The Hunt for Humor Never Ends...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I miss Ghost Hunters, Inc. Say what you will, it was always entertaining to see the latest adventures of the gang--with plush Scooby Doo in tow--exploring the weird, forgotten, and mythical places around Pennsylvania and New York. Back when I first started out on AOL writing up local legends, browsing their site was a favorite pasttime. Even if they didn't find anything remotely paranormal, there was plenty to laugh about. Nick, Gow, Greg, and the rest of the gang were always entertaining. I'll admit I was jealous that my own paranormal group never came close to being that fun. Maybe that's why I let it die a slow, agonizing death.

There was, of course, their movie The Graveyard Shift before things sort of fell apart. Still, some of the people involved lingered on. Jason Gowin had Extreme Paranormal for a little while. Greg, Dana, Nick, and a few more people took a dive into the skeptical humorous side (more than was normal for GHI) and created Who Forted? to keep the funniness going. As glad as I am that some of the core people are still out there doing what they do best, I can't help but get a little nostalgic. Long before bland paranormal television, we had the most entertaining bunch in Ghost Hunters, Inc. And they really didn't even find ghosts. Ever. Well... there were those few questionable times...

When I had the chance to watch and review the new(ish) documentary film done by the old gang, I had to jump at it. The Bigfoot Hunter: Still Searching takes part of an unfinished older project from 2006 (GHI vs. Bigfoot) and expands upon it. It features bigfoot hunter (and all-around paranormal enthusiast) Tim Holmes from Elmira, New York, and his gal pal Becky Sawyer on two journeys into the remote wilderness in search of Sasquatch. The one-hour film, produced by Fight or Flight Productions, is planned to be unveiled at a theater in Toronto this fall. If you have the chance to be there for it, I highly recommend it.

I really don't want to give away too much, but here's the trailer to give you a taste:


Honestly, you can't go wrong with a "former Merchant Marine" going on and on about Bigfoot, "fake footage", and a never-ending stream of weirdness and random thoughts. I'm not sure what's scarier: being out in the woods in the middle of nowhere with Tim or Nick Foust being that heavily armed (and, apparently, very excited about it). You have to love GHI for their bravery; not many people would choose to venture out far from civilization with someone quite like Holmes. The action may be minimal, but the comedy lasts throughout. The "recreation" of a bigfoot encounter is priceless... as are the short clips of Nick and Gow dressed and ready for ladies night.

Overall, it was a very well-crafted documentary. For those snobbish people who dislike anything that isn't shot in high-quality, professional grade video, you'll be disappointed by this one. But if you're not hung up on petty things like that and love watching crazy people doing and saying crazy things while turning something as mundane as wandering the woods looking for a hairy inhuman beast into an amusing look at the people and experiences in question, this is right up your alley. As a fan of documentaries, I'd be glad to add this to my DVD collection. Let's hope they decide to release it at some point.

Creepy Outback Cryptid Critters...

Nearly every country has at least one story of a mythical or unexplainable creature. Having been separated from any nearby land some 48,000 years ago, Australia is naturally a place of exotic and bizarre animals many of which are found nowhere else on earth. The kangaroo, koala, and platypus were demystified by European colonization but there are other mysteries based on stories passed down by Aboriginal peoples which today remain unidentified beasts of legendary proportions.

Probably the best known cryptid said to roam across the continent is the Yowie: Australia's very own version of Bigfoot (a.k.a. Sasquatch). Named Narcoonah by natives in what is now South Australia this large hairy ape-like creature has reportedly been sighted by white settlers since the 1840s. As more towns sprung up across the country sightings continued to increase and still happen today. It is believed there are at least two "species" of Yowie ranging from the small 4-5 foot tall hominids to enormous 6-10 foot varieties. Yowie researchers believe it's possible that these creatures are some distant ancestor to Gigantopithecus which was native to China around 1 million years ago, intermingled with ancient man, and may have crossed a land bridge to arrive in Terra Australis.

As with reports of Bigfoot, Yeti, and similar creatures scientists say it's impossible for such a large creature to remain unknown and not result in at least one discovery of a carcass over the past few hundred years. That hasn't stopped countless people and researchers from trying to track the elusive animal. Australian Yowie Research and Australian Yowie Research Centre are a few of the many organizations dedicated to collecting reported sightings and hunting for evidence. Josh Gates of Destination Truth even went to Queensland in 2008 to try to hunt down the creature. But so far the only evidence anyone has produced is footprint casts, odd audio recordings, and unidentified images. You would be hard pressed to even find one of the Cadbury variety these days.

But mysterious creatures are not only confined to land. To the north of Sydney lies the Hawkesbury River, known by Aboriginals as Deerrubbun. It has been a popular spot for thousans of years where the Ku Ring Gui and Dharug tribes believed the Dream Time was found. Prized for its abundant seafood the Hawkesbury might hold another aquatic animal. It's said to be the home of a prehistoric monster.

Similar to Scotland's Loch Ness Monster, the Mirreeulla (or "giant water serpent") was introduced by the Dharuk to early settlers through stories of capsized canoes and vessels blamed on a monster of the deep. It's been described in cave art and recollections as a large bodied animal with two sets of flippers,an eel-like tail, and the head of a snake mounted on a long neck—like a living plesiosaur would be envisioned. Reports of the creature happened throughout the 20th century. More recent sightings have occurred in August 2009 and March 2010.

But there are so many others. The legend of a very peculiar creature called the bunyip. Reports of black panthers. Sightings of extinct animals in Tasmania. Australia is a land of oddities, both known and unknown. Who knows what the next fishing line will pull out of a New South Wales waterway? Or what glint of an animal will be caught in car headlights?

Weirdness Around the World...

It's time again to explore some of the strange news stories plucked from the headlines across the globe.

They Were Dirt Cheap...

Judith and Mitchell Fletcher of Tampa love to find a good bargain at a yard sale. While in Brandon they spent $8 on a Halloween decoration skeleton in a box but upon returning home they realized it wasn't made of plastic or ceramic. They alerted the police in Hillsborough County and a detective had the bones examined, determining they were from a real for-medical-use anatomical skeleton valued at $3000. It is illegal in Florida to own real human bones so the couple has lost out on their bargain purchase. The local sheriff's department is contacting area universities with the serial number found on a femur in an attempt to find the rightful owner. The box of bones remains unclaimed.

Dial P for Paranormal...

A recent examination of West Midlands Police records in Coventry, England found that burglaries and altercations aren't the only reason local residents call for help. Over the past five years they have received calls concerning UFOs, ghosts, aliens, and other anomalies. Three calls were even received by people experiencing "paranormal thoughts". A total of 18 calls involving the supernatural are documented, most involving ghost sightings. So when you see a spirit, who you gonna call?

Yeren Hot Pursuit...

The search is back in China as scientists gather once more to search for the regional Bigfoot-like creature known as the Yeren, or "wild man". The Hubei Wild Man Research Association is seeking volunteers and benefactors to help raise $1.5 million for their new expedition. With over 400 sightings of the hairy creature and previous expeditions in 1977, 1980, and 1981 yielding hair and stool samples along with large bipedal footprints they are eager to find conclusive proof.

Bewitching Times...

Two 15-year-old boys were arrested in India for the murder of Nanika Hesa, 40, on Friday. The pair, who believed the tribal woman was a witch and had killed their family members through the use of black magic, hacked Nanika to death with a bhujali, decapitated her, and threw her head into a river in Kalinga Nagar. Both boys confessed to the crime and are being held at a juvenile facility in Berhampur.

Death by Fear...

A man in Milwaukee was sentenced to 9 years in jail and 5 years probation for the murder of Marzella Woodson by scaring her to death. Following an argument where Justin Owen, 21, accused his friend of stealing a handgun, the man fired several shots into the house where he lived back in May. Marzella, 58, heard the gunshots and hid on the floor with her grandchildren and suffered heart failure from the frightful experience.

Hairy Hominid Homosexuals?

It's the furry "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of which most people balk at the slightest mention. No, I'm not talking about the bears and cubs of the human gay community. Or even sexual behavior among primates. This time it's Bigfoot.

In his book Bigfoot!: The True Story of Apes in America, cryptozoologist Loren Coleman states, "Frankly, the subject of sex and the Sasquatch is avoided. Never mentioned are Bigfoot bestiality, Sasquatch penises, and that more human males than human females have traditionally been kidnapped by Bigfoot." There have been some reports of encounters involving some sexual overtones and he makes some references to Jan Klement's first-hand accounts of his interaction with a Sasquatch in his book The Creature: Personal Experiences with Bigfoot.

According to Klement, on one occasion he noticed "Kong" (as he had named the animal) sporting a difficult-to-conceal erection and being a bit fearful of what he might be capable of he yelled at the Sasquatch to get it away from him. A short while later he noticed something in the distance. "“As I approached the bottom of the hill I could see the cows on the pasture on the other hillside," he wrote. "There was a commotion among the cows and I when I put the water jug down and walked over I could see Kong. He was mounted on a large Holstein cow and was shoving away.” Upon seeing such a sight (obviously it can't be called "beastiality"... perhaps "inter-species relations" is better) his first thought was probably, "Better Bessie than me!"

During an April 7, 2001 lecture at the 13th Annual Bigfoot Conference / Bigfoot EXPO 2001 in Newcomerstown, Ohio Coleman lightheartedly remarked that he wondered if "10 percent of the Bigfoot population, matching the figures we have for Homo sapiens, might be gay." That one statement was blasted out of proportion my the media with claims Loren stated, "Bigfoot is gay." In all fairness, it was an interesting thought. With so many animals in the world showing signs of homosexual interaction and intercourse, why not? If the creature is, in fact, real it's certainly a valid question.

But of course, many people have turned the exaggerated misquote into a point of heckling. Soon after his appearance he received angry mail from people outraged that he could make such remarks... even though many hadn't even been there to know exactly what was said. Some people started calling him a "homo", "gay", and that perennial favorite: "f*g". But in 2007, some people in cryptozoological circles showed a little more ignorance when a few women expressed interest in Bigfoot and unexplained creatures. One female blogger was told that women "don't want to get involved in Bigfoot research because they’re afraid of the woods." A few other comments were made toward a few such women that they "must be lesbians."

Yes, that's right. Ghost hunting isn't the sole domain of sexist and homophobic remarks. While all of this isn't exactly recent news it helps show that in light of some recent events, nothing has really changed. Isn't the point of researching, investigating, and pursuing claims of ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, and other unexplainable phenomena to unite people in a quest for truth and knowledge? Or have we all regressed into caged chimps too busy flinging feces at each other?

Infantile Behavior...

Another interesting week draws to a close. Keeping busy with a plethora of things, checking up on friends, and receiving my first onslaught of negativity from an unexpected (well, expected... but not expected) source. Shocking? Slightly. Crushing? Not at all. I know who I am and what I believe, and this year has been educational about the definition of friendship. If not marching to someone's drum or telling people what they want to hear makes me a bad man, then hooray for being rotten!

But it's an interesting world out there with plenty of views. And while a lot of the news is on the depressing side, there are some things that aren't so dire and jaded.

Take, for example, Jose Alvarenga of Paraguay who opened his infant son's coffin this week to find that he wasn't dead, as doctors had told him. While it's good news for the new father, it doesn't bode well for doctors and staff at the unnamed hospital in Asuncion. If you can't tell dead from living, perhaps medicine isn't the proper field for you.

Then back to the United States, where in Florida sightings of what is described as a "baby Bigfoot" have been reported in the Baker County area. While it might be an orangutan, the mystery creature has an apparent sweet tooth. Among the witnesses was a bear hunter who lost a few jelly donuts too the furry caper. Subsequent attempts too lure the pint-sized furball out in the open with confectionery treats have failed.

That's all for now when it comes to abnormal childlike behavior. Bear with me as I struggle with graphics, barrel ahead toward autumn and Halloween, and blaze a few trails in the world, as well as my own life...

Quirky Paranormal News Shorts...

Just to catch everyone up on some of the news of the odd from the past few weeks, here's a brief glimpse at some of the world's more strange occurrences.

Big Fish, Mork, Mork, Mork!

A local videographer in Sweden claims to have captured footage of Storsjöodjuret, Sweden's version of the Loch Ness Monster. The creature in great Lake has been spotted hundreds of times over the past 400 years. It is described as a humped serpent with the head of a dog. Just be careful to keep the Swedish Chef at bay. Who knows what he might do with such a delicacy.

Your Mystic Money's Not Good Here...

In King County, the Solid Waste Division as turned down psychic funds. Seattle psychic Alexandra Chauran was impressed with the composting of our bodily functions and offered to donate her services for a fund-raising program for the Christmas holiday. They replied with a "thanks, but no thanks", stating that a paranormal business was "not an appropriate fit for a county program". Crooked politicians? Yes! Tarot readers and pet psychics? Absolutely not!

What Big Feet You Have...

Fossilized footprints believed to belong to a bigfoot-like creature have been unearthed near Cookville, Tennessee. They were discovered by Harold Jackson on his property and measure 15 inches long and 11 inches wide. Jackson thinks they're simply Native American tracks. That might be wise, after the bigfoot corpse hoax of recent news. Still, footprints that large are questionable, unless it was a native basketball player from the past.

Police Hounds of the Baskervilles...

A band of would-be ghost hunters broke into Westboro State Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts to hunt for ghost of the former mental patients. What they encountered instead was the rattling of handcuffs as local police arrived on the scene. One man jumped from a window and eluded police, while the others quickly ran out when they heard the police dogs bark. They were arrested on charges of trespassing and breaking and entering. But luckily, they weren't bitten by any dogs... or ghosts.

Religion and the Grape Lady...

That pesky Virgin Mary keeps popping up everywhere. Now she's taking over the supermarket fruit aisle! 24-year-old Becky Ginn of Arlington, Virginia found her effigy on a grape and blogged about it on Livejournal. After some prodding from readers, she contacted the local media. Ginn, a Baptist, hasn't given any thought to idolizing the green relic. But if she plans to sell it, she probably should do so before it becomes another California raisin.

That's all the wierdness for the day. Have a good weekend, everyone!

Bigfoot Lost and Found...

For those of you who haven't followed the news story about the bigfoot body on ice, you didn't miss much. As the corpse thawed out prior to examination, it was discovered to be (as was expected by most) nothing but a big gorilla suit stuffed with roadkill. The cop was fired for the stunt, and both of the "hunters" who "stumbled across the body in the woods" have gone missing.

Wisely so, considering they made off with a good amount of money.

After emerging from seclusion, they began blaming Tom Biscardi for the whole ordeal. This isn't over for the duo, who may face legal action.

But don't let that discourage you from cryptozoology. Sasquatch is still out there, and you can get your own.

The folks at StuffedAnimals.com have pounced on the discovery and are offering a limited edition bigfoot plush. At 16 inches tall, he may not be a beast exactly, but he could lead to your own 15 minutes of fame. The website is offering a contest for creative photos of your stuffed bigfoot. The lucky winner receives a phone interview and a special page on the company's website.

It might not be as nice as 15 minutes on CNN, but it's a lot safer...

Messin' with Sasquatch...

If what Matthew Whitton and Tom Biscardi claim is true, the mystery of Bigfoot finally might be solved.

And they have the corpse to prove it.

Whitton, a police officer, and his friend Rick Dyer, a former corrections officer, say they didn't shoot the animal. They found the dead body in the woods of northern Georgia. It is described as 7 feet 7 inches tall, weighing over 500 pounds, having reddish-brown hair or fur, and having feet over 16 inches long.

They stored the body and froze it to keep it from further decay. There are even pictures.

Biscardi, CEO of Searching for Bigfoot Inc. in California, has examined the body and sent the DNA in for testing. The results are in, and the answer is...

Well, we'll have to wait a few more days to find that out. A press conference to be held on Friday at noon in Palo Alto, California will reveal all the answers to this mystery.

The greater question is, if this is the real McCoy, how did he die? Too much beef jerky?

A Bigfoot(ish) Broadcast...

It's time again for another shameless plug for an interesting and charming individual...

Cullan Hudson was the special guest last night on Let's Talk Bigfoot. The discussion involved more than just the furry creature in the woods, though. Stories from his book, Strange State, were mentioned, as well as UFOs and even a brief touch on the subject of ghosts.

In case you missed Cullan's interview, you can listen to it here:

Beach Blanket Bigfoot...

Some twisted part of me has always liked the "Messin' with Sasquatch" commercials. As I was browsing on Cryptomundo tonight, I saw a few more... including the following: the "Towel Whip".

It's uncensored so avert your eyes if rear views offend you...

The Bigfoot of the Bush?

The creature often known as "Bigfoot" goes by many names. In the United States, it is often referred to as Sasquatch in the North and Skunk Ape in the South. In the Himalayas, the Yeti.

But what about Yowie?

Yes: on the remote island of Australia, there have been reports of the same enigmatic beast. There, he is commonly referred to as the Yowie. And like anywhere else in the world, the tales are often met with skepticism and plenty of humour. Yet much of the Australian Outback is still uncharted. Many beasts once believed to be extinct (or yet to be discovered) could roam the countryside.

According to researchers, Oz is home to two distinct species of Yowie: a smaller, more docile 'jingera' of Aboriginal legend, and a gigantic, aggressive counterpart. The basic description remains the same: large, hairy, ape-like humanoid creatures with immense strength and horrid body odor. A few reports from the 1800s exist, and people have reported seeing an ape-like creature as recently as last year. The boys at Australian Yowie Research do their best to keep track of sightings and evidence in an effort to prove its existence.

In 1997, Cadbury began marketing Yowies... or at least a line of collectible, cute tins of chocolate resembling the legendary animal (personally, I'm partial to Crunchies... though I'm normally not crazy about Cadbury chocolate). They are, in fact, still collected today though they were discontinued in 2005. While the Yowie remains a cultural icon, it is still an almost comical idea in the minds of most Aussies.

But who knows. Concrete evidence could be near a billabong somewhere, just waiting to be discovered...

Got Milk?

British comedian Richard Herring samples...

...Sasquatch Milk.

With Special Guest, Sasquatch...

Bigfoot has been sited again. This time, it wasn't a team of investigators who shot footage of a mysterious creature. It was a group of hunters filming for a television program.

Easton Bowhunting set up a series of cameras triggered by motion ("stealthcams") in Colorado looking for black bear. When they later reviewed the footage, there was something else in the left side of the frames.

Take a peek for yourself:



Both the cast and crew are skeptics. Many are doubtful that had this been a mere stunt by a crew member it would have been allowed to go public like this. All anyone can agree on is that there's something that doesn't belong there... and it's not a bear.