The popularity of Sherlock Holmes, Poirot and Columbo attests to the pulling power of the unexplained.

However, when the unusual jumps off the page and into real life it can often be a very different matter. There were no super sleuths to provide a happy ending for the poor souls featured in this list of gruesome goings on. Just be thankful you’re only reading it…

5 The Dyatlov Pass Incident

When planning a ski holiday with friends a sensible person might well suggest somewhere like Mount Snow, Vermont, or, for something a little more fantastical, Sugar Mountain, in North Carolina. In Russia however they like to do things a bit different, and when Igor Dyatlov set off with eight chums for a spot of ski-trekking in 1959 the plucky Soviet picked the delightfully named Mountain of the Dead as their destination. Surely nothing bad could happen in a place called that?

When the search party found the corpses of Dyatlov’s party many were dressed in just socks and underwear, despite temperatures of -30°C. Their tent had been ripped open from the outside and group members appeared to have fled into the snow, where they subsequently froze to death.

It was at the autopsy that things got really weird however, three of the men were revealed to have died of injuries equitable to a serious car crash and one woman was missing her tongue. The Russian authorities did their best to cover up this incident, which hasn’t helped investigators, but more than 50 years later still nobody has come up with a plausible explanation.

4 The Roanoke Colony

You may think Sir Walter Raleigh’s lust for taking human life would have been satisfied with the popularising of tobacco in the 16^th Century. However, apparently this wasn’t enough for the blood-thirsty explorer (he’s dead, he can’t question this description), and in 1584 he set up the Roanoke Colony on an island off the coast of Virginia. History would remember it as the Lost Colony.

The settlers quickly made themselves popular with the natives and proved themselves to be champions of overreacting by sacking and burning a village after one of its inhabitants was suspected of stealing a cup. Nonetheless, a fort was set up and in 1587 90 men, 17 women, and 11 children were left to inhabit the place while Raleigh swanned off on his exploits.

Three years later and when somebody did finally swing by to check on Roanoke the whole thing had vanished. The fort had been carefully dismantled, so the evacuation had not been rushed and the only sign of the 118 missing inhabitants was the name of a nearby island carved into a tree.  Most people would probably consider this disappearance worthy of urgent investigation, but Raleigh waited a whole 12 years before deciding to look into it. When he did finally deign to look into it he still couldn’t solve the mystery and it still puzzles scholars to this day.

3  The Body in the Wych Elm

Along with scrumping apples and playing knock down ginger is there any more wholesomely British way to get up to mischief than a spot of poaching? However, for Stourbridge chums Robert Hart, Thomas Willetts, Bob Farmer and Fred Payne in 1943 things were about to get a little less Enid Blyton and a lot more Stephen King.

Having snuck onto Lord Cobham’s estate Farmer climbed a Wych Hazel (later confused as a Wych Elm) to look for birds’ nests to raid. The young poacher failed to find any eggs, but he did find something white and oval lodged in the tree’s cavity – a girl’s skull.

The boys agreed not to report the find because they’d been on the land illegally, but thankfully on returning home Willetts had the stunning realisation that pinching a few eggs probably wouldn’t be frowned on by police as much as killing a girl and stuffing her in a tree, and he told his mum. Forensics showed that the body had been stuffed into the tree “still warm” and had been there 18 months before being discovered.

Police have never solved the murder and to this day the mystery is remembered in the area with the recurrence of creepy recurring graffiti slogan “Who put Bella in the Witch Elm?”

2 Allagash Abductions

No list of unsolved mysteries would be complete without a spot of UFO action, and where better for this to occur than in Stephen King’s stomping ground of Allagash, Maine?

In August 1976 twins Jack and Jim Weiner, their friend Chuck Rak and guide Charlie Foltz set out into the wilderness on a camping and fishing trip. Having had no luck during the day, when darkness fell the gang built a huge fire in their campsite then headed out onto the lake in canoes.

Suddenly a bright light appeared above the treeline and Foltz, who had clearly not seen enough alien abduction movies, signalled SOS at it with a flashlight. The craft shot a beam of light at the canoe and the next thing the hapless campers knew they were stood on the shore next to a fire which had reduced to embers, with no memory of the intervening moments.

As any victims of alien abduction will tell you it’s a tiring experience, so the gang turned in for the night, only to find themselves plagued by dreams of creatures with long necks and large heads giving them a good old-fashioned probing. Further hypnotic regression therapy revealed that all four men had identical memories, including having skin and fluid samples taken. The experience has been turned into a book and TV movie and presumably an extra-terrestrial school report entitled “What we did on our holidays.”

1 Tanganyika laughter epidemic

It is said that laughter is good for the soul, but the people of Tanganyika (now Tanzania) found themselves laughing on the other side of their faces in 1962, when a case of the giggles turned contagious.

The hysteria began in the normally humourless environs of a school classroom and quickly got so out of hand that the students had to be sent home. From here the epidemic spread like, well, and epidemic, and nearby villages sound found themselves shaking with uncontrollable mirth.

Peculiar, but not necessarily gruesome, I hear you cry. However, reports said that the laughter fits frequently transformed into pain, fainting, respiratory problems, rashes, attacks of crying and random screaming. Then, as quickly as it began, the outbreak stopped, but not before infecting 1,000 people and shutting down 14 schools.

So next time you think about leaning across your desk and telling that joke you heard at a party over the weekend, think twice, as you could be about to trigger a laughter apocalypse.

Picture credits: Snow in the Urals by alexeya, Roanoke by peterp, Wych Elm by The Local People Photo Archive, UFO over lake by Niloy and laughing by Kitt Walker.

Tom Parnell is a freelance writer who loves a good mystery and is working with the nice people at Alamo car hire.

Related articles

• 5 Cases of Forensic Science Facilitating Crimes (thisblogrules.com)
• Greatest Sleuths of all Time (bizarrebytes.com)
• Was Roanoke colony a success (wiki.answers.com)

Urquhart Castle  These imposing ruins stand over the fabled Loch Ness Lake. Visitors flock to the castle in an attempt to catch a sighting of the legendary Loch Ness Monster, but the ruins represent one of the largest medieval strongholds of Scotland. Although the crumbling castle does not stand as majestically as it once did, the site is astonishing and the views are beautiful.

Urquhart Castle

Willow Tearooms  Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed the Willow in 1904, and visitors can dine and enjoy tea in these restaurants reconstructed to resemble a bygone era. One of the tea rooms stands on Sauchiehall Street, the site of the original, and another is located at 97 Buchanan Street.

Willow Tearoom

Dalwhinnie Distillery  The unique malt whiskey that comes from this distillery that sits high in the Grampian Mountains is made more than 1,000 feet above sea level. The distillery captures pristine spring water to make its prized single-malt whiskey.

George Square  George Square is the center of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. Historic architecture surrounds the square and sculptures of famous people rise from within. George Square is often the location of public meetings, festivals, and parades.

George Square

Edinburgh Castle  While you walk around Edinburgh, this Scottish icon sits high atop the volcanic Castle Rock, beckoning you to visit. The tours are impressive and the views from the fortress are spectacular. There is so much to see, you could come back day after day and never be bored.

Edinburgh Castle

Arthur’s Seat  Arthur’s Seat rises high above the other hills in Holyrood Park (aka Queen’s Park), a royal expanse of lochs, glens, ridges and cliffs in the center of Edinburgh.  Arthur’s Seat is a popular hill to hike, and the reward is the breathtaking view of the city you’ll have at the top.

Arthur's Seat - Holyrood Park - Edinburgh

Royal Mile  This historic street is one of Edinburgh’s oldest. It runs from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyrood House, with a number of attractions along the route. Several historic houses may be toured as you walk down the Royal Mile. In the Camera Obscura and Lookout Tower, visitors will marvel at the way this ancient “camera” (one of the inventions that led to photography) reflects a clear view of the city.

On the Royal Mile

Papa Westray  This wildlife-rich island has trails meandering through it, allowing visitors to catch a glimpse of the rare birds and dramatic cliffs. The oldest preserved house in northern Europe, the Knap of Howar Neolithic farmstead, can be found on the island, as well as the Holland Farm, where tourists can spend time in the folk museum.

Nelson Monument  Shaped like a telescope with a cross on top, this monument commemorates Admiral Lord Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Visitors can climb to its summit to check out the remarkable Scottish countryside.

Nelson Monument, Calton Hill

Duddington Village  The village of Duddington is one of the oldest parts of Edinburgh. Visitors traveling to this quaint and picturesque village can see the old parish church or an eighteenth-century pub. Not much else remains from the past, but the village represents quintessential Scotland.

When you’re traveling through Scotland, you will learn that much of what you see pre-dates even what you can imagine. Old ruins, castles, historic streets, and monuments are scattered throughout the country. Learn what makes this country great by taking a tour of some of the most interesting attractions.

Gina Patterson is a personal finance consultant and content contributor for companies offering bad credit cards for those with less than perfect credit.

Humorism and Bloodletting

Laughter, they say, cures anything. Unfortunately Humourism had nothing to do with laughter, (except for the fact that it’s principles seem laughable now, of course) and everything to do with balancing four arbitrary substances in the body. It was an optimistically ordered view of bodily processes that corresponded with the seasons and the elements: Blood with spring and air, Yellow bile with summer and fire, Black bile with autumn and earth and Phlegm with winter and water. In itself, the belief sounds rather harmless. But this was a system at the root of medicine that persisted across Europe and the Middle East into the 19th Century. Though medicine did find valid cures and occasionally made the correct links to how diseases are transmitted, it was built on fundamentally flawed principles that typically held back advances. You can’t really put a death-toll on that, but it’s certainly a negative effect.

Most famously, Humourism gave rise to bloodletting and the use of leeches. If your humours were imbalanced in favour of blood, you could set things straight by puncturing arteries or by sticking a leech on the same area (or all over the body, as was the fashion). How did you know how much blood to let? Well, fainting was considered a good time to stop. Either way, making new wounds on the body rarely has a positive effect.

Humourism was arguably a social problem too: if you had too much of one of the humours, you became a certain character type (‘Phlegmatic’, ‘Sanguine’, ‘Melancholic’, ‘Choleric’). This came to a head (err, literally) when Humourism died out, only to be replaced with the equally ridiculous concepts of Phrenology, Physiognomy and Craniometry. Rather than suggesting relatively harmless character types, these pseudo-sciences were used to justify the marginalisation of social classes, races and more.

 Mercury

Humans can be rather simple creatures when it comes down to it, and Mercury makes us very simple creatures indeed. You don’t need to know that it’s a liquid metal at room temperature to enjoy it, you just need to appreciate how shiny it is, nothing more, nor less. Rather than being suspicious of this freak metal, historical uses of the stuff included coating felt (which may have spawned the phrase ‘as mad as a hatter’) and in the first millennial kingdoms of Islamic Spain, decorative pools of the stuff were built.

Though the dangers of Mercury poisoning are now widely understood, it easy to appreciate why you’d have let the doctor go anywhere near you with it. Alchemists considered Mercury the first form of all metals, and from its appearance alone it may as well have been liquid magic. So it was used to cure everything by being either applied directly to wounds or ingested. The survival rate wasn’t great, but then, any trends were kind of hard to discern when doctors had such a lousy reputation anyway.

Urine Therapy

Compared to the endless fascination of Mercury, urine seems to lack, I don’t know, a certain something? For me, the strangest historical use of urine goes to the Gauls, who were reputed to use it to whiten their teeth. Just seems to me that you’d assume they’d go more yellow, by association.

Like all incredibly bad medicine, it reputedly cures just about everything, including headline grabbers like cancer. And yes, that’s right, people are still practicing urine therapy in the absence of any evidence it works. At least it prevents the transmission of cooties and other serious diseases. Would you kiss someone who drank their own?

Hysteria

Today, hysteria is an irritating piece of Journalese wheeled out to condemn any supposedly overblown reaction. At the time of writing, hysteria was in headlines describing health and safety law, immigration reform, global warming, financial deficit, bin collection and Justin Bieber. Basically, you apply the label liberally any time you wish to instantly belittle and render a position ineffective. Until shamefully recently, it was a medical diagnosis used to subjugate a group of people who have always been shouted down: women.

Questioning the unfair or fundamentally inhumane treatment you receive at the hands of you husband, male family member or associate? You probably have female hysteria, at least in the 19th Century when the diagnosis had evolved into a psychological problem. At the root of the problem was sexual appetite. The treatment? Erm, massaging the ‘woman’s area’. As consistent with the entire history of relations between the sexes, men found doing this by hand so boring that they invented the vibrator to do it for them. Furthermore, there’s a curious disassociation between cures for hysteria and sexual pleasure, but then, women weren’t supposed to enjoy intercourse anyway. Or anything at all, probably.

Lobotomy

Lobotomy makes me chiefly think of zany cartoons, but the reality is rather damning. In fact, the cartoon association betrays the time period of Lobotomy, which was a product of the 1930s that thrived for two decades before ultimately dying out in the 70s (like the animated short film). In the context of the rise of Nazi Germany, the atom bomb and the Cold War, surgically cutting the prefrontal cortex of a psychiatric patient with an adapted ice-pick seems only slightly less genuinely insane.

Whilst the west struggled with McCarthyism and kept lobotomising patients, the USSR took the lead and banned the procedure in 1950, recognising that it was ‘contrary to the principles of humanity’. Meanwhile, Antonio Egas Moniz, the man who perfected the procedure, was even awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1949. The tragedy was, as it is has been in so many times in the past, that people in a position of power didn’t just fool people into believing that such a radical, scientifically unsubstantiated procedure was in anyway beneficial: they fooled themselves too.

Steph Wood is a blogger and writer for no win no fee compensation claims company Claims4negligence. Hopefully your doctor will never negligently botch your lobotomy.

Related articles

• Mystery Disease or Mental Disturbance? Morgellons (bizarremedical.com)
• Back Stiffness And Related Conditions (frommyexperience.com)
• Chinese herbal remedies (solsticemed.com)
• Exploring The Differences Between Chiropractic And Conventional Medical Care (chiropractorservice.com)

1. Fenrir

The ferocious giant wolf responsible for the end of the world in Norse Mythology. According to legend, he bit off Týr’s hand, and was imprisoned beneath the world, but will eventually break loose and wreck havoc throughout the known world. Norse mythology dictates that he will eventually kill Odin, the king god, and then be killed by Odin’s son Vidar. His wolf children, Sköll and Hati Hróòvitnisson, devour the sun and the moon. A wolf large and powerful enough to have babies that eat astral bodies, bite off a god’s hand, and then consume the king of gods ought to be able to handle modern civilization in a choice few mouthfuls. He’s one mythological creature that should not be trifled with.

2. Typhon

With the fearsome reputation as the direst of monsters in Greek mythology, Typhon was the terror of the Olympian Pantheon. According to legend, he was of insane proportions – as tall as the stars, stretching from east to west. His lower half was enormous viper coils, and his whole body was covered in wings and dragon heads. His eyes could flash fire, and he sired sever other vicious mythological creatures, like Cerberus and the Sphinx. Typhon was ordered to destroy Zeus by his mother Gaia, as punishment for Zeus’ actions against the Titans. An epic battle raged between the gargantuan monster and the king of the gods, but eventually Zeus imprisoned Typhon beneath Mount Etna, a volcano that is still active in Sicily. If Typon were ever to “escape,” it pretty much stands to reason that most of humanity would be completely destroyed. A giant winged viper dragon? Come on. He probably eats fighter jets for breakfast.

3. Thunderbird

Thunderbirds are prevalent throughout Native North American culture, from the Pacific Northwest, to the Great Plains, and down to the Southwest. Although there are distinctions in the number and their characteristics, every group believed that Thunderbird’s wings caused thunder when they flew, that their eyes shot lightening and that they could create storms and summon clouds. Depending on the story, Thunderbird could be one god-like entity, or an entire species of shape-shifting demi-gods that could take their feathers on and off like blankets. Regardless of the myth associated with them, nobody wanted to mess with Thunderbirds. A flock of thunderbirds could probably take down most of the United States, considering how dependant we are on electricity. And let’s not even start thinking about torrential rain and worldwide flooding.

4.  Jinshin-Mushi

These are legendary beetles from Japan that cause earthquakes. The myth states that their bodies generate sound waves that resonate at the perfect frequency, and make certain minerals collapse in seconds. In a country with as much geological upheaval as Japan, death by earthquake is a real fear. No bigger than a human fist, they are said to have ten spider legs, a dragon head and a scaly body. This myth was popularized around the earthquake of Edo (now Tokyo) in 1855, when thousands were killed, and tens of thousands of houses were destroyed. So imagine earthquake beetles living under all of North America, and imagine the kind of destruction that on a continent-wide scale. It would be tough times for planet earth.

5. The Leviathan

An enormous creature referred to in the Bible. It’s commonly agreed upon that The Leviathan is a mythological sea monster of gargantuan size and incredible power. Even before the Bible skyrocketed this serpent to mythological creature stardom, similar snakelike creatures already had a long history in Sumerian mythology. In particular, a monster named Lotan took part in an epic battle between gods, and is described in language akin to what the Bible uses. Just the sheer strength and size of this animal is enough to make any reader think: “If it got mad, we’d be in big trouble.” It could destroy small islands, port cities, and probably cause tsunamis that would wipe out coastline and cause massive earthquakes. Good luck surviving the wrath of the Leviathan, unless you live in the Himalayas. Then you MIGHT be ok.

We feel pretty secure in our modern ways, but in ancient belief systems, people actually thought that mythological creatures or deities were attacking them in the forms of storms, earthquakes or tsunamis. They attributed wrath or benevolence to natural occurrences that today we observe and prepare for with science. The distinctions between ancient and modern interpretation of events show just how drastically people’s ways of thinking have changed.

Related articles

• Strange and Bizarre Creatures (bizarrebytes.com)
• Top 10 Mad Scientists in the Movies (toptenz.net)
• World Wetlands Destruction Graphic (infographicsshowcase.com)

What if some sneaky species hid from the giant meteor/ice age/time traveling robot cowboys with lasers at the bottom of the planets deepest lakes and oceans? Well there are those out there who think that may be the case, and what’s more they claim to have spotted the evidence (unfortunately never when they had a good quality camera to hand).

If you want to go try your hand at finding one of these mythical beasts then you might want to begin with our list of the top 5 most frequently spotted. Just remember to pack a camera.

1. The Loch Ness Monster

Possibly the most famous lake beast in the world, Nessie has been the subject of numerous studies, books and films (both factual and fiction) and even has its own fan club.

Sightings first attracted public attention in 1933, when motorist George Spicer and his wife claimed to have seen the beast crossing in front of their car heading towards the loch. Soon it began to seem you couldn’t skim a pebble across the surface without hitting a prehistoric monster and in 1934 national press published a picture which supposedly showed the neck and body of a creature reminiscent of a plesiosaur, a supposedly long-extinct aquatic dinosaur.

The picture’s creators only admitted it was a hoax in 1999 and despite numerous expeditions to catch the beast no solid evidence of its existence has ever been collected.

2. The Monster of Lake Champlain

With a 125-mile long stretch of water to hide in maybe it’s no surprise that the monster of Lake Champlain, affectionately known as Champ, has never been caught.

They may both be prehistoric, but Champ wins over Nessie when it comes to the history of sightings, with legends of a giant lake monster known as ‘Tatoskok’ recorded from two of the nearby Native American tribes.

The first newspaper report of a sighting came in 1819 and over the years hundreds of visitors to the lake claim to have spotted a creature with a bizarre snake-like neck estimated to be as tall as 30 feet. The most convincing picture of Champ was taken in 1977 by a passing holidaymaker and although many have taken it as definitive evidence of the existence of Champ, others have dismissed it as a piece of driftwood.

Champ has proven a significant draw for tourists to the town of Burlington, Vermont, and locals will be happy to sell you a t-shirt or cap featuring the famous monster, whether you believe or not.

3. Ogopogo

Possibly one of the best described of the world’s mysterious lake and sea monsters, the Ogopogo is said to be between 30-50ft long, with an undulating, serpent-like body, a long, thin neck and a rather horse-like head.

The creature is said to live in the Okanagan Lake in British Colombia and since sightings began in the late 1700s hundreds of hunts have been launched to capture evidence of its existence, so far without success.

The Ogopogo is frequently referenced in popular culture and was even used for the codename and mascot for Microsoft Publisher 97 while it was in development.

4. The Kraken

Anybody who has watched Pirates of the Caribbean will be familiar with the legend of this ocean-dwelling giant squid which can envelop an entire ship in its mighty tentacles.

Kraken are mentioned in Norse mythology and are said to live off the coast of Iceland and Norway. According to legend Kraken would wait on the sea floor surrounded by large numbers of fish which it would feed off and in turn feed with its faeces. For this reason daring fishermen would seek to cast nets above the resting place of Kraken looking for a bumper haul.

Modern scientists believe the legend could be attributed to schools of giant squid breaking the surface together.

5. Cadborosaurus

Named after Cadboro Bay, British Columbia, the Cadborosaurus, affectionately known as Caddy, has been spotted at a rate of at least half a dozen times a year since the 1940s.

Caddy is said to be one of a pair of aquatic reptiles, with his mate Amy. Its length is estimated to be between 40-70ft and, like Ogopogo, it is said to resemble a serpent with coils and humps and a horse-like head.

In 1946 there were so many sightings of Caddy and Amy that a plan was devised to capture one of the pair and put it on display in Vancouver’s swimming pool. The idea was eventually vetoed by supporters of the sea beasts.

The lack of evidence may cause you to doubt the existence of such outlandish-sounding beasts, but who can really say what lurks in the depths? Next time you take a dip in the sea or a lake just consider what might be waiting in the water to greet you.

Tom Parnell is a writer who has never seen a sea monster but is working with the nice people at Monster to promote receptionist jobs.

Picture credits: Nessie by Carla216, Champ by kaitlin.marie, Ogopogo by xoque, Kraken by cuttlefish and monster mosaic by Katie@!.

Related articles

• Satan and Priests and Excorcisms, Oh My! (bizarrebytes.com)

Chung Ling Soo was one of the highest paid acts in the world. 1918 audiences waited breathlessly for the world famous Chinese magician to catch a bullet between his teeth, fired from a rifle pointing right at his head. Night after night, the Chinese man of mystery fooled them all – until catching a bullet in his chest. For the first time on stage he was heard to speak in English, “Oh my God. Something’s happened.” After his death the audience learned that the magician wasn’t really Chinese – he was a white man from Brooklyn, New York.

There’s No Escaping Dumb

How hard could it be? Fresno, California amateur magician Joseph Burrus decided to do the trick Houdini considered too dangerous. In “Buried Alive,” the magician is bound in irons and ropes, placed in a sealed coffin and buried under several feet of dirt. Mr. Burrus decided to have several yards of concrete poured on top as well. And, instead of a sturdy wood coffin, he opted for a much flashier, clear plastic box. All went well until the flimsy box collapsed under the weight of the earth. Now you see him, now you don’t.

Always Leave Them Laughing

Tommy Cooper, a much loved British comedy-magician was well known for intentionally screwing up magic tricks to get a laugh. Night after night, he killed with his unique assortment of dysfunctional conjuring, until the night he died on stage, literally. On primetime TV, broadcast live from Her Majesty’s Theatre, Cooper got a big laugh when he unexpectedly slumped into a seated position on the stage floor unconscious. He got a second round of laughs when he slowly fell onto his back before the producers realized something had gone seriously wrong. Good night, funny man.

The Hottest Act in Magic

Ashok was an amateur magician in India with a big idea. He planned to escape after be chained downed inside a flaming funeral pyre. Ashok practiced slipping out of chains and picking locks for weeks at home. It’s bit tougher to pick a lock when smoke gets in your eyes and the lock you are attempting to finesse is too hot to touch. He did one impressive trick that day; he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Nailed It!

If you think the typical magician doing cheesy card tricks in an ill-fitted tuxedo is the height of tackiness, Chami Kahn will change your mind. The fabulous Fakir was known for shocking 1950′s audiences with his one and only big trick, “The Crucifixion.”  In this so called trick, Kahn was actually crucified.  Real spike, real blood, real stupid. It took 20 minutes of gruesome hammering before the crucifix was hoisted up. Just like magic, his audiences disappeared.

Hijinx is a Long Island magician who entertains at parties and the like. His hobbies include toupee-spotting and Schadenfreude. The most dangerous thing this magician does is twisting balloon doggies.

Related articles

• Musicians Into Actors – The Best and the Worst (bizarrebytes.com)
• Top 10 Over Rated Acts in Music Today (toptenz.net)

1. The Lewinsky Scandal

The year was 1995.  A young broad with a few extra pounds and dreams of grandeur became mistress to Bill Clinton, a married man who also happened to be President of the United States.  Monica Lewinsky was subsequently moved to the Pentagon, where she told her story to Linda Tripp, who later revealed the evidence to Kenneth Starr, independent counsel investigating the Whitewater controversy (he later broadened his case to include sexual misconduct).  The smoking gun in his case?  An inconspicuous blue dress and a misused cigar tube that played a big role in the affair.  Enough said.

2. Louisiana High School Athletic Association

Retired commissioner Tommy Henry began being audited in 2007 for misappropriation of funds including green fees, shopping trips for his wife, and (you guessed it) cigars.  About $50,000 worth of cigars online purchased at a dozen different locations popped up on a credit card bill paid with association monies (that were supposed to go to high school athletics), making the acts both illegal, immoral, and totally hypocritical.

3. Balloon Dad

Remember Richard Heene; the man who called out authorities last year to chase down a weather balloon that his son was allegedly trapped in only to have it later revealed that he himself had told his son to hide during the incident?  This is one fame-seeking father that doesn’t give up easily.  Photos of this parent-of-the-year giving his infant son a beer and a cigar surfaced on TMZ shortly after.  Why these people still retain custody of their three children is anyone’s guess.

4. Canadian Women’s Olympic Hockey Team

Moments after being awarded gold medals in February 2010, the women of the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team were reportedly caught carousing with alcohol and cigars, causing a huge uproar and an investigation by the International Olympic Committee.  Since when did it become a crime to smoke a cigar and drink some champagne after WINNING THE OLYMPICS?  Sounds like an excellent way to celebrate.  The saddest part is that if they had been men, no one would have batted an eye.

5. Cigar Gate

Can no one in the sports arena escape the scrutiny that apparently accompanies smoking cigars?  The Cincinnati Reds appear to be the latest victims.  Following their victory over the favored Philadelphia Phillies in the National League playoffs just last month, they apparently celebrated at their clubhouse by lighting up a few stogies.  Since smoking indoors at public places is against Ohio state law (and several people called in complaints), the cigars had to be expunged.  A spokesman for the health department says it is unlikely that any legal action will be taken.

Related articles

• Top 10 Athletes Who Lost Their Olympic Medal (toptenz.net)
• Novel National Parks: America’s Most Remote National Parks (bizarrebytes.com)

Even an area such as doors which might not seem to be of interest throws up discoveries that make us question how civilizations were able to not only think of these gadgets but to have the power to build them. Here we look at 3 of the earliest forms of door technology. Think the automatic door was recent? Think again….

1. The Automatic Door

Automatic doors are powered open and closed either by electricity, spring, or both but according to Joseph Needham who studied the early forms of mechanical engineering the first instance of an automatic door was by the Greek scholar Heron of Alexandria. He created the earliest known automatic door in the 1st century CE during the era of Roman Egypt.

2. Foot Sensor Activated Door

Motion sensors built into automatic doors are commonly associated with our technological advancements over the years although if you do your research you will find out that they arrived in their earliest form in China in 604-618.The first foot-sensor-activated automatic door was made in China during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui (r. 604–618), who had one installed for his royal library.

3. Automatic Gate Operators

Al Jazari was a prominent Muslim scholar, mathematician, inventor, mechanical engineer and craftsman around 1136-1206. Al Jarezi is credited with visualizing and creating the first automatic gate operators which were driven by hydropower. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian inventor is believed to have been heavily influenced by the classic automation devices of Al-Jazari as he also created automatic home appliances and water wheels.

Al Jarazi above and one of his inventions, the hyrdo powered water raising machine.

It is breath taking to think of some of the ideas and concepts that were already being drawn up by scholars and inventors centuries ago. What we call “Technology” in today’s times was merely what some of the brightest minds centuries ago were doing. The only slight change would be that their inventions were to improve life rather than lifestyle and today’s consumer centric driven advancements.

This article was written by Sam Murray in association with Door Stop, Composite door manufacturers who are leading the way in providing the new generation of U Value doors to the trade and construction industry.

Related articles

• Top 10 Lost Technologies (toptenz.net)
• Garage Doorway Protection (frommyexperience.com)
• Haunted Richmond – A Handful of Richmond Ghosts, Part 2 (richmondvapresents.com)

Here we identify the world’s top 3 oldest wooden doors, door hinges and door frames, just make sure you don’t knock on them or they may break.

1. Britian’s oldest door identified

Archaeologists discovered a 900 year old door in Westminster Abbey, which is believed to have been put in place around 1050, during the long standing reign of the Abbey founder Edward the Confessor.

Researchers believe that the door was handcrafted from an oak tree which grew in England around 1,000 AD.  The historic door in Westminster Abbey is rumoured to be the site where a man was stripped of his skin in punishment for a religious crime but after a researched commissioned by the English Heritage it was revealed to be cow hide.

2. Saint Antony Monastery

In the remote desert of Egypt, near the coastal town Al-Zaafarana lies Saint Antony Monastery. The monastery is located 124 miles from Hurghada, and is widely believed to be founded in 356 AD which officially makes it the world’s oldest Christian monastery.

The setting to the monastery looks similar to what you would believe an Indiana Jones backdrop would look like. The monastery is surrounded by enormous rock cliffs amongst the desert and the plot stretches 10 hectares, hosting seven churches. The ancient door openings or what remained of them and the rest of the monastery have now been funded to be restored and after 5 years closed it reopened in February 2010.

3. Nippur

Nippur was found by by Dr. Hilprecht and is one of the most ancient of all the Sumerian cities dating back to 2000 B.C.

Research into ancient and sacred landmarks have identified that the vast majority of ancient doors were hung by 2 pivots, very similar to how doors are still hung today. Pivots were positioned at the top and bottom of the hanging stile which worked in sockets in the lintel and sill, the latter being always in some hard stone such as basalt or granite.

4. The Arch of Constantine

The Arch of Constantine is located in Rome, Italy and forms part of the Colloseum, Piazzale del Colosseo. It is believed to have been constructed around 315 but the architect is unknown. The building is a classic monument that still manages to convey the elegance and beauty after 2000 years.

5. The temple of Venus

The temple of Venus can be found in Rome, Italy and was constructed circa 123 -135. This unusual building was designed by the emperor Hadrian after superseding his former architect, Apollodorus of Damascus. The temple is cut from stone and consists of two main twin cellas with surrounding arches.  Since its original construction the temple was rebuilt in 283 A.D by Maxentius after a fire destroyed the roof.

The article is written in association with Door Stop international, composite door manufacturers who are leading the way in providing U Value doors to the trade and construction industry, one door at a time.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Le Mont Saint-Michel – A Castle, A Commune, A Saintly You Live Where (youlivewhere.com)
• Top 10 Lost Technologies (toptenz.net)
• Grabbing Opinions Regarding Sliding Glass Closet Door (frommyexperience.com)

In this article we explore the 5 most noteworthy and iconic doors throughout history.

Number 10 Downing Street

Number 10 Downing Street is one of the most iconic doors in the world. It attracts millions of visitors every year and just as many photos. To date, a combined total of one woman and 52 men have passed through the grand doors of Number 10 Downing Street as British Prime Minister – All setting eyes on numerous activities ranging from violent riots, passionate protests and a fair few celebrities.

Some interesting facts about the door are that it is constantly guarded by police and can only be opened from within the inside; the original door was removed in the Second World War.

William Shakespeare’s First Home

There are very few known facts of Shakespeare’s life, a fact that is unfortunately quite common with other playwrights of his time. However, we do know the first home of William Shakespeare was brought by his father John off of the money he earned from being a glove maker. The 16th century poet’s house is set in an idyllic location in Stratford-upon-avon.

Did you know that various prominent writers including Charles Dickens and John Keats, have visited and left their mark on the house.

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral)

Probably one of the most well renowned churches in the world is the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, simply translated as the cathedral of Florence. The actual construction begun in 1296 and the prominent Gothic style can be attributed to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio.

The entrance to the church has three vast bronze doors which date from 1899 to 1903. On closer inspection they are adorned with scenes from the life of the Madonna.

The Florence Baptistery (The Gates of Paradise)

The Florence Baptistery or Battistero di San Giovanni is a religious building in Florence, Italy. It took Lorenzo Ghiberti and 2 colleagues worked 27 years to produce the design of the door which included ten panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament.

This dedication and also due to Ghiberti implementing the first known use of ‘principles of perspective’ led to Michelangelo to refer to these doors as fit to be the “Gates of Paradise”

The Pearly Gates

Famous doors can come in both the physical and spiritual sense and there is none more so than the pearly gates to heaven. The ‘pearly gates’ is the name given to the entrance to the gateway to the Heaven and is widely believed by Christians throughout the world. The image is often depicted in paintings with vast iron gates set in the clouds, and is guarded by Saint Peter who is considered the keeper to the “keys of the kingdom”

The article is written in association with Door Stop international, composite door manufacturers who deliver across the UK.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Is This What William Shakespeare Looked Like? (towleroad.com)
• What You Need To Do To Become A Carpenter Including An Apprenticeship (frommyexperience.com)
• Garage Doorway Protection (frommyexperience.com)
• Top 10 Most Famous Thought Experiments (toptenz.net)