The Treasure Report

16 years later, man is still pursing a dream of treasure

duane — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:26:07 +0000

Ma Qingrong, 62, from Dayao County, Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, has spent the last 16 years of his life digging for treasure on Mount Maanshan near his village. Every day he toils in a tiny cave he’s caved into the mountain, picking and shoveling his way deeper into the mountain.

The treasure he’s after was supposed left behind by Zhuge Kongming (an accomplished strategist in China’s Three Kingdoms Period) while crusading in the area. Ma expects to find chests of treasure, along with important scriptures and artifacts.

With so much dedication and effort expended you’d expect that Ma has a pretty strong belief that the treasure lies within the mountain. You bet he does! Incontrovertible proof, in the form of a dream.

“In the dream, I was led by a girl clad in black dress to a mysterious stone palace” says Ma. Yes, that’s right. His only evidence is through his dreams. There is hope however, because according to his dream, he’s only got two more years to go.

Via China Daily News

Colombian soldiers find $16 million in rebel cash

duane — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 04:25:13 +0000

While patrolling the jungles of Columbia, a platoon of government soldiers stumbled upon a cache of rebel loot worth over $16 million. It’s not clear where the FARC (Columbia’s lovable rebel fighters) got this money, but what is clear is that the soldiers were _supposed_ to turn the money in to their superiors.

Instead, the soldiers went on a spending spree of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll from all reports. One soldier even spent his share on a sex change operation, but we won’t go there.

Their exploits have even lead to a new movie, “Dreaming doesn’t cost anything”. But the soldiers probably won’t be able to see it — they’re on trial, at least the ones the government has been able to catch.

Via OhMyNews

Roofers find (and steal) $720,000 in antique cash

duane — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 03:38:07 +0000

Workmen in Salem, Massachusets found something a lot more interesting than dead bats in 75 year old Sylvia Littlefield’s barn. While repairing her roof they uncovered a hidden cache of 1,800 bills from the early 1900’s. The bills were stuffed into tin cans and hidden under the gutters.

The face value of the bills was $7,000, but their numismatic value exceeds $720,000. The workmen didn’t turn in the money however. Instead, they concocted a story about discovering the money buried in a friend’s backyard. One man spilled the beans and they were arrested for larceny, against a senior citizen no less.

The case is still pending because the workmen are arguing that the money is abandoned property and therefore rightfully theirs.

Via The Union Leader