Bigfoot in a Freezer: Don't Get So Excited

I have this posted as my Rant of the Day at Snarly Skepticism, thought I'd repost it here. . .


Bigfoot in a Freezer: Don't Get So Excited;
A Word to the Skeptoid Crowd

Uber sketpics are currently undergoing a false series of euphoric episodes. Elated at the idea the Bigfoot community has been duped, fooled, and shown to be the nutjobs and gullible morons they believe them (us, sure, I'll throw myself in there) to be, they're pontificating en mass about the latest Bigfoot hoax.

Namely, Biscardi and company. Rickmat. The Geogia hunters. The cop with the bandaged hand. Those guys. As if we didn't know.

So calm down mega-skepties, it's not the joyful day you think it is. No one that counts in Bigfoot research believed this for a second, though some held out hope -- an extremely thin, almost invisible slice of hope -- that it could be for real. How about that; reserving judgement until the results are in? What a concept.

I admit I clung for a few hours to that nebulous bit of hope myself, only because someone I trust -- Micah Hanks -- has a personal relationship with Biscardi.

Even if some Bigfoot researchers naively held out for a bit that, well, it could be the real thing, could be, maybe, couldn't it? --- that doesn't mean Bigfoot researchers are dumb, stupid, lame, idiots, or any of the other insults you can't resist flinging.

And it certainly doesn't mean Bigfoot doesn't exist. All this has done is make it harder for everyone genuine, everyone sincere and honest, to get back to work.

The good thing about this is a reminder that Trickster is alive and well in all that is Forteana (something uber storage skeptoids don't get -- at all) and we should have expected this. Even me, who was, and is, disgusted. The whole thing put me in a bad mood; I'm still not over it. (Meaning the whole sordid thing to begin with, not that "Bigfoot isn't real." Calm down.)

It's also a little reminder that skepticism is a good thing. Don't fall down in a fainting fit yet; I mean real skepticism, not the brand the klassturian pathological skeptics wear so proudly on their little dried beans they call hearts.

Get over it. No one got fooled, Bigfoot isn't "dead," -- nothing to see here. You can put the keg and tiki lights away; there's no party tonight.

New Bigfoot Thread on JREF!

There's a new thread at the James Randi Forum on Bigfoot. This makes 27 separate threads on how Bigfoot doesn't exist. Look on the menu on your right for the links.

New Trickster's Realm On, Come On, Guess . . .

My new Trickster's Realm column for Binnall of America is on -- now guess, come on -- yes, that's right, the whole Bigfoot mess, and why I'm such a grump about it. After that, I promise I am finished with this story!

The TR will be up on Monday. While over there be sure to visit the other great columns and their forum too!

On Blogsquatcher: Back Story . . .

The Backstory You May Or May Not Have Heard, from Blogsquatcher.

Blogsquatcher puts it all out there much better than I ever could.

Only question to this stupid time wasting mess is why? Why why why. Then there's the thing about Biscardi and any future credibility. Anyone remember Santilli's alien? Brings back memories.

The YouTube video clip on Blogsquatcher is good too; I love it, "It's a Bigfoot man!" Oy.
http://blogsquatcher.blogspot.com/2008/08/backstory-you-may-or-may-not-have-heard.html

Biscardi Body Update

Well, as you can see, I find I can't help myself.
The Anomalist, who brings us Fortean junkies links to news of the strange and wonderful (although in this case it isn't so wonderful) has a good number of links to places concerning this mess. (Rather than give individual links here, visit The Anomalist and explore their site; they have lots of links, and updates to come.)

Overall, the skinny is this: the photos were released by mistake; now there's talk of lawsuits. Rumors the body has been moved. Some of those DNA test results may not be available after all. Etc.

This will be asked afterwards by many,but I'll ask it now: why bother with a stunt like this? What's the point?

Nauseous at the Carnival

UPDATE: Friday August 15th: I removed the picture of Bigfoot in the Freezer. I took it down because I don't want to give these bozos any more attention, I don't want to get sued (even though there was something about that one photo on, I think the Cryptomundo site, where it said that photo could be used for news purposes) and I wouldn't put it past them to sue. And I just don't like the idea of having that image out there -- for what, the 400th and 87th time?

I told myself I’d just leave this thing alone, but can’t help myself.

Breaking big time Bigfoot news about a found (dead) body should send shivers of excitement down any Fortean’s spine. But instead of feeling giddy with anticipation, I find myself experiencing waves of nausea at the overall exploitative, twisted-carny, money grubbing, undignified tone of this whole thing.

Loren Coleman’s Cryptomundo blog has permission from Biscardi to show the photos of the dead body of a Bigfoot, all twisted up in a freezer. There’s something sordid and sad about all this, and like I said before, that’s completely putting aside the real/fake outcome.


Also, as I said before, the only two things that give me slight pause are Micah Hanks personal relationship with Biscardi, and Coleman’s responses. Slight pause, mind you. Very. Slight. Pause. A ghost of a whisper of a pause.

Too many twisted bits of unsavory weirdness that bother me on a deep level, to my surprise. Not sure what that means yet.

This, from the press release, really bothers me:

Currently, Tom Biscardi and his Searching for Bigfoot Team, in conjunction with Bigfoot Global LLC., are preparing to capture another of these creatures alive

.
Good god, isn't a dead body enough?

As I said in my previous post, as strange as it may seem, I am fervently hoping this is nothing more than one huge hoax.

The Slick Commercialism of Tom Biscardi: The Carny Bigfoot Act Carries On

UPDATE: to further add to the Fortean Trickster vibe; Micah Hanks has positive things to say about Biscardi. Micah, whose writing I like and he seems like a good/nice person, knows Biscardi personally, which is more than a lot of us can say. You can read about that on Micah's blog Gralien.

(This remains the case -- that carny atmosphere -- whether or not the BF body is real. Which, it isn't. At least, I hope not, read on.)

Well, this keeps getting more Fortean by the minute. Barrows, works for an advertising and PR firm. Coleman gives it his "real deal" seal. Biscardi is involved; the only one allowed to "verify" the body. Scott Davis, the "videographer," is from "an independent producer and owner of TV Biz Productions." from The alleged BF body is named after Rick Dyer and Matthew Whitton, the two men who "found" the BF in Geogia."Rickmat" a blending of their two names. Understandable though selfish, to want to name such a mega find like this, but "Rickmat" that's one ugly name. Then there's this:

Searching for Bigfoot, Inc. has exclusive rights to all publishing rights, photo rights, television and film rights, production and distribution rights and other commercial opportunities related to the discovery and findings regarding this body and these creatures.

You can't own creatures like this; "these creatures" so what if someone else in Georgia goes out and stumbles upon Bigfoot?
This will sound surreal, but I hope this does turn out to be a hoax. I can't take any more of this slick commercial undignified King Kong like crap.
______________________

Press Release: Bigfoot Corpse in Georgia 'Real Deal' - UPDATED: Photos Released!

Posted: 13 Aug 2008 08:48 AM CDT

BREAKING NEWS: PHOTOS Bigfoot Body at Cryptomundo.com

I have just talked with Robert Barrows, R.M. Barrows, Inc., Advertising & Public Relations, Burlingame, California, who informed me the following release has been distributed to news agencies worldwide. It is now in the hands of the media at large, and they will be going with this story. The embargo on the news is lifted. Therefore, here it is for Cryptomundo readers.

I feel, in all honesty, this, indeed, may be the real deal, and I say this carefully after reviewing information that has been shared privately with me. I cannot say more yet. But people will be very surprised. ~ Loren Coleman, Cryptomundo.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2008
BIGFOOT BODY FOUND
DNA evidence and photo evidence to be presented at a
PRESS CONFERENCE
to be held on
Date: Friday, August 15, 2008
Time: From 12Noon-1:00pm
Place: Cabana Hotel-Palo Alto (A Crown Plaza Resort) 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, California 94306

Searching for Bigfoot, Inc. Menlo Park, California
Tom Biscardi, CEO

BIGFOOT BODY FOUND - EVIDENCE AND DNA DETAILS TO BE PRESENTED AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 15th

FROM 12 N00N TO 1:00PM AT THE CABANA HOTEL-PALO ALTO IN PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA

A body that may very well be the body of the creature commonly known as "Bigfoot" has been found in the woods in northern Georgia.

DNA evidence and photo evidence of the creature will be presented in a press conference on Friday, August 15th from 12 Noon to 1:00pm at the Cabana Hotel-Palo Alto at 4290 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, California, 94306. The press conference will not be open to the public. It will only be open to credentialed members of the press.
Here are some of the vital statistics on the "Bigfoot" body:

*The creature is seven feet seven inches tall.
*It weighs over five hundred pounds.
*The creature looks like it is part human and part ape-like.
*It is male.
*It has reddish hair and blackish-grey eyes.
*It has two arms and two legs, and five fingers on each hand and
five toes on each foot.
*The feet are flat and similar to human feet.
*Its footprint is sixteen and three-quarters inches long and five and three-quarters inches wide at the heel.
*From the palm of the hand to the tip of the middle finger, its hands are
eleven and three-quarters inches long and six and one-quarter inches wide.
*The creatures walk upright. (Several of them were sighted on the same day that the body was found.)
*The teeth are more human-like than ape-like.
*DNA tests are currently being done and the current DNA and photo evidence will be presented at the press conference on Friday, August 15th.

The creature was found by Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer (residents of Georgia) in the woods in northern Georgia. (The exact location is being kept secret to protect the creatures.)

Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer will be flying in from Georgia to be at the press conference. Also present at the press conference will be Tom Biscardi, CEO of Searching for Bigfoot, Inc.

Whitton is a Clayton County, Georgia, police officer, who is currently on administrative leave after being wounded in the course of duty pursuing an alleged felon. Dyer is a former correctional officer. Whitton and Dyer are co-owners of bigfoottracker.com and Bigfoot Global LLC., a company that offers Bigfoot expeditions. Whitton and Dyer are working with Bigfoot hunter, Tom Biscardi, and Biscardi's Searching for Bigfoot, Inc., to present and conduct the scientific study of the evidence and information on this body.

A few weeks ago, Whitton and Dyer announced the finding of the body on the "Squatch Detective" radio show, an internet based radio show hosted by Steve Kulls. While on that show, the commentator asked Rick Dyer "Would you allow one of our people to come down and verify the body?" Dyer replied, "The only person we would allow to come down and verify the body was 'the real Bigfoot Hunter,' Tom Biscardi." The next day, the producer of the Squatch Detective show contacted Biscardi with pertinent information on how to contact Dyer and Whitton.

Extensive scientific studies will be done on the body by a team of scientists including a molecular biologist, an anthropologist, a paleontologist and other scientists over the next few months at an undisclosed location. The studies will be carefully documented and the findings will be released to the world, according to Biscardi.

Biscardi is known as "the real Bigfoot Hunter" because of his extensive investigations out in the field. He has been searching for Bigfoot since 1971 and over the past several years, he has been criss-crossing the United States and Canada tracking down the hottest leads on Bigfoot sightings.

Videography on the studies will be done under the supervision of Scott Davis, an independent producer and owner of TV Biz Productions in Phoenix, Arizona.
Currently, Tom Biscardi and his Searching for Bigfoot Team, in conjunction with Bigfoot Global LLC., are preparing to capture another of these creatures alive. That expedition will start very soon. The dates and the locations are being kept confidential.

The body that is currently being studied is being referred to as the "RICKMAT" creature, a name derived from the names of Rick Dyer and Matthew Whitton. [Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman recommends the term "Georgia Gorilla" be used to remove any taint of ego from the discovery, and so the general public, media, and science will have a comfortable moniker until a formal zoological name may be bestowed.]
Last year, a film that Biscardi produced about his investigations, called "Bigfoot Lives," won first place in the Documentary category at the Pocono Mountains Film Festival. Biscardi also hosts a Bigfoot oriented internet radio show that can be heard on Wednesday nights from 7:00pm to 8:00pm PDT at www.bigfootliveradioshow.com. The show is heard in over thirty countries.

Searching for Bigfoot, Inc. has exclusive rights to all publishing rights, photo rights, television and film rights, production and distribution rights and other commercial opportunities related to the discovery and findings regarding this body and these creatures.

Interested parties may contact Searching for Bigfoot, Inc., in writing, at their mailing address, 1134 Crane St., Suite 216, Menlo Park, California 94025.

Biscardi's Bigfoot Circus Travels On

Thanks (I think) to Skylaire Alfvegren, L.O.W.F.I. director, for this notice:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2008
BIGFOOT BODY FOUND
DNA evidence and photo evidence to be presented at a
PRESS CONFERENCE
to be held on
Date: Friday, August 15, 2008
Time: From 12Noon-1:00pm
Place: Cabana Hotel-Palo Alto (A Crown Plaza Resort) 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, California 94306

Searching for Bigfoot, Inc. Menlo Park, California
Tom Biscardi, CEO

BIGFOOT BODY FOUND - EVIDENCE AND DNA DETAILS TO BE PRESENTED AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 15th

FROM 12 N00N TO 1:00PM AT THE CABANA HOTEL-PALO ALTO IN PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA

A body that may very well be the body of the creature commonly known as "Bigfoot" has been found in the woods in northern Georgia.

DNA evidence and photo evidence of the creature will be presented in a press conference on Friday, August 15th from 12 Noon to 1:00pm at the Cabana Hotel-Palo Alto at 4290 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, California, 94306. The press conference will not be open to the public. It will only be open to credentialed members of the press.
Here are some of the vital statistics on the "Bigfoot" body:
*The creature is seven feet seven inches tall.
*It weighs over five hundred pounds.
*The creature looks like it is part human and part ape-like.
*It is male.
*It has reddish hair and blackish-grey eyes.
*It has two arms and two legs, and five fingers on each hand and
five toes on each foot.
*The feet are flat and similar to human feet.
*Its footprint is sixteen and three-quarters inches long and five and three-quarters inches wide at the heel.
*From the palm of the hand to the tip of the middle finger, its hands are
eleven and three-quarters inches long and six and one-quarter inches wide.
*The creatures walk upright. (Several of them were sighted on the same day that the body was found.)
*The teeth are more human-like than ape-like.
*DNA tests are currently being done and the current DNA and photo evidence will be presented at the press conference on Friday, August 15th.

The creature was found by Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer (residents of Georgia) in the woods in northern Georgia. (The exact location is being kept secret to protect the creatures.)
Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer will be flying in from Georgia to be at the press conference. Also present at the press conference will be Tom Biscardi, CEO of Searching for Bigfoot, Inc.
Whitton is a Clayton County, Georgia, police officer, who is currently on administrative leave after being wounded in the course of duty pursuing an alleged felon. Dyer is a former correctional officer. Whitton and Dyer are co-owners of bigfoottracker.com and Bigfoot Global LLC., a company that offers Bigfoot expeditions. Whitton and Dyer are working with Bigfoot hunter, Tom Biscardi, and Biscardi's Searching for Bigfoot, Inc., to present and conduct the scientific study of the evidence and information on this body.
A few weeks ago, Whitton and Dyer announced the finding of the body on the "Squatch Detective" radio show, an internet based radio show hosted by Steve Kulls. While on that show, the commentator asked Rick Dyer "Would you allow one of our people to come down and verify the body?" Dyer replied, "The only person we would allow to come down and verify the body was 'the real Bigfoot Hunter,' Tom Biscardi." The next day, the producer of the Squatch Detective show contacted Biscardi with pertinent information on how to contact Dyer and Whitton.
Extensive scientific studies will be done on the body by a team of scientists including a molecular biologist, an anthropologist, a paleontologist and other scientists over the next few months at an undisclosed location. The studies will be carefully documented and the findings will be released to the world, according to Biscardi.
Biscardi is known as "the real Bigfoot Hunter" because of his extensive investigations out in the field. He has been searching for Bigfoot since 1971 and over the past several years, he has been criss-crossing the United States and Canada tracking down the hottest leads on Bigfoot sightings.
Videography on the studies will be done under the supervision of Scott Davis, an independent producer and owner of TV Biz Productions in Phoenix, Arizona.
Currently, Tom Biscardi and his Searching for Bigfoot Team, in conjunction with Bigfoot Global LLC., are preparing to capture another of these creatures alive. That expedition will start very soon. The dates and the locations are being kept confidential.
The body that is currently being studied is being referred to as the "RICKMAT" creature, a name derived from the names of Rick Dyer and Matthew Whitton. [Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman recommends the term "Georgia Gorilla" be used to remove any taint of ego from the discovery, and so the general public, media, and science will have a comfortable moniker until a formal zoological name may be bestowed.]
Last year, a film that Biscardi produced about his investigations, called "Bigfoot Lives," won first place in the Documentary category at the Pocono Mountains Film Festival. Biscardi also hosts a Bigfoot oriented internet radio show that can be heard on Wednesday nights from 7:00pm to 8:00pm PDT at www.bigfootliveradioshow.com. The show is heard in over thirty countries.
Searching for Bigfoot, Inc. has exclusive rights to all publishing rights, photo rights, television and film rights, production and distribution rights and other commercial opportunities related to the discovery and findings regarding this body and these creatures.
Interested parties may contact Searching for Bigfoot, Inc., in writing, at their mailing address, 1134 Crane St., Suite 216, Menlo Park, California 94025.

Car Weirdness and Mothman Flutterings

Just a little kind of vague entry on my Mothman blog; Mothman Flutterings.

Nick Redfern and C2C

I managed to stay awake for last night's Coast To Coast, with Nick Redfern. Very entertaining all around. One thing that was a surprise to me was the werewolf topic; that was highly interesting! And for some reason, really gave spooked me; something about his tale of the shape shifting type being (human?) and wolf type carved skulls. . . not pleasant. As Redfern said, most crypto stuff isn't creepy, scary and downright threatening, but his is. Anyway, good episode!

New Trickster Realm Article: Bigfoot Fever and the Skeptics

My new Trickster's Realm for Binnall of America is now up. This one's on the twenty -seven bigfoot threads on the JREF.

Steve Bass: "Is Bigfoot An Alien?"

The Bigfoot UFO/alien connection is a controversial topic. I'm always glad to come across articles that discuss this idea. Bass wonders if Bigfoot isn't an alien, in his piece on American Chronicle: Is Bigfoot an Alien? Other writers wonder if Bigfoot isn't a fairy of some type, like Patrick Harupur. Lisa Shiel, of course, writes about Bigfoot as a paranormal creature. I've written some articles on this topic as well; Bigfoot and High Strangeness for one.

Here's something I liked on Bass's article:

The National Institute for Discovery Sciences, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, conducts ongoing research at several locations in the United States, one in Utah that is referred to as the Skinwalker Ranch. Dr. Colm Kelleher, PhD, a biochemist and molecular biologist, was one of the lead researchers at this location. In his book Hunt for the Skinwalker: Science Confronts the Unexplained at a Remote Ranch in Utah, he reports that numerous anomalies have been recorded at the ranch. These included visits to the area by numerous types of UFO-like and Extraterrestrial phenomena, such as lights in the sky that alternately flew through the sky and hovered, giving the impression of intelligent control and operating much like an aerial surveillance and observation platform, as well as actual sightings of saucer-like craft and entities. Sightings of a creature closely resembling the Sasquatch was also observed and monitored at the ranch. Both Extraterrestrials and the Sasquatch were observed appearing through portals in the air. Witnesses have reported that they have sometimes had glimpses through the portals of landscapes different than that in which the witness stood, appearing almost alien in origin. These anomalies have been recorded extensively by research scientists.

Giant Squid Inside Building!

I love this! French artists created this; you can read more about it here.

Two Chupacabras

Tonight's Monster Quest was about Chupacabra. One thing I've noticed about MQ is that they avoid the darker side of things, or maybe conspiratorial side of things is a better way of putting it. What I mean is, when I first heard of Chupacabra in Puerto Rico ten years ago or so, I was on it! I was fascinated by the stories; and I kept returning to one possible explanation for Chupie sightings: some Dr. Evil experiment gone horribly awry. We're getting into some odd territory here, but there are American military and government bases there that are very secretive, a history of high strangeness and UFOs. The Chupacabra activity just came up from nowhere; suddenly, there they were. (Not quite actually; there is a history of goat sucker and vampire type beings in the folklore of the region.)


I remember seeing this image just about ten years ago. It was one of the first available on-line of the Chupacabra; the story I read that accompanied this image was that a school custodian found it and photographed it. I don't remember if that was in the U.S. or not; though I think it was, an L.A. school. This screams "fake" very loudly; but it is interesting that it looks a bit like the Texas chupies.

The Chupacabra stories "jumped" from Puerto Rico after a couple of years to Florida, and Mexico, . . . I remember years ago hearing Art Bell say there was a case in Oregon! No matter where the Chupacarbra attacks occur ed -- Florida, Mexico, Puerto Rico, etc. -- the description of the being stayed the same. And the description made sense, given the types of attacks. A strong being, bi-pedal, that could leap or jump quite high, seemed to have speed, luminous eyes (ethier because it seemed to be nocturnal, or the red glowing eyes are an added bonus to the overall Fortean high strangeness of the creature), these seemed to match the kind of creature that could be capable of desanguinating the poor victims. Strong, fast, lithe.


This image has been around for some time as well. The reports from Puerto Rico ten years ago say the creature looked like this.

Roughly eight years later, stories of Chupacabra started to come from Texas. But what's strange is that the description of this so-called Chupacabra differs quite a bit from the "original," -- yet the animal deaths caused by this Texas creature appear to be the same as teh ones in Puerto Rico, etc.

Well, MQ found that the Texas Chupie seems to be a dog/coyote/possibly wolf hybrid. With mange. Maybe. But what's strange is that it isn't just one creature like this, but a few, and from different areas. The fangs are strange as well. It doesn't add up, but there it is.

With the Texas Chupies, it could be that the hybrids, because they're hybrids, contaminated each other with mange, or . . .I"m just speculations. More like thinking aloud here, since I'm no wildlife expert and really don't know. What we do know is they exist; and, the animals they killed were killed in a weird enough way that only raises more questions. The fact that these UADS parallel the earlier Chupacabra deaths just adds to the mystery. It isn't enough to say the Texas creatures are "just" canine hybrids of some kind, which seems to be the case, for there are added elements of high strangeness that makes this a Fortean mystery.


The Texas chupacabra. Image from:maryvisbal.blogspot.com
/2007_12_01_archive.html

It could be that these Texas canines have nothing to do iwth the deaths at all; and the 'real" Chupacabra remains hidden.

So, is the Texas "chupie" the Chupacabra? It doesn't seem like it, yet the fact the victims seem to have been killed in the same way is curious.

New BF Thread on JREF: Bigfoot Body in Georgia!

Okay, as pompous and full of myself as this sounds, I wouldn't be surprised if a few skeptibunkies at JREF are intentionally putting up BF threads over there just to see if I'll play. Who knows, who cares, here's their latest:

Bigfoot Body in Georgia! This makes 26, no, 27 I think, threads over there!

Trixie Belden and Bigfoot

I found this while searching for something else: a Trixie Belden story titled Trixie Belden A Sasquatch Mystery. I've never read it; I really wasn't a Trixie fan, much more of a Nancy Drew kid. I wonder how it turns out? Probably that the Sasquatch was really a man in a suit to scare off the city folk or something.

26 Bigfoot Threads on the JREF

Yet another new one! I know, at this point it's possible that they're on to me and are just trolling and getting these threads up on purpose. Wouldn't put it past them. Then again, they are an obsessed bunch! Still, it's fun.

Check menu on right for all 26 links.
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
This new one:
http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=119109

New! Bigfoot Thread on JREF!

This is too good! Yet another and new Bigfoot thread on JREF! The new one is called "Is Bigfoot an Alien?" This makes twenty-five threads on the James Randi Forum about Bigfoot!

Check menu on right for list and links.

New! Bigfoot Thread on JREF

This latest thread on the JREf is tilted "Bigfoot Audio Scam?" which brings the count up to 24, I think. Wowza. (Check menu on the right for list of links.)

Update to Running JREF Bigfoot Threads

The newest thread on Bigfoot from JREF is from a little over a week ago: Fox News and Bigfoot. Check the menu on your right under heading "JREF Bigfoot Threads." I think this makes 21, 22 maybe, thread on how BF doesn't exist.