PAUL CROPPER WONDERS WHETHER THIS COULD BE THE EARLIEST PRINTED REFERENCE TO IRISH LAKE MONSTERS

HARRIET WADHAM: More on Australian Big Cats

EDITOR's NOTE: Harriet was particularly disappointed that Neil Arnold was forced to cancel his WW appearance because of work committments. And like any woman scorned, she will bang on about it till the cows come home! (Bloody Hell that girl will be scary in a few years).

So back to the topic of Rebecca and her big cats; I attended her lecture on big cats in Australia. In fact, I came early so as to bag a front seat as Ruby has proven to be an excessively great friend; also cats are my favourite animals and the subject of big cats has recently begun to pose some great interest for me, therefore I’m eager to learn more. So, it’s lucky that I’m learning from a friend, not least a brilliant one. Now, just to be evil, in my next blog entry I will relate to all those of you who didn’t attend the Weird Weekend the highlights of the Australian Big Cats lecture… Yes, Neil Arnold, I’m talking to YOU.

Keep reading!!

MIKE HALLOWELL: A Verdant interloper

This year I suggested to Jackie that we camped at the Weird Weekend instead of staying at a B&B or a hotel. This shocked Mrs H as she knows that I am not the world's greatest outdoors person and that I am as keen on camping as I am on athlete's foot, which is not very much.

We booked up with the Dyke Green Camp Site in Clovelly, which is managed by a thoroughly nice chap called Mr Johns. We had a terrific time, except for the wasps. Jackie doesn't mind wasps but I can't stand the little buggers. Bees are different for like the German Stukas of WWII, they have a siren that warns you of their imminent approach. Wasps are different. They are silent but deadly, and serve no useful purpose other than to piss off this blogger.

On a regular basis they would fly into our tent via a small aperture at ground level and buzz around my head. Mrs H asked me why I didn't simply, "psychically tell them to go". I said I'd much rather physically twat them with a rolled-up newspaper.

But we also had another little visitor. On Monday morning, just before we set off for home, Jackie noticed what she at first thought was a grasshopper in our tent. On closer examination, however, we realised that it was nothing of the sort. It was, in fact, a ladybird-like beetle the likes of which we'd never seen in Geordieland. It was grass-green in colour and quite happy to walk about on your hand.

Our verdant interloper was quite cute, actually, but we haven't a clue what it is. I've attached two photographs, and I'd be interested to hear from readers regarding what it might have been….

OLL LEWIS: What I did on my holidays

The more observant of you will have noticed that I was away last week and not doing the YNT, but where was I? "What great adventures were taking place?" you may wonder. Well, I was wandering around South Devon with my lady-friend. Among other things we went to Torquay and saw the great new mangrove exhibits at Living Coasts and some very friendly penguins. We also took a trip across Dartmoor where I just had to have this photo taken.

AUGUST'S HIT PARADE FROM CFZ PRESS

UK

1. Haunted Skies Volume 1 by John Hanson and Dawn Holloway (-)
2. Ufo Down - The Berwyn Mountains UFO Crash by Andy Roberts (-)
3= Dark Dorset by Mark North and Robert Newland (5)
3= In the wake of Bernard Heuvelmans by Michael Woodley (3)
5. The Owlman and Others by Jonathan Downes (1)
6= Man Monkey: In search of the British Bigfoot by Nick Redfern (-)
6= The Mystery animals of Britain: The Western Isles by Glen Vaudrey (-)
6= The Great Yokai Encyclopaedia by Richard Freeman (-)
9= Monster - the A-Z of Zooform Phenomena by Neil Arnold (3)
9= The Smaller Mystery Carnivores of the Westcountry by Jon Downes (-)

US

1. The Monsters of Texas by Ken Gerhard and Nick Redfern (1)
2. The Great Yokai Encyclopaedia by Richard Freeman (2)
3. Ufo Down - The Berwyn Mountains UFO Crash by Andy Roberts (-)
4. Big Bird by Ken Gerhard (5)
5. The Island of Paradise by Jon Downes (-)
6= Man Monkey: In search of the British Bigfoot by Nick Redfern (6)
6= CFZ Expedition Report: Russia 2008 Edited by Richard Freeman (-)
6=. In the wake of Bernard Heuvelmans by Michael Woodley (6)
9= Extraordinary Animals Revisited by Dr Karl Shuker (3)
9= The Mystery Animals of Ireland by Ronan Coghlan and Gary Cunningham (4)

Last month's positions in this pinky colour, which I think is called cerise. The charts this month have been doiminated by the latest batch of new releases. With several other potential blockbusters (at least by the standards of CFZ Press) due during the autumn it will be interesting to see what the `season of mists and mellow fruitfulness` has in store.

WHO ATE NESSIE?

http://cryptochick.blogspot.com/2010/09/now-i-know-who-ate-nessie.html

Who ate Nessie? Corinna has the answer....

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/

On this day in 1973 J.R.R. Tolkien died.
And now, the news:

White tiger cub in Indian zoo turns black
Ra****s rehoused at Noah's Ark zoo farm near Nails...
Cat ticklers
Towns battle monkey menace after 60 attacks
Family send pet pig to canine obedience classes

That'll do pig:

http://movieclips.com/watch/babe-1995/thatll-do-pig/