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Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

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Friday, April 24, 2009

JOHN MICHELL IS DEAD

John Michell, a dear friend of us all, and one of the major figures in British Forteana over the past half century has died of cancer. He was 76. I am not going to do a proper obituary of him; I am atually too upset at the moment, but I would like to remember the kind and gentle man who looked at my manuscript for "Owlman" way before it was published and gave constructive criticism, who got mildly tiddly after the launch for Merrily Harpur's big cat book, and flirted charmingly and sweetly with Corinna (who then was still my fiancee). I want to remember the man who popularised forteana in the 1960s, who taught me ribald limericks, who introduced the hippy culture to earth mysteries, and who now is never going to appear at the Weird Weekend or buy me the pint he owes me.

Rest in Peace John.

6 comments:

Naomi said...

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Colin said...

So sorry to hear this. Had been reading the articles about him in FT which prompted me to look him up online only to discover this sad news.

I'll never forget his talk at Unconvention years ago about the authorship of Shakespeare's plays. Such a fascinating, engaging speaker.

Corinna Makris said...

I am also a Corinna who enjoyed John's wit and flirtation. I share some of my memories of him on my blog: http://acelebrationofcurves.com

He was a great man and a dear friend and I am more than a bit sniffly at the moment.

Juno Gemes said...

John Michell - The Man and the Mind behind the Work - is a site for friends and connections of JM to celebrate and share memories of him.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=73310391332

All friends are welcome.

Juno Gemes said...

John Michell - The Man and the Mind behind the Work - is a site for friends and connections of JM to celebrate and share memories of him.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=73310391332

All friends are welcome.

Juno Gemes

Unknown said...

THE major illumini of earth mysteries and sacred geometry....a vast and incalculable loss.
i was very privileged to have met him on a few occasions ,most recently last year where i recorded an interview with him on his yet to be released book "how the universe was made " Excerpts on the OBOD druid cast.
I did however have the opportunity to tell him what a great shining light of inspiration he had been to myself and many of my contemporaries ,including killing joke.
honor the fire and join me in a noble salute to this great man !
youth