Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 279
April 16, 2019
April 15, 2019
Hunting Cryptids? Then You Better Know The Law
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Imagine you’re in the woods.
You know—the deep, dark woods, far from civilization. Got it? Now imagine you see something you can’t explain, something covered in hair, something 8-feet tall that looks like an ape but walks like a man.
And it’s headed your way.
You’re frozen with fear. Luckily, you’ve brought your trusty Winchester with you. (Don’t leave home without it, right?) You watch the thing for a few moments as it crashes through the brush. Then you react, and you line it up in your sights.
Nope. Hold your horses, Shooter.
Did you know that—in some parts of the world—if you see a Bigfoot-like creature, you are not allowed to kill it?
It’s true. Put that rifle down, son.
The area of Skamania County in Washington state has labeled itself a “Bigfoot refuge.” That means if you kill a Bigfoot, you will, of course, become internationally famous—but it also means you’ll be fined up to $10,000 and likely have to do some jail time for your efforts.
It’s known as the Bigfoot Ordinance, passed because the locals say they believe there are similarities between the Bigfeet and us people.
But that’s not the only law that has been passed to protect the animals of the cryptozoological world.
Loch Ness Monster
CC Star Blazkova
Did you know the Scottish government has a plan if the Loch Ness Monster is ever found?
In 2001, they developed the idea that includes taking a sample of the creature’s DNA before releasing Nessie back into the water. (The plan also helps protect any other new species of animal found in or near the loch).
For 1,500 years, people have claimed to see something in the waters of Loch Ness. But in the 1930s, sightings really increased, as people described what some think to be a modern plesiosaurus, or swimming dinosaur.
Then again, others have accused believers of just trying to increase tourism in the area.
Still, on average, there are up to 10 sightings per year of something unusual in the loch. And for those watching, just remember—if you do catch a big dinosaur, you’re going to eventually have to throw it back.
Skunk Ape
CC Steve Otto
But not all cryptids are created equal. A Florida man has championed a law to protect the Skunk Ape and failed—twice.
Dave Shealy, who says he’s encountered Florida’s version of Bigfoot—albeit one who seems to leave a trail of stink similar to rotten eggs—tried a couple of times to get a law passed to protect the creature.
“Everyone thought the law was a joke. They shot it down,” he told Dan Rafter of Grist. “What harm would it have done to pass a law like that? Is the skunk ape in harm’s way? Yes. No doubt about it.”
The lesson here? Be careful, Skunk Ape.
Champ
Vermont and New York didn’t have a problem when it came to protecting their famous cryptid—Champ, America’s version of the Loch Ness Monster, located in their shared waterway of Lake Champlain.
Back in the 1980s, both states passed laws making it illegal to harm Champ in any way. Instead, both states celebrate the supposed serpent-like creature and even host a festival in its honor.
So when it comes to Champ, remember to look—but do not touch.
The Jersey Devil
Other cryptids have been similarly celebrated. Around the turn of the 20th century, the scientific community was tasked with finding and capturing the famed Jersey Devil—a monstrous flying creature with hooves that supposedly lives in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.
Some thought it to be a leftover dinosaur. Others surmised it may be a new kind of carnivore. Whatever it was, the public had to know.
Superintendent Robert D. Carson, of the Philadelphia Zoo, offered a $10,000 reward for the creature’s capture. However, we aren’t sure if he wanted it dead or alive.
We do know the reward was never claimed.
But in 1939, the Devil was officially named the Official State Demon of New Jersey—and that’s the only official state demon in the country.
Migoi Yeti (Abominable Snowman)
Bigfeet aren’t only popular in America.
In the Buddhist country of Bhutan, in South Asia, they have their version of Bigfoot—the reddish-brown Migoi, or what some call the Abominable Snowman.
For centuries, the 8-foot-tall creatures are said to have tricked those in the area, sometimes turning invisible.
But it’s all in good fun, right? The locals apparently take it with good humor, because in 2001, the government created a sanctuary for the Migoi, which provides more than 250 square miles for it and other wildlife.
Of course, if they are invisible, how would we know they are there?
So…
From skunk apes to Bigfeet and leftover dinosaurs, the world may have some strange animals to reveal to us just yet.
It’s good to know that when they do show themselves, they will be properly regulated.
By Ryan Clark, contributor for Ripleys.com
April 14, 2019
April 13, 2019
April 12, 2019
Doctor Discovers Four Bees Living Inside A Woman’s Eye
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
[April 7-13th, 2019] Bees living inside a woman’s eye, the first photo of a black hole, a Roomba on the lam, and the rest of the week’s weird news from Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Bees Live In Woman’s Eyelid
A woman in Taiwan went to her doctor complaining of a swollen eye. When he inspected behind her eyelid, he found four bees living inside! The bees were tiny, measuring just a few millimeters in length and were living off the woman’s tears. These particular bees are thought to have blown into her eye, but were removed in time for her to make a full recovery.
Black Hole
Though black holes have been theoretical since Einstein first proposed them in his theory of relativity, actually spotting a black hole in space was thought to be nearly impossible. Dr. Katie Bouman, a computer scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is responsible for leading the creation of the code that allowed the Event Horizon Telescope to render the first-ever image of a black hole. The image shows light being distorted around the object’s event horizon, creating an eerie silhouette.
CC Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration
17-Foot Python Slithering In Swamps Of Florida
An invasive species in the Florida Everglades, pythons can wreak havoc on fragile ecosystems. That’s why Florida has instituted a python bounty program to eradicate these misplaced creatures. Using males equipped with radio transmitters, hunters were able to find a 17-foot-long female python weighing 140 pounds and containing 73 developing eggs!
Rogue Roomba
Oregon police were called with a report of a burglar. Two house-sitters had left to walk the dog, but when they returned, they heard banging in the bathroom and couldn’t open the door. Several officers arrived on the scene, drew their guns, and ordered the burglar to come out. After getting no response, they stormed the small bathroom and found the assailant inside—a Roomba.
New Species Of Early Humans Discovered
A new species of human, Homo luzonensis, has been discovered on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Believed to be even smaller than the hobbits—Homo floresiensis—these new humans may have been more arboreal than modern humans. The investigation began when archaeologists found hooked toe bones in an ancient cave.
Callao Cave Archaeology Project
Source: Doctor Discovers Four Bees Living Inside A Woman’s Eye
April 11, 2019
Why No One Wears The Mafia’s Infamous Cement Shoes
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Have you ever heard the phrase “sleeping with the fishes” or so-and-so “sleeps with the fishes?” You’ve probably heard it in a mobster movie or talked to someone who swore it happens when people in organized crime want to make their enemies “disappear.”
Despite being chilling, this isn’t a serious concern for people on the outs with the Mafia. In fact, the saying probably didn’t even originate in these circles. So where did it come from anyway, what does it really mean, and why do we connect it with the idea of organized crime?
What Does It Mean to Sleep with the Fishes?
The saying “sleeping with the fishes” means several different things depending on how technical you want to get. In some circles, people state that anyone who is killed by the Mafia could be considered to be sleeping with the fishes. In others, people swear the phrase directly refers to the idea of forcing someone to stand in a bucket filled with concrete until it hardens and then dumping them into a body of water to drown. Neat but implausible, the truth is that there has never been an actual case of someone dying this way.
Although bodies have been thrown into the water and weighted down in a number of ways, there is no instance where a person has died from this specific version of drowning. When you think about it, it hardly seems likely it would work anyway, especially when you consider how long you would have to force someone to stand there while you waited for the concrete to dry—and how adamant they would be to avoid staying put.
Sleeping with the Fishes Origins
No matter what, people will indelibly connect this saying with the Mafia. We can thank Francis Ford Coppola’s enduring film The Godfather for this and the line said by the character Peter Clemenza when Luca Brasi’s bulletproof vest is sent to the Corleone house wrapped around a dead fish: “It’s a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.” Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel of the same name actually stated the same idea even earlier with the character of Tom Hagen saying, “The fish means that Luca Brasi is sleeping on the bottom of the ocean.”
Despite both these versions of the story confirming the connection, the idea of sleeping with the fishes didn’t originate in Sicily. In fact, it goes back much farther than these stories and even the Mafia itself. It can be found in an 1836 book by Edmund Spencer called Sketches of Germany and the Germans where the phrase “sleep with the fishes” is used exactly. In addition, The Iliad by Homer, a famous epic poem from ancient Greece, includes the phrase “Make your bed with the fishes now” in certain translations. Sounds familiar, right?
Does the Mafia Really Send People to “Sleep with the Fishes?”
This might be one of those instances where life imitates art, at least in theory. While there are no known cases of people having actually drowned because they were thrown into the ocean wearing “concrete shoes,” the saying has become part of Mafia lore and vernacular. Still, it is unlikely that the idea originated in Sicily or within the framework of organized crime, let alone that it is associated with a very coldblooded but also very unrealistic way to get rid of someone.
By Julia Tilford, contributor for Ripleys.com
April 10, 2019
Frank Hayes: The Dead Man Who Won a Horse Race
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Winning usually comes with a lot of pomp and circumstance, but not so much for Frank Hayes who won a horse race despite being dead.
On June 4, 1923, the 35-year-old jockey was competing in a steeplechase at New York’s Belmont Park. A horse trainer and long-time stableman, Hayes had never won a race before and no one expected him to take the first spot that day while riding a 20-1 outsider named Sweet Kiss, a horse owned by Miss A.M. Frayling.
The odds didn’t seem to bother Hayes. What did seem to bother him was his heart.
Sometime during the race, the Hayes suffered a heart attack and died instantly. However, he didn’t fall off of his horse. In fact, he remained in the saddle for the rest of the race and actually crossed the finish line first, winning by a head.
Despite the fact that he had died at some point while still on the track, no one was aware that anything had gone wrong until Miss Frayling and the officials went to congratulate Hayes, only to find out he was no longer alive.
Sweet Kiss of Death
While the unfortunate incident could have been caused by a number of conditions, various theories floated around regarding the reason for the jockey’s heart attack, one which figured that the mere excitement of the race may have been too much for Hayes to handle and another which suggested that the rider’s recent weight loss (dropping from 142 pounds to 130 pounds in a very short time in order to qualify for the race) had contributed to the strain on his heart.
Despite being a winner, the horse Hayes rode never raced again and Sweet Kiss was nicknamed “Sweet Kiss of Death” for the rest of her life.
Featured In 100 Best BIONS
Celebrate 100 years of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! with our newest book, 100 Best BIONS! You can also join Ripley’s on Twitter for 100 hours of 100 BIONS starting April 8th! We’ll be tweeting our 100 best Believe It or Not! Stories in celebration of the book’s launch as we countdown to April 10th—the 100th day of the year!
By Desirée O, contributor for Ripleys.com
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