Year: 2015

Posted on by

Hendrix seance artifact up for auction

Waxwork of Jimi Hendrix posed playing guitar
This wax figure of Jimi Hendrix stands in Mme Tussauds of London
Photo by Denis Bourez [CC BY 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons.
We have a number of bizarre artifacts in the Museum of the Weird, but I don’t think I’ll be able to talk Steve into bidding on this one. It’s a hair charm that Jimi Hendrix wore and it contains some of his actual hair!

You don’t think that’s weird enough? According to this article from the radio station 3WV site, this charm was actually used in a séance held by Guitar World Magazine in 1993, 23 years after the guitarist’s death in 1970.

Celebrity séances are not at all unusual. Who wouldn’t like the opportunity to talk to somebody famous? Even in the Bible we have the tale of King Saul who asked the Witch of Endor to put him in touch with Samuel (1 Samuel, Ch 28). That did not go so well.

Harry Houdini, famed turn-of-the-20th-century magician who spoke out aggressively against mediums and séance, died from an accident in 1929—Halloween night to be exact. For years after his death, his wife, Bess, worked to contact him through an annual séance. They were supposed to have a code word he would giverher to prove it was him. Her final attempt was in 1936. While the code was never received, a horrible storm raged over the rooftop where this final event was held. It seems that the storm was isolated to that area and did not affect those surrounding. Weird…

A story in the biography of William Butler Yeats tells how the poet was inspired by a séance to do automatic writing, which resulted in his book A Vision.

Photo of Mary Todd Lincoln
Portrait of Mary Todd Lincoln somewhere between 1860 and 1865. This is around the time she tried to contact her dead son.

After their son Willie died, Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of Abraham Lincoln, held several séances in the White House. Abraham was also said to have had some troubling dreams and visions that could have pointed to his assassination in 1865. Lincoln was not the only First Lady with an interest in this sort of thing. This article on FirstLadies.org describes ways that many presidential wives brought more than cookie recipes into the White House.

Some stars such as Elvis, John Lennon, and Michael Jackson attract a lot of attention. I talk to someone at least once a week who would like to reach Elvis if they could.

So, if we had this very personal item from Jimi Hendrix would we be able to contact him? There’s really only one way to find out. What I do know is that, before you go to bed, if you focus deeply and ask sincerely, Hendrix—or anyone for that matter—can visit you in your dreams. You might be very surprised at the connection!

Posted on by

Phobia causes actions beyond reason

sept-18-1-kcsd
Aftermath of freak crash by wane.com

You may have heard of the bizarre accident in Northern Indiana where a woman found a spider on her shoulder and leapt from a moving car. Her nine-year old son was in the back seat and tried in vain to get control of the car, which crashed into a school bus. If you managed to miss it, here’s a brief report from local TV station WXIN.

While most stories have focused on the strange nature of the crash, we are interested in the incredible fear that caused a mother to overcome her instinct to protect her son in order to flee a spider. You see, at the Museum of the Weird we encounter certain levels of fear like this daily.

Small children will sometimes be nervous about the shadowy nature of our artifacts, expecting something to jump out at them, though it never does. However, adults are sometimes taken aback by the idea of our ghost and the dealings that I might have with objects and spirits. Some people have needed to leave the Museum at the very thought of such things.

What causes such strong reactions? The term “irrational” is sometimes used, but is that a fair judgment? This article from Scientific American talks about the nature of phobias and our difficulty in finding root causes for them. There doesn’t seem to be a specific genetic reason for an overpowering fear of spiders, but there might be genetics that would make one more susceptible to environmental issues or conditioning. What would develop as an aversion becomes a devastating fight or flight reaction.

One thing to keep in mind is that someone experiencing such a phobia is not thinking rationally. They may even be fully aware of the way their response is out of proportion to the situation. That doesn’t matter. Understanding that it’s irrational doesn’t fix it. It must be treated using methods that range from hypnosis to reconditioning.

When I encounter a child who is scared I will get on their level and do my best to assure them that everything in the Museum is safe and that they are surrounded by parents and myself who want to look out for them. When I encounter this reaction from adults I have to do my best to simply bypass the subjects altogether. In either case I take their concerns seriously and don’t use it to mess with them.

As we saw in the news story, fear like this can drive people to do things that are far beyond even their own expectations. They can abandon their own safety and yours just to get away from what frightens them. If you are lucky it’s just awkward. In a worse-case scenario someone gets hurt.

The 9-year-old boy, who sprang into action to stop the moving vehicle, thwarted only by not having driving instincts—because he’s 9—received some minor head injuries, but seemed to be otherwise OK. The school bus that collided with the car had no children and its driver was unharmed. The mother will be haunted by the fact that something she could not control made her do something unimaginable.

Please respect people’s fears rather than preying on them. If you know you have a serious phobia consider looking into ways to conquer it. We want you safe!

 

Posted on by

This may be my last entry

Painting of the four horsemen
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (V. Vasnetsov, 1887)

OK, folks. This one is weird and I don’t know what to tell you. I’m stepping outside of my reporter voice and sharing something personally interesting with you. More regular news tomorrow…if that’s still possible.

Today I was catching up on an episode of Midnight in the Desert, Art Bell’s Internet (soon to be on-air again) broadcast. Yes! I’m a subscriber! (You do know about Art Bell, right?)

The episode was from August 25 and Art starts with some startling information that I want to share with you. It’s weird.

First, you must know something about the CERN project. CERN is a particle accelerator along the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva. It is being used to study the nature of our universe at very fundamental levels and is responsible for some extraordinary discoveries in science.

CERN is also mentioned prominently in the mysterious John Titor story. Titor was a man who claimed to be a time traveler from our future. He painted a gloomy image of society’s fall into dystopia. In some cases his predictions seemed to line up well with things happening in the world. Many are confident that Titor is just a clever hoax while others still wonder at the story. You’ll have to decide for yourself. johntitor.com is dedicated to continuing to explore the questions.

I will admit that this story fascinates me. It’s a wonderful blend of possibilities and improbabilities that make me wonder. I like wonder.

So, now here is what Art Bell shared on his show, and you can see it for yourself:

Step 1: Do a Google Search for 9-23-15.  You will find a series of articles and conversations that talk about an apocalypse that begins…well…tomorrow.

Step 2: Do a Google Map Search for 9-23-15. You will find that it takes you to the CERN facility. Forget that entering a date like this in a map search isn’t even a normal way to search. CERN pops up? Really?

Photo of Shiva with dramatic shadows from the night lighting
This statue of Shiva, the destroyer, stands outside of the CERN facility
Photo by Arpad Horvath [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Now, consider that standing outside the CERN facility is a statue of Shiva, donated by India. If you are not familiar with Hindu deities you might be surprised to know that Shiva is also known as the Destroyer. He ends the universe periodically to make way for new creation. (See a more detailed explanation.) Officially we are a little early for the Kali Yuga, when everything changes, but not everyone agrees on the dates. It’s complicated.

CERN is aware of people’s thoughts on these matters and has even set up a convenient rebuttal page to set your mind at ease. The scientists clearly have a sense of humor about this, as shown in this April Fools article, where they claim to have discovered the black hole that Titor predicted. (The article now has a big giant retraction at the top for people who were taking it seriously. There is a lot of interest in this!)

So, are these just a series of coincidences? Google has been known to play games with their maps by giving people silly directions for impossible trips. Did someone at Google add this little Easter Egg as another joke? Does this mean something more?

This is probably all just here to play on our worst fantasies. It couldn’t possibly be real. It couldn’t possibly mean anything. Or…this may be my last transmission. Either way, we’ll see each other on the other side.

 

Posted on by

Our haunted hotel neighbor

Photo of the Driskill Hotel
The amazing Driskill Hotel is just a few blocks up the street from the Museum of the Weird
Photo by Nika Vee [cc-by 2.0] via flickr

A few blocks west of the Museum of the Weird lies a beautiful, old hotel called the Driskill. It was built in 1885 by cattle baron Colonel Jesse Driskill and designed to be the finest hotel this side of the Mississippi in its day. The hotel has been fully restored to its original glory and is one of those places where time disappears once you enter. It’s also very haunted.

Celebrities Annie Lennox and Johnette Napolitano both are reported to have had experiences in the hotel. Napolitano was inspired by hers to write the song Ghost of a Texas Ladies Man (see the video).

The ghost of a suicide bride haunts the corridors and is occasionally encountered by guests.

The ghost of a young girl, daughter of a U.S. Senator, who was killed after a fall down a marble staircase, is said to bounce a ball and disturb the doors and fixtures in the upstairs bathroom.

Some have reported a strange disturbance in their room. The bathroom mirrors are fogged as though someone had a shower and mysterious scribbling is found on the pad between the beds. The first occurance was discovered when the couple returned to their room one afternoon. The second was discovered when the people awoke that morning!

Staff in the hotel have told me about touches and pinches they have received working in parts of the building, especially on the top floor. In some cases it seems that the spirits will haze the new people a little by giving them some special attention until they show respect.

Several years ago, a colleague and I had our own encounters. We took a digital camera to the 5th floor to take pictures around the legendary room 525. As we stepped down from the elevators into the old part of the hotel my camera ran out of battery. I had thought they were good, but apparently not. We satisfied ourselves with simply walking around and taking the place in. Later, on the street, I activated the camera again to see if it had enough juice to pull the motorized lens back in so I could put it away. It came up with full charge and worked fine for several hours. It just didn’t want to work on that floor.

My colleague reported strolling around on that hallway and hearing a woman’s voice singing what sounded like an old tune in the vicinity of 525. There was work being done on the rooms and they appeared to be unoccupied at the time. He said it sounded “old” to him, not like modern singing, and that I would know what he meant if I’d heard it.  He was with two other people who heard the same thing and could not determine a source for the singing.

Photo of LBJ and his family watching television
LBJ watches the 1964 election results from his suite at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas.

The Driskill is a delightful place. It’s housed many wealthy and powerful people. During the time that the Texas State Capitol was built, the legislature held meetings at the Driskill. LBJ watched his election results there. Many other politicians have made it their center while in Austin.

The next time you are by the Museum, take some time to walk up the street and visit our neighbor. You are guaranteed an experience, though it may not necessarily be a ghostly one. Of course, if you do encounter something otherworldy, please let us know!

Posted on by

Cave may be a pre-human catacomb

Yesterday, while giving a tour of the Museum, I was talking to a gentleman about the Bigfoot connections in Texas and the Bigfoot mystery overall. Skeptics rightly say “Ubi corpus?” (Where is the body?) Why have we not found at least a corpse of Bigfoot?

One possible theory is that these creatures are intelligent enough to not just leave their dead lying around. This BBC article discusses how other animal species seem to have mourning rituals when one of them dies. This Quora discussion talks about how chimpanzees, magpies and elephants will do some covering of a corpse.

Now, I find this news of a new discovery in Africa. An ABC News report shows how researchers made their way into an obscure area of the Rising Star Cave to find a chamber filled with bones and artifacts from what may be an early human ancestor. It appears that earlier versions of humans may have had a burial ritual. If that’s the case, is it possible that Bigfoot does the same thing?

Bigfoot remains a mystery, but here is video covering the amazing expedition and details about the find. The history of earth becomes more and more fascinating as we find new clues.

Posted on by

Amazing discovery inside “living fossil”

1024px-Undina_penicillata
65-million-year-old fossil of a Coelacanth
Photo by Haplochromis [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Researchers studying the Coelacanth, a mysterious living fossil, discover something amazing.

Thought extinct, the deep-ocean-dwelling creature was found alive and well when fishermen caught one in 1938. The bizarre fish has a number of unusual qualities. It has matching pairs of lobe fins that stick out like legs and even move like the legs of a four-legged animal. It has a hinged skull which can widen it’s mouth to eat larger prey. It has an electrosensory organ in it’s snout that may help it hunt.

Now we find that it once had lungs!

Photo of a diver swimming with a Coelacanth
Living fossil swims with a diver
Photo by Mordecai 1998 [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
An article in Discover News tells how researchers exploring the body of a Coelacanth have found what appears to be an obsolete lung. Humans have an appendix, an organ that seems to serve no real purpose for us, but might have been important long ago. Similarly, it appears that this fish may have once used lungs to breath air and that the organ has faded back over time.

This suggests that the Coelacanth was once an air-breather that evolved to become a creature of the deep. This may be what saved this species while other creatures of the period were wiped out, possibly by a single event.

Earth’s history is a  strange array of creatures, and discoveries like this just fuel the imagination. Will we ever get a clear picture of it all without a time machine? Perhaps not. However, each clue shows us that it was all weirder than we thought. Weird is good!

Posted on by

Who’s your Buddie?

NOTE: This information is provided for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to express support or opposition to the legalization of marijuana.

Photo of Buddie, a green-headed superhero shaped like a marijuana bud
ResponsibleOhio’s mascot, Buddie, cheerfully endorses the legalization of gajna.

Ohio is preparing for a vote on the legalization of marijuana. Pot, weed, Mary Jane, reefer, grass… It goes by many names and many are lobbying to legalize this plant. Is that a good idea? It’s not really our place to say. We are just thrilled by all the weird ways that people are using to get their message out.

We’ve seen one side of the argument, eloquently depicted in the classic Reefer Madness film from 1938 and on police dramas, from the Dragnet of radio days to whatever was on last week.

As the ballot moves forward in Ohio, the ResponsibleOhio group has unleashed a new superhero. His name is Buddie, and he’s got a big, green, leafy head and the kind of muscles that you won’t typically find in a donut shop. He’s part of the Green Rush Bus tour of college campuses. Some are comparing him to Joe Camel, the infamous cigarette icon which was banned because of its appeal to children. Is Buddie using the same playbook?

In these matters, it’s important to have someone we can trust to help boil it all down. Fortunately, Stephen Colbert has examined this issue and provides insight.

Good luck, Ohio, whatever you decide!

Posted on by

Massive grave contains bodies of the insane

More details have come to light as archaeologists unearth an extraordinary mass grave in the UK. This video, provided in an article by the Daily Mail, shows the scope of the operation.

The unmarked graves were accidentally discovered by Crossrail construction workers who were building the new Liverpool Street rail station. The discovery grew to hundreds and then 3,000 skeletons are expected to be brought up.

Some of the bodies may date back to the late 1500s and would include victims of the Great Plague in 1665. Many others were patients of the Bethlem Royal Hopital, which later became known as Bedlam. It was Europe’s first dedicated psychiatric facility. Bethlem has a pretty unsavory history, and existed in a time when mental illness was treated with what we see today as a great deal of cruelty. Though, some day people may look back on our own modern practices as barbaric.

Very few of the graves contained anything other than bones. A crucifix was found in one and a few other artifacts were recovered. It seems that these souls were too poor to have anything else laid to rest with them.

Commentary on the article is interesting with many crying out against the excavations, wanting to let the dead rest in peace. Is it a good idea to disturb these graves? Movies like Poltergeist (the good, original one) suggest that building over the dead and disturbing graves can have unpleasant consequences. There are certainly plenty of stories by people who feel they are haunted because the dead do not want to be disturbed. On the other hand, we learn much by studying the old and ancient dead. Perhaps this will bring us closer to our brothers and sisters of the past.

Posted on by

Man in bear suit harasses bears

Photo of a camera crew recording someone wearing a realistic animal suit
Was this weirdo wearing a suit like this one from Animal Makers?

Sometimes words just fail. Several news outlets, including the Daily Mail, reported that a man dressed in a bear suit was harassing some real bears feeding from the Chilkoot River near Haines, Alaska. A mother and her two cubs were fishing the stream. A crowd had gathered to watch, including a park official who was counting fish.

The man in the suit approached, unnoticed at first. Then he began to jump up and down, coming within 10 feet of the cubs. Alaska Fish and Game technician Lou Cenicola moved the bears away before something very bad happened and then spoke to the man. Cenicola is not law enforcement, so he was a little out of his element.

The man never identified himself and drove away without removing any of his costume. He reportedly told Cenicola “You have the license plate number. You figure it out.”

Photo of a strange costumed character in Beaumont, TX.
Photo of a strange costumed character in Beaumont, TX.

Fortunately, in Texas, we don’t have bear issues. We get gun-toting bananas. Oh, well. I guess it’s weird all over!

Posted on by

Haunted mirrors

photo of an Asian woman brushing her teeth in a mirror with a ghostly figure of a Victorian woman reflected behind her
Are mirrors gateways into other worlds?

Mirrors are creepy. They show us a backwards view of our own world, suggesting that there is another realm just beyond. Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass gave us that image of what it might be like to pass into that world. Of course, he’s not the only one.

Jewish tradition dictates that mirrors should be draped when someone dies, a tradition that was adopted by the formal traditions of Victorian mourning. Reasons for this vary with the source. Some say it’s more about peace for the mourners. Others say it’s about the dangers of these spirit doorways which are more vulnerable at the time of someone’s passing.

Some of us have played Bloody Mary and similar games, actually daring something to reveal itself in the mirror. Is this childish or unwise? Are these just silly, spooky thrills or do we actually risk opening the door to let something nasty in?

Photo of a Victorian mirror hanging over a table with a bust statue of a woman
Does this mirror on the Myrtle Plantation contain the spirit of tortured souls?
Photo by Corey Balazowich [CC BY-ND 2.0] via flickr
There are many instances of haunted mirrors. One famous legend involves a mirror on the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana. It is said that this mirror holds the spirit of Sara Woodruff. After Sara died this mirror was accidentally left uncovered and she will appear or leave handprints here.

Of course, there are haunted mirrors right here in Austin, Texas. The famously bespooked Driskill Hotel, a few blocks from the Museum, has the Maximilian Room. It’s named for the Mexican Emperor Maximilian and contains mirrors that he commissioned for his wife, Carlotta, before he was killed in an uprising. They were beautifully crafted in France, but never delivered. Three years after Carlotta died, The Driskill purchased the mirrors and hung them in an elegant new dining room, often used for weddings.

Legend has it that a mysterious White Lady is sometimes seen reflected in the mirrors. Some suggest that this apparition is the Empress Carlotta.

Do you have any stories of strange things in a mirror? Do you think they really can be doorways to other worlds? Share with us.

In the mean time, we take care with our mirrors, because you just never know.