Astonishing Legends

Background:

On January 27, 1959, a group of outdoor enthusiasts, known as 'tourists' in Russia, consisting of seven men and two women, mostly students and graduates of the Ural Polytechnical Institute (which is now the Ural Federal University) left the village of Vizhay in the northern Ural Mountains on a two-week ski trek, through a region called Sverdlovsk Oblast, the "gateway to Siberia" in Russia.  In Russia a 'tourist' is a serious outdoorsman. The goal was to reach Otorten Mountain at the end of their journey.  Their planned route would rank as a "Category III," the most difficult classification for a hiking expedition in winter, which if successful, would qualify them as "Masters of Sport."  On February 1st as they started to move through a mountain pass on their last leg of the trip, bad weather and decreasing visibility forced them off course, and the group decided to make camp on the eastern slope of a small mountain called Kholat Syakhl by the indigenous Mansi peoples, which translates to "Dead Mountain" due to the area's lack of wild game.  Sometime during the night of February 2nd, the group suffered an unimaginably terrifying ordeal, sealing their fate.  When they hadn't been heard from by February 20th, a search party was formed to look for the missing youths.  On February 26th the search party reached their camp and what they found would bring more questions than answers.  It appeared as though something had scared the hikers so badly, that they panicked and ripped a hole in the side of their tent in order to escape, shoeless, into - 20º F (-29º C) snowfall.  It was determined by Soviet authorities that the group had met with a "compelling unknown force" causing them all to flee and ultimately die of exposure with some also suffering significant internal injuries such as broken ribs and fractured skulls.  There have since been many theories put forth as to what this force actually was, but we may never know what was so horrific that it caused this group of experienced adventurers to take leave of their senses and take their chances in the deadly wilderness.  Following the incident, the mountain pass was named "Dyatlov Pass" in honor of the group's leader, Igor Dyatlov.

Tonight's Quote:

"I wonder what awaits us in this hike? Will anything new happen?" - Zina Kolmogorova from her last diary entry.

Show Links: (Links work best in iOS on iTunes or on our webpage at astonishinglegends.com)

Archive of a very comprehensive website about the whole Dyatlov story Dyatlov Pass on Wiki Terrific archive of all the photos from the group, in English and Russian Russian website about Dyatlov Forum on the Dyatlov incident Donnie Eichar's "Authors at Google" interview about his book, "Dead Mountain" Book Review of "Dead Mountain" Song: Pixies "Wave of Mutilation" from the album, "Doolittle" YouTube vid about Dyatlov - text pulled from Wiki entry but has good photos Interesting story about a family living isolated for 40 years in Siberia Russian Yeti at Dyatlov? Part 1 of "Golden Symphony" Ellorsith on BandCamp

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Credits:

Episode 023 - 'Dyatlov Pass (Part 1)' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Ryan McCullough Sound Design; Research Assistance by Tess Pfeifle.  Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved. 

Background:

While having lunch near the Los Alamos National Laboratory one day with the likes of Edward Teller, "father of the nuclear bomb" Nobel Prize winning physicist Enrico Fermi wondered out loud (after the topic of recent UFO sightings came up) "Where is everybody?"  Basically what he meant was, if the universe is so seemingly infinite and old, and it's mathematically probable that other star systems have developed intelligent life like ours has, and it's also theoretically possible that an alien civilization with tens or even hundreds of thousands of years of technological advancement could have made it to our galaxy by now, even with sub-lightspeed travel, why haven't we seen any aliens yet?  Tonight, in one of our more conversational shows, we take a broad look at the paradox that bears his name.  By the way, supposed UFO sightings are commonly reported around atomic activities.

Tonight's Quote:

“It is surely unreasonable to credit that only one small star in the immensity of the universe is capable of developing and supporting intelligent life. But we shall not get to them and they will not come to us.”― P.D. James, The Children of Men

Show Links:

Jon Stewart Interviews Elizabeth Kolbert In a Nutshell – Kurzgesagt's YouTube video on "The Fermi Paradox" Enrico Fermi The Fermi Paradox Frank Drake The Drake Equation Arecibo Message Song: Frank Black - "Parry the Wind High, Low" (WARNING - F Bomb!) Jill Tarter The Hubble Deep Field Image The TED Blog: "Peering Into Space" The TED Radio Hour featuring Jill Tarter and Brian Greene Jill Tarter's full TED Talk regarding SETI Space Travel in Ancient Art (Site is in German so visit with a browser that does translation.) "Why Aren't The Aliens Here Already?" - an article by Adam Frank on NPR's 13.7 blog Former Lockheed "Skunkworks" director Ben Rich and some interesting confessions Tardigrades/Water Bears Above Black: Project Preserve Destiny The CARET Documents Ezekiel and the Wheel The Nuremburg UFO Battle The Basel Switzerland Incident Seth Shostak's Piece in the NY Times about Contacting Other Civilizations

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Credits:

Episode 022 - 'The Fermi Paradox' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Ryan McCullough Sound Design.   Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved. 

Legend:

Pirate treasure?  English, French or Spanish military plunder? The secret Rosicrucian works of Sir Francis Bacon and therefore also the possible original missing folios of Shakespeare?  Or perhaps the greatest sacred antiquities lost to history, such as the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, the Spear of Longinus or the menorah from King Solomon's temple?  Or maybe it's all just natural geological processes forming a sinkhole, plain and simple?  These are just some of the theories of what could be down in the infamous and mysterious "Money Pit" on Oak Island, Nova Scotia -- thought by many to be one of the greatest archeological mysteries of North America, and possibly the world.

Background:

Now that you've heard Parts 1 through 3 (hopefully!) covering the entire history and timeline of the Oak Island Money Pit, Part 4 covers most all of the theories out there of who could've built it, what they put down there and why.

Tonight's Quote:

"...I’ll break my staff, Bury it certain fathoms in the earth, And deeper than did ever plummet sound I’ll drown my book." ~ Prospero, from William Shakespeare's (or Sir Francis Bacon's?) The Tempest; Act 5, Scene 1, Page 3 If you can't click on these links, visit our website. Apologies for this show being late, our computer died. In an effort to get it posted asap, we've published it even though we are still adding links to the show notes. Visit our webpage for this episode in a few hours for more links than you see listed below!

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Captain William Kidd The Knights Templar Pope Clement V The Kensington Runestone Nicolas Poussin The First Nations tribe of the Mi'kmaq of Canada's Atlantic Provinces A skeptical investigation of Oak Island by Joe Nickell Christian Rosenkreuz Rosicrucianism The pillars of Solomon's Temple, Boaz and Jachin Robert Fludd Lecture on Spiritual Alchemy and The Great Work Sir Francis Bacon

Credits:

Episode 021 - 'Oak Island Money Pit Part 4' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, Ryan McCullough Sound Design , Special Thanks Tess Pfeifle  Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved. 

Legend:

Pirate treasure?  English, French or Spanish military plunder? The secret Rosicrucian works of Sir Francis Bacon and therefore also the possible original missing folios of Shakespeare?  Or perhaps the greatest sacred antiquities lost to history, such as the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, the Spear of Longinus or the menorah from King Solomon's temple?  Or maybe it's all just natural geological processes forming a sinkhole, plain and simple?  These are just some of the theories of what could be down in the infamous and mysterious "Money Pit" on Oak Island, Nova Scotia -- thought by many to be one of the greatest archeological mysteries of North America, and possibly the world.

Background:

Part 3 of our series picks up from where we left off in Part 2, which covered the years between 1867 and 1965.  Part 3 starts after the tragic accident that befell the Restall crew on August 17, 1965 and continues with the history of the Money Pit up until the present day.  Now that you'll know the entire timeline of the events of the Money Pit's mysterious history, Part 4 will cover all of the major theories of what is or was, down there.

Tonight's Quote:

"This project, when we get through with it, may or may not make us rich.  But at least we will have solved one of the world's greatest mysteries." ~ David Tobias, one of the founders of the Triton Alliance, Ltd. in 1969 along with Dan Blankenship.

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Nova Scotia Ashley Morgan's website that covers the main points of the Oak Island story Oak Island Treasure website Google Maps Location of Oak Island The Reader's Digest Article that Inspired the Current Treasure Hunters Ken Polsson's Chronology of the Oak Island Treasure Hunt In Search Of on Oak Island Is Oak Island A Hoax?

Credits:

Episode 020 - 'Oak Island Money Pit Part 3' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, Ryan McCullough Sound Design   Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved. 

Legend:

Pirate treasure?  English, French or Spanish military plunder? The secret Rosicrucian works of Sir Francis Bacon and therefore also the possible original missing folios of Shakespeare?  Or perhaps the greatest sacred antiquities lost to history, such as the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, the Spear of Longinus or the menorah from King Solomon's temple?  Or maybe it's all just natural geological processes forming a sinkhole, plain and simple?  These are just some of the theories of what could be down in the infamous and mysterious "Money Pit" on Oak Island, Nova Scotia -- thought by many to be one of the greatest archeological mysteries of North America, and possibly the world.

Background:

Part 2 of our series on the elusive Money Pit on Oak Island continues from where we left off in Part 1, which covered the initial discovery of the pit in 1795 up to 1867.  Part 2 covers the dissolution of The Oak Island Eldorado Company (later known as the Halifax Company) in 1867 up until a fateful day in 1965, when the island would claim its next four victims in just a matter of minutes.  Tragic as this was, this did not deter the line of treasure seekers from that moment until the present day, even though local legend claims the island will take one more life before it will give up its secrets.

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For more information on this episode visit our website!

Nova Scotia Ashley Morgan's website that covers the main points of the Oak Island story Google Maps Location of Oak Island The Reader's Digest Article that Inspired the Current Treasure Hunters Ken Polsson's Chronology of the Oak Island Treasure Hunt In Search Of on Oak Island Is Oak Island A Hoax?

Credits:

Episode 018 - 'Oak Island Money Pit Part 2' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, Ryan McCullough Sound Design   Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved. 

 

Legend:

Pirate treasure?  English, French or Spanish military plunder? The secret Rosicrucian works of Sir Francis Bacon and therefore also the possible original missing folios of Shakespeare?  Or perhaps the greatest sacred antiquities lost to history, such as the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, the Spear of Longinus or the menorah from King Solomon's temple?  Or maybe it's all just natural geological processes forming a sinkhole, plain and simple?  These are just some of the theories of what could be down in the infamous and mysterious "Money Pit" on Oak Island, Nova Scotia -- thought by many to be one of the greatest archeological mysteries of North America, and possibly the world.

Background:

In 1795, a young Nova Scotia resident named Daniel McGinnis rows out to Oak Island, not far from the mainland to check out what he thinks are strange green lights floating amongst the non-native oak trees that cover the island.  By most accounts, his attention is drawn to a sawed-off limb on a large tree in a clearing, from which a ship's block and tackle are hanging.  Directly below the pulley he finds a 12 foot circular depression in the soil, and immediately thinks this must be a location for buried pirate treasure. Even though the boys related the details of their remarkable discovery to friends, neighbors and relatives, they could find no one to help them with their quest, because of local legends and superstitions.

The hunt continues to this day, and many tantalizing clues have emerged from the multitude of holes in the ground as well as the island's surface.  Theories abound as to what enlightened mind could devise such an ingenious feat of engineering, and what group of dedicated souls sworn to secrecy could carry it out.  One thing is certain, some folks went to a lot of trouble to hide something pretty important.

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Nova Scotia Ashley Morgan's website that covers the main points of the Oak Island story Google Maps Location of Oak Island The Reader's Digest Article that Inspired the Current Treasure Hunters Ken Polsson's Chronology of the Oak Island Treasure Hunt In Search Of on Oak Island Is Oak Island A Hoax?

Have you ever collected anything?  Have you ever been a fan of anything or anyone?  If so, how serious were you about it, how far would you go to obtain a collectible and what would be your most treasured "gets?"

Background:

After our cold open on Charly Charlie, Scott sits down for a discussion with Astonishing Legends' own intrepid reporter in the field, "Master" Marc D'Andre (you'll find out who called him "Master" later in the episode) to find out about two of his passions: movies and the occasional autograph, letter or interaction from some of his favorite actors and personalities.  Some of Marc's memorable encounters include: the great Robert DeNiro; a phone call from 80s & 90s heartthrob Kelly LeBrock (The Woman in Red, Weird Science); from Star Wars - Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing & Anthony Daniels, and a heartfelt and inspiring correspondence with character actor, Steve James (To Live and Die in L.A., the American Ninja series).

Tonight's Quote:

"I hope this doesn't sound pompous, but I don't think of myself as famous.  Whatever fame I've got has come through what I've done and associations of things I've done."

• Peter Cushing

If you can't click on these links, visit our website. 

Charly Charlie The Catholic Church's Position on Charly Charlie Vidiots Vidiots Saved 3 Days After Marc's FB Post (Pictured at our Website) Shishito Peppers Night of the Creeps Tom Atkins Kelly LeBrock Peter Cushing Steve James Steve's Website

Final Observations: 

Fame and celebrity in our culture are curious things.  On the one hand being famous can make an actor seem quite familiar to the average citizen, while at the same making a personal interaction with them a rare and exclusive occurrence for us mere mortals, especially in the days before the internet.  However, much like the world of the paranormal, if you cast an inquiry out into the void, you just might get a response, whether it's Kelly LeBrock or Charlie Charlie.

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Credits:

Episode 017 - 'Collections and Connections' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, Ryan McCullough Sound Design   Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved. 

Have you ever taken a camping trip by yourself? A trip to get away? Were you alone? Are you sure?

Background:

Tonight we interview retired Emergency Room Physician and now published author Dr. Richard J. Goldstein who took a simple little camping trip by himself a while back and found that he was not welcome at the campsite he chose.

Tonight's Quote:

“Ghosts could walk freely tonight, without fear of the disbelief of men; for this night was haunted, and it would be an insensitive man who did not know it.”

~ John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat

If you can't click on these links, visit our website. 

Haunted Places in New Mexico Jemez Mountains Holy Ghost Campground Chaco Canyon National Geographic's Goo Rain Video  Gutenberg Project Link of The Elephant's Child by Kipling Maria's of Santa Fe

Final Observations: 

Years ago, Richard J Goldstein encountered something that he cannot explain and that still haunts him to this day. Do you think that we know all that there is to know about life, death and what exists beyond the realm of our comprehension? If this story doesn't make you second guess whatever you already believe then you are way ahead of the rest of us.

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Credits:

Episode 016 - 'Are We Ever Alone?' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, Ryan McCullough Sound Design   Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved. 

Legend:

In 1837, someone or something leapt into history in nine foot bounds, assaulting women and men, breathing fire and tearing at their clothes. What exactly was Spring-Heeled Jack?

Background:

Tonight we're diving into the history of Spring-Heeled Jack. We're going to take a look at one of the most detailed research papers ever done on him and try to figure out just who or what he might have been. Join us as we unravel the various sightings and take a look at all the plausible explanations that have been put forth over the years and then you can decide for yourself if Spring-Heeled Jack was super natural or a cunning hoax followed by copycat hoaxing for over 150 years.

Tonight's Quote:

"He also has spring-heeled or india-rubber soled boots, for no man living could leap so lightly, and, I might say, fly across the ground in the manner he did last night.’ ~ GHR Davidson (Greater London Citizen, 1872)

If you can't click on these links, visit our website. 

Mike Dash Mike's Definitive Paper on Spring-Heeled Jack Spring-Heeled Jack on Wikipedia Was Mass Hysteria Responsible for Jack? A Recent Case of Mass Hysteria You Might Remember from the News The Wikipedia Entry on Steampunk and it's Anachronism's as Mentioned by Forrest Spiritualism, an Influence on the Zeitgeist and Mindset of the Time The Industrial Revolution, Another Possible Influence on the Minds of Witnesses The Red Barn Murder The Incredible Mystery of the Coral Castle A Gutenberg Link to a 1903 Book Detailing A Spring-Heeled Jack Assault (scroll to page 27 as annotated in the right column)

Final Observations: 

Even if some of these sightings can be explained as exaggerated or explainable by other means, what is at the root of what witnesses first saw all of those years ago that could jump over nine feet in the air? Perhaps that first sighting or the first few were the only real sightings and if so what was it? I lean towards a mechanical contraption of some kind, although I can't imagine it's design and Forrest leans in the direction of something super natural.

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Credits:

Episode 015 - 'Spring-Heeled Jack' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, Ryan McCullough Sound Design   Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved. 

Photos: All images Public Domain. Various Spring-Heeled Jack Photos from Penny Dreadful Covers and Portrait of the Marquess of Waterford, a possible Suspect.

Legend:

Technically an invasive species has to kill off a pre-existing species to meet the definition of being invasive. After you hear this episode, we'll be you'll agree there are some things though that should be classified as invasive no matter what.

Background:

Tonight we talk with two guests. One who may never spend the night in New York City with a window open again, and another who although his Texas doctor was ultimately shot to death by a jealous husband, has a story about a visit to his practice a few years earlier that eclipses that event.

Tonight's Quote:

"Two-legged creatures we are supposed to love as we love ourselves. The four-legged, also, can come to seem pretty important. But six legs are too many from the human standpoint. ~ Joseph W. Krutch (Author, Critic, Naturalist)

If you can't click on these links, visit our website. 

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a Super Cockroach! The Emerald Cockroach Wasp The Ceti Eel of Star Trek Fame, or Khan's Best Friend Candiru The European Chafer Guinea Worm Disease (Not For the Faint of Heart) The Earwig Worm Removed from Woman's Brain after Eating a Pork Taco? That Thing We Seem to Never Get To

 

Interesting Facts

Jerry Browning's father was Master Chief Petty Officer on the USS Forrestal (CV-59) for 3 years. The Forrestal was named for the first Secretary of Defense, James Forrestal. Mr. Forrestal was the gentleman who multiple witnesses claimed showed up on Saipan to either rescue Amelia Earhart and her navigator, or if determining they were dead, perpetrate a colossal cover-up. Listen to our two part special on Amelia Earhart if this intrigues you.

Jerry's doctor, Dr. Kenneth Dooley was gunned down on July 4th, 1984 by Fort Worth District Fire Chief Joe Dinkins after he found out Dr. Dooley was having an affair with his wife Paula, whom he also shot and killed. Dinkins is set to get out of prison soon, and Dr. Dooley's widow just passed away in February of this year.

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Credits

Episode 014 - 'What's Eating You?' Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, Ryan McCullough Sound Design   Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2015, All Rights Reserved.

Photos: Jerry Browning, copyright Astonishing Legends 2015 - All rights reserved, New York's Super Cockroach - AP, Candiru PD, Ceti Eel Courtesy Khan Noonien Singh, Earwig and European Chafer (June Bug) - PD, Article on Dr. Dooley's Murder (Newspaper Archives)