Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 59
October 27, 2022
Did the Satanic Panic Ever Really End?
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
In the 1980s, angry parents insisted that the devil was whispering to their children through heavy metal music. Listening to it would surely cost the kids their souls and send them running into the open arms of a satanic cult.
While that may sound far-fetched, it’s only a record scratch on the surface of what was playing out in America in the ’80s and ’90s. Dubbed the Satanic Panic, this period was full of paranoia-fueled accusations about cults, murder, torture, and abuse that were not only false — they ruined innocent lives.
The Period of PanicSimilar to the Salem witch trials, people were accused of something that had no solid evidence and brought to court. This was largely due to the fear of change, and people with longstanding “traditional” beliefs felt that the changing attitudes of the time threatened their way of life.
A book called Michelle Remembers was published during this time. It’s since been discredited, but not before the damage was done. Co-written by Canadian psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder and his psychiatric patient (and later wife) Michelle Smith, the book details alleged memories Smith uncovered in therapy.
These “memories” include supposedly spending years as a child imprisoned by a satanic cult, and one version of the book’s cover describes the contents as a battle of innocence versus evil. This book was used as a blueprint for court cases to come in the following years, and Pazder even testified in the McMartin preschool trial.
The Devil is in the DetailsThe McMartin preschool trial happened at the height of a time when, according to History.com, “parents and daycare workers were jailed after false, and often absurd, allegations about child sexual abuse. As this hysteria swept the country, abuse counseling quickly became a cottage industry, attracting often-unqualified people who seemed to find sexual abuse everywhere.”
#thisweek 30yrs ago, the US followed along as the McMartin Preschool child abuse trial began. Anatomy of a Panic: https://t.co/LJR8NMsp7Y
— Retro Report (@RetroReport) July 9, 2017
One teacher at the school was put through more than six years of persecution and trials without evidence, and The New York Times reported that parents even showed up at the school after it was ordered to be demolished to dig for hidden underground tunnels they were sure existed.
Judging Books by Their CoversAnother famous case of Satanic Panic was that of the West Memphis Three. Following the murders of three young boys, the town quickly pointed fingers at three local teens (Jessie Misskelley Jr., Damien Echols, and Jason Baldwin) who were rumored to be involved in occult activities. One of them, Damien Echols, had the word “evil” tattooed across his knuckles because he thought it looked cool.
After spending 18 years in prison, with one of the men being on death row, they were released. Believe It or Not!, Stranger Things’ misunderstood metalhead character Eddie Munson was based on Echols!
Modern Cultural Examples
STRANGER THINGS 4’s Hellfire Club storyline — and especially the character Eddie Munson — were inspired by the documentary series PARADISE LOST.
Eddie is loosely modeled after writer and artist Damien Echols, who was a member of the West Memphis Three. pic.twitter.com/nyUnvZ5B8x
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) May 28, 2022
When it comes to bands being accused of being in league with the devil, many well-known names were subjected. According to VH1, some of these include Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, and Mötley Crüe. In 1985, two Judas Priest fans attempted suicide. One of them lived and later tried to sue the band, saying that one of the lyrics played backward encouraged them to kill themselves.
Though this may all seem like a thing of the past, similar paranoia and fears are still rampant today. A woman in Texas said that Hocus Pocus 2 could bring evil into people’s homes, according to Variety. She said, “A worst case scenario is: you unleash hell on your kids and in your home. The whole movie is based on witches harvesting children for blood sacrifices.”
“Do not watch this film,” she continued. “Everybody thinks it’s fake and innocent, but they could be casting any type of spell that they want to, anything could be coming through that TV screen into your home.”
Black Sabbath (1970).
Another recent example is QAnon. According to NPR, people “believe that a shadowy cabal kidnaps children, tortures them and uses their blood in satanic rituals.” Many people involved in the conspiracy believe that powerful politicians are responsible this time, not the preschool teachers or daycare workers of the ’80s and ’90s.
Even musician Lil Nas X has sparked Satanic Panic type rumors with his music video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” according to ABC News. The panic that arises when people are confronted by beliefs that challenge their own isn’t going anywhere, and so it seems that the harmful type of accusations that fueled the Satanic Panic may continue as well.
By Kelsey Roslin, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!
October 26, 2022
Researchers Develop Self-Administered, Painless Tattoos
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
When it comes to do-it-yourself (DIY) projects, most people think home repairs. And if you look at the stats, there’s a reason for this. The average U.S. household juggles nine DIY projects simultaneously and more than 50 percent of American homeowners categorize their residences as works-in-progress.
Of course, residential repairs aren’t the be-all, end-all when it comes to things you can do yourself — researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology claim you can now add self-administered tattoos to the mix!
Here’s what you need to know about this bizarre technological advance and its surprisingly practical potential applications.
Pain-Free Tattoos?Some things go together. Think peanut butter and jelly or bacon and eggs. And other things are inescapable consequences of specific actions. For example, pain is seen as the unavoidable result of getting a tattoo. But researchers may be well on the way to taking the discomfort out of permanent skin art.
Georgia Tech’s foray into pain-free, self-applied ink builds upon recent medical advances in the use of microneedle patches. As the name suggests, these needles are downright miniscule compared to their more traditional counterparts. And unlike the needles used to deliver flu vaccines or run-of-the-mill tattoos, microneedles don’t leave a telltale sting.
Microneedle patch tattoo close-up. Credit: Song Li, Youngeun Kim, Jeong Woo Lee, Mark R. Prausnitz (CC BY 4.0)
Practical Applications for DIY InkThat said, diehard tattoo lovers take a certain pride in knowing the skin art they’ve received is a symbol of pain tolerance. So, what gives when it comes to microneedle ink? DIY tats have many practical applications, especially in the medical industry. After all, not all tattoo recipients are in it for the pain.
Some patients get skin art to cover up post-surgery scars and others need it to let paramedics know about specific medical conditions. For patients receiving cancer treatments, small tattooed reference marks ensure radiation beams get directed to the right parts of the body. For these individuals, pain-free tattoos could be a game changer, eschewing the need to spend hours in the painful tattoo chair.
Microneedle patch tattoo applications. Credit: Song Li, Youngeun Kim, Jeong Woo Lee, Mark R. Prausnitz (CC BY 4.0)
Skin Patches Do the TrickThe benefits of microneedle patch tattoos don’t end there. They also represent a bloodless and low-cost alternative. Mark Prausnitz, the principle researcher involved in this study, explains, “This could be a way not only to make medical tattoos more accessible, but also to create new opportunities for cosmetic tattoos because of the ease of administration.”
Prausnitz puts his money where his mouth is when it comes to advancing microneedle technology. As co-founder of Micron Biomedical, a company that focuses on microneedle patch technology, Prausnitz has big plans when it comes to the future of this industry.
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Researchers Develop Self-Administered, Painless Tattoos
October 25, 2022
California Bakery Makes Life-Size Han Solo Statue Out of Bread
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
It’s a scene burned into the brain of every Star Wars fanatic: the moment Han Solo gets frozen in carbonite by Darth Vader. It follows Lando Calrissian’s betrayal of the space rogue and Princess Leia Organa’s public declaration of love to him in The Empire Strikes Back. And it represents the ultimate cliffhanger — audience members are left wondering whether Solo will survive deep-freeze and what will happen to him after Boba Fett drops him off with Jabba the Hutt.
The perfectly preserved face of anguish and outward-reaching hands reappear in the beginning of The Return of the Jedi. Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker battle it out in Jabba’s lair for the chance to “de-thaw” their compadre, with plenty of mishaps (and monsters) along the way. Nevertheless, frozen Solo remains iconic in Star Wars lore, and now it boasts a giant chunk of bread in its honor.
Affectionately titled “Pan Solo,” here’s everything you need to know about the six-foot-tall edible.
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Bringing Pan Solo to LifeAlthough the San Francisco Bay Area is renowned for creamy clam chowder served in thick sourdough bread bowls, there’s a new loaf in town that’s captured the national imagination. You’ll find the Star Wars shoutout in front of the One House Bakery in Benicia, California, owned by the mother-daughter duo Catherine Pervan and Hannalee Pervan.
How did they craft the life-sized homage to everyone’s favorite interstellar smuggler? Using wood and two types of bread mixes. First, they used a yeastless dough that retained its shape without rising. Second, they used one with extra sugar to ensure the statue’s preservation throughout the fall season. Working together after closing their bakery night after night, they painstakingly assembled the masterpiece.
The Foodie Version of Star WarsAlthough some might perceive the project as tedious, there’s nothing else the Golden State bakers would rather be doing. Hannalee Pervan explains, “Baking is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do my whole life. So all of my — you know, all of my good memories, all my happy memories are associated with food and with baking and with my mom and my grandmother.”
Besides the family connection to baking, the Pervans also feel deeply attached to sci-fi, fantasy, and the Star Wars universe. So, it’s no surprise Pan Solo isn’t their first foray into Force-inspired baking. Another hit by the foodie pair debuted in 2020, a tribute to The Mandalorian, complete with Baby Yoda.
These masterworks are entered in the Downtown Benicia Main Street Scarecrow Contest each year. During the event, the public casts their votes for the most creative “scarecrow” display. Competition can be tough, with more than 20 highly inspired entries by area businesses.
Whether the bakers win is beside the point, because the Pervans derive so much pleasure from what they do. Or, as Hannalee Pervan puts it, “Just to find joy in a different part of food is really important.”
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: California Bakery Makes Life-Size Han Solo Statue Out of Bread
October 24, 2022
The Deserted Kingdom of Burj al Babas
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Burj al Babas, a state-of-the art luxurious resort community in Turkey equipped with a world class aqua park, spa and a $200 million development price tag!
The catch? The community was never fully completed and now sits abandoned with little hope of completion in its future.
Ghost TownThe world’s most expensive ghost town is a sprawling housing development in northwestern Turkey populated by hundreds of identical castles.
Arranged in semicircles, the Burj Al Babas Villa looks more like a surreal M.C. Escher illustration than a high-end housing development. Surrounded by lush forests and rolling hills, the subdivision sits near the town of Mudurnu.
Editorial credit: Esin Deniz / Shutterstock.com
Burj al Babas sits atop a geothermal spring and the developers planned to take advantage of the spring by centering the community around a large spa center.
The property developers behind the project had the ambitious goal of creating 732 luxurious, French-inspired châteaus. The company shelled out more than $200 million on the project, building 583 homes before construction came to a screeching halt due to economic woes.
What’s LeftNow, the remaining abandoned castles sprawl out in memory of a community that never was and likely never will be. The interiors of the mansions were never finished and as time passes the exteriors have begun to fall apart as well.
Editorial credit: emasali stock / Shutterstock.com
With each passing year, the architecture of the city begins to crumble more and more and the fractured remains of Burj al Babas leaves behind a story of an epic vision that was never fully realized.
Escape the Ordinary With Ripley’s Latest Book!Find this story and more inside Ripley’s all-new book! Escape the Ordinary‘s 256 pages spark curiosity, challenge perception, celebrate differences, and curate a sense of wonder for the weird world around us! Available now on Amazon and at most major retailers.
October 23, 2022
October 22, 2022
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