Who knows what lurks down that corridor? (Photo by insertinanename) Last Friday was Friday the 13th, an occasion that made us wonder how superstitious our fellow Yahoos! are. We learned that some of them have natural phobias, but today, we explore the ways in which the media have done their part to nurture our fears. JoAnne: When I was a kid, my mom and sister saw "When a Stranger Calls." They told me all about it when they got home. Ever since then, I have had phone phobia. That silence you get when a telemarketer's autodial catches you before they realize they have a connection? Storms that knock phone service out? Anytime there's no dial tone. Freaks. Me. Out. I couldn't even watch "The Ring" because it starts with scary phone things. Jasmin: I can't watch horror movies at night. I just can't. A movie that's delightfully creepy during the day will scare the living daylights out of me if I watch it at night. It's not during the movie that's the issue; it's afterwards, when the normal sounds of our house (like the dishwasher running) go from being soothing to a "Did-you-hear-that?!" Helene: When I was a kid, each time I watched "Jaws," I would put my hamster cage on the floor next to my bed, because I thought that if a shark was swimming under the carpet, he would eat the hamster first, and spare my life after that snack. And while some fears aren't directly related to movies, we can only imagine that they somehow inspired some folks to be afraid: Heather: Whenever I wake up from a particularly bad nightmare, I always have to check in the closet, under the bed, and lock the door to my bedroom. I'm terrified that there might be a murderer in my room, even though I've probably got a better chance of the ceiling caving in from an earthquake than being attacked by a serial killer. Emily: Zombies freak me out. Even though I know they're not real (right? Right?!). I like being able to hear cars on the road from my bedroom, because that's how I know the zombie apocalypse hasn’t started yet. And then there are some fears that are just common-sense: Chris: Dick Cheney, swing dance classes, and Cher. Coming up tomorrow: Ways we ward off bad luck. Suggested Sites... Phobialist - what are you afraid of? Fear Net - horror movie news and clips -- but don't watch them in the dark. Zombies on the Web - one-stop shopping for zombie info and facts. How to Prepare to Swing Dance - the horror! The horror! Rotten.com: Dick Cheney - maybe not all fears are irrational...

Directory categories: Superstitions, Horror Movies, Telephones, Sharks, Zombies

Archived under: Crime, Horror, Horror Films, Movies, Phobias, Serial Killers, Superstition, Telephones, Zombies

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You've got to give Guy Fawkes credit. Even after being tortured, he still signed his confession with a fake name. "Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason, and plot...." Now, most readers of The Spark will be more than familiar with the traditional British festival of Guy Fawkes Day, but as the only current Spark contributor from the Sceptred Isle, I feel it falls to me on this most gruesome of days to set the record straight a little on this most macabre and sinister cultural event. Now, don’t get me wrong, I abhor the way the PC brigade, however well-intentioned, continually assaults our freedom to celebrate religious events for fear of offending those who may not share their particular values. However, I feel with Guy Fawkes the PC movement’s efforts should be doubled and rewarded with considerable financial backing. As I have aged and had children of my own, I have had to reassess what the event really means, and let me tell you, it sits in stark contrast to what I thought it meant 25 years ago. Take a look at this: Guy Fawkes Day What it meant to me then: A fun family evening when communities come together to share the experiences of good company, good food, and pretty fireworks. What it means to me now: The bloodthirsty Protestant glorification of the violent torture and execution of a Catholic dissident. Let me tell you, King James I and the practice of hanging, drawing, and quartering made Dick Cheney and water-boarding look a party game for kids. Anyone questioning my views on this should visit the town of Lewes, where the annual bonfire celebrations routinely include hooded torch-wielding enthusiasts burning effigies of the Pope with wanton abandon. Penny for the Guy What it meant to me then: A wholesome childhood activity that kept us off the streets, taught us the value of recycling, and put a few extra pennies in our pockets. What it means to me now: The building -- by children -- of an effigy of a minority political activist with the express intent of burning it publically. Seriously, what is the lesson here? And why do we get kids to do it? The Bonfire What it meant to me then:  Staring in wonder at the gigantic imposing inferno, just close enough to feel your cheeks, palms, and synthetic clothing fibers tingle; a rare chance to be face-to-face with the most deadly of elements. What it means to me now: A holocaust for hedgehogs. As the bonfire is slowly constructed in the days leading up to Guy Fawkes Night, the desperately cute (although undeniably stupid) hedgehog -- in perhaps one of Mother Nature’s cruelest of practical jokes -- is looking for a safe, cozy spot for winter hibernation. He sees the bonfire. He enters the bonfire. One can only imagine the inter-hedgehog conversations nationwide as the flames and smoke engulf them: "It’s a bit warm in here, isn’t it?" So what is the government doing to stop this egregious chain of events? Aside from painfully patronizing public information announcements about fireworks and bonfires being dangerous and hot -- nothing at all. So the message is loud and clear: Relive the persecution of Catholics, let your children burn their effigies freely, and rub salt into the mortal wounds of a man who has already been more than adequately punished and vilified... just try to be safe while you do it. Suggested Sites... The Gunpowder Plot Society - a comprehensive rundown of who, what, why, and where. The British Government Site - exactly how does Mr. Brown explain this one away? Guy Fawkes-Related Activities in York - the City of York appears desperate to claim one of its own. Lewes Bonfire Council - a real must-see for Medieval enthusiasts. The Fire Bridge Guy Fawkes Safety Page - how to avoid any unpleasantries on "Maim a Catholic" Day.

Directory categories: Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes Night, The Gunpowder Plot, UK Parliament, English History

Archived under: Assassinations, Conspiracies, Crime, Fireworks, Guy Fawkes Day, History, Holidays, London, U.K. History, United Kingdom

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The famous "From Hell" letter (From Casebook: Jack the Ripper) London, 1888. A fiend stalks the dank, filthy streets of the Whitechapel district, preying upon prostitutes -- gruesomely dismembering his victims -- and then disappears into the night. He is never caught. In the years since, identifying Jack the Ripper has been a parlor game that both criminologists and laypersons have played. Was the murderer a member of royalty -- a prince or a duke with a boundless and ferocious hatred of women? One such candidate is Prince Albert Victor, a grandson to Queen Victoria, who, it is theorized, killed women as revenge for contracting a nasty case of the clap. Or maybe the Ripper was a Freemason, who killed the women as part of some ghastly Masonic rite? Then again, maybe Jack was an artist. Patricia Cornwell, a crime novelist and former medical examiner, argues that he was a painter named Walter Sickert, who in a plot straight out of the "The Da Vinci Code" inserted clues to the slayings into his paintings. Arguing against these and other popular Ripper candidates is FBI profiler John Douglas, who proposes that the killer was too disorganized in thought and behavior to have fit in among the upper classes. Douglas proposes that the killer was probably a laborer who blended in well with the poverty and wretched surroundings of Whitechapel, and was thus able to escape detection. At the time of the murders, hundreds of letters claiming to be from the real killer were sent to the authorities. Of the letters received, the "From Hell" letter, received on September 15, 1888, is deemed as the strongest candidate to have come from the actual killer. The text of the "From Hell" letter reads as follows: From hell Mr Lusk, Sor I send you half the Kidne I took from one women prasarved it for you tother piece I fried and ate it was very nise. I may send you the bloody knif that took it out if you only wate a whil longer signed Catch me when you can Mishter Lusk The letter was sent to George Lusk, head of the Whitechapel Vigilance committee, and did indeed contain half of a kidney. A test confirmed it was from an adult female suffering from Brights disease, a condition common among the alcoholic prostitutes of Whitechapel. But because of the limitations of forensic science in Victorian London, the kidney was never conclusively linked to any of the victims. Because so much time has passed, it is unlikely that the identity of Jack the Ripper will ever be proven. Barring an earth-shattering piece of new evidence, the name of the person who killed in frenzy on those London nights in 1888, and then faded into the night, will remain lost to history. Suggested Sites... Casebook: Jack the Ripper - a comprehensive summary of all things Jack. Whitechapel Society - a contemporary organization that studies the Ripper case. Crime Library - case facts about one of history's most notorious serial killers.

Directory categories: Jack the Ripper, UK Serial Killers, Victorian Era, "From Hell" Movie

Archived under: 19th Century, Crime, Criminals, History, Jack the Ripper, London, Murder, Mysteries, U.K. History

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Mystery, Inc. on the case A dark and stormy night. A shot rings out! A body falls, and soon two NYPD detectives are on the scene, cracking wise about a gruesome murder. Without warning, a colorful van screeches to a halt and out pop a ravenous slacker and a talking Great Dane. (Or should we say a "ralking Reat Rane?") A fever dream? Perhaps. But we prefer to think of it as a crossover between two of our favorite television shows. Those who don't believe that the universe has a plan will have to explain why both "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" and "Law & Order" both premiered on September 13 (granted, those premieres were 21 years apart, but still ...). The possibilities of worlds colliding in this way are endless: Daphne Blake as Jack McCoy's newest A.D.A.; Fred Jones and Lennie Briscoe trading quips; and D.A. Adam Schiff ordering Scooby and Shaggy to get the hell out of his office. While some may consider Detective John Munch to be one of the centers of the TV universe (after all, he's crossed over onto nine shows), we'll put our money on John Di Maggio, just about the only actor to appear on both shows. Ruh-roh! Suggested Sites... NBC: Law & Order - 20 years, 446 episodes (and counting!) -- and who knows how many criminals? Kids WB: Scooby-Doo - home of those meddling kids. Law & Order: An Adventure to Color - break out the crayons and solve a murder. Crossovers & Spin Offs Master Page - or, When "Hill Street Blues" met "Cop Rock." Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed - when animation just isn't enough.

Directory categories: Scooby-Doo, Law & Order, Animated TV Shows , TV Cop Shows, Animated Characters

Archived under: 1960s, 1990s, Actors, Animation, Anniversaries, Cartoons, Children´s TV, Coincidence, Crime, Criminals, Detectives, Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera, Law Enforcement, Mashups, Media, Mysteries, TV

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Patty Hearst, the most famous victim of the Stockholm Syndrome (Editor's note: When news broke about the recent rescue of Jaycee Dugard, there was talk of her having succumbed to so-called "Stockholm Syndrome." And, of course, when that condition was mentioned, we were reminded of this Spark from 2007.) Sweden has given the world many gifts -- Vikings, Pippi Longstocking, ABBA, porn -- and the Swedish sense of fairness offers something for everyone. Swedish cinema, for example, boasts legends (Greta Garbo) and not-so-greats (Dolph Lundgren). Even in the sciences, Sweden makes accommodations for all: Alfred Nobel balanced his discovery of dynamite with his Nobel Prizes. Perhaps the greatest example of Swedish fairness began on August 23, 1973, when Jan Erik Olsson marched into Stockholm's Kreditbanken, took four hostages, and demanded that authorities bring guns, a car, three million kronor, and his friend Clark Olofsson to the bank. Far from taking umbrage at their enforced captivity, the longer Olsson's hostages were held, the closer they became to their captors -- one even called Prime Minister Olof Palme to demand the criminals be let off scot-free! Identifying with one's hostage-takers soon became known as "The Stockholm Syndrome," the most notorious victim of which may have been Patty Hearst, who was abducted by the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974, and who, after either identifying with her kidnappers or being brainwashed by them, took up a new identity as "Tanya." For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, though, and 1996 saw the birth of the "Lima Syndrome," where captors became more sympathetic to their captives. Maybe the Swedes should have traded their meatballs for Sancochado. Suggested Sites... Love and Stockholm Syndrome: The Mystery of Loving an Abuser - why do captives come to identify with their captors? Wikipedia: The Stockholm Syndrome - overview of the condition, with numerous examples from real life and fiction. TruTV: The Claiming of Patty Hearst - the story of the most famous American sufferer of the Stockholm Syndrome. How Stuff Works: What Causes Stockholm Syndrome? - well, what does cause it? Stockholm Syndrome Robber Turned Away by Police - Jan-Erik Olsson tried to turn himself in -- only to find out he was no longer wanted.

Directory categories: Stockholm Syndrome, Crime, Kidnapping, Stockholm, Psychology

Archived under: 1970s, Crime, Criminals, Europe, European History, History, Mental Health, Psychology, Society and Culture, Stockholm Syndrome

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