Journal of the Bizarre

The following account of a BEK encounter was emailed to us by Bruce from Adams Center, NY.


In the 1970s, my parents purchased several acres of land on Galloo Island in Lake Ontario, about twelve miles off the coast of Sackets Harbor, with the intention of building a summer cottage.  Although my father never had a chance to build the cottage, several times each summer we would sail to the island and spend a weekend camping on the northern end.  The camping trips usually consisted of my father, me, and my two brothers, Rich and Timothy.  My mother and my sister, who was just a baby at the time, never accompanied us on these excursions, since my mother wasn't the "seafaring" type.  The men of the family, however, loved going to Galloo Island.

When I was in high school I joined my older brother Rich and his girlfriend Julia on a camping trip to the island.  It was August of 1975 and we were anxious to explore the lighthouse on the southern tip of the island, which for years …

Exploring the Link Between Radiation and Ghost Photographs



The atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August of 1945 is an event which will be remembered for as long as mankind inhabits the earth.  It is an eternal reminder of the horror of war; a reminder so profound that the very name of the city is synonymous with nuclear warfare.  The force of the explosion was so great that shadows became permanently etched into walls and other surfaces.

Since thermal radiation travels in a straight line, a shadow is created when the radiation is blocked by a solid object.  In the case of atomic explosions, the shockwaves generated by the X-ray-heated air can create a permanent "negative" image on walls, streets, and other solid structures.  Several of these shadows can still be seen today around Hiroshima and Nagasaki.



Interestingly, this phenomenon isn't limited only to atomic blasts.

Throughout history, there have been numerous reports of ghost-like images "etched" into glass win…

Things That'll Make You Go "Hmm"



Some people scoff at coincidences, insisting that there is nothing miraculous or "supernatural" about them, while others believe that nothing in life happens purely by chance.  However, no matter which side of the argument you favor, there are some coincidences that are so astounding that they can make even the most skeptical person's hair stand on end.  Here are ten of the most incredible coincidences of all time.


10. A Tacky Way To Die


In December of 1904, a widow from Hubble, Kentucky, named Fannie Ball died after stepping on a tack with her left foot, probably as a result of blood poisoning.  Her husband, who died a year earlier, also died from the effects of stepping on a tack- and also with his left foot. (The Mt. Sterling advocate., December 14, 1904)


9. Water Under The Bridge



In 1911, a young man from Peterborough, England, named William Burrows was drunk in a bar and complaining about his life.  He half-jokingly state…

Michael Hastings: Killed By The CIA, Or Reckless Crack Addict?





"Well, I have smoked crack. I recommend it for all writers to try at least once, especially to New Yorker staffers. It’s pretty good–it’s crack, after all–and down the crack pipe went my first semester at college. But torching a crack rock is very different from typing a Tweet."-Michael Hastings, February 9, 2010.


Ever since investigative journalist and Rolling Stone contributor Michael Hastings died in a fiery car crash in Los Angeles in the early morning of June 18, the Internet has been buzzing with talk of conspiracy.  Hastings made a name for himself in 2010 after Rolling Stone published "The Runaway General", a story which profiled Gen. Stanley McChrystal.  According to sources, Hastings was working on a story which would "expose" the CIA at the time of his death at the age of 33.

With all of the untimely deaths involving journalists who have cast the federal government in a less-than…

Although it's been nearly twenty years since my grandfather died I vividly recall the evening after the funeral, when many of my relatives gathered at my grandmother's house to share stories about the man we buried that afternoon, a man who had been a coal miner before he enlisted in the army at the outbreak of the Second World War.  Toward the end of the gathering, as we made our way outside, my attention was captured by the mournful wailing of a train whistle in the distance, coming from somewhere beyond the edge of town where the old Scott Colliery once stood.  The reason why this moment stands out in my memory is because the railroad tracks which used to run past the colliery had been torn out years before, the colliery was torn down decades earlier, and the last time a train had passed through our humble little town was many years before I was even born.  As far as anyone knew, the nearest tracks that were still in use were located over twenty miles away.  I had spent my…

Since the beginning of civilization, mankind has been intrigued by the idea that the Earth is hollow, and that numerous "lost" tribes and races may inhabit vast continents beneath the planet's surface.  Some Buddhists call this "lost civilization" Agharta, while other cultures have similar legends.  Others believe that the inner Earth is inhabited by reptilians, Atlanteans, aliens, and all things in between.  One of the most famous names surrounding the hollow Earth theory is Olaf Jensen, a Norwegian sailor who claimed to have sailed a ship through an opening at the North Pole.  The story of Olaf Jensen was written by Willis Emerson, in a "biography" of the Norwegian sailor entitled Secrets of the Subterranean Cities.  For two years, wrote Emerson, the sailor lived with the 12 foot tall inhabitants of Agharta.

One of the forgotten proponents of the hollow Earth theory is Hesikia Thomas, an eccentric hermit who claimed that he could turn pebbles into …

June 14 marks the six month anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, and many of us are still asking ourselves if we have come any closer to finding out the truth about what really happened on that morning in December.  The answer, sadly, is no.  While other mass casualty events have taken place since Newtown, the truth about Adam Lanza and his victims remains hidden behind an impenetrable wall of secrecy- a wall erected by those who makes the laws, those who are sworn to uphold the laws, and even the parents of the victims themselves.

Since December, Journal of the Bizarre has been on the forefront of independent investigation into the Sandy Hook massacre, uncovering evidence that has been overlooked by professional journalists, independent researchers, and "conspiracy theorists" alike.  Since half a year has elapsed since Newtown, we've decided to summarize the facts we have uncovered since beginning our investigation.

But, first, in order to put …

Since the 19th century, the expanse of woodlands in the county of Staffordshire known as Cannock Chase has been a haven for all things paranormal and unexplained.  Though encompassing an area of just 26 square miles, Cannock Chase has been the setting for alleged sightings of UFOs, Bigfoot, werewolves, hell hounds, ghosts, demons, and everything in between.

Lee Brickley, a British paranormal researcher and ufologist, maintains the Paranormal Cannock Chase blog, in which he shares some of his personal experiences with the famously spooky location.  Earlier this week, Brickley wrote a terrific post about demonic black-eyed children, which provides an interesting twist to the BEK ("black eyed kids") phenomenon.


According to Brickley, these demonic black eyed children are considered to be the offspring of evil entities and demon/human hybrids.  Those of us here in the United States have heard these explanations before, but Brickley goes one step further by drawing parallels to …

On May 25, Corinne Federer visited a medieval castle near Amsterdam with her mother. Federer, an amateur photographer, was shooting High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos of the Muiderslot castle, and later noticed an anomaly which has many UFO experts salivating.  Federer captured an object which resembles a rod-shaped object with S-shaped wings, traveling at a high rate of speed.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, Federer explained:

"In order to create HDR images, you take three or more exposures -- this one happened to be five -- and you shoot them all at the same time, because you then overlap the images and it gives you the full spectrum of light, which your camera can't capture but your eyes can".



Huffington Post sought out the opinion of Ben Hansen, a former FBI agent who specializes in photo analysis.  Hansen, who hosts "Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files" on the Syfy Channel, has concluded that no photographic trickery or sleight-of-hand took place:

"H…

Have you ever wondered how much space it would require to bury everyone in America?  Have you ever asked yourself, "Considering all the people who have ever lived, what are the odds that I'm standing on top of a burial site?"  Have you ever wondered how long it would take before every piece of ground on Earth became someone's final resting place?

We have!

How many people have ever lived on Earth? 108 Billion, at least according to the Population Reference Bureau.  Our planet contains roughly 57.5 million square miles of land.  Is this enough space to bury the bodies of every human being who has ever lived?  The answer is... yes (and a resounding yes at that).

The average casket measures 84 inches in length and 28 inches in width, which means that the minimal amount of space needed to bury a human being is 2,352 square inches, or approximately 16.3 square feet (16.33333 to be more precise, but for the sake of argument, let's round it off).  One square mile of land i…

A new plan proposed by Connecticut state officials to withhold crucial records pertaining to the Newtown school shooting records from the public promises to ignite a firestorm of controversy, and may possibly be the tipping point that conspiracy theorists have been waiting for.

On June 2, it was reported that a bill privately crafted by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s office would permit authorities to withhold photos, videos, 911 recordings and other records which concern the condition of any victim of the Dec. 14  Sandy Hook shootings, unless the family gives written permission.

On the surface, this may seem harmless but, as they say, the devil is in the details.  Better grab a seat, folks, because the details will make your head spin.



According to the Associated Press, the proposed legislation would prevent the release of emergency responders’ audio transmissions.  However, there's a provision that would allow the public to view transcripts of the recordings- for a price.  For 50 cent…