The True Test of an Athlete?

What if there were a test you could take as a kid that would tell you whether you have the right genes to be a star athlete? Would you want to know?

A Colorado company claims to have developed a DNA test that can tell whether a person might have the speed, power, or endurance to excel at certain sports--or whether she's best off watching from the sidelines.

All that's needed is a cheek swab from a child age 0-8. Then the kid's DNA is analyzed to see if it has traits similar to those of successful athletes. No one knows how accurate the test is, but parents are already lining up to have their children tested.

But here's my question . . . Is athletic ability only a result of a person's genes? Or is it also the result of hard work, perseverance, confidence, and guts? I think DNA plays an important role, but I'd rather have a tiny kid with a kick-butt attitude on my team than a person with all the right genes and no moxie.

What do you think?

Read more here.

On a related note, congratulations to Eri Yoshida, the 16-year-old high school student who recently became Japan's first female professional baseball player. (I wonder if the DNA test could have predicted THAT!)

And another round of congratulations to Samantha-Jane Stacey, the fourteen-year-old Australian girl who recently won a silver medal in the World Sumo Championships. (Keep in mind that sumo wrestling, however cool, is a seriously sexist sport. Traditionally, women are not allowed to enter or touch a sumo ring for fear of violating its "purity." So way to go, Samantha-Jane.)

PS: Sorry for misspelling athlete in the title! How embarrassing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

On a recent afternoon, Kettly Jean-Felix parked her car on Beacon Street in Brookline, fed the parking meter, wheeled around to go to the optician and came face to face with a wild turkey.

The turkey eyed Jean-Felix. Jean-Felix eyed the turkey. It gobbled. She gasped. Then the turkey proceeded to follow the Dorchester woman over the Green Line train tracks, across the street, through traffic, and all the way down the block, pecking at her backside as she went.

According to this year-old article, Brookline, MA, has a little problem with turkeys. Which is odd, I think, 'cause our turkeys are quite pleasant.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Smoke Bombs!

I love this guy.

Fighting for the Right to Rock

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

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

It's easy to forget that females in United States (and countries like Australia) have rights that aren't shared by hundreds of millions of girls/women around the world. The ladies of Saudi heavy metal girl-group Accolade have become heroes for doing things that would seem quite ordinary to most of us. But in a country where women aren't allowed to drive and the religious police are always watching, wearing jeans and writing rock songs about relationships can get you into a lot of hot water (to say the least).

So the next time each of us has an opportunity to do something brave, we should make sure to seize it. (By the way, did I mention that Accolade is looking for a drummer?)

Read more here and listen to Accolade's music here. (Not my cup of tea, but that's OK.)

Underground Cities That Weren't Built By Humans

I must have been ten or so when I first read the book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. (Which I recommend highly.) As you might imagine, the aspect of the story that really captured my attention wasn't the thrilling plot (which involves super-intelligent rats and sinister government agencies) but rather the descriptions of the underground "city" the rats had created.

I was reminded of the rats of NIMH when I first saw the clip below on TV a few months ago. Scientists decided to study the workings of a large ant colony by pouring ten tons of concrete into a large anthill. (Not too nice for the ants, I'm afraid.) They allowed the concrete to harden, and then they dug the dirt out around it. As the ants' city was revealed, even the scientists were amazed.

Have a look at the video, which starts getting quite interesting around the four minute mark.

(Via Mentalfloss)

Announcement!

(Above: Awesome artwork discovered online. Will the artist please take credit?)

On February 8th, the legendary (haha) Kirsten Miller will be appearing at Symphony Space in New York! Aside from entertaining you with amusing book-related stories and first-hand accounts of Bigfoot stalking, she may--just may--give the audience a preview of KIKI #3!!!

Find out more here.

I Am in LOVE

In my (very) humble opinion, Adam Wallacavage is the greatest artist of all time. But I'm not in love with him. I'm in love with his delightful chandeliers, each of which is crafted to resemble an octopus. The green one would look PERFECT in my bedroom. If I only had a spare $10,000!

See more of his work here.

The Mystery Meat of Framingham

(Sorry for the illustration, but I've been dying to find an excuse to use it!)

Seems like the town of Framingham, Massachusetts could use a good sleuth. For the past month, high-quality cuts of raw meat have been mysteriously appearing beneath a tree in the village green.

According to Ethan Mascoop, the town's public health director, "The meat is large, it's raw, it weighs upward of 5 to 10 pounds. . . . We want to make sure it's nothing nefarious, and we're taking all precautions and all actions, including testing and monitoring. But there's no evidence - absolutely, absolutely nothing - to suggest something untoward is going on."

No evidence of something untoward? Someone keeps leaving RAW MEAT on the village green--and nobody knows WHAT KIND of meat it is!

Here are some of my theories:

1. Werewolf Bait
2. Alien "Experiments"
3. An Attempt to Turn the Town Squirrels into Murderous, Meat-Eating Fiends
4. Leftovers from Midnight Meat-Lover Picnics

Read more (and see a video!) here.

While We're on the Subject of Strange Art

(Aka: "Things People Do in Austria, Part II.")

Check out the "Wellness Skull." Created by Dutch artist Joep van Lieshout and positioned near a busy intersection in Vienna, Austria, the Wellness Skull holds a fully-functional sauna. When in use, steam rises from the skull's eye sockets. I'm kind of loving this. How great would it be to have one in your very own backyard?

Read more here.

Giant Sausage Comes to Brooklyn

You guys know I'm a fan of strange art. But THIS may be taking things a bit too far. The giant sausage "artwork," created by a meat-loving team known as Kuildoosh, will soon be gracing the backyard of a Brooklyn art gallery. Right now, however, it's stuck in customs on its way from the UK. Perhaps we should hope it stays stuck?

This Week's Edition of WHAT IS IT?

A mysterious jelly-like substance has been spotted throughout the British Isles. It looks a little like Jell-o and a lot like snot. But according to the BBC, it's neither substance. (How can they be so sure? Who said it was HUMAN snot?) Anyway, take a look at the pictures here, and see if you can help our friends across the pond solve their mystery!

Experience the Joys of the USSR

(Photos below from azillphotos.)

Many of you may be a little too young to remember the communist Soviet Union. It was a jolly place where munchkins and good witches . . . whoops, sorry. I must have been thinking of Oz. The Soviet Union was a little less magical. In fact, you could say it was downright depressing at times. And I hear the toilet paper was really scratchy.

But now those of you who missed out on the fun have the opportunity to experience the delights of the Soviet Union first hand. A new theme park has opened in Lithuania in an underground bunker once used by the Soviet army. For a mere $220, you can live the life of a Soviet citizen for two and a half hours!

During your stay, you'll don threadbare clothing, watch 1980s television shows, wear a gas mask, be forced to learn the Soviet anthem, eat a typical Soviet meal, and undergo an interrogation and medical check.

Sounds like a good time to me! Read more about it here.

Things People Do in Austria

I give you the hexapod dance competition! Just look at those robots boogie down. Thanks, liltomboyblue!

Mystery Solved: Worm Grunting

I can't tell you how many times I've found myself wishing I had a big bucket full of worms. Okay, not many. But if I ever find myself lost in the woods, with only a trout-filled stream to feed me, I now know how to quickly rustle up some fishing bait. (Or an appetizer.)

It's called worm grunting. Here's a description from the New York Times: "Worm grunting, also known as worm fiddling or charming, involves driving a wooden stake into the ground and rubbing the top of it with a . . . flat piece of steel to make a grunting or snoring noise. Done in the right place under the right conditions, the result will be hundreds of earthworms appearing on the surface of the ground. Worm grunting is practiced in parts of the southeast to obtain fish bait."

Kind of cool, if you're into slimy, soil-dwelling invertebrates. But until recently, no one had no idea how how it worked. Now scientists have discovered that the sound produced is similar to the sounds made by moles. The worms think they're being chased and flee to the surface!

Enjoy the great worm grunter video below, which offers numerous fascinating worm facts!

The Blimp that Swims Through the Air

Air Art from flip on Vimeo.

Beyond Spoon Bending

I must have been around ten years old when I first became fascinated by the phenomenon known as telekinesis. For centuries, some people have claimed to possess the ability to move or alter objects using only their minds. (Oddly enough, bending spoons seems to be the most popular way to use one's telekinetic powers.) Unfortunately, most displays of telekinesis have been exposed as hoaxes. And I'm sad to report that, despite my best efforts, I've never been able to use my mind to levitate the rats that scamper about the subway tracks.

But just the other day, I came across the video below. It shows an elderly Chinese man moving objects without touching them. Though the audio is not in English, I think the video is impressive enough without it. See if you agree.

Monster Quest Finally Found Something!

I love Monster Quest, the show on the Discovery Channel that searches for cryptid creatures around the globe. The only problem? The searchers rarely find anything. Until now.

Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada has long been said to harbor a Nessie-like lake monster. Known as the Ogopogo, it was first spotted in 1872 and has been photographed and filmed many times since. Unfortunately, the evidence of its existence has never proven conclusive.

But that may have changed. A Monster Quest crew recently discovered an unusual creature at the bottom of Okanagan Lake, in an underwater cave on the west side of Rattlesnake Island. Some say the beast may be a baby Ogopogo. According to one eyewitness, "It was all curled up. The features were really hard to see. You could see a little head tucked in and a straight tail with no fins. It's a huge mystery. We have no idea what it is."

The creature has been shipped to the University of Guelph for DNA tests. Unless one of us can sneak in and steal the results, we'll have to wait until the Monster Quest episode airs in February to find out if an Ogopogo has been discovered!

Until then, you can read more here.

Black Hole

Beware the Tumbling Tumbleweeds

Every autumn, tumbleweeds roll through the town of Cheyenne, Wyoming. But his November, they attacked. Residents woke to find their windows and doors barred by thousands of prickly dried weeds. It all seems a bit sinister, if you ask me. What were the weeds after? Why did they want to trap the people of Wyoming? What were they intending to do with them?

Anyone out there in Cheyenne who might provide an eyewitness account?

Cute . . . or CLONE?

The sweet little mouse shown above is no ordinary rodent. He's a clone. A clone created from cells of another mouse that had been frozen for SIXTEEN YEARS. (See the original below.)

Though there are many people who have issues with the project, the Japanese researchers responsible hope that one day they can use the technique to clone a woolly mammoth or saber tooth tiger.

(Or perhaps Walt Disney? Urban Legend has it that the great man had his body cyrogenically frozen in case doctors one day discovered the cure for the cancer that killed him. Some accounts claim only Disney's head was preserved. Find out more here.)

Who knows where this new scientific advance could lead us. Will people start freezing parts of their bodies in the hope that they'll one day be cloned? Will real-life Jurassic Parks, featuring the prehistoric beasts of the Ice Age, open to the public? Will Walt Disney's return in clone form to take charge of them? I think my head is going to explode!

Read about the latest advances in cloning here.

Baby Pygmy Hippo Born!

And it's painfully cute. More here

Now Back to Serious Octopus-Related News

I don't know about you guys, but I'm sooo relieved the election is over. (Who was my choice for president? There are ways to find out, if you're a particularly good detective. But my lips are sealed!) As for the big issues of the day, I'm honored that many of you have chosen Ananka's diary to debate them. I encourage all sides of every issue to speak out (nicely, of course). It's my belief that the only hope we have of making the world a better place is to sit down and really listen to those who disagree with us.

However . . . let's get back to the bizarre, shall we? I've come across lots of stories about genius octopi in the past. (They're crafty little creatures.) But I have to say, the story of Otto the octopus takes the cake. Seems Otto didn't like the light that workers at the Sea Star Aquarium in Coburg, Germany would let shine into his habitat during the night. So he found a way to deal with it. Find out how here.

It's Election Night!

I hope you all voted! (If you're able.)

Happy Halloween!

Go ahead and eat candy til you're sick. I know I will!

(Above: The creepiest photo of all time. I've been saving it for a special day!)

My Secret Fear: EGGS

INCREDIBLE? MAYBE. EDIBLE? NEVER.

I have long been of the opinion that nothing good can come from a chicken butt. As a result, I have not touched an egg since I was seven years old. Why seven, you ask? I had barely reached that tender age when a particularly malicious nanny forced me to eat . . . gag . . . an egg salad sandwich. The result was not pretty. Though it did make a rather interesting pattern on her pink sweater.

What's my problem with eggs? Let's start with . . . everything. Their size, shape, smell, taste, origin (again, chicken butt). It's not that I'm allergic. It's just that I'm fairly sure they're evil. Only Satan could create a food product so perfectly revolting.

But now that I am an adult, (I think), it's time that I came to terms with my egg phobia. Other childhood culinary foes (beets, vegemite, haggis) have already been conquered. Eggs are the last frontier.

Yet, had it not been for Ms. Lauren Myracle, I might never have summoned the courage to take this all-important step. And I certainly would never have gone so far as to taste the dreaded FRIED EGG. Oozing with greasy yellow nastiness, fried eggs have long featured in my worst nightmares. I have never, ever, ever considered putting one in my mouth. I would have rather sucked down a sautéed slug. A caramelized cockroach. Or a broiled dung beetle.

Until today . . . .

SEE PICTURES BELOW (Sorry, camera broke! Had to take them with my blackberry!) I'm wearing sunglasses you you can't see my tears.











The Result of this Cruel Experiment:

You're all lucky that my photographer refused to follow me into the bathroom where I deposited the rest of the egg exactly where it belonged--the toilet! Never again. Trust your fears, people. You have them for a reason!

I Have Not Fallen Off the Face of the Earth!

I'm moving this weekend, so it's gotten a little crazy. But I will here tomorrow, sharing my greatest fear with all of you!

I've Been Challenged . . .

For years, I've been hiding a secret fear. One so terrifying--so humiliating--that I've kept it from all but a carefully chosen few.

But now, the lovely, talented, and thoroughly evil Lauren Myracle has challenged me to face my fear this Halloween. And she wants proof.

So what IS my deepest, darkest fear? You'll have to wait and see! All will be revealed on October 31st.

For the record, it's not bird-eating spiders, sidewalk stingrays, blood-thirsty sharks, bad home decor, evil dolls, sausage filling, or the undead (whom I generally find quite personable).

Check out Lauren's challenge here. And feel free to share your greatest fears. (I promise I won't use them against you.)

Devil Babies

Some people like dolls that are cuddly and sweet. Other people prefer dolls that look as if they might come to life in the middle of the night and feed on the household pets.

For those who fall into the latter category, there are Krypt Kiddies. These cute little creatures come with horns, tattoos, and parasitic twins. A few even glow in the dark. They are by far the creepiest, most disturbing toys I've ever seen.

Check out the galleries on the Krypt Kiddies website. But be sure not to visit right before bedtime.

Yes, It's Real

You are looking at a giant spider eating a bird. Proof here.

EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK!

A Visual Encyclopedia of Street Artists

I just came across this awesome list of "40+ Street Artists You Should Know Besides Banksy." Some, like Blu, have been featured in this blog. And a lot of the work can be found around New York. But many of the artists were new to me, too!

My favorites? JR, (top). This work is only a few blocks from my house, and I have to say it's absolutely beautiful. I also like Thundercut's walk/don't walk signs (middle). And I could never forget Swoon (bottom), one of New York's most amazing street artists.

Parking Lot Cemeteries

In the middle of a movie theater parking lot in New Brunswick, NJ sits the lonely grave of Mary Ellis (shown above).

According to legend, in the late 1700s, Mary's family moved to a lovely piece of property overlooking the Raritan River. While living there, she fell in love with a sea captain who had sailed up the river. When he left, he promised to return and marry her. Every day, she would ride down to the river to look for his ship. She died thirteen years later, still awaiting her fiance's return. (It's romantic, sure. But weren't there any other guys in the neighborhood?)

Mary's family buried her in a wooded grove not far from their farm. Over the years, the land was bought and sold many times. Eventually, her grave was surrounded by mini-malls and shopping centers. Today, it sits on a raised patch of earth in the middle of a parking lot.

Surprisingly, Mary's isn't the only parking lot grave around. Roadsideresort.com has a terrific list of cemeteries overtaken by modern times. Check it out here.

The Vampire Rabbit of Newcastle

This sweet little blood-sucking bunny sits above an ornate doorway in the British town of Newcastle Upon Tyne, waiting to spring on unsuspecting pedestrians. I've done a little research, and apparently no one knows who put it there--or why.

Any thoughts?

The Cutest Plant Stand on the Planet

What is this rather unusual plant stand, you ask? And why has it found it's way onto Ananka's Diary?

What you see above is no ordinary household accessory. It is, in fact, a robot. Wherever the sunlight moves throughout the day, the Plantbot follows it. Believe it or not, it's actually really cute.

See it in action here.

I'm Back, and So Is the Creepy Gnome!

Remember the evil South American gnome? (If not, you really should check it out.) He's back!!!

A new video has emerged which shows a small, gnome-like creature side-stepping across a road outside the Argentinian town of Clodomira. According to one eyewitness, "This tiny thing started running down Avenue San Martin at us. It had a pointy head and dark clothes. It was a person of incredibly low stature. We filmed it then got scared and ran off. This little thing was barking like a dog - but running sideways on two legs."

Check out the unbelievably bizarre footage here.




(One question: What are all those guys doing dancing around in the street together? Is that what passes for fun in Clodomira?)

PS: I'll think about posting some contest finalists. The judges didn't really give me a final list.

Time for a Little Break

Wow! I don't know about you, but that contest was stressful. So I'm taking the weekend off for a little R&R. But I'll be back on Monday with your daily dose of the bizarre!

(Below: Latest Kiki Strike artwork by the fabulous Lolita Strawberry. Visit her blog here.)

And the Winner Is . . .

(Above: My best attempt at an illustration.)

The winning entry was part of a complete spy-purse kit, which included an impressive array of brilliant products, such as "Corrosive Lip Gloss" and "Tear-Inducing Mascara."

However, our judges were blown away by the sheer simplicity and usefulness of one disgusting little concept: Fake Blood Chewing Gum. It doesn't make use of the latest advances in technology, it doesn't come with a lot of bells and whistles, and you might even be able to make it yourself. But we believe Fake Blood Chewing Gum is destined to be a classic.

(And unlike a tube of fake Halloween blood, it could easily go undetected inside a purse or handbag.)

Congratulations, Hania! You're the winner of the Perfect Gadget Contest!

Here's the entry . . .


Fake Blood Chewing Gum

Need to gain access to a private property? Well, ask for their bathroom of course! Obviously, if you’re a stranger, they will immediately refuse your call to the powder room. But once they see a young, innocent girl in need of the bathroom for a severe oral injury, they’ll be none too hesitant to refuse (unless they actually like blood on their doorstep)

The Gadget/Item:

This special gum is bigger than your average piece of bubble gum. (Note: Not a gum stick but an actual gum piece.) It is approximately 2cm x 2cm in size. 85% of the gum is filled with a gooey centre, and when chewed, this gooey centre will release a blood coloured and textured liquid. The other 15% of the gum is an actual gum, but it’s quite an easy layer to break into for the blood-like substance to show

(Note: this also means you will have to store the pack of gum in a place where it will not be so easily squashed, or else you’ll end up with a mess in your bag/pocket/purse).

Just remember, an over the top injury may result in an ambulance being called. Then you should run for it!

A Few Things Before We Announce the Winner of the PERFECT GADGET Contest

I personally think this was our best contest yet. We received well over seventy entries. Some came with stunning blueprints. Others were beautifully written. However, unlike our last two contests, the winner was not chosen based on his/her writing or drawing skills. The judges were looking only for a creative idea.

And there were many to choose from. Once we narrowed the field down to ten finalists, it was painfully difficult to choose a winner. There were high-tech fingerprinting kits, Swiss Army-style compacts, lipstick microphones, and phones with James Bond-style features. I particularly appreciated the two entries that made use of feminine hygiene products. (No handbag-searcher would ever look twice at those!) And I have to give a special mention to the inventor of the "Brick Purse." If we had been judging based on hilarious illustrations, you would have been the winner, hands down.

Before we move on, let's recap the criteria on which the "gadgets" were judged:

It must be completely original.
It must be useful.
It must blend in with the contents of an average purse/backpack.
It must be something a girl could use without attracting any suspicion.

Thank you all for entering. We are proud to be surrounded by such genius!

Due to the Overwhelming Number of Entries . . .

The winner will not be announced until noon today. Good luck!

The Window of Doom

I would love to make a "movie" like this for one of my windows this Halloween.

Entries Due By Wednesday at Midnight! (EST)

That is all.

History Made Interesting

Why don't more people enjoy learning about history? Here's my theory: Because the people who write history books focus on the most boring parts. As a result, many of us leave school thinking history is just a list of kings, battles, and treaties. But if taught correctly, history is a fascinating soap opera--filled with villains, madmen, and femme fatales.

I just read about a wonderful organization that shares my views on this subject. The Clampers are a group devoted to introducing people to the "real" history of America. Over the years, they've traveled the countryside dressed in matching red shirts, erecting over 1,000 historical plaques. Their motto? “Credo Quia Absurdum,” which roughly translates as “believe because it is absurd.”

Unlike those put up by state authorities, the Clampers' historical plaques don't focus on "rich old men's history." Instead, they commemorate saber tooth tigers, upside-down houses, escaped convicts, and Moose Milk (don't ask).

I love this idea. Every city and town has a secret, fascinating history that few people know about. Unfortunately, the Clampers don't accept women in their organization. (Can you believe!) So I call upon those of us who are of the female persuasion to start our own secret society!

Read more about the Clampers--and explore an awesome interactive map--here.




(Marking the grave of an unknown gold prospector. Photo by Jim Wilson for the New York Times.)

Big Thanks to New City Library!

I want to thank the lovely librarians at the New City Library for inviting me to talk about books, Bigfoot, and butt-kicking. It was the best Monday I've had in years! (And the brownies were FANTASTIC.)

Above: Awesome book "carving" by Su Blackwell.

Neither Snow nor Rain nor Gloom of Night nor PUZZLES

While Harriet Russell was a student at the Glasgow School of Art, she decided to put the local post office to the test. She sent herself a series of letters. On each envelope, she hid the address inside a puzzle or cipher.

It was only a game. She didn't expect the letters to ever arrive. But out of the 130 she sent, only 10 failed to reach her. The Glasgow postal employees, as it turns out, were happy to play along. Even as the puzzles grew more and more complex, the letters kept arriving.

(In an odd turn of events, Russell later discovered that her own great-great grandfather had engaged in a similar battle of wits with the postmen of his day. A private secretary to Queen Victoria, he regularly sent letters to his children with their addresses hidden inside elaborate illustrations.)

Russell's puzzles can now be found in a book entitled, Envelopes: A Puzzling Journey Through the Royal Mail. Read more (and see more illustrations) here.