Monday, November 30, 2015

When Bigfoot "Speaks" English


A new article from me, on one of the weirder sides of Bigfoot. Here's how it starts...

In their efforts to seek out the truth of Bigfoot, investigators have secured a wealth of material that, while it does not absolutely prove the existence of the creatures, most assuredly goes a long way towards doing exactly that. Footprints, film-footage, photographs, and witness testimony have all added greatly to what we know about these elusive beasts. And then there is the matter of the voice of Bigfoot.

A number of recordings have been made of what are purported to be the vocalizations of Bigfoot. While some have been explained away as known animals, there is one set of recordings that, more than any other, really catches the attention of people. They have become known as the Sierra Sounds. The story of the Sierra Sounds dates back to the 1970s, and is focused around two Bigfoot investigators, Ron Morehead and Al Berry. On a number of occasions, the two men captured astonishing audio recordings of what many believe to have been Bigfoot creatures – in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

UFOs Invade Oak Ridge

One more new article I have at Mysterious Universe, and here's how it starts...

For me, one of the most important aspects of a UFO encounter is the location. And when the location is one of significance and importance, it makes the encounter even more intriguing. A classic example is a series of startling UFO incidents which occurred at the Atomic Energy Commission facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, from the latter part of 1950 to early 1951. The cases are documented in the now-declassified UFO files of the FBI and make for notable reading.

An FBI teletype of October 13, 1950 refers to the detection of a definitive squadron of unknown objects tracked over the Oak Ridge installation at 11:25 p.m. on October 12. The documentation states: “USAF radar installation at Knoxville…picked up indications of eleven objects and perhaps more traveling across controlled area of Atomic Energy installation at Oak Ridge.” The report continued: “Altitude of objects varied from one thousand to five thousand feet…and density from reading made by light aircraft equal in size to C-47, speed from one hundred to one hundred twenty-five miles per hour…”

Not Nessie - Much Worse!



There's a new Mysterious Universe article from me which starts as follows...

Back in 1982, a man named Cliff Twemlow wrote a horror-novel titled The Pike. It was a cryptozoologically-themed story of a giant, man-eating northern pike lurking deep in the waters of England’s Lake Windermere. It’s certainly not the greatest example of its genre, but it’s an entertaining story filled with blood, guts, and characters who you just know aren’t going to last too long. The back-cover blurb will give you an idea of what’s in store:

“FIRST VICTIMS – A screeching swan…A fisherman overboard…A drunken woman in a dinghy…One by one, the mysterious killer in Lake Windermere claims its terrified victims. Tearing off limbs with its monstrous teeth, horribly mutilating bodies. Fear sweeps the peaceful holiday resort when experts identify the creature as a giant pike…A hellish creature with the strength to rupture boats – and the anger to attack them. But for some the terror becomes a bonanza – the traders who cater to the gathering crowds of ghouls on the shore. And they will do anything to stop the divers finding the killer. Meanwhile the ripples of bloodshed widen…”

Friday, November 20, 2015

The Strange Tale of the UK's "Giant Rabbits"

One of the weirder articles I've written, it starts like this...

Well, after a number of articles from me on the menacing Men in Black, ominous Black Eyed Children, UFO conspiracies, and diabolical monsters, it’s time for a bit of light relief. And, no, the title of this article is not a joke! Nor is it April 1st! The United Kingdom is indeed home to “giant rabbits.” At least, it is in a very strange and surreal fashion. As you read on, you’ll see why. And how. I’ll begin with a story from a good mate of mine, Jon Downes. He’s the director of the UK-based Center for Fortean Zoology, a full-time group dedicated to the study of unknown animals. We’re talking about Bigfoot. About Nessie. About the Chupacabra. And, yes, about those “giant rabbits” too.

Jon’s story dates from the late 1970s, when he was valiantly hanging onto the final months of his teens. From a friend named Mike, Jon received a startling story, one which was focused on an area near to where Jon lived at the time: Powderham Woods, located in the English county of Devon. It was while walking through the woods that Mike encountered something remarkable. In Jon’s own words: “Mike had been hunting for chestnuts when he was startled to see what looked like a rabbit, was shaped like a rabbit, and even hopped like a rabbit – it just happened to have been about three feet tall! I sat back slightly dazed. Mike was one of the most reliable witnesses that I have ever had the honor to interview, and he had just told me a spiel of utterly bizarre nonsense. It just didn’t make sense.”

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Black Eyed Children: Kids of the MIB?


That's the subject of a new Mysterious Universe article from me...

Here's how it starts...

Just a few nights ago, I was interviewed by a UK-based radio-show on my recently published book, Men in Black: Personal Stories and Eerie Adventures. During the course of the interview, the host asked me if I realized there seemed to be a deep connection – as well as profound similarities – between the infamous MIB and one of the creepiest mysteries of the 21st century. Namely, the Black Eyed Children. Well, yes, I did know!

There can be very few people within the field of paranormal research who have not heard of the BEC. But, the MIB parallels might be new to some. In the same way that the Men in Black wear black suits and black fedoras, the Black Eyed Children often wear black hoodies. So, we have a black outfit and black head-gear present in both phenomena. Both the MIB and the BEC very often surface late at night. Trying to convince people to let them into their homes is one of the most chilling aspects of the activities of both the MIB and the BEC. And they are very good – almost too good – at making their escape. But, certainly, no-one has done more to highlight the MIB-BEC connections and parallels than David Weatherly, whose 2012 book, The Black Eyed Children, is essential reading.


Thursday, November 12, 2015

Roswell's "Victims of the Wreck"



That's the subject of a new article from me, at Mysterious Universe. Here's the link and below are the first two paragraphs:

If, like me, you’re fascinated by the seemingly-never-ending soap-opera known as “Roswell,” you surely won’t have missed the recent injection of life given to the so-called “Ramey Memo.” It’s a solitary piece of paper that some Roswell sleuths think is the Holy Grail of Ufology. If you’re not aware of what’s afoot, read on. UFO author/investigator Barry Greenwood says that the Ramey Memo is “…a folded piece of paper held in the hand of Brigadier General Roger Ramey, head of the 8th Army Air Force based at Fort Worth, Texas.” He continues: “On July 8, 1947, photographs were taken of Ramey, his chief of staff, Thomas DuBose and Roswell AAF officer Jesse Marcel Sr…in response to an AAF press release that the debris recovered from the alleged Roswell UFO crash was a weather balloon…” Greenwood adds: “One can see in photo prints that the document being held has lines of text at the edge of visibility.” Greenwood also notes that while the text “…remains at the extreme limit of resolution,” it is a fact that a number of words “…do seem to be visible, asserting the document’s relevance to the Roswell incident, but little else is clear.”

What’s particularly interesting about this small number of visible words is that they appear to refer to what many researchers believe to be the “victims of the wreck.” Now, I’m not going to get into the debate surrounding whether the words are being correctly interpreted or not, as that’s an issue currently being hotly and deeply debated at both Rich Reynolds’ and Kevin Randle’s blogs. Instead, I’m going to focus on something else.

Kids And Cryptozoology


A few photos from yesterday, when me and good friend Shelly Covington-Montana gave a lecture for the kids in Dallas' Highland Park District, on Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. After dinner, it was a prowl around a used bookstore where - for next to nothing - I picked up a 1924 edition of Edgar Rice Burroughs' The Land That Time Forgot. A cool day!


 


Friday, November 6, 2015

More on the W.I.B.

Coincidentally, I'm not the only one writing about the Women in Black right now...

Check out this at Chris Woodyard's Haunted Ohio website...

Women in Black - Update

As some of you will know (because you have been interviewed for it!) I have a book coming out in 2016 titled Women In Black, a study of the less well-known companions of the MIB. As a taster of what is to come there is a new article from me on this very subject at Jim Harold's website, and here's the link.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

A Freaky Fire And The Feds

A new, 2-part article from me on a famous case of Spontaneous Human Combustion that...actually wasn't...

Here's part-1 and here's part-2.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Professionals - Complete!


Finally! I just now received in the mail a copy of the brand new, 3-CD collection of everything ever recorded by The Professionals (Steve Jones' and Paul Cook's post-Sex Pistols band). It's almost 50 songs, including their 4 singles and their 1981 album, plus the shelved original album, and a ton of demos, BBC sessions and much, much more. As tempted as I am to listen to it all now, I have to work! So, it's going to be a night of cranking up the music!


Roswell, Sheridan Cavitt, and "Bodies"



That's the subject of a new 2-part article from me on one of the most intriguing and central figures in the Roswell affair: Sheridan Cavitt. Here's part-1 and here's part-2.

Here's how the article starts:

"When it comes to the matter of the strange events that occurred on the Foster Ranch, Lincoln County, New Mexico in the summer of 1947, there are widely differing opinions on what was found. And for those who may be wondering what I’m talking about, it’s the 'R Word.' Roswell. I’m not going to go into detail about all of the various theories that have been offered to try and explain the still-enigmatic event (you can find my 2-part 'theories for Roswell' article here and here). Instead, I’m going to focus on the words of one man who likely took to the grave what he really knew about the Roswell affair. That man was the late Sheridan Ware Cavitt. In the summer of 1947, he was Captain Sheridan Cavitt, an officer with the Counter-Intelligence Corps, based at the old Roswell Army Air Field.

"Getting people to agree on the intricacies of Roswell is like getting people to agree on their favorite food, movie or band. But, there is one thing that just about everyone – believer, disbeliever, or skeptic – agrees upon when it comes to Roswell. Namely, that Sheridan Cavitt was at the crash site of whatever 'it' was that came down. Even Cavitt himself admitted to that – albeit sometimes grudgingly and hesitatingly. The big questions are: What did Cavitt see on the Foster Ranch? What did he know? And, did he keep a deep and dark secret until his dying day? Let’s see."

It's a weird story involving (a) Cavitt, (b) an old colleague of his in the CIC named Lewis Rickett, (c) certain "bodies," and (d) a US Air Force-initiated interview with Cavitt to get his views on what really happened at Roswell.

The photo above shows my worn (very worn!) copy of the USAF's near-1,000-page-long report on Roswell, which was published in 1994 and titled The Roswell Report: Fact Vs Fiction In The New Mexico Desert.