $2 million). Perhaps a letter of apology is in order? Let's hope she sends one before she suffers the same fate as a German man who stole an artifact from an Egyptian tomb three years ago. Read his tale here.

So what's the moral of this story? Be careful what you take!

Tentacle Arm or Monsterskin Rug?

"While we've been using our primitive, apelike arms like a bunch of jerks, the squids of the world have been clutching their prey with their superior tentacles and laughing at us. Until now! For the first time, you can have tentacles of your very own. Equipped with suction cups and plenty of creepy greenness." Purchase this masterpiece here.

Or perhaps the Monsterskin Rug from Longoland is more your style?

Russia's Mysterious Wooden Sphere

Deep in the woods of western Russia sits an enormous wooden ball. No one knows how it got there or what function it was meant to serve. Curious locals have been visiting the site for decades, hoping to solve the mystery of the giant sphere (or make a little money out of it). However, according to the website English Russia, all they've been able to uncover are "a few holes of strange shape and 'radioactive' sign." Uh oh.

Thoughts?

More Giant Beasts Discovered!

A researcher in New Zealand claims that he recently discovered fresh moa footprints. The twelve-foot-tall flightless birds are thought to have become extinct around 1500. Read more here.




In South America, scientists have uncovered the remains of a giant prehistoric "rat" that weighed more than a ton and would have reached the size of a car. More here and here.

Your Own Private Floating Paradise

In 1998, artist and environmentalist Richie Sowa decided to move to a deserted tropical island. When he couldn't find an island that suited him, he simply made one of his own. Using thousands of empty plastic water bottles, he created a floating paradise complete with "a two-story house, solar oven, self-composting toilet and multiple beaches." Several years later, the original island was destroyed by a hurricane, but Richie's already at work on a new one.

Read more here, and watch the amazing video below.

Digging for Gold in England

All copies of a pamphlet meant to introduce tourists to a beautiful nature trail in the English countryside may soon be destroyed. Angry authorities claim the cover of the pamphlet, "does not represent our youth in the best light."

What's the problem? Seems the photographer managed to catch a young girl in the middle of picking her nose. Strangely enough, no one seemed offended by the kid in the bizarre lamb hat. More here.

The Witches' Revenge

In 1650, more than a dozen "witches" were executed in the British city of Newcastle, and their bodies heaped together in a mass grave. Now, several centuries later, their remains are said to be resurfacing. First, workers uncovered bones and skulls while digging a ditch around St. Andrew’s Church. Then, more bones began to appear in the churchyard, rising to the surface whenever it rained.

But anyone seeking a gruesome souvenir should heed the warnings of the church's caretaker. It seems one of the ditch diggers picked up a skull he'd found and showed it off to his friends. The next day, he woke to find his arms covered with sores and lesions that his doctor couldn't explain.

Perhaps the women (and one man) are still a bit angry about their fate. Back in the 17th century, Newcastle's citizens were paid a handsome sum for each "witch" they turned over to the authorities. As a result, innocent people were often accused of witchcraft and sent to early graves. It's unlikely that the witches buried near St. Andrew's Church were guilty of of anything other than being a little eccentric.

Read more about the Newcastle witches (and see a video) here.

Creatures I Thought Were Mythical, Part One: The Liger

Half tiger, half lion, one gigantic kitty. Thanks, Genevieve!

Time to Become a Vegetarian?

The FDA just announced that the meat and milk from most cloned animals is safe to sell. Right now, cloned animals are too expensive to sell as food. But they could be used to breed, and in a couple of years, their descendants may start showing up on supermarket shelves.

International Mastermind, you were right. This is a far more pressing issue than I thought!

More here.

Fluffy Goes to Battle

The battle between two age-old enemies just got tougher. Canadian artist Jeff de Boer has created specially designed suits of armor for both mice and their deadly foes--cats. Boy do I wish I had some pets right now. How hilarious would it be to have your cat wandering around in a full set of armor?

Check out more pictures (and learn how to make a Samurai Cat) here.

Your Chance to Spend the Night In an Abandoned Drain Pipe

In a park just outside of Linz, Austria, you'll find one of the world's most unusual hotels. Each of the "rooms" in Dasparkhotel was constructed from a piece of abandoned drain pipe. Artist Andreas Strauss oversaw the project, ensuring that each of the chambers was comfortable and stylish.

According to the hotel's website, the accomodations include: double bed, storage, light, power, woolly blanket and light cotton sleeping bag. All other facilities (toilets, showers, minibar, cafe, etc) are supplied by the surrounding public space.

The best thing about Daskparkhotel, however, may be the price. You just pay what you wish. Unfortunately, they're only open during the summer, so you might want to make your reservations now.

One of this blog's readers sent me this link, but I can't find the original comment! Sorry about that, dear reader, and thanks so much for the tip! (UPDATE: Thanks Nina aka Claire!)

A Touching Story of Two Unlikely Friends

Louis is an eighteen-month-old giant Pacific octopus. Mr. Potato Head is a plastic vegetable who enjoys dressing up. Who'd have thought they'd end up best friends?

When Louis recently took up residence at an English aquarium, scientists at the facility worried that he might get a little bored. Octopi, you see, are extremely intelligent creatures, and their curiosity must be constantly stimulated if they're to remain happy and healthy. So the scientists decided to introduce Louis to Mr. Potato Head. Now the two play together for hours at a time, and Louis can get quite testy when it's time for Mr. Potato Head to leave.

Of course their friendship isn't hurt by the fact that the scientists use the secret compartment inside Mr. Potato Head to hide special treats, like fresh crab meat. But there's no reason to tell Mr. Potato Head that.

More here.

Kiki Strike in Russian!

Earlier this weekend, I received a surprising shipment from Russia. Inside were several copies of the book shown above, the Russian edition of Kiki Strike. When I opened the package, I nearly shrieked with delight. The cover is AMAZING. (The picture here doesn't even begin to do it justice.) It's a shiny iridescent, dragonfly green, with touches of silver and gold. It also features one of the best depictions of Kiki that I've ever seen. (Of course the Russians would know what a Cossack hat looks like!)

Kudos to the Russian artist responsible. I LOVE it! (And I always wanted to see Kiki's name written in the Cyrillic alphabet.)

Rotten Shark Surprise

MMM. I'm hungry now.

A Monster for Every Day of the Year

Every day in 2007, the mysterious artist behind MyProject365 posted a new drawing. Each shows a monster roaming the streets of an unidentified city. (Most of the pictures look like the may have been taken somewhere in Asia.) Together, the 365 drawings form an amazing collection. It just goes to show what you can accomplish if you try to do just a little each day.

The Peter Pans of the Animal Kingdom

This is an axolotl. It's not only the cutest animal on Earth (aside from the beluga whale), it's also one of the strangest. Axolotls can only be found in one tiny corner of the planet--the lakes on which Mexico City was built. (That's right--the original Aztec city was built on artificial islands in the middle of Lake Texcoco. More on that in a later post.)

Technically, these creatures never (OK, rarely) grow up. The Peter Pans of the animal kingdom, they're actually the larva of a salamander species, and they can live for ten years without turning into adults.

As you might expect (cause they're so cute), axolotls are popular pets in Japan, where they're called Wooper Roopers. In Mexico, they're considered a tasty dish, and you can purchase them at markets throughout Mexico City.

(Below: The Aztec lake city of Tenochtitlan.)

Disgusting Health News from Around the World

Feeling a little weak and stiff, an otherwise healthy Chinese woman recently paid a visit to her doctor. When her test results were analyzed, the source of her complaints was revealed. The woman had only HALF A BRAIN. Even more surprising, the woman had lived a completely normal life for over thirty-nine years, and (according to her mother) even graduated from high school with good grades.

Late last year, an woman arrived at a hospital in Ghatkopar, India, complaining of head pain and a foul odor issuing from her nose. X-rays revealed a three-inch piece of a broken toothbrush lodged in her nasal cavity. How the toothbrush reached that particular location has been a source of some controversy. Was it an accident, as the woman claims, or was the toothbrush rammed up her nose by an assailant? More disgusting details (and a picture of the toothbrush) here.

Many thanks to Kad for sending these two stories!

(Above: The latest in bizarre nurse-inspired fashion from Louis Vuitton.)

Why Go to School If You're Already a GENIUS?

Ten-year-old Diego Palacios decided that Christmas break wasn't long enough this year. So instead of returning to school after the holidays, he opted to glue himself to his bed. Using industrial strength shoe adhesive, he attached his hand to the headboard of his bed. It took police and paramedics two hours to free him.

All that hard work and they sent him to school anyway. Read more here.

Nice try, Diego.

The Monstrous Machines of Nantes

If you happen to be in the vicinity of Nantes, France, you will definitely want to pay a visit to an exhibit entitled "Les Machines de l'Ile Nantes." Created by the artists François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice, the exhibit features an astounding variety of mechanical beasts and monsters, including a giant squid! Each enormous machine also functions as a moving vehicle. Oh the things I could do with a squidmobile!

See more photos by Claude Joannis here at Dark Roasted Blend!

That's Why They Call Them Wild

According to Britain's Daily Mail, the pictures you see above show an American tourist (they made sure to point out that he's American) being hauled into the jungle by a giant gorilla.

The man was on a sightseeing excursion in a mountainous region on the border of Uganda and the Congo when he and his fellow hikers came across the gorilla. At first the beast seemed docile, but then it charged unexpectedly, grabbing the man by his windbreaker and dragging him away. Who knows what might have happened if the park ranger hadn't had the wisdom to distract the gorilla long enough for the man to make his escape?

But here's my question. Which one of the guy's friends stood back and took pictures while he was being dragged off? With friends like that, who needs man-hating, homicidal gorillas?

See more at the Daily Mail website.

The Painting Elephant

This is pretty remarkable. I've heard of elephants who paint before, but I've never seen one create portraits of other elephants! My favorite part? When the artist/elephant is critiquing the paintings at the end.

Vertigo, Anyone?

Artist Julian Beever creates amazing 3-D pavement drawings throughout Europe and the US. See more of his marvelous artwork here.

Big thanks to Hania for introducing us to him! (Hania--did you take your own pics?)

It's Super-Cute Time

I couldn't resist posting this adorable picture from The Economist.

Fruit Salad for Everyone!

Japanese gardener Manabu Fukushima is the proud owner of a tree that produces 11 different kinds of fruit, including "dekopon, hassaku orange, iyoyan, amanatsu, and banpeiyu, a variety of pummelo." (I don't even know what half of those are, which makes it that much more impressive.)

How did he come by such a tree? Find out here.

Is This a Doorway on Mars?

New NASA photos have revealed what looks like a "man-made" door on the side of a mountain on the surface of Mars. Of course the experts claim that it's merely a geological formation, but I like to think that it's the entrance to the Martian's secret underground lair.

You can see more pictures, and read a fascinating post about the possiblity of sending humans to Mars, on The Daily Galaxy blog.

The Lesser Kiki?

The illustration shown above was the winner in a monster-drawing contest sponsored by the UK's Guardian newspaper. The creature depicted is known as the "Lesser Kiki." According to its creator, the beast "attaches itself to a banana tree and waits for a human/animal to pluck and eat one of the bananas on its back. When this happens, the creature’s energy is drained away for the rest of the day and cannot move. And another two bananas grow on its back."

Should we be offended? Flattered? Confused?

See the other finalists here.

Looking for a $50 Mona Lisa?

Ever wanted a Van Gogh painting for your boudoir or a Picasso for your playroom? Unless you're related to a billionaire, you might want to take a trip to Den Fen Village in China. It's home to more than 5,000 talented artists who will happily "recreate" your favorite work of art. Just think--for around $50 US, you can be the proud owner of the Mona Lisa! (Visit the town's website here.)

The artists in Den Fen Village sell reproductions--not forgeries. But as you know from The Empress's Tomb, there are plenty of people out there with a lot of talent and few scruples. Case in point: The Greenhalgh family. Olive (82), George (83), and their son Shaun (47) seemed like any other English family until the police raided their modest home in 2006. Turns out the Greenhalghs had been operating one of the most profitable art forgery operations in recent history. Over the years, they had sold sculptures and paintings to museums around the world. Some of their work had fetched prices of almost one million dollars! Read about their operation--and their arrest here.

(Below: The Greenlaugh's and one of their forgeries.)




Believe it or not, there's still hope for the Greenhalghs. John Myatt made a fortune in the 80s and 90s selling forged works of art to hapless collectors and museums. (Many of Myatt's paintings have never been identified as fakes!) In 1995, he went to jail for his crimes. Now he's a free man, and he's making an honest living selling his own paintings. In fact, he's making a very good living. His paintings, done in the style of famous artists, are in great demand. In fact, there are now people forging Myatt's work! Watch a video here.

It's Raining Iguanas

(Above: Enjoying a nice little nap.)

On Wednesday night, it rained iguanas in South Florida. When the temperature dipped to near freezing, the large lizards began dropping out of the trees. Apparently, the cold puts them to sleep, and they remain in a state of "suspended animation" until their bodies are warmed by the sun. Then the pests magically come to life and return to nibbling on Florida's endangered plant species.

More here.

UPDATE JANUARY 8:

Here's what happens to the kind souls who try to save the frozen iguanas. “One sweet lady . . . was so worried after seeing an iguana fall out of her tree. She thought it was dead and frozen. We told her not to take it into the house. It was a big one, maybe 5 feet. But you know how people are. When it woke up, she couldn't understand why it seemed to be coming after her. She couldn't get it to leave.”

More here.

Shopping in the Twilight Zone

In 2005, a Prada store showed up in the desert outside of Marfa, Texas. It's still there today, though it's never sold a single pair of shoes. It just sits on the side of a lonesome highway, beckoning passersby with its pretty lights and unattainable leather goods.

After a great deal of speculation on the part of the Internet community, the Prada store was revealed to be the work of two German artists, who were clearly making a point about the nature of fashion. Whatever they were trying to say . . . I love it! Imagine driving through the desert at midnight and coming across this bizarre store. How fabulous would that be?

More info and pictures here.

Don't Look Behind You!

THIS is exactly the sort of thing that scares the pants off of me. Marine biologist Tony Snow took his plastic sea kyak into the waters off the South African coast, hoping to observe the behavior of the great white sharks that swim into the shallows every summer. But at least one shark decided to observe Tony. It stalked his tiny kayak for some distance, but never attacked. It's a good thing the shark wasn't hungry. It could have swallowed Tony--and his boat--with one bite.

Read the original article here.

The Blue People of Troublesome Creek

I first saw this picture when I was in the seventh grade, and it's haunted me ever since. I found it inside my otherwise boring science textbook, most likely in a section on hereditary diseases. Just recently, I was reminded of the picture when I came across another strange story. But more on that in a minute.

The people posing for the photo all belong to the Fugate family, who lived (and probably continue to live) near Troublesome Creek in rural Kentucky. And while the old picture was taken with black and white film and later tinted by hand, there's nothing wrong with the image's colors. You see, a fair number of the Fugates were blue. Bright blue.

According to historians, it all began in the 1820s when a French immigrant named Martin Fugate showed up in Troublesome Creek and decided to marry a local girl named Elizabeth Smith. Little did they know that they both carried the gene for an extremely rare disorder known as methemoglobinemia. But when they began having children, it quickly became clear that there was something . . . unusual about them. Four of their seven offspring were the color of plums. And they stayed that way for the rest of their lives.

Back then it wasn't uncommon for cousins to marry, particularly in rural communities. So blue skin, which is caused by lower levels of oxygen in the blood, was passed down for generations. As late as the 1960s, there were still blue people living in Kentucky. (You can read more about them here.)

Now what reminded me of the Fugates, you ask? It was a story about the gentleman shown below, who isn't a victim of genetics but of his own dietary regimen. He regularly ingests a substance called colloidal silver, which he believes has medicinal properties. Unfortunately, his attempts to stay healthy have gradually turned his entire body blue. Read more here.

I'm Back!

Happy New Year, everyone. It's 2008, and it’s time to get down to business. I've taken the liberty of making a list of resolutions we all should adopt . . .

1. Become dangerous—if you aren't already. Take kickboxing lessons. (That’s my plan.) Learn how to throw a mean right hook. (But please don't practice on other people.) Not the physical type? Then master the art of persuasion. Never go looking for trouble—just make sure you're ready if it finds you.

2. Be someone else at least once a month. Craft an alias and a disguise to match. Then go out and experience the world as another person. You’ll learn a lot about your fellow human beings—and maybe even find out what your sister does with her free time.

3. Explore the unknown. I'm not suggesting that you pack your bags and leave the continent. In fact the closer you stay to home, the better. I promise you'll be shocked by how much you've overlooked. In 2008, I'm going to make a list of all the places I've never visited inside New York City, and every weekend I intend to see something I’ve never seen before.

4. Face a fear. At some point this year, I plan to see a whale up close. Why? Because I, like many people, secretly fear that I will one day be eaten by something much larger than myself. Eventually I would love to swim with the sharks, but I think I’ll leave that for 2009.

5. Do something courageous. Write a petition. Protect an innocent person. Take a stand in 2008, and you’ll remember it with pride your entire life.

6. Make something with your own hands. It doesn't matter if it's a sculpture, a door alarm, or a pair of socks.

7. Stay tuned for more weird stuff on Ananka’s Diary!