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...

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Unlike some of our competitors we are not going to try and blackmail you into donating by saying that we won't continue if you don't. That would just be vulgar, but our lives, and those of the animals which we look after, would be a damn sight easier if we receive more donations to our fighting fund. Donate via Paypal today...




Friday, January 19, 2018

Gonzo Weekly #270

Gonzo Weekly #270
THE SLOWHAND SLOWHAND EVERYWHERE, BUT NOT A DROP TO DRINK ISSUE
 
This issue became a very Eric Clapton oriented one as Phil critiques his new movie, and Dave Brock of Hawkwind remembers his relationship with the legendary guitarist back in the day. In the meantime, Alan spins a surreal tale involving Salvador Dali, and John and Yoko, amongst others, Ringo gets knighted, and Jon talks about the mega successful and much scorned author
Dan Brown.
 
Hail Eris!
 
And there are radio shows from Mack Maloney AND Strange Fruit, AND Friday Night Progressive. The columns from all sorts of folk including Neil Nixon, Roy Weard, C J Stone, Mr Biffo are on hiatus this week, but we do have the irrepressible Corinna. There is also a collection of more news, reviews, views, interviews and southern dibblers who have thought up a ruse (OK, nothing to do with small marsupials who have read too much Roger the Dodger, but I got carried away with things that rhymed with OOOOS) than you can shake a stick at. And the best part is IT's ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!
 
This issue features:
 
The Beatles, Dave Brock, Rick Springfield, Camel, Frank Zappa, Shane MacGowan, Phil Campbell, Jack White, ELO, Jeff Lynne, U2, Sparks, Strange Fruit, Friday Night Progressive, Mack Maloney's Mystery Hour, Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan, Ora Denise Allen, Edwin Reuben Hawkins, Peter Wyngarde, Marlene Paula VerPlanck, Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett, Moriss Taylor, Barbara Dickson, Jessica Lee Morgan, Rick Wakeman, Billion Dollar Babies, Tangerine Dream, Eric Clapton, Phil Bayliss, Alan Dearling, Gala Dali, Salvador Dali, John Lennon, Andy Warhol, Jeff Fenholt, Kev Rowland, Bigfoot, Blaze of Perdition, Charcoal Tongue, Curse the Fall, Charlie Cawood, Cyhra, Dante Fox, Dead Quiet, The Ed Paltermo Big Band, Hawkwind, Xtul, Martin Springett, Dan Brown, David Bowie, Girls Aloud, Marilyn Manson, Michael Jackson, Spice Girls,
And the last few issues are:
 
Issue 269 (Narnia)
Issue 267-8 (Happy New Year)
Issue 265-6 (The Who)
Issue 264 (John McLaughlin)
Issue 263 (The magic Band)
Issue 262 (DikMik)
Issue 261 (Leonard Cohen)
Issue 260 (Amsterdam Squat Festie)
Issue 259 (Out come thee Freaks)
Issue 258 (The Devil's Jukebox)
Issue 257 (Judge Smith)
Issue 255/6 (John Lennon)
Issue 254 (Mr Biffo)
Issue 253 (Dana Gillespie)
Issue 252 (Cropredy)
Issue 251 (Scott Walker)
Issue 250 (Jamms)
Issue 249 (Bill Bruford)
Issue 248 (The Selecter)
Issue 247 (Don Airey)
Issue 246 (Steve Hackett)
Issue 244-5 (Summer Special)
 
 
All issues from #70 can be downloaded at www.gonzoweekly.com if you prefer. If you have problems downloading, just email me and I will add you to the Gonzo Weekly dropbox. The first 69 issues are archived there as well. Information is power chaps, we have to share it!
 
You can download the magazine in pdf form HERE:
 

SPECIAL NOTICE: If you, too, want to unleash the power of your inner rock journalist, and want to join a rapidly growing band of likewise minded weirdos please email me at jon@eclipse.co.uk The more the merrier really.

On The Track (of Unknown Animals) Ep. 87 (yeti, almasty, owlman, jellyfish, Loren Coleman, etc)



Here we have the sixth episode of the relaunched webTV show by the Centre for Fortean Zoology, written and presented by Jon Downes and Charlotte Phillipson, their families and other animals.

This episode contains:

• The CFZ as lounge lizards
• Portuguese man o'War
• Tropical jellyfish in Cornwall
• Loren Coleman interview
• Loren on the mothman
• Freshwater jellyfish
• Gustavo Sanchez Romero interview
• Gustavo Sanchez on the wildman and yeti
• Colin on the new Orang Utan
• Spoofing The Room
• Watcher of the skies
• New and rediscovered: New frog in New Britain
• New and rediscovered: New lemur
• New and rediscovered: New skink
• New and rediscovered: New honeyater
• New and rediscovered: New cichlid
• Fair use
• Coming next month
• The Patreon campaign
• The team says goodbye until next month

You can support us, and help us make this show ever more bigger and better at our Patreon page:
https://www.patreon.com/CFZ

FORTEAN BIRD NEWS FROM THE WATCHER OF THE SKIES


What has Corinna's column of Fortean bird news got to do with cryptozoology? 

Well, everything, actually! 

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.

Southwestern willow flycatcher keeps 'endangered' ...




THE GONZO BLOG DOO-DAH MAN CONTINUES

The Gonzo Daily: Friday/Saturday
 
Hmph.
 
Yes, Hmph is definitely the right word.
 
I have some dictating scheduled for today, so rather than stay in bed untilm Corinna came back in, I got up early and settled myself in my chair in the sitting room, and Archie hopped on my lap, and we both fell asleep........for about five minutes. The local council (in their infinite wisdom) took it upon themselves to park in the street, and do something arcane to the drains using a noisy piece of equipment that made the dogs bark solidly forthe next hour. hen it was all over I fell asleep for good and then overslept.
 
Bah!
 
However, the new OTT is out and we think it is rather good.
 
Forgive me for always banging on about our webTV show, but it matters a lot to me, and I would be grateful for as many people as possible to see it, and spread the tidings of it far and wide:
 
 
And if you fancy supporting us on Patreon:
 
But for now, here is the news:
 
THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem
THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY:  Shostakovich - Sympho...
AND IN MY DAY JOB......
COMING THIS WEEKEND
LIFE IMITATES ART AND FEATURES RICK WAKEMAN
 
Gonzo Weekly #269
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE PROG MUSICIAN ISSUE
 
We talk to Martin Springett of The Gardening Club about his friendship with legendary Narnia and Lord of the Rings llustrator Pauline Baynes, John reveals his latest reading, Jon takes a look at reverse racism and critiques Stephen Clarke 1980’s enthralling autobiography, and Alan provides his own listening post, plus first Hawkwind news of the year. Good ‘ere innit.
Hail Eris!
 
And there are radio shows from Mack Maloney AND Strange Fruit, AND Friday Night Progressive. We also have columns from all sorts of folk including Neil Nixon, Roy Weard, C J Stone, Mr Biffo and the irrepressible Corinna. There is also a collection of more news, reviews, views, interviews and southern dibblers who have blown a fuse (OK, nothing to do with small marsupials who are not good at household electrics, but I got carried away with things that rhymed with OOOOS) than you can shake a stick at. And the best part is IT's ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!
 
This issue features:
 
Paul McCartney, Motorhead, Lemmy, Jack White, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Radiohead, Lana Del Rey, Strange Fruit, Friday Night Progressive, Mack Maloney's Mystery Hour, Raymond Thomas, Nico, Mark John Hough (aka Buster Stiggs), Christopher Andrew Tsangarides, Edward Allan Clarke (aka "Fast" Eddie Clarke), Barbara Dickson, Jessica Lee Morgan, Rick Wakeman, Billion Dollar Babies, Tangerine Dream, Martin Springett, Alan Dearling, Alice Coltrane, Buffy Sainte-Marie, LCD Soundsystem, Binker and Moses, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kamaniu Silelis, Rasa Serra, Baba Zula, Kefaya, Eddy Grant, The Future Shape of Sound, Robert Plant, La Femme, Omar Souleyman, Pumarosa, Oumou Sangare, Tamikrest, Michael Chapman, Ehud Banai, Can, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, John Brodie-Good, Kev Rowland, 36 Crazyfists, The Walking Dead, Whitewater, With the Dead, Wobbler, Zud, Aosoth V, Fallout Frenzy, b.o.s.c.h., Hawkwind, Xtul, Stephen Clarke, Queen, Lemmy, David Bowie, 2PAC, Coldplay, Explosions in the Sky
 
And the last few issues are:
 
Issue 267-8 (Happy New Year)
Issue 265-6 (The Who)
Issue 264 (John McLaughlin)
Issue 263 (The magic Band)
Issue 262 (DikMik)
Issue 261 (Leonard Cohen)
Issue 260 (Amsterdam Squat Festie)
Issue 259 (Out come thee Freaks)
Issue 258 (The Devil's Jukebox)
Issue 257 (Judge Smith)
Issue 255/6 (John Lennon)
Issue 254 (Mr Biffo)
Issue 253 (Dana Gillespie)
Issue 252 (Cropredy)
Issue 251 (Scott Walker)
Issue 250 (Jamms)
Issue 249 (Bill Bruford)
Issue 248 (The Selecter)
Issue 247 (Don Airey)
Issue 246 (Steve Hackett)
Issue 244-5 (Summer Special)
 
 
All issues from #70 can be downloaded at www.gonzoweekly.com if you prefer. If you have problems downloading, just email me and I will add you to the Gonzo Weekly dropbox. The first 69 issues are archived there as well. Information is power chaps, we have to share it!
 
You can download the magazine in pdf form HERE:
 
SPECIAL NOTICE: If you, too, want to unleash the power of your inner rock journalist, and want to join a rapidly growing band of likewise minded weirdos please email me at jon@eclipse.co.uk The more the merrier really.
 
* 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: www.gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.co.uk
 
* We should probably mention here, that some of our posts are links to things we have found on the internet that we think are of interest. We are not responsible for spelling or factual errors in other people's websites. Honest guv!
 
* Jon Downes, the Editor of all these ventures (and several others) is an old hippy of 58 who - together with a Jack Russell called Archie, an infantile orange cat named after a song by Frank Zappa, and two half grown kittens, one totally coincidentally named after one of the Manson Family, purely because she squeaks, puts it all together from a converted potato shed in a tumbledown cottage deep in rural Devon which he shares with various fish. He is ably assisted by his lovely wife Corinna, his bulldog/boxer Prudence, his elderly mother-in-law, and a motley collection of social malcontents. Plus.. did we mention Archie and the Cats?

THYLACINES IN THE NEWS




The Tasmanian tiger, also known as the thylacine, has survived in the island state of Tasmania until the 20th century. “For many years, scientists have been unsure exactly when thylacines and devils went extinct on the mainland — a recent age for devil extinction (500 years before present) has recently ...

TODAY'S BIG CAT NEWS

The hunt for British Big Cats attracts far more newspaper-column inches than any other cryptozoological subject. 

There are so many of them now that we feel that they should be archived by us in some way, so we are publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in. 

The worldwide mystery cat phenomenon (or group of phenomena, if we are to be more accurate) is not JUST about cryptozoology. At its most basic level it is about the relationship between our species and various species of larger cat. That is why sometimes you will read stories here that appear to have nothing to do with cryptozoology but have everything to do with human/big cat interaction. As committed Forteans, we believe that until we understand the nature of these interactions, we have no hope of understanding the truth that we are seeking.

  • NEWSLINK: 9 Healthy Lion Cubs Killed At Zoo In Swe...
  • PHOTO: Tigress and 2 cubs sighted in Kerwa
  • NEWSLINK: Essex Wildlife Trust respond to black pa...

  • ARTICLE: In the footsteps of a man-eater: As a tig...

  • NEWS FROM NOWHERE: Friday/Saturday

    ON THIS DAY IN - 1419 - Rouen surrendered to Henry V, completing his conquest of Normandy. 
    And now some more recent news from the CFZ Newsdesk

  • Trophy hunting removes 'good genes' and raises ext...
  • Common jellyfish is actually two species, scientis...
  • 'Hairy' Microbes Named for Rush Members Are Living...
  • New butterfly species discovered in Russia with an...
  • Why are there no sea snakes in the Atla


  • AND TO WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK... (Music that may have some relevance to items also on this page, or may just reflect my mood on the day).