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.

The Daily Grail Interviews Nick Redfern

New interview with Nick Redfern at The Daily Grail.

Not only does he have a new book out; There's Something in the Woods, but this is what he says about his new book on UFOs, due out next year:

I’m doing at least one more UFO book – a very controversial one due to be published next year that may actually unsettle a lot of people –

What, Body Snatchers wasn't controversial enough? Looking forward to that one!

Biscardi and Other Non-Lights

The Blogsquatcher has a post about Biscardi and like minded so-called Bigfoot researchers who are doing BF research a disservice. We are not well served by many of the "leading lights" of bigfootery discusses Steve Kulls thoughts on Biscardi. I don't think genuine Sasquatch researchers consider Biscardi a "leading light" but unfortunately, the media does; they love stuff like this, and that's what the public gets to see. It becomes a meme; the skeptics jump all over it; and, like the Wallace faked footprints and the ridiculous "bigfoot is dead" nonsense that came out of that in the media, it becomes a part of the mainstream's ideas about Bigfoot. (I really had someone, who knew of my interests in Bigfoot, say to me when Wallace died "So did you hear they found out what Bigfoot was?")

When it comes to UFOs and the circus like atmosphere that's one aspect of UFOlogy, I don't get so irritated about this kind of thing. It's an innate part of the phenomena, I always say. When it comes to Bigfoot research, it bothers me a bit more. It's not because I think BF is strictly "flesh and blood," because I don't. And since, believing that, there's a paranormal Trickster aspect to Bigfoot, the Biscardi's and other fools shouldn't be surprising. Maybe it's simply a matter of chauvinism; Bigfoot is closer to us than aliens. Of course, we don't know that either. Another reason is the attitude, and actions, the disregard, for nature, the environment, and the locals in areas by these clowns. The same thing could be said of, say, the Contactees, for example, who gravitated to Giant Rock in California, but I don't see it the same. For the most part, no matter how misguided one may think abductees UFO witnesses, and Contactees were, or are, they were genuine seekers.

I feel the same about ghosthunters (the very term ghost "hunters" bothers me) who lug tons of equipment around, clanging about, shouting at ghosts to reveal themselves or else and waving religious items, usually crosses, in their misty faces.

Maybe it's just a case of manners and intent.

New BF Thread On JREF: "Did The Skeptics Kill Bigfoot?"

This makes 19, or maybe 20, threads on the James Randi forum (JREF) about Bigfoot. This time they think the perceived lack of Bigfoot interest and reports is due to their hard work in skepticism. Oy.

Loren Coleman and the IRS: Saving a Cryptozoology Museum

I'm late getting this up, but as readers of Cryptomundo know by now, Loren Coleman has been having problems with the IRS, who don't seem to understand the purpose of Coleman's museum. We can help by sending a donation, no matter how small. Read more about what's been happening, and how to contribute, here.

New Bigfoot Threads on JREF

Two new Bigfoot threads on the JREF; check the sidebar on your right. 18 threads now over there on how Bigfoot doesn't exist. Gotta love it!

The Trickster, The Killing Field and Bigfootology

Bigfootology: The Dark Side and the “Killing Field”

There’s the strange side of Bigfoot; as this blog is called: Frame 352: The Stranger Side of Sasquatch. Strange doesn’t mean bad. Just, strange.

Then there’s the bad side, the dark side, of Bigfoot. Or maybe “Bigfootology” to distinguish it from Bigfoot itself. I’m pretty much joking here. But like those who distinguish UFOs from UFOlogy (the thing/phenomena itself, and the people involved in the thing/phenomena itself) we have the Bigfoot itself, and those that study Bigfoot. It’s not Bigfoot fault (or the UFOs in the case of UFOlogy) that there are humans with grudges, who attack each other, who are out for money above all else, who see nothing immoral or unethical in using the phenomenon for their own greedy agendas, who lie and hoax, who get embroiled in weird, nasty and sometimes very dark things surrounding Bigfoot.

Bigfootology: The Dark Side. Welcome.

Cryptomundo has an item up on the latest darkness. Lots of other Bigfoot blogs and paranormal, Fortean news feeds have all kinds of material related to the following story of M.K. Davis, the “killing field,” supposed murders, censorship, fights, letters to state authorities, and more. It’s like some weird crypto Victorian novel.

M.K. Davis has been running around with the “killing field theory” -- that Bigfoot was killed at Red Bluff all those years ago. WTF?! Not the most professional reaction, but I am aghast at the whole thing, and that’s why I haven’t bothered to comment on this earlier. Some things are too weird -- too ugly -- to bother with. Davis has been “uninvited” to speak at an August Bigfoot conference. Lines have been drawn. People are disgusted. Etc.

(Davis has already been in hot water for being racist, according to some. The man is certainly controversial.)

Bigfootology -- why do some people go so far out there? While many BF researchers are busy arguing with each other over the validity of data that involves orb wielding, psychic Sasquatch emerging from UFOs, crap like this gets its fifteen minutes of fame. Fortunately, not many seem to take the “killing field theory” seriously. But my question is, why would someone -- in this case Davis-- even go there in the first place? That’s as much a mystery as Bigfoot itself. I suppose it’s just human nature. No matter what the field: academia, medicine, politics, science, or the trucking industry, you have drama. Often it’s High Drama bordering on theatrics. When it comes to world of Forteana, it’s all too often theatrical. As many have said, downright circus like. (Actually, I think of the circus as gaudy, sure, but not seedy, as in a carnival way. The carnival is the dark side of the circus world. That's just me and I'm digressing. . .)

It’s helpful to keep in mind that, as disgusting as all this is, it is to be expected. If you believe, as I do, that this kind of stuff is as much a part of the paranormal world as the paranormal world itself (and yes, I’m throwing Bigfoot in there with the paranormal world) it softens things a little. Trickster is alive and doing its thing; nothing can change that.

And while that’s all true; that doesn't’ make it right, or mean things like this should be tolerated. You have to call people on their stuff sometimes and stand up for your own ethics and beliefs, in whatever way is true for you.

I think some of this may have to do with a very misguided sense of wanting to protect Bigfoot. Another part of all this madness is that Trickster force again; playing with people’s minds. Get too close, too obsessed, too distracted, and before you know it, you’re being played. In turn, you start to play others, whether you know it or not.

Richard Thomas: Room 101 on BOA, and Nigel Kneale

Binnall of America's newest contributor, Richard Thomas, has a very nice piece up now: Ghosts, Aliens, Yeti and the Late Great Nigel Kneale.

Richard's column on Binnall of America is Room 101, and I've been enjoying it. His latest is about Nigel Kneale. Thomas writes:

Nigel Kneale (18 April 1922 – 29 October 2006) was a Manx (Isle of Man) writer, active in television, film, radio drama and prose fiction. He wrote professionally for over fifty years and was, in many ways, the father of serious science fiction drama on television.

Kneale is best remembered today as the creator of his now-legendary character "Professor Bernard Quatermass." Quatermass was a heroic rocket scientist, kind of a prototype for Doctor Who, who saved humanity from a range of very different alien menaces in a trilogy of stories written by Kneale in the 1950s.

Cool piece on some vintage stuff, with equally cool images!

http://www.binnallofamerica.com/rr6.6.8.html

Quatermass and the Pit - HQ Trailer (1967)

What does this have to do with Bigfoot? Well, enjoy this, and then read the post about Richard Thomas's Room 101 article on Binnall of America: Ghosts, Aliens, Yeti and the Late Great Nigel Kneale.

Website: "Bigfoot, Oh Yes They Are Real"

Someone e-mailed today with this link to their site; "Bigfoot Oh Yes They Are Real." There are some interesting photos on the site. The site is of the paranormal Bigfoot variety; invisible Bigfoot and the like.

It's another moment of Fortean synchronicity; for some reason, the past two days, I've been thinking very strongly about dematerializing Bigfoot, and how I would go about putting together some kind of presentation on the topic. Then I find this e-mail.

http://hometown.aol.com/osareal/index.html

Melissa Hovey and Monica Rawlins: "Gray Areas"

Bigfoot researchers Monica Rawlins and Melissa Hovey have a new podcast: The Gray Area. A bit about the show from their intro:

Straight forward in your face commentary [is shared] about the issues surrounding Bigfoot Research and the Paranormal Community with hosts Monica Rawlins and Melissa Hovey. This isn’t your typical Bigfoot show. Be prepared for strong opinions mixed with humor, and a healthy dose of common sense.. .

I love it; if you have complaints or rants, this is what they say about that:

If you have a problem with the opinions expressed by Melissa Hovey or Monica Rawlins, you should put on your big boy/girl panties and bring it to them. No one else can or will help you

.
Hat tip to Cryptomundo for the info.
The radio program link on Talk Shoe is here. First episode airs June 18th.

Notes:

http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=19957&cmd=tc
http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/grey-area/