Gleaming one way eyes

graffiti
Bethnal Green, London E2
14th May 2005

A Vampire Cat

One of the strangest incidents that has ever fallen under our reportorial observation, transpired at the Virginia hotel in this city last night. Mr. French, a member of the Thorne dramatic troupe, playing an engagement in this city, was the victim. He retired to rest at an early hour last night and soon fell in to a deep slumber. After the lapse of an hour or two he was aroused by a feeling of overpowering oppressiveness and suffocation, and was horrified to find that a huge cat was sitting on his breast and had its head inserted in his mouth sucking away his breath. He found himself in an almost exhausted condition; so much so that he was unable to shake off the vampire fiend attacking him. Struggle as he would, the cat only fastened its claws the deeper in his chest and went on at its horrible feast. His groans and cries of agony, however, fortunately brought some neighboring lodgers to his relief, and he was rescued from his frightful position. Even then they were compelled to turn him out of bed and roll him over and over on the floor before the cat could be made to release its hold and abandon its purpose. Mr. French's face and chest this morning bear frightful evidences of his terrible battle with the monster, and he will probably hereafter make special inquiry at his hotels as to the character of the cats belonging to the establishment.

Chicago Tribune, 2nd July 1876
Clipping available on the Hope Chest blog

True life story

Ghanaian Christian poster
published in Fortean Times no.250, June 2009

(Click on the image to enlarge it and read the expository text)

The pandits of Manor Park

Both on High Street North, London E12, this afternoon

More red mercury

KUWAIT CITY : In an incident which is believed to be the first of its kind in the Gulf region, police have reportedly arrested four men — a Kuwaiti, a Syrian and two Egyptians — for attempting to sell two grams of ‘Red Mercury’, worth $42 million, reports Al-Qabas daily.

The arrest came following information received by police that a Syrian man had smuggled the rare substance into the country.

Investigations conducted by securitymen revealed the Syrian was the boss of the gang and that he smuggled the substance into the country from Syria.

Acting on information police put the Syrian under surveillance and caught him red-handed while making a deal with the Kuwaiti man to sell him the substance for $21 million. He also reportedly agreed to sell the mercury on condition $50,000 was paid in advance to view the rare substance before the transaction was completed.

Police reportedly raided a house in Salwa and arrested the members of the gang and the two grams of the red mercury.

During interrogation the Syrian is said to have admitted to the charge and said the substance was stolen from an Egyptian mummy by his partner in Syria.

The four men have been referred to the concerned authorities.

Red mercury is a substance purportedly used in the creation of nuclear bombs as well as a variety of unrelated weapons systems. The substance is also believed to boost the sexual potency of elderly men.

Arab Times, 2nd June 2009

See also Kuwait Times report on the same day.

Click here for previous reports on red mercury.

Gifted from Birth

"Professor Sahib" and "Mr Mandiba" both collected on High Street North, London E6, Saturday 30th May
"Prof Sidat", date and place of collection unrecorded

The world's most beautiful joke

The inflatable boy at the inflatable school is sent to see the inflatable headmaster.

The headmaster tells him, "You've let me down, you've let the school down, and worst of all you've let yourself down."