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...




Monday, November 11, 2019

The new show - On The Track Xtra 108.1 (Weird fish in Moscow and Australian Cryptids)



Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the fourth episode in our new series: On The Track Xtra! We hope that you enjoy it. It contains: * More from Max in Moscow, including an enormous honeycomb ray, coldwater boxfish, leafy seadragons and more * Corinna and the giant parrot * Jon and Richard review the best book ever on Australian cryptids and debate yowies (no, not the chocolate ones) * More from Gef the talking mongoose I think the production values are ever improving and we are learning (slowly) all the bells and whistles which are now available via YouTube. I should - however - warn you that If you hear strange noises in the background of the segments which feature me doing a piece to camera, those are the filters of the two tanks in the office; one containing Clarence the walking catfish, and another containing a large and massively elusive leaf fish that we have been looking after for Max ever since he went off to university, something in the region of ten years ago. At least, I’ve always thought it was a leaf fish, and worse, have been telling everyone it’s a leaf fish for the last decade. However, when I looked her up today to try to display my academic chops by giving her Latin name, she doesn’t look like any of the leaf fish on Google. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles. This issue contains Max livestreaming from the Moskvarium in Moscow, and Carl and Richard discussing and me talking about the legacy of Heuvelmans and On the Track of Unknown Animals, Corinna doing Watcher of the Skies with Lilith, and a brief nod to Gef the Talking Mongoose of Cashen's Gap, and a snide dig at our present Prime Minister. I really miss doing the Weird Weekends each year, but with the health problems currently bedevilling the CFZ to restart them is impossible. But I truly hope that these shows have something of the taste of the mixture of hard science, weird shit and surreal odness that made the 17 Weird Weekends such a joy to be part of.

THE GONZO BLOG DOO DAH MAN AND HIS HENS ARE WAITING ONCE AGAIN

The Gonzo Daily: Monday/Tuesday
Today is Corinna's hospital appointment in Exeter for her nuclear scan. She and Graham will be away all day leaving me and Archie at home. I am just getting on with stuff, as best as I can, and will keep you in the loop as much as I can. Corinna is still poorly, but better than she has been for some weeks. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated far more than you will ever know.
YER EDITOR SEZ: THE DIGITAL PRAYER FLAG
You guys have been doing massive amounts of praying for Corinna. I believe that the outpouring of good vibes transmitted electronically, being a little like a Tibetan prayer flag. Find out more:
https://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/p/a-prayer-flag-lung-…
Blessed be.
CHECK OUT THE GONZO STORES:
AND OTHER STUFF FEATURING VARIOUS GONZO CONTRIBUTORS:
Our webTV show:
https://www.facebook.com/OnTheTrack/posts/632561497117057
And if you fancy supporting it on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/CFZ
And by the way chaps and chappesses, a trip to the Jon Downes megastore may seem to be in order:
https://gonzotesting.blogspot.com/…/a-notion-of-shopkeepers…
Meanwhile I continue to pretend that I am a popstar, because now I have sold eleven whole copies of my new album Coldharbour. If I continue at this rate I will get a silver disc sometime at the beginning of the next millenium. Coldharbour, by the way, can be found here: https://jondownes1.bandcamp.com/releases
I think it is really rather good, but then again I would say that wouldn't I?
AND THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE GONZO MAGAZINE:
Gonzo Weekly #363/4
THE HOCUS POCUS ISSUE
http://www.gonzoweekly.com/
In this peculiarly harem scarem outing, we say goodbye to our friend and colleague John Brodie-Good, Alan goes to see Focus, Mad Iccy goes in search of Keith Richard's lost footwear, Doug watches Jesus Christ Superstar, Jon gets all weird while considering artificial life, there is more animal rescue with PAART, we visit Regency Romances, and the new Watchmen TV Show.
Now THAT's what I call eclectic!
Hail Eris!
And there are radio shows from Mack Maloney and Friday Night Progressive AND Strange Fruit AND Merrell Fankhauser, there is a column from Kev Rowland, and one from Mr Biffo, and one from C J Stone, and one from Neil Nixom but Roy Weard, is on hiatus. There is also a collection of more news, reviews, views, interviews and antichinuses who have lost their shoes (OK, nothing to do with tiny marsupials who are searching for their footwear, 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:
John Brodie Good, Steven Levy, Artificial Life, Hawkwind, The Beatles, Abbey Road, Rick Wakeman, Kenneth Womack, Marillion, Yes, Richard Freeman, Strange Fruit, Friday Night Progressive, The Merrell Fankhauser Radio Show, Mick Maloney's Mystery Hour, Gebriel Mary "Gay" Byrne, Leo Iorga, Jan Erik KongShaug, Paul Barrere, James Joseph Paulsen, Walter Franco, Nicholas P. Tosches, Timi Hansen, Gerry Beckley, The Waterson Family, The Fall, Richard Wright and Dave Harris - Zee, Chasing the Monsoon, Richard Stellar, Princess Diana, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Icarus Ruoff, Doug Harr, Jesus Christ Superstar, PAART, Alan Dearling, Focus, Kev Rowland, The Night Flight Orchestra, Not My Master, Various Artists, Arca Progjet, Babal, Bla Lotus, Tony Klinger, Mr Biffo, Digitiser, Beanus, Chris Stone, Martin Springett, Thom the World Poet, Georgette Heyer, Jane Aiken Hodge, Neil Nixon, Vincent Gallo
And the last few issues are:
Issue 359-60 (Robert Hunter)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-359-60.html
Issue 357-8 (King Crimson)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-357-8.html
Issue 355-6 (Elfin Bow)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-355-6.html
Issue 353-4 (Melanie S Jane)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-353-4.html
Issue 351-2 (Royal Affair)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CE…/gonzo-351-2-fvxuatzgf.html
Issue 349-50 (Experimental Sonic Machines)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-349-50.htm
Issue 347-8 (Gary Duncan)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-347-8.html
Issue 345-6 (RDF)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-345-6.html
Issue 343-4 (Auburn)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-343-4.html
Issue 341-42 (America)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-341-2.html
Issue 339-40 (Kev Rowland)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-339-40.html
Issue 337-38 (Zee)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-337-8.html
Issue 335-36 (Raz)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-335-6.html
Issue 333-34 (Nepal)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-333-4.html
Issue 331-32 (Scott Walker)
https://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-331-2.html
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:
http://www.gonzoweekly.com/pdf/
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 60 who - together with a Jack Russell called Archie, an infantile orange cat named after a song by Frank Zappa, three other cats, 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 elderly mother-in-law, and a motley collection of social malcontents. Plus.. did we mention Archie and the Cats?

LAKE AND SEA MONSTER NEWS

The hunt for Lake and Sea Monsters is probably the most iconic branch of Cryptozoology. Following our successful Mystery Cat and BHM Study Groups, we feel that these sightings should also be archived and published in a regular round-up of the stories as they come in. Curated by Sally Watts and Richard Muirhead




  • LOCH NESS: The Rival Monster
  • THE PORTSMOUTH SEA SERPENT
  • BIGFOOT NEWS IN BRIEF





    Bigfoot researcher Russell Acord of Kennewick is one of four co-hosts on the Travel Channel's new eight-episode series called Expedition Bigfoot.

    NEWS FROM NOWHERE: Monday

    ON THIS DAY IN -  1620 - The Mayflower Compact was signed by the 41 men on the Mayflower when they landed in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod. The compact called for "just and equal laws."
    And now some more recent news from the CFZ Newsdesk


  • Sharks?
  • Nightmare Creature Had Egg-Shaped Eyes, Swiss Army...
  • Rare giraffes fitted with solar-powered trackers
  • The Voracious and Invasive Lionfish Is Taking Over...
  • Comparing primate vocalizations
  • Electric eel produces highest voltage discharge of...


  • 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)