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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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Thursday, February 04, 2016

NEW SASQUATCH GROUP




I believe that it is part of what the CFZ does to encourage new groups and organisations, so I have asked Keegan Reid to tell us about a new Facebook group he has started.


I have been at least partly interested in the Sasquatch people since I was a young boy. Around the age of 9 to 12 years old, my memory is vague on exactly the age, I was living in Southeast, Kansas and I was walking down a road at our local park that is generally designed to be a drive through to see wildlife in its more natural habitat that was right next to a river called the Verdigris river near my home town of Independence, Kansas. I was not very far into my walk along this beautiful road that I happened upon what looked like an enormous footprint in the mud just off of the road itself which was paved. I couldn't believe my eyes. The print was probably over 20 inches in length and it clearly had defined five toes. It didn't register as reality in my mind because I thought instantly that it was a hoax because surely there was no such thing as bigfoot and surely not in such a boring place as a small town in Southeast, Kansas. It was within city limits even! What would a Bigfoot want anything to do with this area if he was around? I just chalked it up as someone playing a silly joke because of the placement of the foot so close to the road and in addition I only saw one print but there was only enough mud in that area to support a single print as well but that didn't even count into the equation. So, that has stayed in the back of my mind for many years. A couple of years ago I watched a documentary. It was about two very down to earth fellows that were on a mission to find Bigfoot. I was completely entertained by the documentary and my wife and I ended up talking about it for months on end after we watched it. It was fun to watch and was much different than any other documentary I had seen before that touched on the subject of the “Sasquatch People”, as I like to call them most recently. This is not what I would call the most academic documentary on the topic but it was heartwarming and entertaining. It was called, “Not your typical BIGFOOT movie.”. Watching this movie I think watered the seed from when I was a kid and the thoughts of the Sasquatch People began to grow and resurface in my mind of that day that I saw the big print when I was a boy. Since then, I started poking around on Youtube and I ran across the videos posted by Mike Paterson and his experiences with Nefatia and my mind was absolutely blown. I have been in communication with Mike pretty often and he has helped to be somewhat of a guide for me and really has helped to encourage me and help me to understand the ups and downs into looking into these things. I have also got acquainted with Kewaunee Lapseritis and Thomas Hughes and have learned from them and have greatly appreciated communicating with them. I read both of Kewaunee’s books in a single weekend and I really loved reading them. I learned that not only are they out there and that they are real but in addition it is possible to open up different forms of simple communication with them with sticks and rocks and gift exchanges and things such as this. I was greatly inspired so I wanted to participate somehow on that level. I continued to research on Youtube and I came across a channel “Dr.Squatch” and between him and others I have learned about tree structures and indicators and markers that they use frequently in the woods. Mike told me if you find the tree structures, you will find the Sasquatch People or as I also like to call them now, the Ancient Ones. Low and behold, I live in Northwest Arkansas and as fate would have it and serendipity with the assistance of friends that have allowed me to explore this wonderful interest I have found an area that I can share food gifts with them and they are kind enough to play with the sticks and rocks with me.

I have not seen one of them yet, and I have not heard them vocalize outside of mimicking other animals. In other words they have not spoken the english language or made any chattering of any sort of typical howls or whoops that might be associated with them. Although, I have mostly been having my visits during the day time because I am just now beginning to warm up to the idea of the night visits. I am still taking it all in so to speak.

I have had fun with the knocks on days that they are in a mood to share them with me and I have exchanged rock knocks with them too, again when they are in the mood. It seems like mostly everything is on their terms which is fine with me. So let me explain a little bit about this group and why I made it. First, I wanted a place where good hearted people can have pleasant and open minded discussion about the fascinating Sasquatch People. I have noticed in other groups that if anything gets outside of some others paradigms and comfort levels of what they accept as reality that feathers can get ruffled and the ugly side of human nature can shift into gear. I don’t want to see that and I don’t want to participate in the negative aspects of this learning experience. Primarily, that is why this group was created.

I don’t have a big ego and I have nothing to prove outside of sharing the experience with others of like mind and of good cheer. I do plan on writing a book eventually after I hopefully have had enough experiences to give reason to document an entire book.

So it is with much joy that I am writing this now, this morning to share with Jonathan and with all of you. I hope the discussion here is always open minded and open hearted. Some aspects of these amazing beings are well beyond what I would call normal. I mean to say, there are supernatural aspects to these amazing beings the Ancient Ones and I believe that if we have an open heart and open mind that we can learn a great deal from them and I plan on doing just that. I am not an expert. I am not a scientist. I don’t carry any sort of degrees or certifications that qualify me to be anything beyond a fellow human being that wants to learn more and experience and love these amazing beings that have already taught me so much about opening my mind, heart and more fully understanding the virtue of patience.

Thank you for letting me share with you and I hope you will all have a wonderful experience sharing here in the group with me and now with us.

Cheers! ~Keegan Reid

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: Lions Found in Ethiopia Raise Hopes of B...
  • NEWSLINK: Essex 'leopard' most likely a domestic c...
  • NAOMI WEST: Roadrunner once



    It was my biggest disappointment when we were in Texas so dear Naomi sent me this

    BIGFOOT NEWS IN BRIEF




    US Army Rescues Bigfoot at Mount St. Helens
    This is a webcast that is put on by effedupstories.com. In this episode they talk about the story of the US Military rescuing several Bigfoot during the ...

    Swan Song Of The Skunk Ape Is A Documentary Worth Watching
    Swan Song of the Skunk Ape follows a handful of cryptozoological researchers on their quest to find evidence of this foul-smelling, bipedal, mysterious ...
    Patch.com
    “We do not believe that Bigfoot is a danger to the community, but the owner of Bigfoot genuinely would like it back home,” the agency wrote.

    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.


    THE GONZO BLOG DOO-DAH MAN IS FEELING QUITE CHIPPER

    The Gonzo Daily - Thursday
     
    This week I have made a serious effort to be positive, and particularly to only write positive and life affirming things (well possibly not life affirming things) in my daily blog posts. And guess what? I haven’t lost my temper once. I haven’t felt suicidal, and I haven’t threatened to climb the water tower in the middle of the village and pick off total strangers with a semi-automatic rifle. (Ummm, there is no water tower in the middle of the village and I don’t have a semi-automatic rifle).
     
    But it is surprising how my mental health and day to day existence has changed dramatically for the better once I stop haemorrhaging bad vibes, and shouting and waving my arms about.
     
    THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Rick Wakeman's Tribute...
    FROM THOM: Jean-Luc Godard films Jefferson Airplan...
    YES: Live With Regis And Kathy Lee - Bill Bruford...
    THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem
    Zappa live DVD US review
     
    THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem
    THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Patrick Moraz - "Child...
    RICK WAKEMAN COVERS BOWIE CLASSICS
    Zappa Lost Broadcast DVD US review
    WILD MAN FISCHER
     
    Gonzo Weekly #167
    www.gonzoweekly.com
     
    Paul Kantner, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, Erik Norlander, Daisy Flowers, Ambrosia, Suede, David Bowie, Villagers, Skunk Anansie, Nigel Kennedy, Black, Colin Vearncombe, George Harrison, Mr Biffo, Roy Weard,  Dogwatch, That Legendary Wooden Lion, Hawkwind, and Yes fans had better look out!
     
    Paul Kantner who died on thursday is on the front cover together with a tribute to him inside. Jon interviews Erik Norlander, Doug interviews Ambrosia, John goes to see Nigel Kennedy, and Lee says goodbye to Colin Vearncombe. There are radio shows from Strange Fruit, Friday Night Progressive, and Mack Moloney, the latest installment of the saga of Xtul, and columns from all sorts of folk including Roy Weard, A J Smitrovich, Mr Biffo and the irrepressable Corinna. There is also a collection of more news, reviews, views, interviews and pademelons ouyside zoos(OK, nothing to do with small marsupials who have escaped from captivity, 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:
     
     
    David Bowie, Suede, Villagers, Skunk Anansie, P J Harvey, Pet Shop Boys, Elvis Presley, Handel, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Brian Wilson, Mick Jagger, Wild Man Fischer, Steve Ignorant, Strange Fruit, Friday Night Progressive, Mack Maloney's Mystery Hour, Paul Kantner, Colin Vearncombe, James Stewart "Jimmy" Bain, Alex Wishart, The Pirates, Freddie King, Denny Laine, The Selecter, Galahad, Rick Wakeman, Erik Norlander, Ambrosia, Nigel Kennedy, John Brodie-Good, Black, Lee Walker, Roy Weard, A J Smitrovich, My Dad's LPs, Mr Biffo, Yes, Jon Anderson, Billy Sherwood, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Hawkwind, Xtul, George Harrison, Beatles, ABBA, The Monkees, Neil Nixon, Marc Bolan and T. Rex, Bucovina
     
    Read the previous few issues of Gonzo Weekly:
     
    Issue 166 (Spirits Burning)
    Issue 165 (David Bowie)
    Issue 164 (Free Festivals)
    Issue 163 (Lemmy)
    Issue 161-2 (The Christmas Double Feature)
    Issue 160 (Frank Zappa)
    Issue 159 (Jon Anderson and Matt Malley)
    Issue 158 (Billy Sherwood)
    Issue 157 (Drones for Daevid)
    Issue 156 (Rick and Emmie)
    Issue 155 (Pink Fairies)
    Issue 154 (Steve Ignorant)
    Issue 153 (Martin Barre)
    Issue 152 (4th Eden)
    Issue 151 (Corky Laing)
    Issue 150 (Roger Dean)
    Issue 149 (Tony Palmer in Space)
    Issue 148 (Wally Hope)
    Issue 147 (Thom the World Poet cover)
    Issue 146 (Bee and Flower cover)
    Issue 145 (Dave Brock cover)
    Issue 144 (Percy Jones cover)
    Issue 143 (Billy Sherwood cover)
    Issue 142 (Daevid Allen and Spirits Burning cover)
    Issue 141 (Rick Wakeman cover)
    Issue 140 (Jaki Windmill cover)
    Issue 139 (Raz cover)
    Issue 138 (Galahad cover)
    Issue 137 (Chris Squire cover)
    Issue 136 (Neil Nixon cover)
    Issue 135 (FNP cover)
     
    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 56 who - together with an infantile orange cat named after a song by Frank Zappa, and two small 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 the infantile orange cat, and the adventurous kittens?

    NEWS FROM NOWHERE: Thursday

    ON THIS DAY IN 1783 - Britain declared a formal cessation of hostilities with its former colonies, the United States of America. 
    And now some more recent news from the CFZ Newsdesk
  • Shark with lowest-known metabolism is a sluggish s...
  • Black rats rainforest invasion 'speeded by defores...
  • Lab talk: why sleepy lizards avoid their family-Ti...
  • Emerald and gold: Two new precious-eyed endemic tr...
  • Oldest fossil sea turtle discovered: Huge fossiliz...


  • 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)