Latest news with #Voodoo
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman Loses Cat, Then Moves House. Cannot Believe What Shows Up.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman has left the internet teary-eyed after sharing the emotional story of a stray cat that appeared at her door years after the death of her childhood feline companion—bearing striking similarities. The viral video posted by Iris Kessler (@iriskessler0), 25, a videographer from Ohio, has garnered 1 million likes and 3 million views. Kessler first lost her beloved black cat, Voodoo, when she was 18. Her mom had gone to a shelter and asked which cat had been there the longest. The staff pointed her to "a grumpy black cat with a little white patch under his chin." Kessler's mom brought him home, and though he initially hid for a few days, he eventually warmed up. "According to the records at the shelter, me and Voodoo had the exact same birthday down to the year and we're best friends immediately," she told Newsweek. One memorable Christmas, toddler-aged Kessler was found behind the tree giving Voodoo a haircut while he sat contentedly. A split image of Iris Kessler's strikingly similar cats, Voodoo and Limbo. A split image of Iris Kessler's strikingly similar cats, Voodoo and Limbo. @iriskessler/@iriskessler Voodoo was both an indoor and outdoor cat, announcing his comings and goings by meowing at doors and windows. "Sometimes he'd leave for a couple of days and come back a changed man," Kessler recalled. Over the years, he developed glaucoma in his right eye, turning it a "really cool silver color," and sustained a chipped ear, likely from a fight during one of his outdoor excursions. "He was my best friend my whole life growing up," she said. Voodoo passed away naturally in Kessler's father's arms at sunrise on Friday the 13th, just after her high school graduation. "It felt like a very Voodoo thing to do." Four years later, Kessler had just moved into a new apartment for her senior year of college and was struggling with loneliness. That's when she saw a black cat sunbathing on her porch. "I noticed black cats everywhere I go because of Voodoo," she said. But when she approached this one, she was stunned: "I immediately recognized that he had the same clouded eye and chipped ear as Voodoo." While the ear chip on this new cat came from a neuter-release program, the resemblance was undeniable. "I had never seen another cat with the eye like Voodoo had, and something about that combined with the same ear chip hit me like a ton of bricks." She named him Limbo, saying he was "always in limbo between if he wanted to be pet or not." Limbo had more white fur than Voodoo, which Kessler interpreted as a symbol: "It felt like he had more white because he was more angelic, because he was on his second life." Over the next few months, Kessler gradually befriended Limbo until, fittingly, on Halloween, he walked into her home for good. A vet confirmed that he was a male cat, around seven or eight years old—unusually old for a stray. "He had had a tough life so I was ready and excited to provide him a bit of respite," she added. In a bizarre twist, Limbo started using the toilet like a human. "I hadn't taught him to do this. I don't know how he figured it out, but for the rest of his life, he did that." Kessler eventually decided to move back to her hometown and planned to bring Limbo with her. However, just as the move was set to begin, Limbo's health suddenly declined. A midnight emergency vet visit revealed fluid in his lungs and irreversible damage from life as a stray. "While this was incredibly heartbreaking, there was an element of it that reminded me of the poetic timing of Voodoo's passing," she said. She chose to stay by Limbo's side as he was put down. His ashes now sit in a box engraved with the phrase: "A friend when I had none." "Because that's truly what he was," she said. "I feel really lucky to get to have experienced this—whatever it is. Whether it's reincarnation, or two random cats, or me being silly," Kessler reflected. "People shouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed of how deeply their pets have impacted them and how much they wish they could see them again," she added. TikTok users were quick to agree. "You just fully made me believe in reincarnation, baby that is YOUR CAT," one commenter wrote. "When one cat mom cries we all cry," said a user named Chlo. "I've never seen almost solid proof of reincarnation or soulmates but this is it. This gives me hope that life actually means something again," added another user, Sean. "This wrecked me," said another. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Demonic' Annabelle doll continues to scare locals: Strange noises, pet behavior changes, fire at Marie Laveau's house
Annabelle arrived in San Antonio for this weekend's Psychic and Spirit Fest, drawing attention from esoteric acolytes who flocked to Victoria's Black Swan Inn for the opportunity to see a haunting doll. In its fourth year, the event attracted about 1,200 people to one of San Antonio's spooky locations. Curious Twins Paranormal, who do ghost tours and other paranormal activities in San Antonio, planned the event. When not on tour, the Annabelle doll is on exhibit at the Warrens' Occult Museum in Connecticut, where Daniel Rivera works as an official and also accompanies the doll on its tour. Speaking to San Antonio Current's Stephanie Koithan, Rivera stated he had precautions in place. He constructed the glass-enclosed box that holds Annabelle with a sign that reads, 'WARNING - POSITIVELY DO NOT OPEN.' He clarified that the three crosses that were incorporated inside the wooden box symbolize the trinity. According to Rivera, a priest blesses the Warrens' Occult Museum once a month. 'Is it 100% going to protect all of us? No, because we're dealing with something that's demonic,' Rivera said, adding that 'It has the wisdom of time.' A 'Devil's on the Run Tour,' organized by paranormal investigator Ryan Daniel Buell, is taking the doll on a tour. His TikTok posts about Annabelle's journey have sparked a predicted outrage and panic response on the internet. Locals in New Orleans warned Koithan ahead of the doll's arrival that 'Haunted doll Annabelle played all kinds of tricks on New Orleans,' claiming that inmates escaped the Orleans Parish Prison and historic Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana torched to the ground. Meanwhile, residents in the vicinity of the event site have reportedly reported strange noises, changes in pet behavior, and electricity disruptions. Laurie Boudreaux, a TikTok star, posted a video on Facebook saying that her sister's house in the French Quarter, which was originally believed to be Voodoo queen's Marie Laveau's homestead, caught fire overnight. 'My sister's house in the New Orleans French Quarter burned down in the early hours this morning. Lives spared, but this is devastating to the home and Missy's l Jody's belongings. Her house is also a historical landmark as 'The voodoo queen, Marie Laveau' homestead. Prayers for quick renovation,' she wrote on Facebook. As the video went viral on social media, several connected the blaze with the doll's visit while others claimed that it may have been caused by an electrical issue. Also Read: Is Annabelle responsible for Louisiana plantation house fire, New Orleans prison break? Evil doll's tour sparks panic Amidst the panic and fear caused by the haunted doll's tour, one attendee at the event said, 'I'm not saying Annabelle caused it all of this happening at once? It's too much to ignore.' Social media exploded with posts linking the dots as 'Annabelle watchers' were tracking her activities during her tour in Louisiana. Dr. Elise Darbonne, a paranormal investigator, informed KPEL that the Annabelle doll is known for chaos. "Whether or not you believe in spirits, the psychological power of suggestion is very real—and people behave differently when they believe something dark is at play.'
Agriland
09-05-2025
- Agriland
Clare farmer in court over blocking access to couple's home
By Gordon Deegan A couple have been unable to move into their new home near the Clare village of Inagh due to the actions of a neighbouring farmer and self-titled 'God's Enforcer' in blocking the roadway to their home, a court has heard. At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett said that the couple have been 'driven so demented' by the actions of 55-year-old Jim Greene of Ballyhea North, Ennistymon that they have been forced to take out a circuit court injunction against him. At the district court, Greene is accused of the burglary at the home of Robert Foley and Ciara O'Flynn at Ballyhea North, Ennistymon on dates between April 2 and April 15 last. Garda Brion Dolan told the court that for the month of March, Greene had his car parked on the roadway and a very narrow lane leading to the couple's home which blocked access to their home which they have a mortgage on. Garda Dolan said that Greene blocking access has meant that the couple have been unable to move into a property they purchased late last year. Clare court During a contested bail hearing in Clare, Garda Dolan said: 'They were due to move in on Easter Sunday and they feel that they can't because they can't access the property because of Mr. Greene's actions.' Garda Dolan said that Greene believes that he was entitled to inherit the Foley/O'Flynn property from a previous owner 'and he has allegedly engaged in a campaign targeting the new owners of the property which are the subject of charge sheets before the courts'. An entry in the Residential Property Price Register shows that the house in Clare at the centre of the dispute was purchased for €265,000 in a deal completed in December. Garda Dolan said that it will be alleged that Greene stole two items from the Foley/O'Flynn property and burnt them. He said that it will be further alleged that subsequently Greene emailed Mr. Foley's solicitors to say that he was ''God's Enforcer' acting under spiritual policeman's law which he feels entitles him to enter the property and buildings to investigate witchcraft and Voodoo'. Garda Dolan said that 'Mr. Greene views himself as above the laws of Ireland and answerable only to a higher being'. Garda Dolan further stated that a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in relation to more serious charges against Greene 'and I would strongly suggest that charges will be preferred against Mr. Greene in the future'. Judge Gabbett said that Robert Foley and Ciara O'Flynn obtained a circuit court injunction against Greene on April 7. Solicitor for Greene, Tara Godfrey said that her client has no history of criminal behaviour. She added that her client is a farmer with a small land-holding and has animals to look after. Judge Gabbett said: 'It does strike me that Mr. Greene is suffering from a delusional illness and it strikes me that he may not be that well.' Judge Gabbett said that he would be refusing bail and remanded Greene in custody to appear at Ennis District Court, Co. Clare next Wednesday, May 14. Judge Gabbett said that 'public safety is at the forefront of my thinking' in refusing bail. Tara Godfrey said that Greene 'will have to call upon the charity of neighbours to assist with the farming'. Judge Gabbett said that he was mindful of that.
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
What's Penn Badgley reading? The 'You' star may surprise you
What's Penn Badgley reading? The 'You' star may surprise you In USA TODAY's The Essentials, celebrities share what fuels their lives, whether it's at home, on set or on the road. Penn Badgley is waving farewell to Joe Goldberg and closing the chapter on his Netflix leading man. The "You" and former "Gossip Girl" star, 38, is an open book (pun most definitely intended), although he reads as more of a spiritual text than his onscreen alter ego's crime thriller. "We'll see what else I can do," says Badgley, who sat down with USA TODAY for a series of exclusive conversations. "I'm not worried about what I've done in the past. I would have had more concern about being able to summit the peak of a show like 'Gossip Girl.' I've heard that most people die on the way down from Everest – anyone can get on a show like 'Gossip Girl,' but can you then make it off and go somewhere else? That's difficult for anybody. I think one of the only ways I could have done it was to play someone like Joe and essentially murder Dan Humphrey." Badgley combines past, present and future as he shares the artists on his Spotify playlist, his chill morning routine and his ideal New York day for USA TODAY's The Essentials. In the backseat with Penn Badgley: With 'You,' 'Gossip Girl' in the rearview, what's next Penn Bagdley reveals his daily essentials, from music to an ideal day Penn Badgley on his daily essentials, favorite music, and how he spends a perfect day. Penn Badgley music favorites include D'Angelo, of course Badgley has an eclectic mix of favorites on his Spotify playlist. "I always have to mention D'Angelo. I would love for D'Angelo to get tired in my mind. I would love for me to feel as though, 'You know what, I'm done, because I've done it.' But literally yesterday I went back to (his 2000 album) 'Voodoo' and I was like, 'No, it's still the best.' I don't know how that's possible." Also on Badgley's rotation are Radiohead, Joan As Police Woman, London bands Kokoroko and Sault, Luke Temple and his wife, Domino Kirke: "My wife is putting out a record, and it's gorgeous." He later adds Kendrick Lamar to the list. "Kendrick manages to do the nearly impossible thing, which is, be authentic, transparent, prolific, Black, hugely successful, all together," he says. Penn Badgley's perfect New York City day Did you think a homemade roast chicken was on the list of what makes Badgley's ideal day spent in New York? He's a multi-faceted man. "Ideally wake up before the sunrise, have some tea and watch the sunrise," he says, envisioning "I'm in a penthouse suite hotel room, let's say." He would "maybe walk through Central Park" before meeting up again with his family, "and then we have lunch on the park." His dream day in the city changes with the seasons, too. "If it's summer, I'd say we go swimming (to) Rockaway and get in the ocean. If it's the winter, maybe we go ice skating," he says. And for dinner? "Well, the best meals are homecooked meals. So we leave the penthouse suite behind just for the evening, we go home, and maybe roast a chicken. … Then go to sleep by 9:30 p.m., maybe the kids go to bed at 7:30 p.m. … If I could be going into REM sleep by 10 p.m., that is a day right there. Don't sleep on that. "You young ones who think 'this man sounds like he needs to get a life'? No, I'm telling you, I am living. I lived my 20s the way you're doing it. This is the way you've got to be: Early to sleep, early to rise." Travel essentials: Peace, mainly Badgley's Joe Goldberg has traveled the world in his pursuit of obsession. But as Badgley himself arrives at the airport, he has a singular thought: "Where are my children? Are they here? The 4-year-old, especially, we don't want to lose him." Once his kids are located, the actor looks to find peace sans cellphone. "If I don't have to be on my phone at all, it's not a must have, it's like a must have not. A plane is the one place where (I ask): Can we just stop?" He's not exactly "rawdogging flights," though. "I like to spend some of the time that way, some of the time just with my thoughts," but he wants the option to "watch a movie, maybe, maybe not, sleep." What's on his nightstand? Joe's bookstore plays prominently in the final season of "You," so it's fitting that Badgley should have a variety of classic texts alongside him. "Honestly, on my nightstand I have the Quran, which sometimes I'll meditate on a passage from," Badgley says. "You know what I just read that I thought, 'Everybody loves horror so much'? 'Dracula.' It's a good book." Likely coming up on more than just Badgley's nightstand: His new essay collection with his "Podcrushed" cohosts Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari. "Crushmore: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age" (Simon & Schuster, out Oct. 7) will explore "stories of heartbreak, anxiety, and self-discovery," according to the publisher. Meet you at Mooney's? Fans can go inside the bookstore from Netflix's 'You' at NYC pop-up Penn Badgley's morning routine doesn't involve Saratoga water, banana peels Though the actor's morning might not look influencer chic and be complete with a Saratoga ice water dunk and rubbing banana peels on his face, he does try to keep one thing consistent to start each day. "I have a comical, total bankruptcy of a morning routine because of children and work," he says. "But here's the one thing I have. If I get this, it's worth all of the things," he says. "There's this particular prayer within the Baháʼí Writings," says Badgley, who is part of the Baháʼí Faith, "called the long obligatory prayer. It takes about 15 minutes to say. I have it memorized, and I've had it memorized for years, because I love it. I timed it: If I say it extremely fast, I can say it in seven minutes. And then meditate like two minutes after, so I've gotten it down to a nine-minute routine if I blitz through it." But if there's time, "I can take 15 to 20 minutes if I want to be a little more luxurious. If I can do that on any given day, any morning, it just makes such a difference, because it orients me to remember a bit more clearly the purpose and nature of life – or at least a fulfilling life, an enriching one." A killer workout routine and diet Badgley gets even more active in Season 5 as Joe Goldberg, kidnapping people, physically fighting and running through the forest in the season finale. "With Joe, there's an athletic amount of rage and intensity and vitriol usually in any given scene, even if it's just a scene," Badgley says. How 'You' ends in series finale: Does Joe survive? Is justice served? Badgley says he approaches his diet while filming "like you would for a workout." "You want to be fueled, but empty. That's the ideal state for a scene," noting the "challenge" is maintaining that "for 12 hours a day. I usually end up going mostly vegetarian by the end of every season." For his workout, Badgley sticks to the basics. "I've started doing all body-weight calisthenics, like only pullups, only pushups, only body-weight squats. And I love it. I don't even do that many. Just do one set to failure every day of each one." This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
NZ Herald
28-04-2025
- NZ Herald
Nine truly weird and wonderful experiences offered by escorted tours
Cycled Otago's Central Rail Trail? Pedalled the length of the West Coast Wilderness Trail? Perhaps it's time to venture further afield, and North Korea takes the biscuit for offbeat cycling destinations. Uri Tours is one of the few escorted tour companies offering pedal-powered explorations of North Korea, in this case, a seven-night adventure of Pyongyang, waterfall-dotted Chonnae County, the scenic Mount Jangsu area and the coastal city of Wonsan. Meals, accommodation and bicycle hire are included, and you'll be accompanied by Western and North Korean guides (which will probably come as a huge relief if you're wondering where on earth you find a puncture kit in Pyongyang). Become a master dog musher in Mongolia There's more to mushing than simply attaching a clutch of canines to a sledge and expecting them to drag you up the nearest mountain. Sign up for KE Adventure's Lake Khuvsgul dog sled adventure and you'll spend eight days mushing your way across Mongolia, driving your own dog sled along a route that includes a circumnavigation of frozen Lake Khuvsgul. Accommodation is a combination of yurts and cabins, and additional activities include fishing masterclasses, during which you'll learn how to catch and cook your very own seafood supper. A deep dive into voodoo Voodoo, it turns out, is very much misunderstood. The predominant religion in much of West Africa, it's rooted in animism, and the belief that everything – from animals to places – has a spirit. Book Wild Frontiers Travel's Voodoo Explorer escorted tour through Togo and Benin and you'll learn about voodoo traditions by attending ceremonies, meeting practitioners and visiting a fetish market in Lomé, Togo's capital. Think of these as a Togolese Unichem – open-air markets where stalls are stacked with dried animal parts, ranging from crocodile heads to gorilla hands. Visitors consult healers before being prescribed traditional remedies to cure ailments or enhance certain characteristics – for example, gorilla hands are especially popular with those wishing to improve their football skills. Meet the Masai Get lucky (or unlucky, depending on your outlook) during this Kenya-based tour and you'll be offered a tipple beloved by the Masai – a cup of warm goat's blood, revered as a great source of protein and for its nutritional and energy-boosting benefits. Highlights of this 14-day exploration of Kenya's Masai lands include a trek through the Chyulu Hills, the chance to learn about Masai warriors' traditions during a stopover at a remote tented camp and a visit to Amboseli National Park, home to lions, rhinos and leopards. Masai warriors will be your guides for much of the tour, which includes hikes up to 2000m above sea level. Perhaps that cup of goat's blood could come in handy, after all ... Get off the beaten path in Japan Don't get us wrong – we're huge fans of Japanese hotspots such as Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo but we're also firm believers that venturing off the beaten path reaps huge rewards. Bag a place on Inside Japan Tours' Northern Soul tour and you'll visit areas few Japan-bound visitors ever reach, including Miyagi Prefecture's pine-fringed Matsushima Bay, Nikko, famous for its sacred mountains and connections with Shintoism, and the Sanriku Coast region, known for its abundance of seafood (sea urchin is the most sought-after speciality here). Expect plenty of opportunities to learn about traditional skills – our favourite example is the taiko drumming masterclass. All future hikes will look distinctly plain after you take an eight-day trek through Morocco with the Aït Atta, Morocco's last nomadic tribe. You'll enjoy plenty of interactions with locals and countless opportunities to learn about their way of life such as collecting firewood, herding sheep and loading the pack animals, which are a crucial part of the Aït Atta's seasonal migration. It's an incredibly popular tour with photographers because of the diverse landscapes, which include the Tifdassine Valley, famous for its almond blossoms and jagged peaks, and the summit of Jebel Kouaouch, which you'll reach via a footpath made from solidified lava. Rock out at a Chad music festival Glastonbury, Burning Man and Coachella have become somewhat passé. For a music festival with wow factor, join Native Eye's annual visit to Chad's Gerewol Festival, an annual celebration that takes place in October and is of great importance to Chad's semi-nomadic Wodaabe people. Here you'll be treated to delicious feasts, some seriously impressive dancing and beautiful makeup – during the festival, local women don ornate jewellery and apply colourful face paint in the hope of finding a partner. A pre-festival visit to Chad's capital, N'Djamena, offers further opportunities to learn about this fascinating country. During Intrepid's 11-day tour you'll travel overland from Tbilisi in Georgia to Yerevan in Armenia, but Georgia's and Armenia's capitals are far from the only highlights – stops along the route have been handpicked to help you get under the skin of these fascinating countries. In Georgia, for example, you'll visit a network of caves dating back to the 1100s as well as the ghost town of Tskhaltubo, famous for its abandoned sanatoriums, while in Armenia you'll check out the remote Khor Virap monastery and will toast the country during a wine-tasting session at a local farm. Love Asia but desperate to explore beyond Bali, Thailand and its other big hitters? Join G Adventures' deep dive into the culture of Tana Toraja, a landlocked chunk of Indonesia's South Sulawesi province. It's famous for its various deeply-rooted traditions, including elaborate funerary traditions typified by funeral ceremonies designed to honour the departed, and the practice of burying loved ones in cliffside tombs, typically guarded by wooden effigies known as Tau-Tau.
