CRYPTOZOOLOGY ONLINE: Still on the Track: 01/19/13

WELCOME TO THE CFZ BLOG NETWORK: COME AND JOIN THE FUN

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...

Saturday, January 19, 2013

CRYPTOLINK: Top 10 Reasons to Believe in Bigfoot

A word about cryptolinks: We are not responsible for the content of cryptolinks, which are merely links to outside articles that we think are interesting, usually posted up without any comment whatsoever from me.

There’s no doubt that the big, lovable ape we know as “Bigfoot” is controversial, serving as fodder for both serious study and great hilarity, with people generally divided as to whether it actually exists or not. Mainstream science generally comes down on the side of the skeptics, maintaining that without a body, there is no reason to believe the beast exists, no matter what other evidence one might produce. A few scientists, however, are at least open to the possibility that a large, unidentified primate may indeed be stalking the forests of the Pacific Northwest (as well as dozens of other localities around the world). Certainly, it has acquired more credibility as the years go by, which at least suggests there may be something to the idea. So what sort of “evidence” is there to suggest the big guy is really out there? Here is my top ten reasons why you should–if not believe–at least remain open to the prospect that Bigfoot is more than just a myth or a salesman for beef jerky.

Read on...

MORE ON THE IRISH "SEA MONSTER"

The other day I posted this story about a picture that it has been claimed is an Irish sea monster. However, I messed up the links, so not only is it a chance for you to see it if you missed it, but also to read our tentative solution to the problem.

We think (or rather Corinna thinks, and we heartily agree) that it is a bloke wearing waders and fishing, and that the 'humps' are lobster pots or keep nets, or something else arcane that is part of the piscatorial impedimenta....

FORTEAN BIRD NEWS FROM THE WATCHER OF THE SKIES (CFZ)

In an article for the first edition of Cryptozoology Bernard Heuvelmans wrote that cryptozoology is the study of 'unexpected animals' and following on from that perfectly reasonable assertion, it seems to us that whereas the study of out of place birds may not have the glamour of the hunt for bigfoot or lake monsters, it is still a perfectly valid area for the Fortean zoologist to be interested in. So, after about six months of regular postings on the main bloggo, Corinna has taken the plunge and started a 'Watcher of the Skies' blog of her own as part of the CFZ Bloggo Network.

KARL SHUKER - INTRODUCING THE KOOLOOKAMBA

Karl Shuker goes ape about the koolookamba - a controversial anthropoid from Gabon.

Read on...

I'M YER GONZO BLOG DOO-DAH MAN

The snow is clearing but it is colder than it has been all winter. I hope that this is not too late to act as an appropriate trigger to the wildflowers, which need to be frozen for a time to grow properly, and the butterflies who need a period of freeze to kill parasites. We found out why the tank water was pink in the caecilian tank - it was the fact that we had tried feeding them on dried shrimps, which they ignored. I am still annoying all and sundry by sitting with my nose in Keith Richards's autobiography, and cackling wildly when I get to particularly funny bits. He is an excellent and completely unpretentious writer (a bit like he is a guitarist) and I hope that he sets pen to paper again in the future.

A real Gonzo exclusive - part one of a three-part interview with Don Falcone of Spirits Burning
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/exclusive-don-falcone-of-spirits.html

A Dutch review of ABWH
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/abwh-dutch-review.html

Steve Howe in profile. The axeman cometh.
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/link-steve-howe-profile.html

A nice review of the mighty Atkins/May project. And just in case you thought that I had forgotten, I have a gig review by Paul May ready to go, and I will be doing the song by song of the second AMP album very soon
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/atkinsmay-review.html

A Saturday lunchtime special from the multi-talented Helen and the Horns
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/saturday-lunchtime-special-helen-and.html

I am a massive fan of Auburn and the lovely Liz Lenten. Last October I filmed their Southampton set. Here are two more songs...
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/auburn-not-one-but-two-new-videos.html

Our daily visit to our friend Thom the World Poet, who is someone of whom I am really getting rather fond.
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/thom-world-poet-daily-poem_19.html

Today's Gonzo Track of the Day is from Leanne Harte
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-gonzo-track-of-day-leanne-harte.html

* The Gonzo Daily is a two-way process. If you have any news or want to write for us, please contact me at jon@eclipse.co.uk. If you are an artist and want to showcase your work, or even just say hello, please write to me at gonzo@cfz.org.uk. Please copy, paste and spread the word about this magazine as widely as possible. We need people to read us in order to grow, and as soon as it is viable we shall be invading more traditional magaziney areas. Join in the fun, spread the word, and maybe if we all chant loud enough we CAN stop it raining. See you tomorrow...

* The Gonzo Daily is - as the name implies - a daily online magazine (mostly) about artists connected to the Gonzo Multimedia group of companies. But it also has other stuff as and when the editor feels like it. The same team also do a weekly newsletter called - imaginatively - The Gonzo Weekly. Find out about it at this link: http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/all-gonzo-news-wots-fit-to-print.html

* Jon Downes, the editor of all these ventures is an old hippy of 53 who - together with his orange cat - puts it all together from a converted potato shed in a tumbledown cottage deep in rural Devon, which he shares with various fish and batrachians. He is ably assisted by his lovely wife Corinna, his bulldog/boxer Prudence, his mother-in-law, and a motley collection of social malcontents. Plus... did we mention the orange cat?