Parts 3 and 4 Radio Talk Show Topic: Black Eyed Kids

Parts 1 and 2 are in the post right below here! If you have trouble scrolling, try the link below:

Access Parts 1 and 2 of Radio Show, Topic "Black Eyed Kids"

In this continuation of the radio show, people are discussing Black Eyed Kids for a time - with the possibility in mind that the encounters might be a combined phenomenon. They could be extraterrestrial-related with Shadow people or ghosts...but really, most of the ideas are guesses. Much more talk on Shadow People and extraterrestrials is on this segment.

Regardless, listening to the rest of the show is still worth the time. A lot of interesting possibilities exist here.




Right at the beginning of the fourth segment, a question is asked about a "harlequin." Several accounts are given about encounters with these harlequin entities. In one of the narratives, a kid asks the harlequin who it is and the harlequin responds, "The Tooth Fairy."

Also, regarding a harlequin: the account of a guy who thinks his entire family experienced a harlequin when he was younger: right after thinking they heard something upstairs that they couldn't explain, the family all lost some track of time at the dinner table while the 'dad' laughed maniacally - then everyone woke up from being strangely passed out at the table - and proceeded to try and act as if nothing happened.

Very strange stuff - and more than talk on Black Eyed Kids in the fourth part below:



So again - let me know what you think after you listen to the on-going discussion with Jason Offutt.

Part 1 and 2 Radio Show Topic: Black Eyed Kids

The subject of Black Eyed Kids is complicated by the existence of a certain kind of costume-effect contact lenses that are available, most notably Black Sclera Lenses and some called "Plague." These lenses actually cover the whole sclera - the white part of the eye, whereas most contact lenses only cover a part of the eye dedicated to vision.

BEKs or, Black Eyed Kids have been described as having entirely black eyes with no white parts visible...

Here's are two you tube videos which are parts 1 and 2 of an audio interview where author/researcher, Jason Offut, was interviewed on the topic of Black Eyed Kids. Get yourself settled for at least a half hour or so because each part is 10 minutes in length. You might want a little break in between, but do listen carefully so that you can form your own opinion on BEKs.

Here's Part 1 (with a creepy Village of the Damned photo):



Speaking of Village of the Damned - did anyone answer my question from a few posts back yet? About scary children vs scary clowns?
The post: Which is scarier - Clowns or Kids?

Now, did you notice in the first part of the audio interview that Offut mentions the outrageous COST of Sclera Lenses? Wow, up to $300 PER LENS - that's up to $600 for a pair. I've just recently done some online searches and found Sclera Lenses at an even higher cost per pair and as much as $1100-$1200 for two matching lenses. The reason given for the more expensive ones - they're supposed to be a higher quality material, less prone to irritating the eye...

???  (long pause for thought) What? People need less eye irritation because why? They wear these lenses all the time or what?

Anyhow, enough ranting about these lenses. On to the next video.

I've only listened to this second part one time, all the way through - but want to get it posted in the same posting section here so people don't have to hunt around to be able to hear the interview pieces together. I admit, I MUST go back and listen again to this second part because the idea of "Dracos" mentioned by Offutt is a bit spooky.

Brief explanation: Offutt interviewed someone who stated he (the subject, not Offutt lol) was actually a BEK and that there are small numbers of BEK that walk among us...

WTF?? So, I'll get this vid/interview posted and then listen to the track more carefully, myself, to see if I can figure out how to track down more details on where and when Jason Offutt spoke to this guy (who said his real name is "Draco").

Here's part two if the interview:




Let me know what you think of the content in these interviews.

Access post with Parts 3 and 4 Here

Be aware, nowever, that if I think your response is 'flam-ey' or without critical thinking, I will delete it - got to keep the cussword and non-intelligible comment posts down to a minimum here as I'm trying to maintain a non-adult rating for this blog.

If you want to chat, I'm on Digsby

Hey all,

If you want to chat, I'm on Digsby. You can use the chat widget along the sidebar and I'll pick up messages as I browse on by. Or download the client and we can chat through instant messenger from time to time.

Digsby was listed this past Summer (2009) as one of the top 5 Instant Messenger programs on the LifeHacker Blog

Here's a no-nonsense download link for easy installation:
digsby instant setup exe file - advertising free also found on the LifeHacker blog.

I used this file/installation link myself and my Digsby IM was up and running in about 3 minutes! Of course, while I downloaded, I registered an account properly at Digsby so that when the installation was finished, all I had to do was log into the software and start using the messenger.

Here's where you can register for a Digsby account if you don't already have one:

Digsby account registration page

Once you get set up, my username is mythbuster2009

If you don't want to chat through the messenger, you can still leave a message on the chat widget I placed on this blog - it's on the left sidebar. You can chat as a guest and I'll see your message when I browse by - even if I'm not online or logged in to my messenger.

By the way - the software is free

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga lives deep in the forest in a hut with a personality of its own. It can move around on it's supports because its supports are chicken legs. If you come upon Baba Yaga's hut in the forest, you'll likely just see the back side of it. If you try to walk to the front and aren't paying attention - if you look away for just a second or blink - the chicken legs will have again turned the backside of the hut toward you.

Around Baba Yaga's place is a special fence but if you've not got a strong stomach, you'll certainly not like her fence because it's made of bones. Atop of some of the fencepost/bones are skulls with blazing eye sockets to light up the darkness right outside of Baba Yaga's home.

You have to know a special incantation to stop the chicken legs from spinning the hut/house around, but if you're able to know and say this, the house will settle with a giant thud and the front door will open with a great crash. Baba Yaga is waiting for you to enter.

When you enter, you'll be asked by Baba Yaga if you were sent or whether you came of your own free will. Answer carefully here, for there's only one correct answer.

Baba Yaga's harmful powers won't hurt those pure of heart - those blessed with the power of love, the power of virtue or a special mother's blessing - so don't go looking for Baba Yaga's hut if you're not a well-loved person, virtuous or especially blessed by a loving mother!

Baba Yaga holds power over the elements and they are her faithful servants. They are: The White Horseman, The Red Horseman, and The Black Horseman, and Baba Yaga calls them, "My Bright Dawn, My Red Sun, and My Dark Midnight."

Once you've been inside Baba Yaga's home, it won't be long until you meet her "soul friends" - sometimes called the friends of her bosom. These are three bodiless pairs of hands which help Baba Yaga around the home.

If you've met with no harm thus far, you're probably in the presence of Baba Yaga in her "Earth Mother' state, and not the "Terrible Old Crone" state so universally feared by people. If you're with the Earth Mother then she might be able to help you with some minor matters and she might teach you a few of her wise earth ways - or she may even give you gifts - but only so long as you remain pure of heart in her presence.

I haven't been to Baba Yaga's hut yet. I don't get out for hiking in the forest often because I live in a large city. Let me know if you get to go searching in the forest for Baba Yaga and her strange hut. I'd like to know what the correct answer to her question is - should I say I was sent or that I came of my own free will? That is, once I get the chance to go search.

Well, I've got to go for now - let me know how your visit works out.

I suppose tho' that I won't be hearing from you if you don't provide Baba Yaga with the right answer once you get to her place...

Shadow People: Hooded Man

For some reason, most paranormal buffs believe that the shadow entity described as the Hooded Man most often appears to those who are negative or 'dark' individuals who are sad, depressed, and unhappy.

This entity is usually described as a hooded shadow with long cape and glowing red eyes, mostly deemed a man but some reports are of a woman whereby the hood and cape might be a dress and a woman's long hair. They are often said to move in a 'flowing' way and seem to lose their shape somewhat when they move. Sometimes their form is recognized and then they seem to lose shape and become mainly a mass of dark area.

It is believed that the hooded shadow forms attach themselves to those who have a lot of negative life history and who have willfully delved into the darker paranormal and supernatural realms, perhaps looking to aquire some powers associated with these realms. These beings often show up immediately following traumatic live events or great material losses when the human being involved is already in a state of loss or great negativity. It seems the hooded man/entity works against the person, driving them further into despair whenever possible. The hooded man seems to cause further depression, fear, a great deal of paranoia and generally harrasses a person with these moods and conditions until the person can end up in a state of feeling totally worthless. Due to the way a person might deteriorate emotionally and mentally, the attachment of these beings to the person is very hard to break.

Of course, the best solution here is to not end up attracting a 'hoodie' to you at all. Precautions against these beings is important...not delving into dark arts or supernatural/paranormal darkness, particularly for seeking a particular personal gain is really strongly urged here. Most who believe these creatures exist will blatantly say, "Don't Temp Them Toward You" in any active way!

The best defenses if you end up being harrassed by a hooded man entity is to use everything positive that you know of against it.

Pray, positive affirmations, seek positive emotional and mental health supports, connect or re-connect in your relationship with any higher power you've come to know, meditate, avoid ISOLATION and start renewing friendships or making positive new ones...and believe in your worthiness.

These hooded shadow people are considered some of the worst from those who believe that shadow entities exist. Personally, I speak with my higher power every day or even if I feel I am having negative thoughts because I'm sure I won't be the authority who gets to say whether or not a shadow person will ever visit me. I only control a very small part of the space I'm in within this world - and sometimes even in this area, I only get to control what I do - not what others do, human or otherwise. I like to think I'm giving myself every opportunity to remain connected with something positive all the time, just in case...

Shadow People: The Hat Man

The Hat Man is often described as a dark shadow whose shape includes a readily visible outline of a (usually) wide-brimmed hat. Sometimes a cape is also mentioned by those who claim to have seen Hat man. Some people report specific shapes of the hat, always an older style hat, but those who report seeing "Hat Man" with a hat in the shape of a Fedora seem to have quite negative experiences with whatever entity they've encountered.

Often, this fedora-wearing entity is what people are meaning when they say they saw, specifically, "The Hat Man."

Many who report a general shadow entity with a hat shape included in their description speak of a shadow person who behaves with curiosity toward the area it's in or toward the person who sees it. The hat shadow will usually vanish - sort of dissipate or fade away - but in any case, the encounter usually lasts a very short duration and the eyewitnesses usually report few negative details surrounding the encounter.

The Fedora Hat Man seems a different sort of shadow person entity and most often, people report a feeling of absolute terror upon seeing this particular shadow entity. People also report that they can feel this entity feeding off their terror and this hat man doesn't fade away - it walks away, much like a human being. Its shadow seems to have more substance and many paranormal buffs who believe this entity is worth studying up on and paying attention to generally believe that it is not like other shadow people at all - it is much more malevolent.

Some of the added fear might come from the red, glowing eyes that some people report with this specific hat man. The eyes are also something that most other shadow people do not have.

I'm still researching on what to do if you encounter this Fedora topped Hat Man. So far, I've come across some typical answers which don't satisfy me:

1) control your fear
(well, that's easier said than done now, isn't it?)
2) pray
(what if IT has no respect for this sort of thing?)
3) forcibly tell the shadow to leave and reclaim your space
(nice idea)

The problem here is that I've been reading up on this, checking out interviews, recent radio-show commentary and what I'm learning is that sometimes asking Hat Man to leave doesn't work. He/it may leave initially but those who've experienced hat man often report that the Hat Man returns again - same terror-inducing energy, same strange solidness of dark shadow, etc.

The photo below has been circulated around the net in many locations. It's considered a depiction of a general Hat Man shadow person.

Photo source: hatman photo

Shadow People: Peeking Shadow

Some say the Peeking Shadow is one of the smaller shadow people. It is usually child sized with the shape of a human being. This entity, when noticed, appears to be peeking around corners and objects and very quickly vanishes once seen. A lot of people who report seeing the peeking shadow describe the experience as like having seen the shadow in their peripheral vision. The shadow person is seen out of the corner of the eye, and often people aren't quite sure they really saw what they saw. This type of shadow person is generally described as harmless and is often reported as seeming 'curious.'

Could this just be a type of paredolia - the tendency for people to make a significant image out of something seemingly random. Ever swore you saw a bunny in the clouds overhead? Or a famour person's profile - there's the nose, the hair, etc? Well - this is paredolia. More often, it seems, people tend to sort unclear stimuli or random visual bits into human faces.

Could the peeking shadow just be paredolia?

Seeing what we think is something - out of the corner of our eye - having the psychological effects of our brain 'make sense' of what we ever-so-briefly caught a glimpse of?

Shadow People: The Old Woman

The old woman, as far as Shadow People go, is sometimes considered harmful. Her presence, for those who have seen, heard or felt her is definitely terrifying. People have reported being awakened in the middle of the night, to feelings of being pulled/forced out of their body.

Unfortunately, the study of this phenomenon is complicated by the fact that usually people who report such incidents are people who also suffer with certain sleep disorders or at least temporary and significant stressors and stress in their lives which are inhibiting proper sleep patterns and behavior.

Often, those who report this old woman/shadow person disturbance are suffering from SP=Sleep Paralysis, which happens when certain people are in highly stressed environments and moods. The condition is such that overly stressed people fall asleep from sheer exhaustion while their minds are still quite active. Some who suffer SP drop off to sleep while sort of in mid-thought with very active mental resources going on and it is as if the body just has to rest but the mind will not.

People suffering with SP may, indeed, awaken - with the mind active in a sort of very active dream state, except their body is trying to be in the sleep state and this causes the effect that a person cannot move. During normal sleep, the body's physiology is quite complex and a normal sleeping person is, indeed, paralyzed. If the body didn't physically and physiologically 'shut gears down' or induce a sort of paralysis, then every action we dreamed about, the body would attempt to do and then sleeping would be impossible for anyone.

Back to the topic of shadow people and the old woman...

Some who have had the above experience(s) report that they see shadows in a rather distinct shape of a woman...

I've still got to read more material specifically on "The Old Woman," because information on this topic keeps leading me to 'sleep deprivation' and 'sleep abnormalities' articles, which aren't telling me much about the cases of SP that might be considered paranormal events rather than physiological effects on the body of overly stressed persons.

Shadow People - General Details

There are some avid followers on the topic of "Shadow People," and there are even some experts who study the phenomena of Shadow People but still, these entities are largely unknown. It's hard to find good information about this topic - and this post, too - will only be a brief bit of point form structure about general details on shadow people.

What shadow people look like:

* about 4-8 feet tall
* seen as solid black forms, not completely transparent - but!
* varied levels of transparency - and!
* varied levels of darkness
* can be male or female
* can be part-bodies - or, not full figure/shape of a body
* might be visible as only a torso
* might be visible with clear upper body and a 'blob' or inconsistent lower body

Most reported accounts of people seeing shadow people mention the shadow person as a male, but females have, in fact, been mentioned to a lesser degree. "Long" and "Tall" are the more common descriptions but there are many reports of very short, 4 foot shadow people. The long, tall shapes are often not totally recognizable as a body shape and often, the shorter ones have the 'blob' characteristic. Also, in reports of the shorter shadow people, some have been described as impish or animal shapes. There are sometimes red eyes that are strikingly visible even if the body shape is sort of nondescript. Hats on the shadow person are often reported where the hat shape is very defined, even if, sometimes, the body isn't. The red-eyed and ones with hats are of a particular interest to paranormal researchers. Often, these are the ones believed to be harmful to people.

Shadow Imps/Creatures:
* around 3ft tall
* usually seen in groups
* usually visible before the appearance of larger shadow people entities
* speculation: they might be the scouts, lookouts, servants or companions for other shadow people
* sometimes have a semi-solid 'blob' shape
* most commonly described are 'imps,' 'cats,' birds,' and 'bats' in their shape
* speculation: they might be a sort of hybrid shadow entity

Transparency:
Think of the shadow you cast on the ground on a sunny day. Your shadow covers whatever is in it's pathway and that's how shadow people are. There can be some transparency, but generally, a shadow person - the shadow will block from view what is behind it. If you see something that you're concerned might be a shadow person but you can totally see through it, still recognizing a body shape, then you're probably dealing with something - just not what is considered a shadow person.  I know, I know, the details here are just as hazy as our knowledge about shadow people themselves, but most followers of this phenomenon say there are many other phenomena and forms which make person-like shapes and parts of shadows. Shadow people are of a different category of phenomena and usually have enough 'form' to block out that which is behind them.

Locations:
* have been reported as singular entities as well as in groups
* usually are seen at night, but some reports have deemed them visible by day as well
* both indoors and outside
* often seen in dark/darkened areas like corners, places where there are shadows, anyway
* seen more often where supernatural or paranormal phenomena is reported than where no activity is reported
* seen often where paranormal studies are being done, where people are conducting research
* seen more often by people who study the paranormal/supernatural and in people who have what some call paranormal/supernatural 'gifts.'

Behaviors:
* very quick body movement - will often hide or 'dash away' if noticed
* may disappear or 'fade away' when noticed
* most seem to be curious and will observe/watch people for a while
* "sprinters": a name for those who seem to sprint away just as you notice them
* "free-standers": a name for those you see in distinct form, head-on (not out of the corner of your eye - they seem to know you're going to see them, the free-standers)
* some seem totally uninterested in people and will not respond, even when provoked
* most do not seem threatening
* most, if they are watching you, do nothing other than observe for a brief while
* often appear to those with significant trauma in their past
* seem to appear more often to people with interest in or who study the paranormal

Their Effects on The Physical Realm:
* sometimes they make audible footstep noises or leave traces of footsteps behind
* animals do seem to take notice of them
* have been reported 'ou of the blue,' as well as, more frequently, during paranormal investigations or ouija sessons
* have been seen reflected in mirrors and television screens (*whew* they're not vampires then j/k)
* just a tidbit - some say they are the 'brothers of death.'
* not common for shadow people to talk, although, an occasional EVP is captured during sightings of shadow people and there have been EVP recordings of audible speech - particularly a case which feeds the point above. The words "We are the brothers of death" were recorded by an investigator who asked, "who/what are you?"

Now, these shadow people have been often enough reported that they've been categorized into types. There's not enough room in this post to include those types, but I'll follow up shortly with information on types like:

* The Hooded Shadow
* Hat Man
* The Old Woman

As already stated, this is very general information, but the topic of Shadow People warrants study and attention - especially for the accounts that exist of Hat Man, "Hoodies" (The Hooded Shadow), and The Old Woman, some of whom are most often reported as harmful, whereas most shadow people are considered relatively harmless.

Brian Bethel and Jon Northwood BEK Accounts

I've managed to run into a copy and paste of Brian Bethel's experience of an encounter with Black Eyed Kids. The post was originally on a newsgroup space online but over the years has been taken down. Technology being what it is, this account has been saved by many people and re-posted online. The link I'm about to post is connected with an internet 'conversation' with a chat group and a Mr. Jon Northwood, so Northwood's account of a very frightening encounter with BEKs immediately follows Bethel's.

Here's the material:

Bethel and Northwood accounts of BEKs

Now this was apparently re-posted by Bethel, as well. I have copied the latter part of the posting from the above page to place here. These accounts appear to have been posted and re-posted by Bethel in an attempt to sort out what might be going on concerning these Black Eyed Children.

Just below is Bethel's explanation for re-posting his account and the Jon Northwood account of BEK experiences. Bethel's words are in bold just to stand out from my own text:

[Jon Northwood has just ended his account with the comment, "I'm freaked out, people."]

"As was I, for obvious reasons.

Okay, now, the commentary:

I've been haunted -- no pun intended -- by this story ever since I decided to share it. Rather than the ridicule I expected, it seems that it touches some sort of strange, primal chord in people.

I've been trying, of course, to move beyond and forget these events, but inevitably something comes along to remind me of it.

Apparently, I've become something of an urban legend. I have people ask me all the time on the Net: "Hey, did you read the ghost story about the guy who saw the black-eyed kids who wanted to get in his car?"

"Yeah, that was me."

"Really? Cool!"

"Not exactly."

And that's something I can't seem to get the point across about. This was not "cool." It was not "just like being in a Stephen King novel!" or any of the inane comments that sometimes go along with it. It was real, though sometimes it made me feel crazy.

And now, I have a report from someone I trust that an extremely similar event has occurred -- and even resulted in the death of someone, at least indirectly.

In a word: Help?

I need thoughts. I need ideas. I need to calm down. ;) But beyond that ... I just want to know what people think about this?

I've protected myself in my own manner. I am not worried about any danger to me. But this is too close to what I experienced to be mere coincidence.

Your thoughts are welcomed.

Brian

Copyright©1999-2004 by Brian Bethel
brianbet@camalott.com"

http://urbanlegendfolkloremyths.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

9GP9DCAQBD5S

Hub 8 in the Hub Challenge: The Goatman of Maryland

http://urbanlegendfolkloremyths.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

The Goatman of Maryland is a hominid cryptid creature said to have originated in the Maryland, U.S.A. region.

The Goatman is part man, part goat, but there are different tales available about how the man came to have half man features as well as the body parts of a goat.

Some say The Goatman was into Black Magic and turned himself into a goat. Other stories differ and say a man was part of a strange medical experiment in a remote area of Maryland. This latter experiment went all wrong and a man ended up as a freakish hybrid man-goat who stalks the Maryland area still today. Most accounts tell of a hard-working goat-farming man who was overcome by a natural disaster, science experimentation, government/scientific projects, or black magic. Afterward, it seems the man survived, but not as a whole human being - rather - as a half human, half goat creature.

Some accounts give details about the Goatman's insanity

Leeds Devil

For some really fantastic pictures, artists depictions of the Devil of Leeds, check out this google search (be sure to right-click tho' or you'll depart from the page/blog here.

Google Search on "Leeds Devil."

Now, if you've followed the link in a new browser window, you should have Google Images as a top link. Continue r-clicks to view some of these pictures! The link "Image results for leeds devil" should just open up a large page with THE most varied depictions of a much-talked-about creature as you've ever seen.

Wow!

I've researched some on the Dover Demon, Springheeled Jack, even the Mothman but with all of these, most eyewitnesses and research enthusiasts into those phenomena closely AGREE on what these entities look like. Not so with our Leeds Devil!

Otherwise known as The Jersey Devil. This Jersey Devil has been a legend for at least 250 years. As far as urban legends go, the time and place where the Jersey Devil was "born" is perfect!
Time: 250+ years ago when record-keeping of births, deaths, life events wasn't all that well done. Also - before the conveniences of phones, computers, easily accesible motor vehicles, etc like we have nowadays.
Place: somewhere in the vicinity of Pine Barrens (or somewhere near Smithfield), New Jersey - a heavily forested area along coastal southern New Jersey, U.S.A. Perfect - but let me give you a little more background here...

The area was/is called "barrens" because the soil SUCKS...it's highly acidic, quite sandy, and has poor nutrients. Though a ton of trees obviously grow there, a lot are a pygmy 'pitch pine,' just generally a hardy type of tree. Guess what else grows in the barrens?

CARNIVOROUS PLANTS.... ewwwe! So anyhow - once I learned this, it took me about 12 seconds to think about this far-stretching expanse of pines, "barren" of most 'common' sort of plants or useful plants - and a bunch of carnivorous variety of plants...and it was easy to understand the awe with which people 250 years ago must have lived.

It sounds like a very hostile environment without the flesh-eating plants, too, eh? Chances are, in "the olden days," back before science took North America by storm - when the land was largely still being 'settled' and 'broken,' the average person would likely be very frightened in the dense pines and with 'strange-behaving' plant species around.

Anyway - 'way back around 1735, with no comforts like we are used to - in a hostile, earthy environment, there was a woman living near "Leeds Point," who along with her very large family, was very impoverished. She had a dozen children already and lo' and behold - found out she was pregnant with her 13th bundle of joy.

Legend has it that she was overwhelmed with this pregnancy and she CURSED the child right off - "To The Devil With This Child!" or "Give This One To The Devil!" - so that when it was born it turned into a horrific creature.

Apparently, for the first few minutes of his/its life, the child appeared relatively normal - but not for very long...within scant moments, the child morphed into an ugly thing, and flew up and out the chimney...

Of course - that's just one version of the legend.

Other versions have the woman as a Mrs Shrouds who lived in Leeds Point, NJ - hence the title, "Mrs Leeds."

Some versions have the child being born with forked tail, horns on its head and wings. Also, with a horse-shaped head. Some versions don't have a definite description of the child. This cursed child is just said to have been born all deformed and misshapen. In most versions, the newborn child slinks away or flies away right after its birth, but in a few stories, Mother Leeds keeps her child for a little while, though the infant is deformed. She's shunned and feared by her community and keeps her child mainly sheltered inside at all times - partly worried that the Pine Barrens/Leeds community will kill him/it. In this version, however, with no real reference to how old the child grows to be while Mother Leeds is hiding it away, it is said to have suddenly flapped its wings and flown off!

That last paragraph has about 4 versions of mixed details but really - there are just so many versions of the Leeds Devil story - it's hard to keep track of things.

Some say the child was a product of union between an underaged girl during the Revolutionary War - and a British soldier she fell in love with. In this version, it is the people of Leeds who cause the troubles. They curse the girl for her horrific transgression - and when the child is born, it is born a devil. Either the transgression of the girl - or - the terrible treatment by the Leeds-folk is said to have caused the devil to be born.

There are versions which say the birth happened in Burlington, NJ. Versions hail from Estelville NJ., and the exact place where the Jersey Devil was born is hard to track down.

There are even discrepancies on which numbered child the Jersey Devil was. Some say the 10th child, others, the 6th child, the 8th or the 12th. The favourite number seems, however, to be 13 - another reason to call this Leeds child a devil - superstition over the number 13.

Here's a cool site with some information connected to a funky map

"Here's the map." (r-click and let the page load - it's an interesting site and a cool way to navigate!)

It's the "monsterlore" website. Just move your cursor/mouse around the map and over the placemarker dots. You might have to drag the square around in the left-hand corner first. Anyhow - everywhere there's a little yellow dot, there's a legend or a monster story attached to that place on the map. Naturally, I found the one for "Jersey Devil" by clicking the dot on the very far right - which highlighted as "Leeds PT."

So, once I had read the Monsterlore article, I got messing around with Google searches and found those incredibly varied pictures.

I still have at least a dozen windows open, browsing photos but I wanted to give you those two cool links and blog a little about one of my fave legends, the Leeds Devil.

Let me know if you had fun with the map, eh? Also - let me know what your fave legend is at that site. I'm slowly working through the articles over there - there are A LOT of them!

Which is Scarier - Clowns or Kids?

I've seen Children of the Corn (1st movie) again recently - freaky! And did you realize there were 7 - S E V E N - movies in that series? Oh yes, there sure were.

This is because kids are TERRIFYING.

In some other "kids-turn-bad" movies, evil children start out all nice and smiley, girls sashaying around in pretty dresses and boys nodding politely, saying "Yessir" and "Yes ma'am!" And then something happens to them - or they grow out of politeness and into something else. I'm not sure what it is, but in the movies, they shed off the niceties. Soon, the smiles turn to strange time-sucking stares. Stares turn to sneers - sneers turn to snarls...

What's up with that, anyway?

"Hold my hand..."
(Um, maybe later kid)
"Walk with me..."
(Well, uhhh - I've got some work to do, little girl)
"Why can't you come play with me?"
(Well, little boy, I can't - because you're not cute anymore now that you're evil and your blue eyes are now glowing green!)

And have you seen Children of the Damned? What are those creatures - whoops, I mean what ARE those kids supposed to be, anyway. Maybe I haven't seen the movie 19 times yet to understand what's fully going on - but are those kids ALIENS or something? Genetically altered, or what?

C R E E P Y !!!

Almost as creepy as Pennywise in "IT."

Now, admittedly, I do have a touch of Coulrophobia (fear of clowns), but now I'm wondering if there's a phobia, too, about fear of evil movie-children...

What would that be called? Kideraphobia? Childraphobia?

Oh wait - it's simpler than that - I just looked it up on Wikipedia. Fear of children is called "pediophobia."

I like my names for it better. Maybe fear of children can remain with the label pediophobia - and fear of evil movie-children can be called Childraphobia. Fear of bratty, shape-shifting kids with glowing eyes and such in movies can be called Kideraphobia, okay?

So - still - which entities are worse? Clowns or evil movie-children, huh?

On one hand, we have Children of the Corn, Children of the Damned, and new age "threats" like Black Eyed Kids ...

(See my BEK Lens) right-click or you'll go off the page.

On the other hand, we also have Pennywise the clown from the movie "IT." Not to mention that real life serial killer, John Wayne Gacy actually was a registered clown - as a secondary job.

So which do you think is scarier, anyway - kids or clowns?