Phantoms and Monsters

Recounting the Pontianak
Fortean / Alternative News: 'Bownessie' Hoopla, Peru Alien Video and Potomac River Lobsters
Recent Animal Attacks, Mutilations in Chihuahua / Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 01:28 PM PST

The following are a few archived Pontianak reports that I have accumulated over the years. In Indonesian and Malayan folklore, the 'Pontianak' are women who died during childbirth and became 'undead', seeking revenge and terrorizing the living. I have many of these stories and personal witness accounts...so I will occasionally post a few if there is continued interest by the readers:

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Towards the end of my national (Singapore) service, my service support group was sent in to the new SyangKong Camp to prepare stores for the in-coming battalion for their reservice.

I was in charge of 20-odd of them. They were on unfamiliar grounds as most of them did not have full basic military training because of their medical condition.

SyangKong Camp is in the middle of reclaimed Tekong. It sits on a sandy/rocky terrain, flank by rubber plantations. The camp was made up of series of single level barracks spread across the field surrounding a center square. Its big enough to house one full infantry battalion. So our first impression when we reach there was, it was a big and empty camp.

Those 20 odd storeman got down doing their stuff, equipping each barrack with the necessities. Foldable beds, pillows, blankets...the list goes on.

Soon after, once everything is in place, they all got back to their barrack. It was a long barrack with windows on the longer sides and entry at both end. There was a double door and a steel gate on the outside.

It was around 8pm and it was already dark. They were all resting. Listening to their MP3s, squinting their eyes on their PSPs. Some rowdies were playing outside. Taking photos on top of a stationary bulldozer, basically just enjoying the time in the middle of the jungle with no officer to scream at them and with only a sergeant who couldn't care even if they kill each other.

I was too tired to entertain them. After giving them the last instruction for the day, I dozed off on my bed. Strangely, I dreamed of the exact same barrack that I was in. In my dream I was lying on the exact same bed looking on as my men run around the bunk from end to end in total chaos. They were all terrified. The door was opened but the gate was closed. Soon amidst the chaos, I saw a woman in a white cloak with a long hair. The face was horrible but I can never remember how to describe it.

She was a Pontianak...a classic blood sucking bitch who is apparently dead and alive again to struck shear fear in every Malay's life. (I personally think she's over-rated, but she got her credentials.)

So that explains why the guys are running around in chaos. 'She' was flying above our barrack, circling the roof top, jumping from each end to the other trying to gain entry into the barrack. Only the gate was in her way.

So that was the dream I had. It sounds stupid, didn't it? But it was scary as it was in the middle of Tekong, and having your brain corrupted by the constant stories of Pontianak since you were young. I woke up in a sweat. It was barely an hour since I dozed off.

The barrack was still lighted. The guys who were on their PSP and MP3 had already dozed off. Those from outside had came in. There was an unusual silence amongst them. The doors were shut. I could sense something was wrong. I turned to my man beside me and told him my dream. He kept quiet and went on to sleep. That night, I tried to put myself to sleep. I managed to after awhile. Unexpectedly, it was a sound sleep.

Next day, the man whom I told the story, told me that while I was sleeping earlier last night, they sighted a Pontianak on top of the bulldozer.

As the battalion came in the next day and continue their training for the week, there were a few other happenings and sightings which was more disturbing.

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This story may sound a bit silly, a bit lame even, but I swear it is true!

My friends and I had decided to watch a movie at the Mall. The movie was "Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam". Its quite a new movie, maybe you've heard of it?

Anyway, the Mall (yes, that's the name of the shopping complex. Imaginative huh?) is built right in the middle of the a busy commercial district, the town center you might call it. It;s brand new, completed just this year, and as far as I know, no supernatural going-ons have happened in the area.

Anyway, as I was saying, we were watching the "Pontianak" movie, the late night showing. I happened to be at the end furthest from the aisle. The few seats from mine to the wall were all empty.

In the middle of watching the movie, my neck felt stiff. You know how that feels right after staring up at the movie for quite a while? So I stretched out, turning my neck from side-to-side to get rid of the stiffness.

To my shock, the empty seat beside me was no longer empty! There was a lady in a white dress with long black hair sitting there, seemingly absorbed in the movie! I turned back to the movie, frozen in terror.

I couldn't stand it anymore and was about to go crying to my friend (who was sitting right beside me but didn't seem to have seen something strange). I glanced back at the extra person, but she was gone! I went crying to my friend anyway. She didn't believe me, but didn't mind switching seats with me. Needless to say, I wasn't very much interested in watching the movie after that. I mean, who needs a movie when you've seen the real thing?

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This happened when I was on the way back home from work. At that point of time, I was working at Boat Quay as a chat operator. So usually we knock off at 3am. My in-law was staying at Tiong Bahru. Sometimes my hubby would fetch me from work and we would walk all the way to my in-law's place. As our normal routine just like when we were still dating, we like to travel by foot (considering its not that tiring to walk to the destination) and talk about lots of things.

Narrow things down, we reach this 4 block area where it's just 4 story high or 5. Can't clearly remember. Rumors said that the HDB wants to pull it down but now I see that its being made as a rental place.

So before we reach Tiong Bahru Plaza, we will pass by this place. A few metres before we reach this block, (this happen before the HDB carried out the renovation to upgrade this vacant 4 story block. So it's really run down and been years nobody actually live there) I popped a question to my hubby, "Isn't it scary to look at this building? It's been vacant like years and I'm sure there's like 'those things' in there..a lot!". Wile talking, my hubby eyes was fixed to the 3rd story of this building. I tap him gently and ask him what is he looking at.

He turned to me and ask me to look straight. "Sorry sayang", he suddenly said. "Why are you apologizing to me"? I ask. He then answered "Thanks to me, now that thing is already at the bushes across the road. Just don't look now. Just now, that pontianak was at the 3rd story looking at us. Thanks to me looking at her back, she knows that I spotted her and now she is walking the same line as us just that she's across the road".

I turn my head slowly and fix my eyes right at the bushes. True enough, there is no wind and nothing across the road (it"s just metres away...so near) the bushes are rustling and moving. It seems like someone or something is walking behind or in the bushes parallel with us, following us from the other side. I calm myself down and just walk straight.

I was praying hard that we would reach home quickly but thanks to the shoes that I'm wearing, I have to go slow (it's a new shoe, so yeah). All of the sudden, my hubby grabs my bag and hand, he pulled me and we both ran. I was clueless at that time but in my mind I did have this thought, "is that thing behind me? Chasing us and wanting to kill us?"

We finally reach a bus stop and sat down. Hubby said it's safe. I really needed to sit down after that dash. Being impatient, I ask my hubby to explain why the sudden dash. Hubby insisted that we reach home and talk about it. Back at my in-law's he explains.

"I saw that thing from the 3rd story while you were talking. At first it didn't see me looking at it. Then the Pontianak spotted me looking at her. So it was like too late for me to pretend that I never saw her at all. I thought that the Pontianak would just stand and look but she suddenly came down and followed us from the other side. The reason I pulled you was she was about to show herself because I saw the Pontianak emerging from the bushes. I saw her white dress and black hair already so I rather we ran than having you see her that close up".

Since then, whenever I pass the building then and now, I never want to look at it. It just reminds me of the incident. Even now, since the renovation, trying to walk past the building at night, I walk at the back of the building. Who knows what you may see or even meet.

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This guy named Ismail was returning home from his cousin's house as it was during the Hari Raya. I think it was 2 years ago. His cousin's house was in Yishun and he was heading to Pasir Ris that where he lived. While riding along Punggol, he was feeling strange all of a sudden. He continued to ride until there was a Malaysian plated motorcycle. When they were side by side, this old Malaysian guy turned to him and then speed faster. Ismail didn't care and just kept on riding until he was again riding side by side with a old man. He was riding a Vespa motorcyle. The old man turn to look at Ismail and again the old man speed faster. Ismail thought that he wanted to race.

After a few minutes, he looked at his side mirror as he felt as if there was someone riding behind him. He look at the mirror and saw a white dress. He again looked at the mirror and saw a woman with long black hair and then it strikes him that there was evil riding behind him. Ismail says "I did not disturb you and you please...do not disturb me". He was in total fear!

When he reach a junction at Pasir Ris, he was getting ready to stop at a red light. This 'thing' pulled near and began to laughed. Ismail didn't care weather it was a red or green light, he just sped off until he reached home. Without even taking the key and parking at the correct spot, he rushed to his house. Reaching his house, he tells his elder brother what happened. His brother said he was lying.

They both get on their motorcycles together...Ismail rode behind his elder brother. When they see the motorcycle, the Pontianak was sitting and smiling at them. Ismail scolded his elder brother for not believing him. His brother quickly shouted prayers and the 'thing' was gone. Ismail rushed back home leaving his brother alone.

When the brother reached his way home, he scolded Ismail for leaving him alone, "what if the thing attacked me." Beware riding your motorcycle alone at night.....

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One Friday night, all of my friends and I are chatting at a nearby coffee shop. It was a boring night, one of my friends suggested we go clubbing at Boat Quay but we ignored his suggestion. I suggested to have some fun with the spirits as it was the HUNGRY GHOST FESTIVAL.

We planned the things that we needed, e.g joss sticks, candles, apples and a comb. We proceeded to the destination planned. Upon reaching, we set up all the things we bought. The candles were used to make a pentagram and we put the joss stick around us. Together there were 6 of us including one girl. We were suppose to sit at every end of the pentagram and one person in the middle. The girl sat in the middle and she was supposed to comb her hair while chanting some spell.

It`s almost midnight and we started to chant the spell my friend taught us. After a few minutes nothing happen. I started to feel that its a waste of our time. I got up and kicked all the candles and joss sticks, and walk away. Suddenly it happened. The girl who was combing her hair started to scream. She ran towards me and started to bite me. At first I thought she playing around but she wasn't. My friends tried to pull her away from me but to no avail. Then she released me and started to say words that we could not understand. My friend who is a religious type, started to chant some prayers and the possessed girl started to scream again. The screams then began to fade and she fainted. All of us then witnessed a white object flying above the bushes behind us. We became alarmed, picked up the fainted girl and ran away to the nearest HDB block. From there we went back to our home.

I told my mother about the incident...she was so mad that the slap me on the face. She said that I had disturbed the resting place of a PONTIANAK. I swear to myself not play with spirits again. As for the girl she knew nothing about what had happened to her.

This really happened at Serangoon Park Connector.

NOTE: there are lots of Pontianak tales and legends. The following are a few of my personal favorites:

'Pontianaks' or vampires are basically the most notorious group of paranormal entities and their popularity is evident through their portrayals in horror films and fiction movies. In this story, Ahmad, a man in his mid-twenties, claims to have encountered these strange entities while driving home from Tutong Town. This unfortunate incident triggered months of restlessness and paranoia but yet here, he recalls the sequence of events leading up to that fateful night as he faced his worst nightmare.

Driving down the highway, Ahmad tried to adjust his focus and eyes on the road as fatigue and lethargy took control of his body. The long working hours at his new job had taken its toll and left him practically exhausted. After several failed attempts to keep himself awake, Ahmad finally gave in and decided to stop at the side of the road to get some shuteye before continuing his journey. As he turned to make a stop, his eyes caught sight of a strange looking 'object' in the middle of the road that seemed to resemble a log but simply shrugged it off as nothing out of the ordinary. However, as Ahmad peered closer at the weird object, he could make up some facial features but it was too dark to tell whether his imagination was beginning to run wild. Despite the warning which echoed in his mind to 'run away', he simply refused to steer clear of whatever was on that road.

Curiosity got the better of him and he took out a torch light out of the glove compartment to investigate what it really was. As Ahmad approached the 'object', it laid so disturbingly still as if waiting to strike. He suddenly stood frozen in his tracks as the 'mysterious object' lifted its head slowly in his direction and let out an ear-piercing cry. Fear overtook the very core of Ahmad's mind and he knew instantly what the 'strange' object was. He struggled to summon his inner strength to face the terror staring him right in the eye. "This was something that you could only see in horror films," Ahmad said. He watched the terror unfold as the paranormal entity, commonly known as 'pontianaks' to the locals, crawled to the side of the road and began creeping towards a lamp post. Within split seconds, it swiftly moved towards him and all he could do was recite prayers to ward off the spirit. The 'pontianak' stared at him intently before disappearing into thin air. The memory of such a disturbing image, till this day, seems difficult to erase and has changed his philosophy on the existence of paranormal entities.

"I think it's a good idea to share my experience with fellow readers on this issue. Whether they choose to believe it or not, is of course up to them. However, this is not something you simply make up. It took me quite a while to try and forget this horrifying incident but I decided to instead use it as a lesson in life," he said before concluding his story.

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Legends of old have it that an individual who possesses a fragile spirit will most likely encounter supernatural entities and although no evidence of such a claim exists, some have unfortunately experienced it firsthand for reasons they cannot phantom. This story revolves around an American expatriate who was kind enough to share his ordeal before leaving the country for good.

David loved Brunei and considered it as his second home. He even planned to settle down with his then fiancé living in Kuala Belait and thus, frequently traveled back and forth to visit his better half. Working in a highly demanding field, which required every ounce of his expertise, commuting from the capital to the Belait District daily was painstaking and inconvenient but he longed to put a balance between his work and fiancé. Days and sometimes, even months at a time, the pressuring demands of his career began to take its toll on their relationship.

One fateful night, they got into a heated argument and his fiancé threatened to commit suicide. After several attempts to call her hand phone, which went unanswered, he grabbed his car keys and drove hastily to Kuala Belait. "Please answer the phone, please," David pleaded. He then began blaming himself should anything unforeseen happen to his fiancé and could not imagine life without her.

He then approached the one-lane road and focused on the dark, eerie highway, where no street lamps were erected. Suddenly, the radio reception started to deteriorate and David simply thought it was due to the location. A few minutes later, the car engine began to quiver and decelerate from 120 to 80km/h. "What in heaven's name could possibly go wrong now?" he exclaimed as it was a brand new car. "Do not break down here please, of all places!" David said while glancing around at the pitch-black darkness without a single soul in sight.

He pulled himself together and tried to dismiss all negative thoughts coming to mind. As he attempted to lean on the arm rest, David caught sight of what seemed to be a 'shadow', in the corner of his eye. Without thinking, he turned to confirm his worst fear and indeed, there was a weird 'figure' sitting beside him in the front passenger seat. The entity's long black strands of hair covered its face as 'she' repeatedly let out a blood-curling laugh. Shivers ran down his spine and a thousand thoughts raced through the businessman's mind. Given the fact that he is a free-thinker, no religion or prayers could save him then as he knew none. David thought of calling someone, practically anyone but his phone was in the middle of the dashboard. Terrified that the 'entity' would grab his hands, he continued driving, hoping, praying that a street lamp would appear with some visible 'signs' of life.

A few minutes on, David's instincts sent a warning jolt through his body. He could sense that the 'spirit' was staring at him and his heart raced with sheer trepidation. Straight ahead, visible strokes of light could be seen and he stepped on the gas pedals hoping to reach the area before something happened to him. That seemed to only make things worse.

With the streetlights, he could clearly see his 'uninvited passenger'. The events that followed would remain embossed in his memories forever. The 'spirit' extended its arms to grab his shoulders. He immediately stepped on the brakes and ran out of the car. David refused to turn around for fear that 'it' was nearby but decided to fight his fear after remembering his fiance.

"After I saw it was gone, I went back into my car and drove off like never before," David said. After reconciling with his fiance, he retold his frightful story and later discovered that the entity was in fact, a Pontianak. "This has altered my complete outlook in life and I now refuse to travel anywhere alone if it's 3 in the morning," he said while giggling but behind the laughter, the impact of that encounter could be visibly seen through his eyes.

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SEARCHING FOR THE PONTIANAK - SINGAPORE PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS

The Malays' belief in ghosts is perhaps the most interesting. They seem to have categorized the ghosts into different types and each was given a special name. The most violent and fierce ghost in the Malay version is perhaps the 'Pontianak', otherwise known as 'Hantu Kontilanak' among Indonesians. Pontianaks are actually the Malay version of a vampire. They kill and tear their victim's body up to suck their blood. They use long nails to shred open the abdomen, and feed on the intestines inside the body. Very disgusting. Another version of attack is swiftly dig out the victim's sex organ when he leaned near to her.

Over the past years, SPI had collected a wonderful batch of stories (some with witness' account) regarding this mythical beast namely Pontianak. Most of them are quite drastically incredible like those you read from those bedtime ghost story books. Some archetypes are however summarized as follow for your reference:

1. Lady figure in white was seen near the trees
2. Flower fragrance was smelled in cemeteries
3. A white figurine flew pass from tree to tree
4. A lady ghost was seen singing on a tree branch
5. Pontianak hiding inside a banana tree, etc, etc..

Nevertheless there are some good stories obtained as first-hand information from the witnesses who dare to stand up and testify the stories. The accounts are somewhat more credible than those hearsay you got from elsewhere.

For example:

(1) We have a SPI fan who is an ex-police cadet. During his training in the Mt Pleasant camp, his supervisor told him that there are cases of Pontianak encounters in the forests near the police academy. They are of course classified cases and the supervisor seriously warned the fellows not to walk near the forest at night.

(2) A SPI member, before joining, had witnessed the existence of Pontianak at Mt Pleasant cemetery with his other friends.

(3) A young girl called Lina, who claimed to be the daughter of a bomoh, insisted that Pontianak did exist according to what her father told her. When she was about 9 years old, she saw a Pontianak during her father's summoning ritual.

With an open mind, SPI decided to find the truth behind such myth. We vowed to research, to explore and to investigate to the bottom of this legend. Since we started up SPI we have been collecting over dozens of accounts about Pontianak. By saying we keep an 'open-mind' that means we first not to believe or dismiss its truthfulness. We take our best efforts as usual to try verify whether Pontianak exist or not. If necessary, we are happy to debunk the myth by proving no such thing exist. Otherwise we will testify its real existence. There is only one aim in this investigation - solve the mysteries clouded around the legend of Pontianak. This is why SPI exists, and this is what we do. You can continue reading the investigation at SEARCHING FOR THE PONTIANAK - SINGAPORE PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS

Fortean / Alternative News: 'Bownessie' Hoopla, Peru Alien Video and Potomac River Lobsters

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 10:38 AM PST

Windermere Hotelier Milking Every Bit of 'Bownessie' Hoopla

newsandstar - The hotelier had thought he and colleague Andrew Tighe were alone on the lake when, out of the blue, he suddenly realised something powerful was going past him.

Early morning conditions couldn't have been calmer – with waters mirror-like – as the managing director of Windermere's Langdale Chase Hotel continued his training for an English Channel swim, accompanied by Mr Tighe in a rowing boat.

"We were going across the deeps, the deepest part of the lake," he recalls.

"It was really calm. Then, all of a sudden, I felt something go past the back of my legs. It felt like a cruiser had gone past.

"Suddenly, this wave then lifted me up. I stopped and asked 'what the hell was that? Get me out of here'."

Mr Tighe, the Langdale's general manager, feared for his friend as the follow-up 'bow wave' rose.

He said: "Looking back at that morning it is all a bit surreal. I was most concerned about Thomas. I didn't know what it was."

The whole experience, between 6.45am and 7am on July 29, 2009, lasted about 30 seconds.

After the drama unfolded, the lake went back to being completely flat – with the men confused as to what had just happened.

At first, Mr Noblett, 48, thought a submarine had passed him – with the Ministry of Defence perhaps doing some kind of secret testing. He described the feeling as "awful".

It was only after another colleague at the hotel overheard them talking afterwards, that the realisation that it could be something else struck.

"We didn't know what it could be. We were chatting about it in the kitchen and our chef said there was a report of something being sighted in the lake," said Mr Tighe, 35.

Their experience, along with other sightings, have left the pair convinced there is something in the waters.

"One hundred per cent. There is something in there," Mr Tighe said.

His colleague added: "We were non-believers beforehand. We didn't give it a thought before. I was more concerned that a pike would bite me."

Speculation as to whether Cumbria could have its own Loch Ness monster-type creature in Windermere has grown in the past week after a photograph emerged of what looks to be a four-humped creature in the water.

It was spotted by Tom Pickles and Sarah Harrington, who were kayaking across the water. They captured the image on a camera phone.

Theirs is thought to be the eighth report of so-called Bownessie being seen in the past five years.

Mr Noblett, who has swam in Windermere hundreds of times, believes this latest sighting adds weight to what he and his colleague have been saying since 2009, adding: "We're quite pleased about it. It shows we were not using this as self-publicity for the hotel, area or the lake."

Sporadic sightings of the creature have been made since the 1950s.

Various descriptions have seen its size range from anywhere between 25ft and 70ft and of being snake-like in appearance.

Although there is the old Nessie theory of the creature being something prehistoric that has somehow survived in the lake, both Mr Noblett and Mr Tighe believe the creature is most likely to be a giant eel.

Other theories are that the "monster" could be a giant catfish or a large pike with the creature feeding off char

Since their experience, the hotel bosses have worked with north east-based psychic Dean "Midas" Maynard on trying to unearth evidence about what is lurking in the waters.

Today they will join him on a boat conducting a sonar search of the lake to see if they can spot Bownessie or any more clues about its existence, using 3D imaging equipment.

Another boat search with more passengers joining them will be carried out tomorrow.

But, with Windermere 10.5 miles long, one mile wide and plunging to 220ft at its deepest point, with various caves and shelves, Mr Noblett, who has been at the Langdale 20 years after working in Bermuda, Dubai and London, admits the search is the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Whatever they do or don't discover, however, his view about whether there is a creature in the water will not change.

And the businessman has information that there are others who have has possible sightings, but haven't wanted to speak out about them.

He added: "Some have said they are glad we have brought it up. One sailor has said it was like a side of meat turning over and going underneath. He didn't want to tell anybody in case he was ridiculed.

"You're always going to get two camps in whatever you do in life. The ones who don't believe will boo-hoo everything. If they haven't experienced it themselves, they will say it is an old wives' tale."

Many of those who are believers or have spotted something suspicious and believe there is something in the water are people who are completely serious about the lake.

"That has made our experience a little more concrete," Mr Noblett said.

Dan Nield, 30, an operations supervisor with Windermere Lake Cruises, will be among those on the boat searching the lake tomorrow.

He admits the speculation about what may be in the lake is interesting, but is a sceptical of whether there is a "monster" in there.

"Everyone loves a mystery. It would be nice if there was something out there, but I'm a sceptic," said Mr Nield, who spends his working day on the lake.

"Some have said there are big catfish in there. They can grow as big as a couple of metres in length. Others have said it could be a string of otters. It's interesting. The picture that came out last week surprised me. Lots of people have been asking about it, but whether it brings more tourists to the area, I don't know. I wouldn't think it would do tourism any harm."

There's no doubting that the intrigue surrounding what may lurk beneath the waters of Windermere could be lucrative.

A whole industry has spawned from the mystery at Loch Ness, with a visitor centre, souvenir shops, television documentaries and even a Hollywood film staring Ted Danson.

Cumbria Tourism bosses, whose headquarters are on the shores of the lake, say they are as keen as anyone to establish "whether the Bownessie phenomenon is fact or fiction".

A spokesman added: "The truth is Windermere and Bowness are incredibly popular destinations and don't need gimmicks to get people to visit.

"Nonetheless, at the start of the tourism year, it doesn't do the industry any harm to have this kind of profile around the world."

Mr Noblett believes Bownessie could become a visitor attraction.

"It will attract a different type of visitor. You are going to get people who say we don't need any more tourist attractions here. They are the non-believers," he said.

"But it can only help the businesses and the infrastructure of Cumbria. This is a happy story versus the catastrophes of the last couple of years in west Cumbria.

"People think Cumbria is an island. When the bridge went down in Workington they thought they couldn't get in. It's just the British way of thinking."

Mr Tighe, the Langdale's general manager for the past four-and-a-half years, also believes interest in what may be in the lake his high and added: "Most of our guests are interested."

Executives at Windermere Lake Cruises, whose boats ferry people to stops up and down the lake, are not convinced Bownessie exists, but believe passengers will enjoy trying to spot it. They are offering a golden ticket prize of a year's free cruises for anyone who captures a picture of the beast from one of their boats.

NOTE: Previous post - Bownessie Rears It's Ugly Humps Again...Lon

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Whaaa? Lobsters found in Potomac River

wtop - Frankenfish with claws? Lobsters. Yes, lobsters have been seen in the fresh waters of the Potomac River.

The lobsters have been seen at Leesylvania State Park.

"It's definitely something you don't see everyday," says Kendra McMurray who saw them over the weekend.

"The odd thing is they were in perfect formation, lined up on the sand along with blue crabs and huge clams. It was puzzling to say the least.

"There were some feisty crabs out there, and at least one of the lobsters were still living when we approached them. My main concern was that their claws were free," McMurray tells WTOP in an e-mail.

Virginia state biologists say somebody is obviously releasing the saltwater crustaceans into the water.

Park rangers tell InsideNova it's a Chinese custom to release crustaceans back into the water after the new year.

The lobsters, likely released live, died once they were put in the water.

State biologists say there's concern the lobsters could carry parasites that would survive and cause disease in the river.

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Cheetah military robot can outrun human beings

tgdaily - Boston Dynamics is working on two new robots for DARPA - one agile humanoid and one designed to outpace the fastest human runners.

The Cheetah robot is modeled on its namesake, with four legs, a flexible spine and an articulated head and neck - it may or may not have a tail, says the company.

The company says that not only will it be faster than any human being, but that it will be faster than any existing legged robot too. It will be able to make tight turns and accelerate rapidly - 'starting and stopping on a dime', the company says.

Based on the same control software and mechanical and electric systems as the company's other robots, Boston says the robot will be able to use momentum to bridge gaps, for example throwing or swinging itself from one set of handholds or footholds to the next.

Meanwhile, the humanoid Atlas robot will get about mainly on two legs, although it will also be able to use its hands for support and balance.

"Unlike Honda's Asimo and most other humanoid robots you've seen, Atlas will walk just like a man, using a head-to-toe walking motion, long strides and dynamic transfer of weight on each step, says Rob Playter, Atlas principal investigator and vice president of engineering.

"We have already achieved some advanced behavior in Petman, an anthropomorphic robot we developed for the Army, so Atlas can get a leg up on the problem by leveraging the Petman results."

The company says that both robots will have applications beyond the military, such as in emergency response situations and advanced agriculture.

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Gravedigger Stole Body Parts To Make Ashtray Pipe

hungzai - Police say a gravedigger stole body parts - including a skull and a thigh bone - from a broken casket at a church cemetery and took them home to make an ashtray.

"While he was digging a grave, a casket was broken open, so (investigators) believe he took the body parts to make an ashtray and a pipe," Police Lt. Kevin O'Brien told the Sentinel Enterprise of Fitchburg, MA.

Police discovered the theft when they went to his apartment Wednesday after his wife complained that her husband, Keith Chartrand, killed her dog. She said she found the body parts among his belongings.

Police charged Chartrand, 30, with removing a body from a grave and cruelty to animals.

Fitchburg District Court Judge Arthur Haley III ordered Chartrand held on $50,000 bail at a court hearing on Wednesday where Chartrand told the judge the charges against him was "bogus."

Chartrand's lawyer, Martin Maynard, did not immediately return a call to The Associated Press on Thursday.

The Rev. Edward Chalmers of St. Bernard's Cemetery said he believed the remains probably were taken from an older part of the cemetery where many graves did not have vaults.

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Video: Peru Alien?

Don't know what to make of this one....

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Recent Animal Attacks, Mutilations in Chihuahua / Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 09:08 PM PST

The following are recent reports of animal attacks and mutilations from Scott Corrales of Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology:

Source: Diario La Policiaca and www.analuisacid.com
Date: 02.22.11

Mexico: Chupacabras Strikes in Tapachula (Chiapas)

* Animals were found near the Pemex facilities.
* Carcasses displayed tremendous bite marks; do not correspond to any known species.

The carcasses were found in the vicinity of the train station and the Pemex facilities, scattered on the ground and betraying impressive puncture marks that do not correspond to any animal endemic to the region or passing through, according to Amalia García.

The four sheep had their blood extracted -- apparently -- through a hole in their throats. According to local residents, this may constitute the reappearance of the Chupacabras.

At noon on Monday, February 21, phone calls from citizens alerted the authorities to the presence of the lifeless animals.

Authorities mentioned that none of the sheep had any blood left in their bodies, as it had been removed.

The discovery of the lifeless, exsanguinated sheep with holes in their throats caused curiosity-seekers to reach the conclusion that the legend of the Chupacabras should be taken up seriously once more. Twelve years have gone by without any reports on this phantasm, who was mentioned for the first time on May 1, 1999. - Mexico: Chupacabras Strikes in Tapachula (Chiapas)

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Source: El Heraldo de Chihuahua
Date: 02.27.11

Mexico: Strange Animal Kills and Exsanguinates Prey

** Three attacks in one week in Chihuahua, Mexico**

The first incident was recorded in the early hours of 16 February with 12 dead sheep and others with severe wounds.

The affected party stated that his animals were in a pen with a two meter tall fence, which natural predators are unable to penetrate. Even so, the strange animal entered and attacked the sheep without eating them, relieving them of their blood and leaving marks suggesting a jaw that can open up to 20 centimeters. There were also scratches and puncture marks from long fangs in evidence. Lambs had their heads crushed.

The second attack occurred during the first hours of Monday, 21 February on the property of Mr. Roberto Villalobos, with 20 dead sheep.

The third attack took place again on Mr. Villalobos's property.

"The custodian saw what was happening and unleashed a Great Dane to fight the animal, which he was able to see in the shadows. But the dog fled after receiving a push from the assailant," said a startled Roberto Villalobos.

Local residents are fearful of going out in the evening, saying that for a week now they have been victimized by attacks from an unknown animal whose prints they are unable to recognize.

The place where the events occurred is Estación de Terrazas, a rural areal located 40 km from Chihuahua's state capital.

DATES OF THE ATTACKS:

Wednesday, 16 February – 12 dead sheep, 10 wounded
Monday, 21 February – 20 dead sheep, 25 injured
Friday, 25 February – 15 dead sheep

Thanks again to Scott Corrales!

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