Yeti

Deja Moultrie

Up in the Himalayan Mountains in Asia many have witnessed to see what they called a Yeti. The most commonly known name for Yeti is Bigfoot as most people call this creature. A Yeti is what seem to be abominable snowman. As The National Geographic Channel stated, most people believe that a Yeti is a giant ape-man, and others believe it is a God. With its dark gray like or reddish-brown hair and weighing between 200 and 400 pounds, the Yeti made its first appearance in 1832 by a British explorer B.H. Hodgeson stated by Stewart Green in his article “The Yeti: Legend, Lore, and Climbing Mystery”. B.H. Hodgeson have reported seeing the wild creature, but with it reddish-brown hair he believed that it was an orangutan. Years after the first report of this mysterious creature, others believed that they have encounter this same animal and reported their story also. Stewart Green also mentioned that in 1899 the first recorded footprints of the Yeti have been reported by Laurence Waddell, but being that he wasn’t a full believer in the Yeti stories that everyone was telling him because the never really witnessed the creature with their own eyes, he felt as though the footprints was left by a bear. Which is quite understandable because in Laura Smith-Spark informed us in her article “Has the mystery of the Yeti finally been solved?” the hair follicle that is believed to be from a Yeti genetically proved that a Yeti and bears are related in some way, shape or form. Therefore it wouldn’t be too difficult to get those two species confused. In 1925 as Stewart Green stated, was when the first detail report was made by a Greek photographer name N.A. Tombazi, on a British expedition. It was said that he saw a dark figure in the snow, but couldn’t make out what it was. It walked like a human, but it didn’t wear any clothes. Before he could take a picture, the dark figured disappeared .There isn’t anyone who had full contact of Bigfoot and who have tons of evidence that this creature exist. There are some people that are still trying to get a glimpse of this mysterious creature and there are some people who do not believe that this creature walks on earth. The Yeti is still known to be one of the most popular mythological legend and until someone comes to fully prove that this creature is real it will forever be a myth.

Works cited:
DavidWalker1964.” Roger Patterson Bigfoot Footage”. Youtube.com.Google.24 Nov.2007. Web. 14 Oct. 2015

Green, Stewart. “The Yeti: Legend, Lore, and Climbing Mystery”. Climbling.about.com. About.com.2015. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.

“Abominable Snowman”.natgeotv.com.National Geographic Channel.2014. Web. 14 Oct. 2015
Smith-Spark, Laura. “Has the mystery of the Yeti finally been solved?” .Cnn.com.Cable News Network.17 Oct. 2013. Web. 13 Oct. 2015.


Five Tags: Yeti, Snowman, Asia, Big Foot, Himalayan Mountains

The Giant’s Causeway

Kali Wiggins


“Giant’s Causeway, Ireland,” by Jeff Mauritzen, National Geographic


The Giants Causeway is a stunning geological phenomenon located on the northern coast of Ireland. Tourist travel from all over the world and visit this extraordinary site to personally witness the breathtaking view of the causeway,and better understand the reasoning behind the famous legend about the giant who supposedly created it. Richard Pococke, who was well-known in Ireland for his documentaries about natural locations, personally visited the Giant’s Causeway and observed that it consists of tens of thousands of vertical and geometrical shaped basalt columns ranging in height and width.In one of his letters, Pococke recorded that the pillars have anywhere from three to eight sides, and they could range from one to two feet in diameter.

Like any unusual story, there is a logical and scientific reason behind the formation of the Giant’s Causeway. Since 1986 the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has considered the Giant’s Causeway to be a part of the World Heritage List. They credit the causeway as an important geological site,which over the last three hundred years of scientific studieshas led to a better understanding of basaltic volcanism. It is now understood that the causeway was formed fifty to sixty million years ago as a result of volcanic activity. Scientists now know the lava formed from the volcanic eruption solidified and contracted unevenly causing the many interlocked, geometrical pillars(Martin).


“Giant’s Boot,” by Sean McClean



Tourists find the causeway so astounding because the structural composition of the interlocked columns makes it seem as if it was man made; therefore several versions of the famous Irish legend about the giant named Finn McCool have arisen to compensate for people’s disbelief. Many of the stone structures have become linked to the legend because they resemble human items. For instance, “the giant’s boot” is a humongous stone that strongly resembles a boot, which compels people to associate it to the legend of Finn McCool and the Giant’s Causeway. (Martin)

Chelsea Martin, who is the author of many articles on Fairyroom.com, wrote an article about the Giant’s Causeway that describes a popular version of the Irish legend. Finn McCool, an Irish giant, grew tired of the ongoing rivalry between himself and a Scottish giant named Benandonner. He built the causeway in order to cross the sea, confront his enemy face to face, and put an end to the conflict.  However Finn’s plan did not go accordingly because he greatly underestimated the size of the Scottish giant. He panicked when he realized he could not compete with Benandonner. Thankfully for Finn, he had a clever wife who disguised him as the couple’s baby before Benandonner showed up. Once the giant arrived and saw the “baby”, he became terrified as he contemplated how giant Finn must be if his child was already so huge. This version says that the Scottish giant destroyed the causeway as he fled back to his home, to ensure Finn could not follow him.

Although some might not believe the legend of Finn McCool, the Giant’s Causeway itself is an incredibly unique formation that unites people from all over the world that are interested in its beauty. The ancient Irish legend of Finn McCool only adds more of an attraction to the world heritage site, inviting people who have an imaginative mind to visit this rare formation and better understand how the Irish legend began.

Works Cited:
Martin, Chelsea. “Mystic Places: The Giant’s Causeway and the Legend of Finn MacCool.” Fairyroom.com. Fairy Room. 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2015.

Mauritzen, Jeff. “Giant’s Causeway, Ireland.” Photograph. National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 5 Sept. 2014. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

McClean, Sean. “Giant’s Boot.” Photograph. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Dec. 2004. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

Pococke, Richard. “An Account of the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, in a Letter to the President from the Rev.  Richard Pococke, LL. D Archdeacon of Dublin, and F. R. S.” Philosophical Transactions. 45 (1748): 124-127. JSTOR.Web. 8 Oct. 2015.

UNESCO World Heritage Centre. “Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast.” UNESCO. (1992-2015) Web. 7 Oct. 2015.

Links for Further Research:
YouTube: Giant’s Causeway, North Ireland by George Pollenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTEBxxJ6MUw
This website contains information on the structure of the causeway and its legend.

World Heritage Site- For World Heritage Travellershttp://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/giantscauseway.html
This website contains information on the geological formation of the causeway for tourists interested in visiting this world heritage site.

The Giant’s Causewayhttp://www.geographia.com/northern-ireland/ukiant01.htm
This website contains another version of the legend and tells the history of the causeway’s first documented account.

The Grey Lady in Willard Library

 Morgan Pierce

When looking at this picture of the Willard Library, many see the black ball on the ground. This black ball is believed to be the Grey Lady in Willard Library. This picture, along with many others,is backup to the speculations of a ghost being in the library. Not only does the library have pictures to prove that there is a ghost in the library, but the library also has employees that have experienced her presence.

When going to a library, most people think it's going to be a nice relaxing time, not a time to be scared that a ghost is near. In the Willard Library, many claim that there is a ghost that haunts the library. The ghost has been spotted by many different people that have been to the library. Those that have spotted the ghost include both employees and people on the internet watching the ghost cameras . This camera is on the internet 24 hours a day, so anymore who wants to try to find the ghost is able to. When looking at this ghost camera, there are questionable pictures that people think is the Grey Lady, but some think it's just the shadow of someone walking.

Back in 1937, in Evansville, IN, the lady in grey made herself known to the employees at the Willard Library (Willis). It was early in the morning when a custodian of the Willard Library went to light the furnace in the basement. When walking up the stairs, his flashlight spotted a lady dressed in all grey (Willis). After the first spotting of the Grey Lady, she has been seen by many other people. Another spotting was when the security alarm went off, and when the police arrived, they spotted two ghosts sitting near the upstairs window (Hall).
Many ask, "Why is there a ghost in the Willard Library?" Many different researchers have researched this question. The answer that most of them seem to come up with is the Grey Lady is Louise Carpenter. Louise Carpenter was the daughter of the library’s founder, who sued the Library’s board of trustees on her father's behalf (Harte, et al.). Louise believed that the money the library inherited from her father, who died, should have been her money. She lost the case, which makes the researchers think this is why she haunts the library. Another theory that some researchers have is the ghost is a lady who died on the land that the library sits on today (Willis). They believe that she is searching for her son who died with her that day.

Works Cited:
Blackwood, Margret. "The Willard Library: Most Haunted Library in the Us?" Photograph. The Ghost Diaries. 22 February 2004. Web. 16 October 2015.

ghostghoul. "Ghost Picture of the Day: Willard Library Ghost." Photograph. Ghost and Ghouls. 15 December 2012. Web. 16 October 2015.

Hall, Ashley. The Ghost of Willard Library. 29 December 2012. Web. 9 October 2015
Harte, Timothy M, et al. "Willard Investigation 2". Ghost Hunters Society. N.P. 9 September 2000. Web. 7 October 2015.

Willis, Wanda Lou. "Vanderburgh." More Haunted Hoosier Trails (2004): 200-208. Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library Interlibrary Loan. Web. 9 October 2015

Links for further research:
Willard Library, Haunted Houses.comhttp://www.hauntedhouses.com/states/in/willard_library.htm
This website has more detail on the grey lady and the times she has been spotted.

Willard Libraryhttp://www.willard.lib.in.us/index.php
This website is the actual website for the Willard Library. There are directions on how to get there and information on what is needed to check out a book from the Willard Library.

Library offers more than periodicalshttp://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/134236208C2592C8?p=NewsBank
This website gives extra information on the Willard Library ghost, the Grey Lady. An interesting topic that it covers is the background information on Louise Carpenters father.

Mayan Prophecy December 21, 2012

Rassia

 Many people had the belief that the world was going to end on December 21, 2012. One reason that many human beings believed this is because they misinterpreted a date on the Mayan Calendar.The specific date of December 21, 2012 had a specific meaning,which many experts believed was the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one, for the Mayans. Some believed that the world was going to end. Others believed that the world would turn into total chaos, and some even believed that Jesus Christ was going to return on this date. However, many people did not understand how to read the calendar correctly, so they got the wrong meaning for this date.

As Chris Holly mentions in his article“2012: The Mayans and Other Strange Predictions of Our Time”, there is no one person on planet Earth that can fully explain the Mayan calendar. He explains that even scientist could not explain the meaning of this date on the Mayan Calendar. He also states that many scientists thought that the interpretations of this date were blown out of context and proportion due to the lack of knowledge of how to read the Mayan Calendar.  Others found the fact that many people thought that the world was going to end on December 21, 2012 to be quite comical. Rich Deem is one of these people. He even creates and article, “The Real 2012 Prophecy: Mayans, Nostradamus, and Planet X, Oh My!”,giving his satirical thoughts of what this particular date meant (Deem).
Even though these thoughts seem comical now, we have to look at it from the perspective of when these thoughts were wondering through our heads back in 2012. If the millions of people who really thought that the world was going to end had been thinking logically, they would have realized that no living person on Earth can predict the date of the world’s destruction. Many people argued that many of the signs that were in the Bible either were happening or had already happened. However, the Bible also states that the return of Jesus Christ, thus the world’s end, could not be predicted by any person on Earth.
Some people who thought that the world was supposed to end on December 21, 2012 still believe that this belief is true. However, if they use basic critical thinking skills, they would realize that this obviously is not true, because the world is still revolving today. With this being said, many people should make sure that they completely understand the material that they are reading before they announce publically their wrong beliefs. Had someone who knew how to read the Mayan Calendar correctly and to the fullest, many people would not have panicked about the world ending on December 21, 2012, and that could have saved a lot of people from suffering from the decisions that they made from believing this false fact.
Works cited:
 Deem, Rich. “The Real 2012 Prophecy: Mayans, Nostradamus, and Planet X, Oh My!”. Godandscience.org. 20 January 2012. Web. 3 October 2015. This article is satirical. The purpose of this article make fun of the crazy assumption that the world would end on December 21, 2012. This source is unique because not only does it make fun of this assumption, but it also gives the real explanation of this date. This source is helpful because it explains the meaning of this date. The audience for this article is the general public.  As written on the satirical website, the audience for this article is anyone who thought that the world was going to end on December 21, 2012.

Grant, R. Jeffrey.  2012 Doomsday with Pyramid. Photograph. Rapture Forums. Rapture Forums, 2015. Web. 15 October 2015

Holly, Chris. “2012: The Mayans and Other Strange Predictions of Our Time”. Decmeber212012.com. 21 December 2012. Web. 30 September 2015. This article talks about the many beliefs that people had about this date and why they are incorrect. The purpose of this article is to explain the false assumptions and give the true meaning of this date. This source is unique because it both explains common mistakes and the true meaning of the date. This source is helpful because it explains why these assumptions were wrong. The audience for this article is the general public. As written on this satirical website, the audience for this website is anyone who would like to know the true meaning of this date on the Mayan Calendar.

Links for further research:
Evidence for Godhttp://www.godandscience.org/doctrine/2012_prophecy_review.html
This article is satirical, so the information that it provides is what others thought this date meant on the Mayan Calendar, and what the author thought (playfully) this date meant.

December212012.comhttp://www.december212012.com/articles/mayan/2012-The_Mayans_and_Other_Strange_Predictions_of_Our_Time.htm
This article talks about the many beliefs that people had about December 21, 2012, and why these assumptions were incorrect.

Chiron Communicationshttp://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/tzolkinmaya/esp_tzolkinmaya09.htm
This article talks about why only Mayan experts are able to interpret the Mayan calendars, and not anyone else. 

Alice of the Hermitage

Janee McCarthy

Among many other ghost legends in South Carolina, the legend of Alice of the Hermitage approaches a calmer, innocent ghost story, rather than a terrifying ghost story like we are used to hearing about. Alice was a young girl who lived on a rice plantation with her arrogant brother, whom she was not too happy with, and her mother.  The home was more of a beach home to them, surrounded by trees and marshes.



The Hermitage at Murrell’s Inlet


On the website The Moonlit Road, Cathy Kaemmerien and Craig Dominey wrote an article on the legend of Alice of the Hermitage, where they talked about her family’s traditions. Growing up, Alice Flagg’s family has always had strong beliefs of marrying the right person depending on the social class aspect. Living on the Hermitage, Alice met a young man that she fell in love with. Her family was not happy with this and her brother forbade Alice to see the boy. “The story goes on to say that in an effort to keep the two apart, Alice was sent away to boarding school in Charleston.” (The Hermitage- Murrell’s Inlet, SC). But that didn’t stop her, Alice decided that she could keep it a secret from her brother. One night, Alice’s beloved gave her a ring, which he engraved in the band, “love never fails.” Alice kept the ring on a ribbon around her neck, making sure to keep it from her brother.
 
Alice’s brother sent Alice off to school in Charleston, punishing her for going against her family’s beliefs and traditions. A couple weeks later, Alice was rushed home by her brother because of an unexpected sickness. She had high fever and laid in bed for weeks. While lying in bed, her brother snatched the ring from around her neck and threw it in the nearby marsh. Alice woke up frantically looking for the ring and died shortly after realizing it was gone.

It is believed that Alice Flagg still haunts the grounds of The Hermitage looking for her ring.“For I have never found my ring, though sometimes I still search the grounds at what is now called Wachesaw Plantation.”(Alice Flagg in her own words). Her grave is still at the Hermitage. People can go to the land and visit the grounds that Alice still walks around. Some people say they have seen her, and even talked to her. People lay flowers on her grave and pass on their stories about their visit to the Hermitage.



Alice Flagg’s Grave



Works Cited:
”Alice Flagg in Her Own Words; The Area’s Most Beloved Ghost Tells Her Story.” MyrtleBeach Online. N.d. Web. 13 Oct.

“The Hermitage-Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina.” 2015 SCIWAY. Web. 12 Oct.
Kaemmerien, Cathy. “Alice.” The Moonlit Road. The Moonlit Road, 1997 LLC. Web. 12. Oct.
Roberts, Nancy. “South Carolina Ghosts; From the Coast to the Mountains.” Columbia. University of South Carolina, 1983. Print.
Ross, L. Woodrow. “Ghosts of South Carolina: Two stories of lost love and tragic death.” Independent Mail. Journal Media Group, 2015. Web. 13 Oct.
Links for further research:https://www.google.com/search?q=alice+of+the+hermitage

Giant Human Bones

 Javonne Smith

The theory of evolution is where scientist thinks that we evolved from something or someone. Some say that we evolved from monkeys, people that believe in god say that we came from Adam and Eve. What if we didn’t come from any of that? We could’ve descended from giant humans. Giant human bones is an interesting topic because if they were real, everything that we know about evolution would go out the window. You would have many questions that would be quite difficult to answer. One question would be, why haven’t there been any discoveries in the bones or anything that proves they exist?

Allegedly, the first giant bones were found in 81 BC by the Grecian people. The Greeks thought that they had found human bones, scientist now said that elephants were common in that area and that was the bones they dug up. Some people actually believe giants to be real but till this day there isn’t really a way to disprove it. Although many websites say they are real seem to be a hoax. In many different articles they would talk about the discoveries and show many different pictures. Eight out of ten of the pictures you could clearly tell they were photo shopped. There was a couple of satire sites that I looked up to see what kind of things they had on them. One of them was about a Smithsonian cover up. The article talked about how the Smithsonian destroyed thousands of giant bones to protect the evolution theory.

Then you had the websites like The National Geographic telling you how there isn’t a thing as a giant and all the discoveries are fake. A voice editor P. Deivamuthu told National Geogrphic news that his publication about how the giants aren’t real was taken by fake reports. “We are against spreading lies and canards, moreover, our readers are a highly intellectual class and will not brook any nonsense.” He says how it is nonsense to think that any of this could be real and that’s true there’s no way giant humans can be real.  That makes you wonder if they are trying to cover everything up as well so they won’t also mess up the theory of evolution. So far no one really knows if giants are real or not, all the discoveries or pictures seem to be faked and photos shopped in some way.

Some of the pictures that are from the early 1900’s look like they could actually be real, but anyone could make a picture look real and old depending on how good they are with the camera. Some of the sightings from then could be made up just so a town or a family could get some fame for “discovering” giant human bones. Hopefully in a couple of years this myth can be resolved and we will really know if one day the giants were roaming the earth.


Work cited;
Proctor, Steven. NephilliumAnnunaki and the Sumerian Giant Skeletons. 2012. Photograph. Youtube. 26 March 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

Flanagan, Bob. “Smithsonian Admits to Destruction of Thousands of Giant Human Skeleton in Early 1900s” New World Order (2015) Google Advance Search. N.P., 3 Dec. 2014. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.

Harris, Kristan. “A Giant Mystery: 18 Strange Skeletons Found in Wisconsin: Sons of God; Men of Renown.” Google Advanced Search. N.P., N.D., Web. 7 Oct. 2015.

Owen, James. “” Skeleton of Giant” Is Internet Photo Hoax” National Geographic News. Google
Advanced Search. Web. 10 Oct. 2015
Links for Further Research:
Giant Bones Informational Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azjWu6Uva8k
This link to the YouTube video above is talking about different sightings of giant bones and whether or not they are real.

Greek Giantshttp://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/mythic-creatures/land-creatures-of-the-earth/greek-giants
This link talks about Grecian Giants and how they even discovered a giant in 81 BC.
Giant Bone Legends http://hubpages.com/hub/Did-Giants-Once-Walk-the-Earth
This article talks about legends from the bible and other discoveries throughout the world.

The Winchester Mystery House

 Emily Ginas

Sarah Winchester crazy or truthful? A house built by spirits is a slogan for The Winchester Mystery House. Located in the Santa Clara Valley current day San Jose California, the building commenced in 1884 and continued for over 38 years. Owner Sarah Winchester had an eye for design when it came to this marvelous mansion. As said in the article “The Truth About Sarah Winchester” by Richard Allen Wagner, Sarah hired over 20 carpenters to work for her 24 hours a day 365 days a week. You’re probably asking why. Why Sarah had created this incredible house, why she had so many carpenters. Well, let us go back to September 30, 1862. On this day Sarah married her husband William, a very well off man who owned a gun company used in the Civil War and Western Wars. They later on brought a daughter named Annie into the world on July 12, 1866. Annie sadly passed 40 days after birth due to a rare birth defect known as Marasmus. A few years later in 1880, William fell deathly ill with Tuberculosis. Leaving Sarah with $20,000,000 dollars, and a pay without taxes taken out of $1000 a week, but this still wasn’t good enough. Sarah had officially gone mad and into a depression. The mourning of her daughter and husband was too much for her, she sought out to a spiritualist. According to the published text on the website Winchester Mystery House “Sarah Winchester: Woman of Mystery” the spiritualist told her that her family was being haunted by spirits. Spirits of American Indians, Civil War Soldiers and others who were killed by the Winchester Rifle. Apparently they’re the reason why her husband and child passed and she would be the next in line. The spiritualist gave another option; move out west and start to build a house, but she must never stop building, once she stops the spirits will take her life.

Continuing on with the house for 38 years Sarah has created a labyrinth. Doors that lead to no where, hallways that lead to no where, the style of the house is quite interesting. The house was made in this way to confuse the ghost so they couldn’t find her. The use of the number 13 throughout the house is very interesting also Sarah Winchester seemed to be very superstitious. As we see on the website The Winchester Mystery House “The Number 13” within the house Sarah has the number 13 use quite frequently. 13 steps on many stair cases, 13 holes in the sink drain covers, 13 ceiling panels in some rooms, even 13 hooks in her Séance room, and many more. Including her will, she had 13 parts within and signed it 13 times! She believes the number 13 will ward off evil spirits. Now, fast forward past Miss Winchester’s natural caused death to present day. The house to this day still has the eerie feel to it. As if she never left…
It is difficult to say if Miss Winchester is ludicrous or if this is her way of mourning. What do you think?

Works Cited:
Tam Communications. “Winchester Mystery House-Secrets of the Mansion part 1.” YouTube. YouTube. 15 Jun 2013. Web. 14 Oct 2015.

Wagner, Richard Allen. “The Truth About Sarah Winchester.” thetruthaboutaarahwinchester.com. 2015. Web. 12 Oct. 2015

“Sarah Winchester: Woman of Mystery.” WinchesterMysteryHouse.com. Winchester Mystery House. 2015. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

“The Number 13.” WinchesterMysteryHouse.com. Winchester Mystery House. 2015. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

Kristina, Greetings from Winchester Mystery House. San Jose, CA. Print. 20 Oct 2015.

For even more leads than this article provides visit:
Other References for Research:

How Stuff Works Sciencehttp://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/afterlife/winchester-mystery-house1.htm
This website has further detail of the house and reasons behind each aspect of the house.

Yahoo Images: Sarah Winchester Pictureshttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwKV5X7N7bFyGpVRaXeot4MWiCXad6d0YWU-7e1ZdiXth-BWCRkAj5457yCgv5NHkbI7aUHTpS85nqwOiD54evKDTh6wVvaXH5EHZMFdbCsZTk1RfKTubMoi6y2zFcN8O4IdjFGupC2s/s1600/sarah.jpg
This is a picture of a young Sarah Winchester.

Wikipedia Sources: Sarah Winchester Death
This is an article from 1918 NY Times talking about Sarah Winchesters death.

Catacombs of Paris

Yasmine Samuel
 
 

 
 
Paris is known as the city of love and romance, however not many know that under this beautiful city is remains of the dead. Beneath the city lie the Catacombs of Paris, which was built in 1700’s. It is a series of old caves, quarries, and tunnels aligned with bones of the dead, that stretches 186 miles. Catacombs are mostly found throughout the Mediterranean, Rome, Paris, and Italy, but they originated in the Middle East. However the Catacombs of Paris came about after a long spring rain caused the Les Innocents to collapse and the rotten bodies to flow over in the neighboring property. Before catacombs were created, LES INNOCENTS  was the largest cemetery in France, however it became over populated. In 1786 the quarries were blessed and consecrated turning them into the Paris Catacombs. It took two years for all the remains from the Les Innocents and all the other cemeteries in Paris to be transferred and buried in the catacombs. Over six million skulls and bones are along the walls of the underground tunnel. The Catacombs of Paris is open to the public, however the people only has access to a small fraction because people would get lost and eventually die since the catacombs branches off.

 
Even though it is illegal and there is a seventy- seven dollar fine for roaming certain parts of the Paris Catacombs; they are still roamed clandestine groups sometimes spend day and night below the city. CATAPHILES, who love the Paris underground, seek peace and quiet, and it is their way of escaping the laws of the city. They are quite welcoming because being underground with people that have the same interest, there is a sense of equality, something that does not exist to them above the city. Vast majority of cataphiles are young males, who have behavioral issues and smoke weed. Cataphiles get in the Catacombs of Paris by using secret entrances in sewers, man hole, and more. Nobody knows for sure because information about where to find them is kept a secret and not shared with outsiders. Some use the catacombs as canvas for artwork, take photos, draw maps, and others use it as a place to party at a cheaper cost in a more juvenile atmosphere than the bars and clubs. Since most of their time is spent underground, cataphiles furnishes certain parts with stone benches and tables to rest and socialize.
 
According to John Law, one of the founders of the San Francisco Suicide Club that in the 1970s arranged events inside off- limits bridge towers and vacant hospitals. Thought of the Catacombs of Paris as an astonishing place that him and the group of explores he was with would remember the experience greatly—if they make it out alive. Experiencing first-hand how cataphiles roam underground without a map, possibly of falling into shafts, and passing many confusing chamber and crawl spaces not knowing where or what it led to. John Law and his team experience proves how people who are not reallyfamiliar with the Catacombs of Paris risk their life. Simply because they are not familiar with all the portals that lead back to the city surface.
 
Works cited:
Breeden Aurelien. “The Secret is out on a Cherished Underground Haven.” Nytimes.com. The New York Times Company, 20 Oct 2014. Web. 14 Oct 2015.

Heritageinaction. “Down the Rabbit Hole- Letting Paris’s Hidden Subculture of Tunnels.” Hertiageinaction.wordpress.com. Heritage in Action, 11 June 2012. Web. 19 Oct 2015.

“Paris’ Les Innocents Cemetery.” Paris-promenades.com. Paris-Promenades, n.d. Web.20 Oct 2015.
Solis Julia. “Paris’s Urban Underground.” NationalGeographic.com. National Geographic Society, 2007. Web. 19 Oct 2015.
 
Links for further research: 
National Geographic http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/02/paris-underground/shea-text
Gives insight about the history of the Paris Catacombs, but also information about how they are today.

Les Catacombes Historie de Paris http://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/catacombs/more-2000-years-history
Gives information and important dates about the Paris Catacombs and provides the things visitors see when touring it.

What Lies Beneath; The discovery of A Cinema Below the Streets of Paris Has Drawn http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/
Tells about how the use of Paris Catacombs has changed as time progressed, and how much of a risk cataphiles take to be underground.

The Beast of Bladenboro

Naomi Aaron

The Beast of Bladenboro

In 1953, there were strange killings that were appearing in Bladenboro, North Carolina. Something was killing animals and leaving their bodies bloodless and skulls crashed. This killer was given the name “The Beast of Bladenboro” (Hotz). The first witness to see The Beast was a police officer, who described it as a black and large four legged animal. The second victims of The Beast were dogs. The dogs were ripped apart and found with not any blood in their bodies (Hotz). After this incident, numerous dogs were killed and their bodies torn. Most of the people who say they have seen The Beast described it as being dark and bigger than a dog (McCray). Everyone, including tourists, want to see The Beast of Bladenboro, so they could have a story to tell everyone. Police told townspeople, especially women and children, to stay inside their houses when the sun went down and to never walk outside alone (Hotz). One morning in 1954, a bobcat was caught in a large cage. Many people suspected that the bobcat was the Beast of Bladenboro, or wanted to believed that the bobcat was. Then the killings of 1953 and 1954, suddenly stopped and the tourists left Bladenboro, North Carolina. On June 15th, 2013 dogs were found dead with little to none blood in their bodies. Many people believed that this was the second coming of the Beast of Bladenboro (Mathews). The tourists came back to Bladenboro, North Carolina to look for the Beast. But, just as quick as it appeared, the killings stopped and the news channels left.

Works Cited:
Hotz, Amy. “The Beast of Bladenboro.” Starnewsonline.com. 27 October 2006. Web. 12 October 2015.

Mathews, Dana. “Has the Vampire Beast of North Carolina Returned? New Killings by Mystery Animal Match Classic Cryptid Case.” Weekinweird.com. 02 July 2013. Web. 12 October 2015.

McCray, Jonathan. “The Vampire Beast of Bladenboro.” Canofmystery.blogspot.com. Web. 12 October 2015.

Redfern, Nick. “The Beast of Bladenboro.” Monstrumathenaeum.org. Web. 12 October 2015.

Stroming, Jason. “The Beast of Bladenboro.” 2015.

Links for further research:
http://theoccultsection.com/2014/03/31/the-beast-of-bladenboro/Gives you images of what the Beast of Bladenboro might look like.

http://ads.bladenjournal.com/elizabethtown-nc/communication/newspaper/bladen-journal/2014-10-21-1325378-8th-annual-beast-of-bladenboro-festival-a-family-friendly-event-friday-oct-24-6-00-am-10-00-pm-saturday-oct-25-10-00-am-00-pm-classic-cruisers-car-show-free-horse-and-carriage-rides-dream-land-amusement-rides-friday-night-and-all-day- Talks about the annual Beast of Bladenboro Day in Bladenboro, North Carolina that people celebrate every year.

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Seekers-Society-Beast-Bladenboro-ebook/dp/B00B8W2JZS
http://www.wect.com/story/8432580/bladenboro-beast-is-on-the-prowl-on-the-history-channel
Example of when The Beast of Bladenboro was on the History Channel and many viewers watched and wanted to learn more about the Beast.
https://books.google.com/books?id=pcC6NW_NCK4C&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=beast+of+bladenboro&source=bl&ots=uGVvEhEsQq&siq=d4LYosRFagq2Nes7FM_Qi3N5yK0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBzgoahUKEwii-v7O8M_IAhVL6IAKHXpaDas#v=onepage&q=beast%20of%20bladenboro&f=falseThis article talks about animals including the Beast of Bladenboro that have been a mystery and only a few have claimed to see them.

Mysterious Monsters of the Deep: Messie and Nessie

Peyton Smith

 

We’ve all heard the fictional stories of creatures that live in the deep, but have you ever considered where those theories and stories originated? According to Stephen Lyons, in his article “The Legend of Loch Ness”, the earliest evidence of the Loch Ness monster is dated back to the first century A.D., “when the Romans first came to Scotland and found it occupied by fierce, tattoo-covered tribes they called the Picts, or painted people.” The Picts had many animal statues carved in stone, all of which were recognizable except for one which was “a strange beast with an elongated beak or muzzle, a head locket or spout, and flippers instead of feet” (Lyons). It was described by many as a “swimming elephant.” Even though the Pictish statues were the first real evidence, “the earliest written evidence can be found in the biography of Saint Columba, in 565 A.D. when he saw a giant beast about to attack a swimmer in the lake” (Lyons). However, Lyons said the Loch Ness legend we all know about today arose in 1933, when a couple driving home passed the loch and saw “an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface.” Based on this sighting the first real description of the beast was created, and this description is still how we depict the creature today. The beast was said to have a long slender neck, distinct humps along its back, and fins. Does this monster seem believable to you?

In Bejnamin Radford’s book Lake Monster Mysteries, he discusses some of the most iconic photos of the Loch Ness monster, one of which was photographed by a London doctor named R. Kenneth Wilson. This photo became the most popular form of evidence to many because it came from someone as credible as a doctor, who was believed to be too well respected to lie about a monster. This photo was later falsified and the story behind the hoax was recorded in Radford’s book, it was also recorded in Stephen Lyons’ article “The Legend of Loch Ness”

Hearing about the Loch Ness monster can be terrifying for some, but many people don’t care about the urban legend since it is so far away in a loch in the middle of Scotland. But what if I were to tell you that there have been sightings of a similar beast in a lake many people in South Carolina visit frequently. In 1933, the first sighting of Messie the Lake Murray monster appeared. Lake Murray is a manmade lake located near Irmo, South Carolina, it is over 41 miles in length, 14 miles in width and about 200 feet in depth. The creature was first spotted by a husband and wife, who were out in a boat fishing on the lake, when they said the beast attacked their boat and they had to fight it off with oars to avoid sinking (SC Lakes). Over the years many Messie sightings have occurred, each time “it is always noted as being a giant snake with fins and has been calculated as being 40 to 60 feet long” (SC Lakes). Now next time you decide to go for a swim, beware of what could be lurking just under the surface.

Works Cited:
Lyons, Stephen. “The Legend of the Loch Ness.” pbs.org. PBS-NOVA, 12 Jan. 1999. Web. 7 October 2015.

Radford, Benjamin. Lake Monster Mysteries. Lexington: The UP of Kentucky, 2006. Print

SC Lakes. “Lake Murray Monster.” sclakes.com. SC Lakes, 17 Sept. 2009. Web. 14 October 2015.
Wilson, R. Kenneth. Surgeon’s Photo. 1934. American Museum of Natural History. amnh.org. Web. 14 October 2015.

Links for Further Research:
Can of Mystery: Lake Monsters: Messie and Nessiehttp://canofmystery.blogspot.com/2012/10/lake-monsters-messie-and-nessie.html
This website is a blog post about the Loch Ness Monster and the Lake Murray Monster, it gives a lot of background information about the two creatures.

American Museum of Natural History: Sea Monstershttp://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/mythic-creatures/water-creatures-of-the-deep/sea-monsters
This website explains the theory behind why people believe in sea monsters and discusses many sea monsters such as the loch ness monster, giant squids/kraken, and sea serpents.

Metro News… But Not As You Know Ithttp://metro.co.uk/2015/04/18/loch-ness-monster-really-does-exists-natural-history-museum-scientist-said-5156146/
This news article describes a scientist’s first hand encounter with a loch ness monster sighting and his theory that the beast is an aquatic dinosaur thought to be long ago extinct.