Left of Skeptic

Happy Spooky Wednesday, and Happy Urban Legends October, everyone!

We’ve got two stories that are perfect for putting you in the mood for the Halloween season. Kala tells the tale of Stingy Jack, the origin story for Jack O’ Lanterns. When Jack ticked off the Devil by tricking him one too many times, he was forced to wander the afterlife for eternity, never entering Heaven or Hell, with only the light of a fire inside a turnip to light his way. How in the heck does this become the spooky carved pumpkins we know today? Once combined with other folk tales and natural progression of traditions, you will see.

And Brittany tells us all about Clara Crane AKA The Candy Lady. The reason for her nickname is not so sweet. After the tragic death of her daughter, she blamed her husband and used sweets to take her revenge. Later on, kids started disappearing. It turns out mystery candy had been showing up with notes from “The Candy Lady” asking if they could come out and play. The ones that did weren’t seen again. How much of this story is truth, and how much is urban legend? This story will make sure you never take candy from strangers.

Happy Spooky Wednesday, Folks! Kala’s got two locations for you this week, which are often discussed at the same time. The Tennessee State Prison and the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary are located about an hour and a half away from each other, and both are plagued by paranormal activity brought on by years of overcrowding, violence, and general ill-treatment. While the TSP was basically demolished by a tornado in 2020, Brushy is still available for tours. Will you encounter the ghost who is still having nicotine cravings, or try to escape the heat with the cold spots in the chapel? And Brittany tells us about the badass, Giulia Tofana. This woman continued the work of her mother Thofania d'Adamo, who created the elixir known as Aqua Tofana. Through the 17th-century whisper network, this poison saved women from abusive arranged marriages for decades. While we would never condone this activity today, the women of this era didn’t seem to have any other choice. And it would seem that Giulia Tofana was a hero to more people than we can count.

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please don’t hesitate to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. They have folks who can talk to you 24/7 in English, Spanish, and 200+ additional languages through interpretation services

Call 800-799-7233 or text 88788

Or visit their website at www.thehotline.org

Editor’s Note: Women were allowed to apply for credit cards independently in 1974, after the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). Before the ECOA, banks could refuse to issue credit cards to women or require their husbands to co-sign for them.

Editor's Note:

Yo, the name is Batty
The logic is erratic,
Potato in a jacket,
Toys in the attic,
I rock and I ramble,
My brain is scrambled,
Rap like an animal but I'm a mammal