The Dead children's playground

 If you are looking for a spooky place to visit in Alabama, you might want to check out the Dead Children's Playground. This is a small park located next to the Maple Hill Cemetery, the oldest and largest cemetery in the state. The park has a swing set, a slide, and a jungle gym, but it also has a reputation for being haunted by the ghosts of children who died during the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic.

The Spanish Flu was a deadly disease that swept across the world in 1918 and 1919, killing an estimated 50 million people. Alabama was one of the hardest hit states in the US, with over 12,000 deaths. Many of those who died were children, and some of them were buried in Maple Hill Cemetery. According to legend, their spirits still linger in the playground next to their graves, looking for some fun and company.

Many people who have visited the Dead Children's Playground claim to have witnessed paranormal activity there. Some say they have seen the swings move by themselves, even when there is no wind. Others say they have heard laughter, giggling, or crying coming from the park at night. Some have even reported seeing orbs of light or apparitions of children playing on the equipment.

The Dead Children's Playground has been featured on several TV shows and websites that explore haunted places. It has also attracted many ghost hunters and thrill seekers who want to experience the eerie atmosphere for themselves. However, not everyone is happy about the park's popularity. In 2007, the city of Huntsville decided to demolish the playground to make room for more graves. This caused an outcry from the locals who wanted to preserve the park and its history. The city eventually agreed to rebuild the playground in a different location within the cemetery.

The Dead Children's Playground is still open to visitors today, but it is not recommended for the faint of heart. If you decide to go there, be respectful of the cemetery and its residents, both living and dead. You never know who might be watching you from behind a tombstone or a swing.

Read more >>

The 999 phone charging myth

If you have ever heard that dialling 999 (or any other emergency number) can charge your phone battery, you might be tempted to try it out when your phone is running low on power. However, this is a dangerous and illegal urban legend that has no basis in reality. In this blog post, we will explain what the 999 phone charging myth is, where it came from, and why you should never attempt it.

What is the 999 phone charging myth?

The 999 phone charging myth is an urban legend that claims that if a mobile phone has low battery then dialling 999 (or any regional emergency telephone number) charges the phone so it has more power. This was confirmed as untrue by several British police forces who publicly cited the dangers of making such calls. [1]

The basis for the belief was a feature of BlackBerry phones: If the battery level was too low, the phone automatically locked down phone features and shut down the phone radio for all calls except to emergency services. People discovered that if they dialled 999 then immediately hung up, it would override the shutdown for several minutes so that phone calls could be made. [2]

A related belief arose in 2015 that telling Siri on an iPhone to "Charge my phone to 100%" would cause the phone to call emergency services as a secret safety code. This was later traced to a bug in Apple programming that was fixed within a day. The myth continued to spread on social media as a prank. [3]

Why you should never try the 999 phone charging myth

There are many reasons why you should never try the 999 phone charging myth, but here are some of the most important ones:

- It does not work. Dialling 999 or any other emergency number does not charge your phone battery at all. It only wastes your time and battery life.

- It is illegal. Misusing the 999 number or any other emergency number is a criminal offence that can result in fines or imprisonment. You could also face civil action from the emergency services for wasting their resources and time. [4]

- It is dangerous. Every time you dial 999 or any other emergency number, you are taking up a line that could be used by someone who really needs help. You are also risking being traced by the police and having your phone cut off or confiscated. You could also put yourself and others in danger if you accidentally trigger a real emergency response or if you are caught by someone who thinks you are making a prank call.

- It is irresponsible. By spreading or believing the 999 phone charging myth, you are contributing to the spread of misinformation and ignorance. You are also disrespecting the work of the emergency services and the people who rely on them.

How to charge your phone battery safely and effectively

Instead of trying the 999 phone charging myth, here are some tips on how to charge your phone battery safely and effectively:

- Use a compatible charger and cable. Make sure you use a charger and cable that are designed for your phone model and brand. Using incompatible or faulty chargers and cables can damage your phone or cause fires or electric shocks.

- Avoid extreme temperatures. Do not expose your phone or charger to very hot or cold temperatures, as this can affect the battery performance and lifespan. Keep your phone away from direct sunlight, radiators, ovens, freezers, etc.

- Avoid overcharging or draining your battery. Do not leave your phone plugged in for too long after it reaches full charge, as this can reduce the battery capacity over time. Likewise, do not let your battery drain completely before charging it, as this can also damage the battery cells.

- Use power-saving modes and features. Most phones have power-saving modes and features that can help you extend your battery life by reducing screen brightness, turning off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, etc., when not in use, closing background apps, etc.

- Carry a portable charger or power bank. If you need to charge your phone on the go, you can use a portable charger or power bank that can provide extra power to your phone when plugged in. Make sure you choose a reliable and safe product that matches your phone specifications.

Read more >>

Annabelle (doll)

If you are a fan of horror movies, you might have heard of Annabelle, the creepy porcelain doll that haunts and torments its owners. But did you know that Annabelle is based on a real doll that is said to be possessed by a demonic entity? In this blog post, we will explore the true story of Annabelle, the doll that inspired one of the most terrifying franchises in cinema history.

Annabelle is not actually a porcelain doll, but a Raggedy Ann doll that was given as a birthday gift to a young nurse named Donna in 1970. Donna lived with her roommate Angie, another nurse, in a small apartment. At first, they thought the doll was cute and harmless, but soon they noticed some strange things happening around it.

The doll seemed to move by itself, changing positions or locations when no one was looking. Sometimes, they would find it sitting on a sofa or on a bed, when they had left it on a chair or on a shelf. They also found notes written on parchment paper that said "Help us" or "Help Lou", even though they didn't have any parchment paper in the apartment. Lou was Angie's fiancé, who often visited them and disliked the doll.

One night, Donna came home to find the doll on her bed with blood on its hands and chest. She was terrified and decided to seek help from a medium, who told her that the doll was possessed by the spirit of a seven-year-old girl named Annabelle Higgins, who had died in a car accident on the property where the apartment was built. The medium said that Annabelle wanted to stay with Donna and Angie, who felt sorry for her and agreed to let her.

However, this turned out to be a huge mistake, as the doll became more violent and aggressive. Lou had a nightmare in which he saw the doll crawling up his leg and trying to strangle him. He woke up with claw marks on his chest that healed mysteriously within two days. Another time, he heard noises coming from Donna's room and went to investigate. He saw the doll on the floor and felt someone grab him from behind. He turned around and saw no one, but felt a sharp pain in his chest. He lifted his shirt and saw seven bloody slashes on his body.

Donna and Angie realized that they were dealing with something evil and contacted a priest, who referred them to Ed and Lorraine Warren, famous paranormal investigators and demonologists. The Warrens examined the doll and concluded that it was not possessed by a human spirit, but by an inhuman one, a demon that was pretending to be Annabelle to trick them into giving it permission to inhabit their lives. The Warrens said that the demon's ultimate goal was to possess one of them and kill them.

The Warrens performed an exorcism on the apartment and took the doll with them for further investigation. They placed it in a special glass case with a sign that read "Warning: Positively do not open" in their occult museum in Connecticut, where it remains to this day. The Warrens claimed that the doll continued to cause trouble even in their museum, such as making objects move or fall, causing power outages, or attacking visitors who taunted or challenged it.

The story of Annabelle became widely known after it was featured in Gerald Brittle's book The Demonologist (1980), which chronicled the cases of Ed and Lorraine Warren. It also inspired several movies, such as The Conjuring (2013), Annabelle (2014), Annabelle: Creation (2017), and Annabelle Comes Home (2019), which portrayed the doll as a porcelain one instead of a Raggedy Ann one for legal reasons.

Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, there is no doubt that Annabelle is one of the most frightening dolls ever created. If you ever visit the Warrens' museum, be careful not to get too close to her glass case, or you might regret it.

Read more >>

Molly's Hollow Kansas: A Haunted Legend

If you are looking for a spooky destination in Kansas, you might want to visit Molly's Hollow in Atchison. This place has a dark and tragic history that has given rise to a ghostly legend.

Molly's Hollow is located inside Jackson Park, a scenic area with a lake, a playground, and a picnic shelter. But behind the peaceful facade lies a sinister story. According to the legend, Molly was a young Black woman who lived in Atchison in the late 1800s. She was in love with a white man, but their relationship was frowned upon by the racist locals. One night, they decided to meet at Molly's Hollow, a secluded spot under an old tree. However, they were ambushed by a mob of angry white men who hanged Molly from the tree and left her body swinging in the breeze.

The legend says that Molly's spirit never left the hollow and still haunts the place to this day. Some people claim to have seen her apparition hanging from the tree or walking around the park. Others have heard her voice calling for help or whispering their names. Some have even felt a cold touch or a sudden gust of wind as they passed by the hollow.

Molly's Hollow has been featured on several paranormal shows and websites, and has attracted many ghost hunters and thrill-seekers over the years. However, the hollow was filled by a local foundry in the 1980s, and the tree where Molly was hanged was cut down. The exact location of Molly's Hollow is now hard to find, and some say that the legend is just a myth.

But whether you believe in ghosts or not, Molly's Hollow is still a fascinating and eerie place to visit. You can learn more about its history and other haunted places in Atchison by taking a trolley tour or visiting the local museum. You might also want to check out other attractions in Atchison, such as the Gargoyle House, the Sallie House, and the Benedictine College.

Molly's Hollow is one of the most haunted places in Kansas, and a reminder of the dark past that still lingers in some parts of the country. If you are brave enough to explore it, you might encounter something that will make you shiver.

Read more >>