What's Behind the Wall?

(No, this time it's not a mummified cat. It's even more bizarre.)

Remember the forgotten tunnel that was discovered underneath Brooklyn? (If not, you really should click here.) Well, there may soon be a movie about it. The film's producer is trying to raise money to complete the project--and to fund an excavation. He hopes to prove that a section of the tunnel still hidden behind a wall, "contains hidden international mysteries about John Wilkes Booth, the assasination of Abraham Lincoln, the missing pages of Booth's diary that list the conspirators involved in Lincoln's death, and a perfectly preserved locomotive from the early 1800's."

Hey--stranger things have happened.

Watch the film's trailer here. And see a CNN interview with the men behind the film here.

What's Hiding in YOUR Bathroom?

Sometimes, I come across an article that's so perfect that I simply can't bring myself to paraphrase. In these rare cases, I feel I must honor the talented reporter by quoting his/her words. Enjoy.

A 400-YEAR-OLD cat is the last thing you would expect to find when renovating your home. But that is exactly what builders came across in the bathroom of an Ugborough cottage.

Local legend has it that the mummified moggy was placed in the walls of the house near Plymouth to ward off witches four centuries ago and owner Richard Parson said it had done a good job so far.

"I am of the opinion that it works as, since we have lived in the village, we have seen sight nor sound of any witches," he said.

Read more--and see an amazing slideshow--here!

You Are All Delightfully Weird

I have never met a stranger group of people in my entire life! And, as far as I'm concerned, that's the highest compliment I could possibly pay you.

The pictures above and below are proof that the world's Irregulars (as I think of you) are the oddest, most creative people around. The top photo comes courtesy of long-time blog reader Hazel, who recently won the National Library Week cake-making contest at her local library. Her cake recreates the little room that Ananka finds at the bottom of a sinkhole in Kiki #1. I must say, making minature rats out of almonds is a brilliant idea! Congrats, Hazel!

The photo below was sent to me from the Chapel Hill branch of the Irregulars. (You know who you are!) It's a Kiki "shrine." From what I hear, if you spend fifteen minutes a day in front of the candle, you'll soon be granted magical kung-fu skills. Very weird--and AWESOME!

Thanks to everyone who sends me cool stuff. If there's anyone else who'd like a mention, please let me know! (I always try to get permission before I post anything on the blog.)

Know Your Rights!

This story is a couple of months old, but it should still scare us all senseless . . .

For years, when kids in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania were arrested for minor offenses (such as stealing loose change from cars or writing prank notes) they often found themselves outside the American justice system. Many were denied lawyers. Their hearings lasted only a couple of minutes. And quite a few were sentenced to months-long prison terms.

How bad did it get? One girl was sent to a wilderness boot camp for creating a Myspace page that made fun of her assistant principal.

Why were these kids denied justice? Because two corrupt Pennsylvania judges were being paid for every kid they sent to one of two private juvenile detention facilities.

Both the judges will now be spending a few years behind bars. But this case offers an important lesson. Just because you're a kid doesn't mean you don't have any rights. Learn what they are--and make sure no one ever abuses them!

Read the whole horrible story here.

Art and the Animal Kingdom

Mixing art and animals can have questionable results. (Think "Dogs Playing Poker" or anything by Damien Hirst.) But sometimes the two come together to create something . . . magical?

Take, for instance, artist Julian Wolkenstein's horsey supermodels (including the beauty shown above). Or the "extreme sheep LED art" in the video below.

But my favorite? THE URBAN BEAST PROJECT. From the website:

Urban Beasts are recycled skins of thrown out stuffed animals taxidermied to create feral relatives. Often displayed in community gardens, abandoned lots and in trees, an Anthology of their stories was developed to illustrate Humans' role as stewards of their environments.

This, in my opinion, is one of the greatest projects in the history of mankind. (Thanks for the tip, Ivy!!)

Spotted

An octopus in Chinatown. Sorry for the poor quality.

Where Did She Get That Cute Little Sweater?

Admire Coraline's star-speckled sweater? Well here's where she got it . . .

The Latest in Adventure Sports

What do you think of when you see the picture above? My guess? It's not surfing. But these days, "volcano boarding" is a sport that's growing in popularity. All you need is a rupture in the earth's surface and a board. Just hike to the top of your local active volcano and slide all the way down. By the time you reach the bottom, you could be going up to 50 miles per hour. It's that easy (and dirty and dangerous and hot)!

Read more and check out the pictures and video here.

(What sort of thing would I like to do? Check it out here!)

Say Hello to Miss Outdoors

I think we have a theme going today. Dakota Abbott (see above) was crowned Miss Outdoors in 2008. She's the only woman to have won the beauty pageant--and a muskrat skinning contest. (Apparently people eat them--who knew? Anyone out there ever nibbled a muskrat? If so, please write in.)

Read more here!

Scary Girl

This game looks awesome! It has all of my favorite things: Eye patches, scary girls, a giant octopus, terrifying creatures, and BUNNIES! (Do all of the exclamation points manage to convey my excitement?!?)

Play here!

New to Me: Snow Rollers

Of all the creepy weather-related phenomena we've discussed on this blog (lenticular clouds, the red rain of Kerala, mayor-eating groundhogs), I have never come across anything as bizarre as snow rollers.

I was blissfully unaware of their existence until approximately 8:30 this morning when I discovered these pictures from the National Weather Service.

According to Wikipedia:

"A snow roller is a rare meteorological phenomenon in which large snowballs are formed naturally as chunks of snow are blown along the ground by wind, picking up material along the way, in much the same way that the large snowballs used in snowmen are made.

Unlike snowballs made by people, snow rollers are typically cylindrical in shape, and are often hollow since the inner layers, which are the first layers to form, are weak and thin compared to the outer layers and can easily be blown away, leaving what looks like a doughnut or Swiss roll. Snow rollers have been seen to grow as large as two feet in diameter."

I know it's just a natural phenomenon, but there's something about seeing them all lined up on the plain that really spooks me! Imagine waking up one morning to find your entire lawn covered in these things!

I Love New York EVEN MORE!

Why Don't These Things Happen to ME?

Today we offer two videos for your review. The first (above) allegedly shows the "Beast of Gum Hill" crossing a creek in Virginia.

The second video can be seen here. What terrible creature ate an SUV owned by a North Carolina family? (There was a similiar incident featured on Monster Quest. The experts believed a dog did the damage.)

Are hoaxters responsible? Unknown monsters? All I can say is, why don't these things happen when I'M down South?

I Love New York!

I've always said that New Yorkers get a bad rap. We're not the surly, weapon-wielding thugs that everyone thinks we are. We're actually quite nice! And now I've got proof (above).

Artist Kacie Kinzer recently devised an interesting experiment. She built a series of robots (cute robots!) that explore the city--with the help of pedestrians. You see, her "tweenbots" can only travel in a straight line. So they need assistance from the humans around them to reach their destinations.

The first tweenbot mission was a resounding success. Why? Because New Yorkers are so darn nice and helpful. (Unless you tick us off. Then we attack.)

Read more about the project here.

Is This the Work of the British Irregulars?

(Artwork by Tereza Vlčková.)

Over the past year, over 200 anonymous letters have been sent to the police in the small British town of Highbridge. The notes, which are always typed on plain white paper, have given authorities enough information to catch drug dealers, tax dodgers, and a wide assortment of evil-doers.

Some people suggest that the mysterious sleuth may be a retired policeman or crime novel aficionado. Heh heh. We'll just let them believe that . . . for now.

Read more here.

Things People Do in Belgium, Part I

In the spirit of "Frozen Grand Central."

(Thanks to Spiffy for correcting my geography.)

The Only Eggs I Don't Hate are EASTER EGGS

I'm back! I hope everyone who celebrates Passover is having a great time. And for those of you who are fans of the Easter bunny, I just came across a site with some amazing ways to color Easter eggs. Check them out here!

Cool Old Stuff

(Top: Mrs. L.O. King, traffic cop. 1918. Bottom: New York City detective Mary Agnes Shanley. 1937.)

I just found Shorpy, a cool site with lots of old pictures. I particularly like the pictures of women from previous generations.

Here's something to think about. Mrs. L.O. King was working as a Washington DC traffic cop . . . before she was even able to VOTE in this country. Interesting, no?

I'm Heading Home

Tomorrow morning I'm flying down to visit my hometown in the mountains of North Carolina. (Sorry I missed you, Lili!) So I may not be able to post as regularly as I'd like. (My mom likes to hog the computer.) But I'll keep in touch any way that I can. Maybe I'll even take a few pictures. Some CRAZY stuff goes on down there . . .

Here's a little something to think about while I'm gone.

Terribly Sad and Extremely Interesting

The creature above made the list of eleven extinct animals photographed while alive. According to ecoworldly.com . . .

"The Bubal Hartebeest was a magnificent, tough beast which was once domesticated by the ancient Egyptians as a food source and for sacrificial purposes. The creature was even mentioned in the Old Testament.

Although it once roamed throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East, the deep-rooted mythology which surrounded the animal was not enough to save it from European hunters who began hunting them for recreation and meat. The last Bubal Hartebeest was probably a female which died in the Paris Zoo in 1923."

See the other unfortunate creatures that made the list here.

Great Graveyards

What can I say? I like graveyards. I find them endlessly fascinating. So I was thrilled to discover this list of ten "must-see" cemeteries. I've already visited five of them, and I'm dying to see more (ha), particularly London's Highgate Cemetery (shown above). Surprisingly, number seven on the list is near my new home in Brooklyn! So the next time the weather is nice, I think I'll pack a picnic and have lunch with some Roosevelts.

New to Me: Flea Circuses

(Photo by Roy Maloy)

Okay, so I've known about flea circuses for quite some time now. But until I read this fabulous post on Dark Roasted Blend, I had no idea how cool they really are.

Check it out. You'll be scratching yourself all night--but I promise it's worth it!




(Posters by David Manuel.)

This Can't Be Real . . . Can It?

According to CNN, a swim coach in Darwin, Australia has found a novel way to encourage his swimmers to move a bit faster. He simply tosses a hungry crocodile in after them.

Supposedly he makes sure that the kids have enough of a head start that the crocodile couldn't possibly catch up. But what if someone gets a cramp?!?

Don't believe me? Check here.

Of course if you want to try swimming with crocodiles, you can always pay a visit to Crocosaurus Cove (shown above)!

An Album of Ghostly Images

As often happens, the moment I post on a topic, I stumble across more juicy information on the very same subject. For instance, this morning I discovered a website that recently asked readers to send in their own "ghost" photographs. The website received over 250 images from around the world. The ten best are now posted here.

The top prize went to the photo shown above, which was taken at Tantallon Castle in Scotland.

Creepy!

Did Google Street View Capture a Ghost?

The figure above was snapped by the Google Street View camera near what was once dangerous dockland in Britain. Is the woman, who appears to be wearing Victorian garb, a ghost? (She does appear to be missing her legs.)

Read more here. And if you're interested, see an "alien" photographed by the Google Street View van in New Jersey.

Quick, Someone Fetch Me Some Fingerpaints!

A Melbourne art gallery recently agreed to show the work of a promising new artist named Aelita Andre. But when the artist arrived at her show's opening, gallery owners discovered that Aelita (shown above) is only two-years-old.

This is by no means the first modern art "prodigy" to arrive on the art scene. American Marla Olmstead was selling paintings for tens of thousands of dollars when she was four. (A documentary film later questioned whether Marla's work was her own. Some believe her artist father might have completed the paintings. See a trailer for the movie below.)

What do you think? Are artists like Aelita geniuses? Frauds? Jokes on the art world? (The fact that this question needs to be asked really says something.) And is anyone interested in purchasing some lovely paintings created by my talented three-year-old niece, Zoe?

Is Miss Porter's Run By An All-Girl Torture Squad?

This weekend, I read an interesting article in the New York Times about a former student at Miss Porter's, the famous New England prep school (shown below), who is suing the institution. The student in question was expelled in November of last year for skipping classes and cheating, and she's not happy about it. Nothing new there.

But the girl claims that her bad behavior was the result of bullying by a group of her fellow students. She blames a secret society known as the Oprichniki, which takes its name from a 16th century Russian torture squad. (Yes, it's a little weird. But this is a place where freshmen are required to learn four useless phrases in German and recite them in front of the entire school.)

There's no doubt that bullying is a huge issue at schools across the country. But there's one little problem with the Miss Porter's lawsuit. No one knows for sure if the Oprichniki still exists. Has the student in question resurrected a legendary group to clear her name? Or does the Oprichniki secretly rule one of the best-known girls' schools in the country?

Read the Times article and share your opinions!

Deadly Kangaroos on the Lam in France

(Above: Hop faster, they're gaining on you!)

This past weekend, vandals freed fifteen kangaroos from an Australian-themed park in Toulouse, France. As of yesterday, three were still roaming the land, nibbling cheese and sipping wine at cute little cafes across France. Don't let the gendarmes catch you, little roos!

The owner of the theme park was quoted as saying, "They are not aggressive or nervous animals by nature. They're probably just grazing quietly away somewhere." Really? I mean I agree with the grazing part, but can't kangaroos be kind of dangerous? They have nasty claws that they use to defend themselves--and legs so powerful that they can kick a grown man to death. (Australian readers, feel free to chip in some thoughts here!)

So if you happen to cross paths with one of these kangaroos, I recommend that you be very, very polite.

More here.

AWESOME! Stick Figure Aliens

And I thought giant worms were going to be the big story of the day! WHAT ON EARTH ARE THESE THINGS?!?

(via Boing Boing)

New to Me: 4-Foot-Long Worms

What's four feet long, has jaws powerful enough to bite through 20-lb fishing line, and is covered with thousands of stinging bristles that can inflict permanent numbness? Why it's Barry the giant worm!

The nightmare creature was discovered inside a coral display at a British aquarium. Scientists couldn't figure out what was slowly destroying their beloved coral reef, so they decided to take it apart, rock by rock. There, in the middle, was a four-foot-long giant reef worm.

They lured Barry (as they later named him) out of the coral using fish scraps as bait. He's been put in a separate tank where he can no longer harm the other marine life at the aquarium. Unfortunately, after looking at Barry's mugshot (above), I think I might be permanently scarred.

Read more here.

The World's Greatest Imposters

I've been thinking about imposters lately. (Why? That's for me to know and for you to read about in a few months.) So I was thrilled to discover this fascinating list of the world's ten greatest imposters. At number two, there's Frank Abagnale, who managed to impersonate a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer without the benefit of a single degree. And number nine is Mary Baker, an English cobbler's daughter, who invented a new language and convinced the world that she was Princess Carabou from the island of Javasu. But I was surprised to see that the list did not include one of the most famous imposters of all.

In 1918, the last Czar of Russia and his family were murdered by Bolsheviks. But in 1920, a lovely young woman appeared in Berlin. Her name was Anna Anderson (shown below), and she claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia (shown above), one of the Czar's three daughters.

Anderson spun a remarkable tale. She'd been shot by the Bolsheviks but managed to escape with the help of a soldier. Later, she had made her way to Berlin where she tried to contact her father's sister, Princess Irene. When the princess failed to recognize her, Anderson tried to take her life. Doctors at the mental facility where Anderson had been taken after her suicide attempt confirmed that the young woman's body was riddled with bullet wounds.

For decades, many believed that Anderson was, in fact, the Grand Duchess Anastasia. Even members of the royal family insisted she was a relation. Anderson's true identity remained one of the world's greatest mysteries--until 1994 when DNA testing proved that Anderson was not of royal blood. She had been an imposter after all.

Sadly, the bones of the real Anastasia were recently identified. While Anna Anderson hobnobbed with royalty, Anastasia had been lying in a lonely grave on the eastern side of the Ural mountains.

I Despise Meteorologists

(Above: Art by Sam Spenser. Photo by Jessica Rolland.)

So those blasted meteorologists promised nice weather in New York today. I should have known not to trust them! The snippet of sky I can see from my bedroom window looks pretty gray and gloomy to me. But I refuse to let them spoil my plans. I am going to the park today--rain or shine!

I'm posting to let you know the outcome of last night's challenge. We had two winners in the end . . . Jin Ai and Hailey. You have to admire two ladies who will happily consume sugared lard just to win a silly prize. (Check out Jin Ai's pictures if you have a chance.) I just hope you guys don't develop nasty Crisco addictions!

Now the tie puts me in a rather unexpected situation. I never anticipated TWO winners. And to be perfectly honest, Jin Ai has already won every Kiki Strike-related prize that can be won! (That competitive spirit will come in handy some day--I promise.) So now I have to come up with something new for the two of them.

Don't worry, champions. I will be thinking about your prize as I roam Prospect Park this afternoon. If anyone has any suggestions, be sure to let me know!

Good Eatin'

"The Inuit people of Alaska have a distinct version of ice cream. It's not creamy ice cream as we know it, but a concoction made from reindeer fat or tallow, seal oil, freshly fallen snow or water, fresh berries, and sometimes ground fish. Air is whipped in by hand so that it slowly cools into foam. They call this Arctic treat akutaq, aqutuk, ackutuk, or Eskimo ice cream. . . .

Akutaq can also be made with moose meat and fat, caribou meat and fat, fish, seal oil, berries and other Alaskan things. Women traditionally made akutaq after the first catch of a polar bear or seal. [I]t was always made for funerals, potlatches, celebrations of a boy's first hunt, or almost any other celebration. It is eaten as a dessert, a meal, a snack, or a spread."

For a modern recipe, click here.

The first person who . . .

1. Makes akutaq
2. Provides photographic proof that he/she made it AND ate it
3. Doesn't throw up in the process

. . . will win a special prize! (No offense to the Inuits. I'm in awe of any people tough enough to eat a dessert made with reindeer fat.)

Yes, the Monkeys ARE Plotting Against Us

Some people call it an important scientific discovery--I call it hilarious! A thirty-one-year-old chimp at a Swedish zoo has a fascinating hobby. Every morning before visitors arrive, Santino (as he's called) searches his enclosure for rocks. Sometimes he even tears hunks of concrete from the walls.

After calmly preparing for the day's battle, the chimp waits in the part of his enclosure that's nearest the public viewing area. Then, as the visitors arrive to gawk at him, he shows them just how much he appreciates all the attention.

What's so surprising about this behavior? Apparently it's the first proof we have that animals can plan for future attacks. The study began eleven years ago when zoo keepers first came across Santino's personal stash of missiles.

Here's my question . . . So Santino's busy with his own personal grudges. But what are the other apes planning?

Read more here.

PS: I know chimps aren't "monkeys," so no nasty letters, please!
PSS: Thanks to Emma for the tip!

Monster Mummies

Japan is home to one of the most bizarre taxidermy traditions on the planet. (Why am I surprised? It IS the coolest country on earth!) For centuries, Japanese artists have created "monster mummies" using the heads, tails, and pelts of different animals--and displayed the results in their homes and temples.

The best-known examples are the Feejee Mermaids, which were profiled on this blog a few years ago. But there are also the demon mummies (shown above) that are proudly showcased in some Buddhist temples--and the mummies of cat-like creatures that are said to fall from the sky during thunderstorms.

But my favorite monster mummy? It's the mummified kappa (river imp) that was discovered in a wooden box hidden in the ceiling of a sake brewery. What do you do with a mummified river imp? If you live in Japan, you build an altar for the creature and put it behind glass so the public can visit it.

Read more at the wonderful Pink Tentacle.

Eating Out of Your Toilet

According to Time magazine, there's a popular chain of restaurants in Taiwan called "Modern Toilet." Guests sit on decorated toilets, eat from little toilet bowls, and savor the delights of food designed to look like poo. (Some of the desserts even bear names too disgusting to repeat.) The restaurants are a huge hit with kids (duh) and adults alike.

Read more here. And see a delightful video below.

The Pink Dolphin

I've posted about pink dolphins before, but the picture above was too beautiful to resist. I'm tempted to say it's a vampire dolphin--and that its lovely hue comes from drinking the blood of its fellow marine mammals. But that would be wrong. Hilarious, but wrong.

Read more here.

Brooklyn Revealed!

If you're at all interested in the history of New York City, you MUST visit this remarkable website dedicated to borough of Brooklyn!

New to Me: The Mima Mounds

This is the first installment in an ongoing series of posts dedicated to mysterious places and creatures that are "New to Me." Yes, that's right. I don't know everything. It came as a shock to me, too.

Today's post focuses on the Mima Mounds. These are large mounds of earth found throughout the world--Australia, China, Africa, Mexico, and right here in the good old USA. They are almost always the same size (between 3 and 6 feet tall), and they often appear in evenly-spaced rows.

Here's the kicker--no one knows what exactly the Mima Mounds are or how they were constructed.

There are lots of theories--most involving earthquakes, ancient tribes, glaciers, or giant gophers. But honest scientists will be the first to admit that they haven't a clue how the Mima Mounds came to speckle the planet.

Read more about the mounds here, and report back to Ananka's Diary with YOUR theories!

Urban Camouflage

Click here to follow an artist's attempts to blend in at the Stockholm IKEA.

According to the website, "Our costumes are inspired by the "ghillie suits," the military camouflage suit. It was an adventure to wear the suit in the stores because of the conflicts with the employees, the reaction of the customers and also to see the pretty well camouflage effect in a real situation."

Hilarious!

You Can't Tell Me These Are HUMAN

Archaeologists working deep in the forests Siberia of recently dug up a number of skeletons with oddly shaped skulls. Similar elongated skulls have been discovered in Peru, Mexico, Egypt and the sites of other ancient cultures. The "most reasonable" explanation is that these cultures all used simple tools to reshape their infants' skulls.

But I wonder. Is it simpler to believe that all these cultures shared the same odd practice--or that the skeletons belong to something other than humans?

Strange Elongated Skulls Discovered @ Yahoo! Video

Snow Day!

This is the view from my front window. See that red figure on the stoop across the street? That's a kid who's about to go sledding. How can she be sledding on a Monday morning? Because New York City schools have a snow day today. How often does that happen? NEVER!!!!

Mother nature has smiled on the students of New York. Enjoy!

I See What You're Thinking

Made in China

I'm not sure what the story is behind these fabulous Chinese beasties. But how do I go about getting one?!? More here.

Creative, Yes. Hygienic, Not Exactly.

Emily Gravett's award-winning children's book, Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears, was created with the author's blood, sweat, and tears--and another extra-special ingredient.

Gravett wanted the pages of her book to look as though they'd been nibbled on by mice. So she let her two pet rats, Button and Mr Moo, go to town on a piece of paper. They nibbled all right, and after lunch, they decided it was time for a bathroom break. Their urine colored the page yellow, giving it a "properly ratted" look that Gravett loved. So she scanned the chewed-up, peed-upon page and used it as the background for her illustrations. Smart AND disgusting! I love it!

(As you might imagine, the book is dedicated to her pet rats, both of whom are now in rodent heaven, surrounded by cheeses of the world.)

More here!

Songs from My Youth

This is how I came to hunt alligators for a living. Cute, but it would have been better with more butt kicking.

Question: Do you think this message is still important? Or is this old news to girls these days?

How to Make a Shrunken Head

No home is complete without a shrunken head or two. They're great conversation starters when you have people over for dinner--and when you're not entertaining guests they make excellent paperweights.

Unfortunately, it's not always easy to get your hands on the real deal. So why not make your own shrunken head? All it takes is a strong stomach, a few basic ingredients, and a friend.

All joking aside, when I found some instructions for preparing shrunken heads, I was surprised by how easy it seemed. However, the process IS a bit gorey (to say the least), and I don't recommend reading about it unless you're planning to pursue a career as a coroner (or a member of a crime scene clean up crew).

You DID want gross, didn't you?

And You Thought I Would Post Something Gross

Maybe later.

I Think We All Could Use a Little Cuteness Right Now

When it starts to feel like winter will never end, I like to cheer myself up by looking at baby animals . . . Stop, stop, stop. I'm afraid I can't lie to you. I usually find baby animal sites to be mind-bogglingly dumb.

But zooborns is different. The pictures are high quality, and the animals are suitably exotic. Just be careful. Your head might explode from all the cuteness.