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...




Sunday, January 27, 2019

CFZ PEOPLE: J T Downes ISO (1925-2006)


Image result for j. t downesIt would have been my Father's birthday today. He would have been 94. God Bless you Dad.

IT'S SUNDAY SO IT HAS TO BE THE HO HO HEN

The Gonzo Daily - Sunday
And for no real reason Sunday's notifications are done in rhyme
 
It's Sunday so again its time
to do the daily blogs in rhyme:
 
Carl arrived here Saturday eve,
and since he came you wouldn't believe,
the esoteric stuff we've spoken about,
Goodness, what weird stuff the two of us can spout,
and Corinna leaves tomorrow on the early bus,
I'll miss her lots but won't make a fuss,
because she deserves this holiday,
and she'll be back again Friday.
 
Slainte
 
ALL TODAY'S GONZO NEWS WOT'S FIT TO PRINT:
 
BARBARA DICKSON'S WORK OF HEART
THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem
THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Sufi Zikir, Sufi Dhikr...
LEONARD COHEN EN PASSANT
Gonzo Weekly #323/4
OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF FROM THE GONZOVERSE:
 
For those of you who are interested in such things, the Gonzo Privacy Policy is here:
 
And the CFZ Privacy Policy is here:
And, yes,
 
CHECK OUT THE GONZO STORES:
 
UK
US
 
AND OTHER STUFF FEATURING VARIOUS GONZO CONTRIBUTORS:
 
Our webTV show:
 
And if you fancy supporting it on Patreon:
 
And by the way chaps and chappesses, a trip to the Jon Downes megastore may seem to be in order:
 
AND THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE GONZO MAGAZINE:
 
Gonzo Weekly #323/4
THE WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE? ISSUE
 
In this unscheduled, but very welcome issue of yer favourite magazine, the legendary Irvine Welsh visits Todmorden as told
by his landlady, Jon insults a radio show host, watches A Series of Unfortunate Events and remembers touring with Steve Harley, Graham brings us up to date with the world of Hawkwind, Alan introduces us to Skinny Living and Neil recounts the weirdest George Harrison conspiracy theory.
 
Hail Eris!
 
And there are radio shows from Mack Maloney, Friday Night Progressive, AND Canterbury Sans Frontieres BUT Strange Fruit is on jiatus due to technical issues AND there are columns from Kev Rowland, and C J Stone, Roy Weard and Mr Biffo BUT Neil Nixon, and the irrepressible Corinna are on hiatus.  There is also a collection of more news, reviews, views, interviews and rock wallabies who've blown a fuse (OK, nothing to do with the relatively small macropods who are having electrical problems, 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:
 
A Series of Unfortunate Events, Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket), Stella McCartney, The Beatles, ABBA, In Continuum, Elton John, Jimmy Page, The Specials, Roger Waters, Steve Harley, Richard Freeman, Friday Night Progressive, Canterbury sans Frontieres, Mack Maloney's Mystery Hour, Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul, Tara Emily Simmons, Marcel Azzola, Maxine Brown, Ulises Butron, Edwards McKenna, Marcelo Yuka (stage Name Marcelo Sources), Windsor Davies, Reggie Grimes Young Jr, Teresa Ryan (aka Lorna Doom), Christopher John Wilson, Debi Martini, Oliver  "Tuku" Mtukudzi, The Fall, Tony Palmer, The Chad Mitchell Trio, The Deviants ixvi, Mick Farren, Alan Dearling, Irvine Welsh, Giggy, Waka, Phil Bayliss, Neil Nixon, Skinny Living, Tash Bird, Kev Rowland, Dreamfire, Dokken, Bullet, Caliban, Crematory, Blodwyn Pig, Corinna Downes, Mr Biffo, Roy Weard, CJ Stone, Hawkwind, Jon Downes, The Coldharbour Diaries, The Wild Colonial Boy, Martin Springett,Thom the World Poet
 
And the last few issues are:
 
Issue 323-24 (Irvine Welsh)
Issue 321-22 (Discordianism)
Issue 319-20 (Brix Smith)
Issue 317-18 (Christmas)
Issue 315-16 (Steve Miller)
Issue 313-14 (Hawkwind)
Issue 311-12 (Extinction Rebellion)
Issue 309-10 (Steve Hillage)
Issue 307-8 (Michael Moorcock)
Issue 305-6 (Maartin Allcock)
Issue 303-4 (kOZFEST)
Issue 301-2 (Ringo Starr)
Issue 299-300 (Aretha Franklin)
Issue 298 (Alan in Hungary)
Issue 297 (Shir Ordo)
Issue 295-6 (Robert Berry)
Issue 294 (Bow Wow Wow)
Issue 293 (Stonehenge)
Issue 292 (Rolling Stones)
Issue 291 (Alien Weaponry)
Issue 290 (Frank Zappa)
Issue 289 (Misty in Roots)
Issue 288 (Paula Frazer)
Issue 287 (Boss Goodman)
Issue 286 (Monty Python)
Issue 285 (ELP)
Issue 284 (Strangelove)
Issue 283 (Record Store Day)
Issue 282 (Neil Finn and Fleetwood Mac)
Issue 281 (Carl Palmer)
Issue 280 (Steve Andrews)
 
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 59 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?

Gonzo Weekly #323/4

Gonzo Weekly #323/4
THE WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE? ISSUE
In this unscheduled, but very welcome issue of yer favourite magazine, the legendary Irvine Welsh visits Todmorden as told by his landlady, Jon insults a radio show host, watches A Series of Unfortunate Events and remembers touring with Steve Harley, Graham brings us up to date with the world of Hawkwind, Alan introduces us to Skinny Living and Neil recounts the weirdest George Harrison conspiracy theory.
Hail Eris!
And there are radio shows from Mack Maloney, Friday Night Progressive, AND Canterbury Sans Frontieres BUT Strange Fruit is on jiatus due to technical issues AND there are columns from Kev Rowland, and C J Stone, Roy Weard and Mr Biffo BUT Neil Nixon, and the irrepressible Corinna are on hiatus.  There is also a collection of more news, reviews, views, interviews and rock wallabies who've blown a fuse (OK, nothing to do with the relatively small macropods who are having electrical problems, 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:
A Series of Unfortunate Events, Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket), Stella McCartney, The Beatles, ABBA, In Continuum, Elton John, Jimmy Page, The Specials, Roger Waters, Steve Harley, Richard Freeman, Friday Night Progressive, Canterbury sans Frontieres, Mack Maloney's Mystery Hour, Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul, Tara Emily Simmons, Marcel Azzola, Maxine Brown, Ulises Butron, Edwards McKenna, Marcelo Yuka (stage Name Marcelo Sources), Windsor Davies, Reggie Grimes Young Jr, Teresa Ryan (aka Lorna Doom), Christopher John Wilson, Debi Martini, Oliver  "Tuku" Mtukudzi, The Fall, Tony Palmer, The Chad Mitchell Trio, The Deviants ixvi, Mick Farren, Alan Dearling, Irvine Welsh, Giggy, Waka, Phil Bayliss, Neil Nixon, Skinny Living, Tash Bird, Kev Rowland, Dreamfire, Dokken, Bullet, Caliban, Crematory, Blodwyn Pig, Corinna Downes, Mr Biffo, Roy Weard, CJ Stone, Hawkwind, Jon Downes, The Coldharbour Diaries, The Wild Colonial Boy, Martin Springett,Thom the World Poet
And the last few issues are:
Issue 323-24 (Irvine Welsh)
Issue 321-22 (Discordianism)
Issue 319-20 (Brix Smith)
Issue 317-18 (Christmas)
Issue 315-16 (Steve Miller)
Issue 313-14 (Hawkwind)
Issue 311-12 (Extinction Rebellion)
Issue 309-10 (Steve Hillage)
Issue 307-8 (Michael Moorcock)
Issue 305-6 (Maartin Allcock)
Issue 303-4 (kOZFEST)
Issue 301-2 (Ringo Starr)
Issue 299-300 (Aretha Franklin)
Issue 298 (Alan in Hungary)
Issue 297 (Shir Ordo)
Issue 295-6 (Robert Berry)
Issue 294 (Bow Wow Wow)
Issue 293 (Stonehenge)
Issue 292 (Rolling Stones)
Issue 291 (Alien Weaponry)
Issue 290 (Frank Zappa)
Issue 289 (Misty in Roots)
Issue 288 (Paula Frazer)
Issue 287 (Boss Goodman)
Issue 286 (Monty Python)
Issue 285 (ELP)
Issue 284 (Strangelove)
Issue 283 (Record Store Day)
Issue 282 (Neil Finn and Fleetwood Mac)
Issue 281 (Carl Palmer)
Issue 280 (Steve Andrews)
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.

NEWS FROM NOWHERE: Sunday

ON THIS DAY IN -  1606 - The trial of Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators began. They were executed on January 31. 
And now some more recent news from the CFZ Newsdesk

  • Tons of dead fish wash up in Rio de Janeiro lagoon...
  • Indonesia tsunami: volunteers rescue dozens of str...
  • Choking loggerhead turtle rescued from pufferfish ...
  • Texas withdraws dunes sagebrush lizard conservatio...

  • 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)