Datasets:

BEE-spoke-data

/

fineweb-cryptid-5k

like 0

【This is a pre-order listing with fulfillment currently scheduled for November 2021.】 Circumstances for this product: - Pre-orders will open soon, please join our waitlist to be notified when they go live. - Heavily allocated product, shortages are likely to occur. - Contents and price subject to change Important information regarding pre-order products: - Release dates are estimates only and often change (Figures and Trading Cards are extremely susceptible to delays). Delays will be communicated. - In the case of supply shortages, we typically fulfill orders on a first come first serve basis although sometimes stock will be rationed. - If we cannot fulfill a pre-order for any reason (such as manufacturer cancellation), you will receive a full refund. - High demand product lines may attract allocations and purchase limits. These products often result in supply shortfall and non/partial fulfillment. Refunds will be issued accordingly. - Orders under our free shipping threshold of $150 containing pre-order and in stock items will held until all items are in stock, orders over $150 will ship as multiple consignments as items become available. 1st Edition Nightfall Spellbook Darkness falls, and in the cover of night, the darker Beasties find sanctuary… and prey to hunt. MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation™ Nightfall brings a whole new and terrifying list of North American cryptids into the MetaZoo universe. Mothman returns, the Wendigo howls in the moonlight, and the Bell Witch cackles in the winter air. Contract these Beasties at your own risk.. for they could be your last. MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation™ Nightfall is the second installment of the explosive new TCG: MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation™. Many brand new and several returning Cryptids guarantee excitement for players and collectors alike especially with every MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation™ Nightfall booster pack now containing an additional guaranteed Gold rarity card, MetaZoo has never been this fun or exciting to play, collect or open! The MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation™ Nightfall Spellbook is a fantastic place to start! This kit comes with everything players or collectors will need to get a strong start for their MetaZoo hobby! 10x MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation’s Nightfall Booster Packs 1x Exclusive MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation™ Nightfall Holographic Promo Card 1x MetaZoo metallic coin 1x MetaZoo rulebook 1x 60ct MetaZoo sleeves 1x MetaZoo Map 1x MetaZoo Token Sheet 1x MetaZoo Sealed Aura deck

Everybody knows about the strange sightings and happenings from the Bermuda Triangle, but as creepy as the stories may sound, this place is not the only one teeming with supernatural and paranormal activities. Theories about this place range from plausible, to absolutely ludicrous. Some talk about alien abductions while others have reported time warps and other strange things. If these theories enthrall you, you will definitely love the following 5 Most Mysterious Places that will Make the Bermuda Triangle Seem Safe. 1. Bigelow Ranch If animal mutilations, UFO sightings, paranormal creatures and mysterious happenings sound like your cup of tea then you should definitely consider buying your own ranch near the Bigelow one in Utah. There have been many strange occurrences documented in this place since the 50s, but without a doubt the most notable one was that of the Sherman family. In 1994 they encountered a large wolf on their pasture, so the first thing that they thought of was to pet it, since it seemed tame. Although it was gentle with them, it apparently grabbed a calf through the bars of its enclosure, and when they tried to shoot it, nothing happened. In the end it left, and although Terry Sherman tried to track it, its tracks stopped all of a sudden, as if it disappeared. The family also reported UFO sightings, and intelligent floating orbs. In the end they sold the ranch to Robert Bigelow, the founder of the National Institute of Discovery Science. 2. The Bridgewater Triangle The first Triangle on our list, is the Bridgewater one. It is literally like an all-you-can-eat buffet of the supernatural. Since 1970 numerous people have documented sightings of tall, hairy, ape-like creatures, Thunderbirds, and even giant Pterodactyl-like creatures. Six years later, a man reported the existence of a red-eyed dog that ripped the heads of his two ponies. But it doesn’t stop here! Physical evidence under the form of mutilations point to the practice of satanic cults in the area. Inexplicable objects in the sky have also been seen, including a sphere of fire which hovered over New England. 3. Point Pleasant Point Pleasant is not as pleasant as it may sound. Since 1966 it has been shrouded in tales of mystery and strange events. Besides the “usual” UFO sightings and reports of “Men in Black” it is also the place where the Mothman hangs out. We don’t know if it is an alien, cryptid or just a mutant creature, but hundreds of citizens have reported a 7-foot tall broad chested man with glowing red eyes and wings that stretch 10 feet long (and drag behind him on the ground). The Monthman has appeared in movies, books and stories, and although there have been many scientific theories that tried to explain him, it was to no avail. Sightings ceased on December 15, 1967 when the Silver Bridged collapsed and took 46 people with it. 4. Bennington Triangle By now you probably already know that you should stay away from triangles. The Beinnington one has seen its fair share of disappearances, UFO sightings and other strange occurrences. During 1945-1950 five people disappeared in this area, and there was no connection between them, except the geographical one. Only one body was found, the last one, after more than 6 months of searches, but it was so mangled and destroyed that forensics could not determine the cause of death. People from the area believe in things like aliens, Bigfoot monsters, or serial killers that walk the woods. Whatever it may be, one thing is clear, you should stay as far away from triangles as possible. 5. The Devil’s Sea Another scary place, with an equally scary name is the Devil’s Sea (or the Dragon’s Triangle, you can call it whichever way sounds more ominous) can be found in the Pacific Ocean, near the coast of Japan. This place is home to unexplained phenomena such as magnetic anomalies, lights, and disappearances. In 1952, Japanese authorities send a vessel with 31 people to investigate the place. They were never seen or heard of again. People believe that the Devil’s Sea is home to gates to parallel universes (even to the Atlantis).

The article tells us about a creature that got its start in California, but apparently is gaining ground all over the United States. They're called the "Fresno Nightcrawlers," which would make an outstanding name for a sports team. In an article called "Fresno Nightcrawlers Are Terrorizing the Dark, and They're Spreading Far From California," Laura Allan tells us about these strange beings, a "few feet tall," that appear to be nothing much more than a pair of legs and a head. Here's a still from a YouTube video that purports to be a pair of Fresno Nightcrawlers: As usual, this video was taken using the videocamera's "AutoBlur" function, also useful when filming ghosts, Bigfoot, aliens, and the Loch Ness Monster. Here's one of the videos that is supposedly of Nightcrawlers: Laura Allan says that they've never been encountered in person -- they've only been seen on video footage (the one the still came from was a CCTV that a homeowner had set up in an attempt to catch a thief). She writes: Much video footage of cryptids is easily debunked by video analysis, but the weird thing about the nightcrawlers is that the videos seem to be legit. As goofy and awkward as these mysterious creatures may appear, faking them would prove to be a difficult task. So, then, what exactly are we seeing here?... Of course, the biggest prevailing theory is that all of this is just some sort of hoax. The creatures do look rather silly and awkward, and like they may be some sort of puppet rather than actually alive. While it's never been proven either way, the videos were weird enough to get the attention of one TV show called Fact or Faked, and they set out to examine the video.I have to admit that the video gave me a bit of a chill, but that's only because I was reminded of M. R. James's incredibly scary short story "O, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad." (The link provided has the entire story, which I will suggest you not read at night when you're alone in the house. You have been warned.) So despite the fact that the Nightcrawlers look like walking bedsheets -- in fact, because they do -- it gave me a visceral shudder when I watched the video. First, they examined the creatures themselves, and soon figured out that they were indeed only a few feet tall, as had been previously reported. Then they went out looking for the creatures, but were unable to find them. Then they tried to recreate the video with many different known hoax techniques. All their attempts to recreate the footage was met with failure. In the end, they decided that the footage would be very difficult to fake, if not impossible, and that the video footage was authentic. Even so, I'm a little doubtful about all of this. In this day of digital video editing software, "impossible to fake" has almost become a contradiction in terms. And as far as the creepiness factor, for me that was at least partly offset by the fact that besides M. R. James's terrifying monster, I was also reminded of the Wrong Trousers from Wallace & Gromit. Okay, the Nightcrawlers are taller and skinnier, but the principle is the same. Anyhow, it was fun running into a cryptid -- or whatever they're claiming it is -- that I'd never heard of before, but it's perhaps unsurprising that I'm less than impressed. I keep hoping one of these will turn out to be true -- just because I'm a skeptic doesn't mean I'm blind to the coolness factor of there being some weird, unexplained entity out there, beyond what science has yet encountered. But what looks like an old bedsheet really isn't doing it for me. The Skeptophilia book-of-the-week for this week is Brian Greene's The Fabric of the Cosmos. If you've always wondered about such abstruse topics as quantum mechanics and Schrödinger's Cat and the General Theory of Relativity, but have been put off by the difficulty of the topic, this book is for you. Greene has written an eloquent, lucid, mind-blowing description of some of the most counterintuitive discoveries of modern physics -- and all at a level the average layperson can comprehend. It's a wild ride -- and a fun read.

Due to the large number of castles Ashleigh and I visited on our tour of the United Kingdom (16 in total!), and the vast amount of information attached to each, I have been forced to split my article into two parts. Welcome to PART 2! If you haven’t seen PART 1, please read it here. The last outpost of Scotland awaited us next in the Shetland Isles! We visited a few English castles in Tamworth and Newcastle, the Scottish castle of Edinburgh, and others in the Midlothian region. Muness Castle on Unst Island, the most northern tip of land in Scotland, was to be our next stop, followed by Urquhart Castle on the waters of Loch Ness, Cuchulainn’s Castle in Ireland, and Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, Rhuddlan, and, finally, Flint Castle in Wales. Each one of these imposing strongholds had their own stories to tell, through their importance in history, the way they were designed, and the legends surrounding them. Arriving at the gloomy, stormy Shetland Isles on a rocking boat of sea-sickness, our high hopes for an exciting and eventful stay were soon dimmed. The tiny and most northern island of Unst at first glance seemed barren of life, trees included. For the first few weeks the weather was the absolute worst, wind and rain so powerful you couldn’t step outside for a breath of fresh air. But when the days started improving and we began to cautiously venture out on our ramshackle bicycles to explore, we soon discovered that the island of Unst was an archeologist’s treasure trove of Neolithic burial cairns, Viking longhouses, standing stones, and even a castle of its own. Muness Castle, the most northerly fortalice in Britain, was built in 1598 by the newly appointed Chamberlain of Shetland, Laurence Bruce. Laurence, originally from southern Scotland, thought the Scandinavians in Shetland were ‘lesser people’, and had no qualms in exploiting them to their fullest potential. Similar to the Sheriff of Nottingham villain in “Robin Hood”, Laurence Bruce raised the taxes to an exorbitant amount and soon became filthy rich off of the poor Shetlanders. Laurence also took a cut of the profits made by Dutch merchants who bought low and charged high prices for goods sold to the inhabitants. If that’s not enough, evidently Laurence Bruce helped himself to the local women, and is believed to have fathered approximately twenty-four illegitimate children beyond his ten legitimate children. The Chamberlain rested safe in the knowledge that the Earl of Orkney, his overlord, seldom bothered with visiting the Shetlands, and he acted without fear of reprimand. After the construction of Muness Castle, however, The Earl of Orkney found the fortress to be a direct challenge to his authority, seeing as Laurence didn’t bother asking permission from him to build it. The Earl prepared a force to attack Muness, but was dissuaded by his family as Laurence Bruce was actually of a distant relation (unfortunately for the Earl). In 1627, to the joy of many, the evil Chamberlain got what was coming to him when a dreadful pirate ship from Normandy came out of the mists and destroyed large chunks of Muness Castle. What’s left of the castle lays in relatively intact ruins, though now only two stories high rather than three. Muness was built in a “z” formation with two circular towers at diagonally opposite corners (like a “z” shape… in case that wasn’t clear) and originally had a walled courtyard on its southern side, but that was destroyed long ago. Muness castle was not only built as a manor and home for Laurence Bruce, but also as a defensible fortification complete with gunloops to defend himself from, well, everyone that hated him. There have been whispers of a spectral haunting within castle Muness, that is, a few vague rumours on the internet. Something about a shadow dressed in a frilly waistcoat and breeches? The island of Unst, however, is home to a much older legend of a ‘White Wife’ that materializes in people’s vehicles coming from Uyeasound (a five minute drive from Muness) towards Baltasound. As the story goes, if you are a young man driving alone along that road at night you have a chance of meeting her ghost. It is rumoured that the White Wife is looking for her son and will never rest until she finds him. On the side of the highway there is a standing stone with a face, supposedly marking where the white woman’s spirit appears. Vallhala Brewery, on the island of Unst, has taken this old legend and decided to make an exciting new beer out of it; the ‘White Wife’ is a light, golden ale, with a delightfully fruity after-taste. Our final stop in Scotland was at the ultra-famous Loch Ness. Interested in the idea of spotting the Loch Ness monster, we decided to spend the night camping along its shores. We found a lovely, not-so-legit camping spot with a pebble beach, grassy knolls, possibly some grazing sheep, and immediately next to us were the ruins of Urquhart Castle. Despite being surrounded by Japanese tourists, Urquhart is a picturesque beauty resting on an outcrop of land, called “Strone Point”, jutting out into the loch. The castle, though in a bit of a ruined state, is a massive tourist attraction– second to “Nessieland”. Although the present ruin of Urquhart Castle was built in 13th century, the site of Urquhart was once occupied by a fortress named “Airdchartdan” as early as the 5th century. It was recorded in the history books that an Irish missionary, Saint Columba, visited the town of Inverness in Loch Ness between 562 and 586 AD. During the same visit, Columba stayed at Airdchartdan and converted a Pictish nobleman named Emchath, whom we can assume was the lord of the fortress at that time. Emchath was on his deathbed and the promise of eternal paradise after death sounded like a good option. Emchath’s son, Virolec, and his whole family converted to Christianity as well, just to be encouraging. The present day castle of Urquhart was first founded in the 13th century by Alan Duward, the Hostarius (protector of the King’s property) of King Alexander II, to maintain order within the “Great Glen”. In 1296, King Edward I, or Edward ‘Longshanks’, captured Urquhart castle– kicking off the Scottish Wars of Independence. Edward Longshanks appointed Sir William FitzWarin as constable to hold the castle for the English, but he failed miserably when in 1298 the Scots attacked and reclaimed Urquhart. Be that as it may, this being a very turbulent time for castle possession in the history of the United Kingdom, Urquhart was retaken under the command of Edward I in 1303. Finally, in 1307, Robert the Bruce marched through the Great Glen and captured the castles of Inverlochy, Urquhart, and Inverness, all of which remained in Scottish hands from then on. After this time Urquhart became a royal castle, held for the crown by a series of constables, but the fun was still not over. A new enemy arose, the Lords of the Isles, the MacDonald clan, who consistently raided the Great Glen and Urquhart castle in the late 1300’s and subsequently over the next 200 years. Though some attacks were successful, the MacDonalds were never able to hold Urquhart for long. Urquhart castle is situated on the north-west side of the Loch Ness, commanding the route along that side of the Great Glen. The castle is quite close to water level, though there are low cliffs along the north-east sides, and a dry moat protects the fortress from and inland approach. The walled portion of the castle is shaped roughly like a figure-8 forming two baileys (enclosures): the Nether Bailey to the north, and the Upper Bailey to the south. The Nether Bailey is protected by a gatehouse containing two towers flanking an arched entrance passage complete with a portcullis. The Nether Bailey has been the focus of activity on the castle since around 1400 and contains the main castle keep as well as a range of other buildings (the Great Hall, private chambers and kitchens). The Upper Bailey was placed on the mound where the earlier fortress of Airdchartdan once stood. A 16th-century water gate in the eastern wall of the Upper Bailey gives access to the shore of the loch and adjacent buildings may have housed the stables, smithy, and a pigeon house. Though Urquhart castle is a venue on the Loch Ness worth visiting, it is overshadowed by a popular and far more renowned tourist attraction located deep within the loch. A “Cryptid”, from the Greek word krypto meaning “to hide”, is a creature whose existence has been suggested but not yet discovered or proven by the scientific community. Among the most famous of these are the Yeti in the Himalayas, the Sasquatch in North America, the Chupacabra in Latin America, and the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. The story of the Loch Ness monster has been around for a long time, one account dating back to year 565. Saint Columba, the Irish missionary who visited the fortress Airdchartdan at the site of the later Urquhart castle, came across the local Picts burying a man by the River Ness. They explained that the man had been swimming across the river when a terrible water monster rose up from the depths and attacked him. The locals tried to save the man but by the time they pulled him out of the river he had already been mauled to death by the creature. Hearing this, Saint Columba leapt at the chance to impress the pagan Picts with his magic Christian powers. Columba sent one of his followers, Luigne moccu Min, to swim across the river. The evil creature rose up from the depths yet again to attack a human trespasser, but Saint Columba made the sign of the cross and commanded, “Go no further. Do not touch the man. Go back at once.” The beast immediately halted as if it had been pulled back with ropes and fled to the pits of Hell from whence it came. The pagans, realizing that being Christian gives you supernatural powers, immediately converted and gave praise to God. Ever since that time and up to now there have been sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, often described much like the ancient plesiosaur– a creature with flippers, a 6-9 metre-long body, a long neck and a small head. Following the path of “Cuchulainn”, an Irish folk hero and mythological warrior, was one of the many exciting adventures we experienced on our quick jaunt through the Emerald Isles of Ireland (read more about it here). From birth to death we followed Cuchulainn’s epic story to real life places in the Irish region of Louth, a land famous for its legends. Our final destination on that particular journey was the town of Dundalk, where it’s said that the mighty Cuchulainn spent his childhood and grew up to become a great hero. Just outside the modern town of Dundalk stands a tall but relatively small fortress upon a huge, 10 metre high earthen mound, encircled by a wide ring of earth. Though it is believed that the original village of “Dún Delga”, where Cuchulainn was born, once flourished around the site of the castle, the earthwork defenses and the tower on its summit are both from an entirely different age. Around 1180 an invasion force of Normans, having arrived in Ireland, created the earthen defenses at Dún Delga (that still exist to this day) as part of their “motte-and-bailey” castle. It was only much later, in 1780, when the Gothic-style fortress seen today was built by a local merchant named Patrick Byrne. Patrick was also known to have done a bit of smuggling on the side, which is why some call it the Pirate Byrne Castle. Cuchulainn’s Castle is a perfect example of a ‘motte-and-bailey’ design. During their invasion of Britain in 1066, the Normans designed an effective fortress that was cheap, easy, and quick to build with an unskilled workforce. The Normans conquered lands as their armies swept along the United Kingdom and swiftly raised these motte-and-bailey castles to maintain their dominance. The Norman fort would have been a timber tower built upon the “motte” or mound, with an enclosed courtyard or “bailey”, surrounded by a defensive ring of earth and an outer ditch. Cuchulainn’s Castle, the stone tower built by Patrick Byrne, was created principally as a display of wealth and a summer home for the rich Mister Byrne, not as a defensible fort. It was around the time of Christ when the stories of Cuchulainn around Dún Delga took place. It is written in the Ulster Cycle that the great hero Cuchulainn single-handedly fought off invaders into the land of Ulster whilst all the other fighting men were lying in bed, sick from a curse. In the tale, “The Cattle Raid of Cooley”, Queen Medb of Connaught sought a prized bull from the town of Cooley in Ulster and would stop at nothing to retrieve it. When bribery didn’t work, she gathered a massive armed force of 9000 men and declared war on the Ulstermen, completely confident in her victory. As Queen Medb marched on Ulster, Cuchulainn picked off the enemy one by one with his sling, day after day, and would challenge all of Medb’s greatest warriors to single combat. After much grief and the deaths of thousands, Cuchulainn managed to stall Medb’s army long enough for the warriors of Ulster to awaken from their curse and rise to battle. What was left of Medb’s army was beaten back and forced to retreat, leaving the land of Ulster safe from harm. Catching the ferry from Dublin, Ireland we arrived in Holyhead, Wales and were promptly greeted by an extra-friendly Welshmen who informed us (in an amusing accent) of all the amazing castles there were to see in the area. We met up with Ashleigh’s brother, Braeden, (who had been on his own Euro-trip) and embarked on one last whirlwind tour of British castles before leaving the land of tea and crumpets behind. The first stop was Beaumaris Castle, pronounced exactly like a butchered French name (bow-mare-is), only a short bus ride across a bridge to the Isle of Anglesey. When one thinks of a typical castle, Beaumaris is exactly as it should be: a draw bridge, a moat (crocodiles would have been nice), and plenty of towers; I was thrilled to have finally found a proper, medieval stronghold. Numerous megalithic monuments and menhirs are present on the Isle of Anglesey–evidence of human occupation since long before history was written. It is known that the island was once a religious centre for the Celtic Druids, but in 60 AD a Roman general named Gaius Suetonius Paulinus attacked the island in an attempt to break the power of the Druids. The shrines and sacred groves were destroyed, the Druidic priests were slaughtered, and eventually the Isle of Angelsey was brought into the Roman Empire. Hundreds of years later, Beaumaris Castle was built on the site as part of King Edward I’s campaign to conquer Northern Wales, the first of five castles we visited built by Edward– that busy bee. The kings of England and the Welsh princes had vied for control over North Wales since the 1070’s and the conflict had been renewed, leading to Edward’s intervention in 1282. Edward’s vast army and resources made him unstoppable, and he soon colonized northern Wales, establishing three new English shires: Caernarfon, Merioneth, and Anglesey. In 1294 the Welsh rebelled against English rule under the command of Madog ap Llywelyn (oh what a funny name), and a bloody rebellion commenced within the new English shires. The iron boots of Edward Longshanks crushed all resistance over the winter and by the time spring came around peace was re-established under English rule. Noticing a weak spot in Anglesey, Edward sought to fortify the area and chose a site called “Beaumaris” to build his castle. Work on the fortress commenced in 1295, but due to financial difficulties, and then even MORE financial difficulties when Edward’s attention turned to invading Scotland (wars can be sooo costly), the work plodded along for 35 years. At last the money dried up and in 1330 the construction halted, leaving the castle unfinished. After that, Beaumaris Castle became the stage for a few more rebellions. The castle was captured in 1403 during a second Welsh revolution, but lost back to the English. Then again it was used as a base for the Royalists during the English Civil War in 1642, but surrendered to the Parliament in 1646. After the war many castles were ‘slighted’, damaged to put them beyond military use, but the Parliament was concerned about a Royalist invasion from Scotland and Beaumaris was spared (lucky for us). Nowadays the castle is in good condition and can be enjoyed by wave after wave of countless tourists and school field trips. Beaumaris castle is a fine example of perfect symmetry, unlike most fortresses, with each tower and parapet having a twin. This basic castle design consists of an inner wall and an outer wall. The inner wall is considerably more massive, square in shape with six towers and two huge gatehouses, one left unfinished. The inner ward was intended to hold accommodation and other domestic buildings, though they were never built. The outer defence consists of an eight-sided curtain wall with twelve towers and two gateways, one leading out to the north side of the castle and the other into the surrounding moat with accessibility to the sea. The sea gate and dock were protected by another outer wall and a firing platform that may have housed a trebuchet siege engine during the medieval period. Before the Romans conquered much of southern Britain (including Anglesey), the Druids held much of the power in the country as religious leaders. Not much is known about the Druidic religion, but through accounts of various Roman historians they often conducted human and animal sacrifice, claiming to read the future in the entrails or by the way the bodies convulsed as they died. When the Romans set about to conquer Britannia they saw the Druids as a threat to their authority and sought to wipe them out. General Gaius Suetonius Paulinus’ invasion of Anglesey, on the site of Beaumaris, was a huge hit to the Druidic community. Tacitus, a military writer, scribed an account of the Roman/Druid battle as follows: “[Paulinus] prepared to attack the island of Mona (Anglesey) which had a powerful population and was a refuge for fugitives. He built flat-bottomed vessels to cope with the shallows, and uncertain depths of the sea. Thus the infantry crossed, while the cavalry followed by fording, or, where the water was deep, swam by the side of their horses. On the shore stood the opposing army with its dense array of armed warriors, while between the ranks dashed women, in black attire like the Furies, with hair dishevelled, waving brands. All around, the Druids, lifting up their hands to heaven, and pouring forth dreadful imprecations, scared our soldiers by the unfamiliar sight, so that, as if their limbs were paralysed, they stood motionless, and exposed to wounds. Then urged by their general’s appeals and mutual encouragements not to quail before a troop of frenzied women, they bore the standards onwards, smote down all resistance, and wrapped the foe in the flames of his own brands. A force was next set over the conquered, and their groves, devoted to inhuman superstitions, were destroyed. They deemed it indeed a duty to cover their altars with the blood of captives and to consult their deities through human entrails.” Upon entering the seaside town of Caernarfon we were astonished and delighted by the sheer grandeur of its castle. There were eight massive towers (with smaller turrets crowning those towers), an impenetrable gatehouse, a colossal curtain wall with many twisting passages, two main gates, and even a water gate to the Seiont River– this castle had it all. We had two hours to explore and we didn’t even finish due to the sheer size of this fortress. Caernarfon, becoming the capital of the Northern Wales after its conquest by King Edward I, was built not only to protect the capital city, but also as a major symbol of English authority and power. Long before Edward’s time, when the Romans occupied southern Britain, there was a fort and settlement called ‘Segontium’ on the outskirts of the modern town Caernarfon. Segontium was positioned near the bank of the River Seiont, due to its sheltered nature and also as boat traffic up the Seiont would have been able to supply the fort. Little is known about the fate of Segontium after the Romans departed from Britain in the early 5th century, but it is written in history that during the construction of Caernafon Castle a tomb was uncovered that the Romans left behind, the final resting place of Emperor Magnus Maximus. In legend, Emperor Maximus had dreamt of a fortress, “the fairest that man ever saw”, within a city at the mouth of a river and opposite an island. Could this have been a prophecy of the future Caernarfon castle? King Edward I seemed to think so, and in 1283 he began to work on one of the most magnificent and imposing castles in the British Isles. In 1294, Wales broke out in rebellion under the leadership of Madog ap Llyweyln and Caernarfon was a priority target. Unfortunately for the English, the castle wasn’t even close to completion and its defences were deplorable. It was quickly captured and anything flammable was set alight, including the rest of the town. It wasn’t long, however, until English forces moved in to retake Caernarfon, clean up the mess, and begin rebuilding what was destroyed. Afterwards, work on Caernarfon castle began anew and continued at a steady rate until 1330 when King Edward I ran out of money, moved on to more important matters, or simply gave up on his castle building crusade in Wales. Just like Beaumaris castle, Caernarfon was besieged in 1403 during the “Glyndŵr Rising” a second Welsh revolution led by another man with a funny name. The French, jumping at any chance to irritate the English, decided to lend a hand, but this time Caernarfon was a fully-functional battle station and the siege proved unsuccessful. Caernarfon was also garrisoned by Royalists during the English Civil War in the mid-17th century and was besieged three times during that war. After being surrendered to Parliamentarian forces in 1646, Caernarfon castle retired from action. Decades later, the castle and town walls were ordered to be dismantled, but everyone quietly decided amongst themselves that it would be far too much stone to move and the work never got started. Through turbulent times and threat of destruction, the castle has survived in good condition and still retains its formidable stature. Caernarfon Castle was built to be an impressive symbol of the new English rule in Wales. It is believed that the design of the castle was a representation of the Roman Walls of Constantinople; the castle towers are polygonal rather than round. The conscious use of imagery from the Byzantine Roman Empire was an assertion of authority by Edward I, influenced by the legendary dream of the previously mentioned Roman Emperor, Magnus Maximus. Caernarfon’s walls were built as two separate enclosures, east and west wards, which roughly form a “figure eight”. The divide between the two wards was supposed to be established by a range of fortified buildings, but they were never built. All the towers, battlements and firing galleries made Caernarfon Castle one of the most formidable concentrations of fire-power to be found in the Middle Ages. The Eagle Tower at the western corner of the castle was once the grandest; it has three turrets which were once surmounted by statues of eagles, another symbol of Roman supremacy, though the remains of these statues are hard to make out. At the basement level there was a water gate through which visitors travelling up the River Seiont could enter the castle. The main entrance from the town is the grand, twin towered King’s Gate that, if it was completed, would have been protected by two drawbridges, six portcullises, a right-angle turn before a lower enclosure, as well as many arrow loops and murder holes along the way. The Queen’s Gate, also left unfinished, was meant to give direct access to the castle without having to proceed through the town. King Edward I had big ideas when it came to his castles but it seems he was never able to complete them. One of the most famous tales in the world, first written by Geoffrey of Monmouth, had a profound effect on the Welsh people and medieval politics. The legend of King Arthur was extremely popular during that era, especially among the Welsh, who believed in the prophecy of a messianic King who would return from death to banish all enemies from their land. Edward I knew all about the legends of the “one true king of Britain” and used it to his benefit. In fact, the notion of Arthur’s eventual return to rule a united Britain was adopted by all the Plantagenet kings from 1154 to 1485, including Edward, to justify their rule. Once the ancient King Arthur had been safely pronounced dead and buried at Glastonbury, in an attempt to deflate Welsh dreams, the Plantagenets were then able to make ever greater use of Arthur as a political cult to support their dynasty. “Relics” of King Arthur were collected by Plantagenets, including Arthur’s magical sword Excalibur by Richard I, Arthur and Queen Guinevere’s bones by King Henry II, and Arthur’s crown by Edward I. Similarly, ‘Round Tables’ – jousting and dancing in imitation of Arthur and his knights – occurred at least eight times in England between 1242 and 1345, including one held by Edward I in 1284 to celebrate his conquest of Wales and the ‘re-unification’ of Arthurian Britain. It is said that the design of Caernarfon castle, drawing on the imagery of Roman sites around Britain, was also Edward’s intent of creating an allusion of his Arthurian legitimacy. At last we arrived in Conwy for Friday night and had a milkshake thrown at our heads. Not the kind of greeting I had expected but I took it as it was. Young partiers were driving their fancy cars down through the ancient gates of this walled town, vibrating over cobblestone streets and nearly scraping historical buildings along the way. Just as it was in the Middle Ages, the town of Conwy is contained within relatively intact fortifications and overlooked by yet another Edwardian castle placed dramatically on a hill. We set up our tent on the outskirts of town for the night (in some kind of hobo-bush), and the next morning we eagerly invaded Conwy’s defences, taking time to walk around the whole village along the battlements. After meandering through town (and spending a moment to get a picture beside the smallest house in Britain) we arrived at the castle gates, and stood captivated by its lofty spires and daunting barbican. Just like all the other castles in Northern Wales, Conwy was built by King Edward I to help maintain English control over the conquered Welsh. A Welsh Abbey named Aberconwy once existed on the site of Conwy, and when Edward I marched into North Wales in 1283 he captured and relocated the abbey. The act of building a settlement upon such a high status Welsh site was a symbolic demonstration of English supremacy by Edward (not to mention it was pretty mean). The plan of building Conwy’s town walls and castle commenced immediately, and only four years after the invasion, Conwy’s defenses were complete. Unlike its brothers at Beaumaris and Caernafon, Conwy was prepared for the Welsh rebellion in 1294 and withstood the siege of Madog ap Llywelyn. During the second Welsh revolution in 1400, under the leadership of Owain Glyndŵr, the Welsh used their wits rather than sole force to capture Conwy. Owain’s cousins, Rhys ap Tudur and his brother Gwilym, pretended to be carpenters working on repairing the castle. The trick worked; the watchmen on duty naively allowed their entry into the stronghold and the brothers proceeded to kill the guards, seizing the castle. Welsh rebels consequently attacked and captured the rest of the walled town. The brothers held out there for three months before negotiating a surrender, and as part of this agreement the pair were granted a royal pardon. In 1642 the English Civil War broke out, and just as with Beaumaris and Caernafon castle, Conwy was garrisoned by Royalists loyal to King Charles. John Williams, the Archbishop of York, took charge of the castle on behalf of the king, and set about repairing and garrisoning it at his own expense. A few years later, a Sir John Owen was appointed governor of the castle instead of Archbishop Williams despite all of his hard work, leading to a bitter dispute between the two men. Feeling unappreciated, the Archbishop defected to Parliament, and the town of Conwy fell in August 1646 to Parliamentarian forces. Conwy castle encountered no more battles, but over time the castle had been left to rot and fell into ruin, leaving only the stone fortifications behind. Conwy Castle hugs a rocky, coastal ridge overlooking what was once an important crossing point over the river Conwy. The castle has a rectangular plan and is divided into an Inner and Outer Ward, with four 70-foot tall towers on each side. The main entrance to the castle is through the western barbican, an exterior defence in front of the main gate, and leads into the Outer Ward. The Inner Ward, which would have contained chambers for the royal household, was originally separated from the Outer Ward by an internal wall, a drawbridge and a gate. The Inner Ward was designed so that in times of emergency it would be sealed off from the rest of the castle and supplied from the eastern gate by sea almost indefinitely. When building a castle, its location and the strategy of its defences are paramount, and could even decide the rise and fall of ruling powers! Another popular attraction within the heart of Conwy is ‘Plas Mawr’, a great hall built between 1576 and 1585 for the influential Welsh merchant, Robert Wynn. Plas Mawr is a beautiful and ornate townhouse left behind from the Elizabethan era, an architectural gem that reflects Robert’s wealth and status amidst the Welsh gentry. As successful as he was, there is a tragic story of Robert Wynn’s pregnant wife Dorthy and his young son. One night, after watching from the tower awaiting Robert’s return, Dorthy accidentally slipped down the spiral, stone steps while carrying her son, severely injuring them both. The servants of the house hastily carried them to Dorthy’s bedroom and called the family doctor. Unfortunately, their usual doctor was otherwise engaged, so a more junior doctor was sent to examine them both. When the junior doctor saw just how badly Dorthy and her son were wounded, he panicked—frightened that he didn’t have enough experience to treat them. When he attempted to leave the servants grew angry and locked the doctor in the room, forcing him stay with the wife and child. When Robert Wynn finally arrived home and was told of the disaster, he rushed to the bedroom only to find that the doctor had escaped and his wife, premature baby, and child were dead. Filled with rage at the careless doctor for abandoning his family, he vowed to hunt him down. The bereaved husband search was fruitless and eventually he went mad with grief, killing himself. It is said that Robert’s spirit still seeks the missing doctor in the room where his pregnant wife and child died. When we first laid eyes on Rhuddlan castle, one of the last few stops we squeezed into our tour, we immediately asked ourselves, “Did a bomb go off here?” A great, gaping hole yawned in one of its bulwarks, half a tower was missing, and many stones looked as if they were ripped from the walls. ‘Swiss cheese’ could accurately describe Rhuddlan’s defenses. Steel spiral staircases and platforms were added so that tourists could walk partially on to the battlements because there was nothing else to step on. Compared to our previous castles in Conwy and Caernafon, Rhuddlan was merely a skeleton of the past in a derelict state. Though ruined, Rhuddlan castle wasn’t any less interesting, and it was certainly beautiful sight to behold– in its own way. Many years before the Edwardian castle and the Norman occupation, Rhuddlan was the heart of the country. From here all the Lords of Rhuddlan ruled over North West Wales. In the late 11th century, the Normans invaded after conquering England. The remains of a Norman castle at Twthill, built in 1086, is just to the south of the current Rhuddlan castle. It was July, 1277 when King Edward I left Chester, England with a force of men, launching his invasion of Northern Wales. Flint and Rhuddlan castle were the first of his “Iron Ring”: a chain of fortresses designed to encircle North Wales and dominate the Welsh. The construction of Flint castle began immediately, followed by Rhuddlan castle three months later. In five years the castle was completed, and in 1284 the Statute of Rhuddlan was signed at the castle, surrendering all the lands of the former Welsh Princes to the English Crown and introducing English common law. Rhuddlan castle successfully defended itself through two Welsh uprisings (though the town was badly damaged) but after the English Civil war the Parliament ordered for Rhuddlan to be slighted, partially demolished to prevent further military use. It is because of this slighting that Rhuddlan castle lies in such a ruined state, and one can only reminisce of its former glory. Rhuddlan castle is simple but has a unique diamond design with the two gatehouses positioned at the corners rather than along the sides. An inner ward was protected by those gatehouses and towers, whereas the outer ward was defended by a smaller wall and towers, part of which still exists near the river Clwyd. During construction the river course was straightened and dredged to allow ships to sail inland along a man-made channel. Its purpose was to allow provisions and troops to reach the castle even if hostile forces prevented overland travel. There is an old story that takes place at the site of Rhuddlan when the Welsh lords were still in power. Long ago, the beautiful daughter of the King of North Wales, Erilda, was betrothed to the Prince of South Wales, a marriage intended to create peace between the two ancient nations. One day, while following the royal hunt, Princess Erilda became lost deep in the woods. Just as it was getting dark and she was starting to despair, a figure rode out from the shadows on a huge steed, clad in black armour. He lifted her into his horse and carried her back to her father’s castle at Rhuddlan. The anxious king was overjoyed when the black warrior, with blood-red plume upon his helmet, rode into the courtyard with his rescued daughter. All was not well, however, for the black knight was truly an evil spirit, determined to sabotage the peace between north and south Wales. The knight cast a spell upon the princess, and she found herself unable to resist when he suggested that she elope with him. As they made their way towards the nearby river, the knight reverted to his true form. The princess recoiled in horror at the monstrous demon to which she was about to plight her troth. Seizing Erilda in its scaly arms, the evil creature dragged the princess screaming into the river Clwyd, disappearing below the water’s surface forever. It is said that to this day Rhuddlan castle is haunted by her blood curdling screams and the demon’s laughter. The day was getting late and Flint castle was our final stop, the last castle we ever saw in Great Britain, last… and possibly the least. It wasn’t much to look at compared to what we had seen, and the gate was closed so we weren’t even able to enter. Little did I realize just how significant this castle really was. Flint was the first Edwardian castle built and the starting point of England’s invasion and colonization of Wales. The site was chosen for its strategic position: only one day’s march from Chester, supplies could be brought along the River Dee, and there was a ford across to England that could be used at low tide. 1800 labourers and masons began work in 1277 and finished in 1286, but not before Welsh forces besieged the castle in an attempt to uproot the English from their land. Even with the defences unfinished, the English managed to repel the attack and continue building Flint castle. In 1294 Flint was again attacked by the Welsh during the Madog ap Llywelyn rebellion. In a desperate attempt the constable of Flint set fire to his own castle to prevent its capture by the Welsh, “I’d rather be dead than see this castle in the hands of the Welsh!” He shrieked over the sound of burning timber, “Never trust a Welsh!” (Of course we all know that the Welsh are an excellent people, salt of the earth, truly). With the conclusion to the Welsh Wars, English settlers were given property titles in the new town that was laid out in front of the castle to promote English colonization. When the English Civil War came around, Royalists garrisoned in Flint castle and held it until 1647. Parliamentarian forces besieged the fortress for three months until the Royalists gave up and surrendered. Oliver Cromwell’s order to destroy every castle, preventing its reuse in conflict, was carried out at Flint, leaving the site of decay we find today. Before Flint castle was slighted it was quite an impressive structure with a design unique to the British Isles. The castle was based on medieval French models where one of the corner towers is enlarged and isolated, serving as both a guard tower and a keep. Though small, Flint castle was built strong and sturdy with seven metre thick walls at the base and five metres at the top. Access was gained by crossing a drawbridge into a central entrance chamber on the first floor. A vaulted passageway would have run from the inner ward straight to the keep outside. Though it may not look like much now, Flint castle held out against many sieges in its lifetime and gave it all she had, one must respect that. Not far from the castle, on the top of Flint Mountain, is a magic pool called Pwll-y-Wrach, or, “The Witches’ Pool”. It is said that the ellyllon, supernatural beings, congregate at Pwll-y-Wrach after dark. These Welsh spirits are not to be trifled with, as this tale will show, and the Witches’ Pool is a place where humans would do well to stay clear of. On a cold winter’s morning in 1852, a labourer by the name of Thomas Roberts was setting out to work. After walking a while, Thomas passed nearby the ellyllon’s pool and was suddenly confronted by a small boy in his path. Roberts tried to get the boy, who was completely blocking the trail, to move aside, but the youth paid no attention to his questions. Getting frustrated, Roberts attempted to push the lad out of his way but the youth, with incredible strength, tossed Thomas across the field to land next to the Witches’ Pool. An invisible force pressed down on Thomas’ head and no matter how hard he struggled he could not move. Upon hearing a rooster crow the magical force suddenly released Thomas and he quickly jumped to his feet. The strange boy before him looked at Roberts impassively and then proclaimed a prophecy, “When the cuckoo sings its first note at Flint Mountain, I shall come again to fetch you.” Thomas Roberts died the following May, 1853. He had been carrying out some building repairs at the village of Penyglyn on the mountain when a wall fell and crushed him. A young woman, who had witnessed the accident, said that it happened just as she noted a cuckoo come to rest on a nearby tree. She added that when the body was being carried away to Roberts’s home, the cuckoo had followed, singing all the way to his front door. What’s interesting about this story is that within historical records there truly was a Thomas Roberts who died in 1853, crushed by a wall. Whether it was poor building or an evil goblin behind the cause of Thomas’ death can simply be left up to the imagination. Before the invention of gunpowder, which marked a new era of war, there was no military power greater than a castle. With a castle, a few men could defend themselves against an army of thousands, and one man could claim lordship over a country. Those who owned the castle held the power, and wars upon wars were fought to gain that ownership, conflicts that cost the lives of so many in the name of their Kings. But, despite their terrible past, these ruins left behind from a darker age provide us with a glimpse into a different world. Today they provide evidence of a turbulent history, astound us with their feats of engineering and beauty of design, and stir our imaginations into tales of heroes, princesses, and ghosts. Our journey through the British Isles gave us the chance to explore these epic strongholds, something that cannot be found in our country, and we pushed ourselves to see as many as we could find in the areas we were staying; England, Scotland, Ireland, and finally Wales. After 16 castles I have to say that I’ve had enough for now, though I do not regret it. My only hope is that after reading this you will be inspired to visit them yourselves, and experience the awe as you stand in front of some of the greatest British castles.

Estimated time to platinum/100%: 5 – 7 hours (Skill dependent) Missable trophies: None Glitched trophies: None difficulty related: 5 Come Up For Air – Mayday Completionist – Survived Mayday – The Belly of the Beast – Upping the Ante Welcome to the Call of Duty Ghosts Devastation DLC Trophy Guide! As Samantha continues to be hypnotized by the cryptids, Task Force CIF makes their way to a Nightfall Destroyer in order to capture Samantha, fighting the cryptid guardians along the way. Step 1: Egg-Stra XP Challenge The first trophy you will want to go for is the Egg-Stra XP challenge, due to it requiring you to play the online multiplayer, which is pretty much dead at this point. You’ll be earning these trophies: Step 2: Complete Mayday Next, you will want to complete the map for your first time on regular or hardcore difficulty. Try to learn the map as much as possible during this run, as practice for the later playthroughs. During this step you’ll earn these trophies: The Belly of the Beast Come Up For Air Step 3: Win With a Relic Now that you have some knowledge of the map, you will want to complete a playthrough while using a relic, preferably on regular difficulty. During this step you’ll earn the following trophies: Upping the Ante Step 4: Win After Completing all Challenges Now for the hardest trophy of the lot, completing the map while also finishing every random challenge the game throws at you. During this step you’ll earn the following trophies: Step 5: Clean up Finally, you will need to clean up any of the miscellaneous trophies that you haven’t already earned. During this step you’ll earn the following trophies: Big Game Trapper Tips and Strategies: Mayday is the third map in the Extinction storyline. Task Force CIF One, after destroying the Breeder in the Nightfall facility, make their way to a ship called The Stormbreaker to defeat a cryptid outbreak, rescue double-agent Archer, and capture or kill Samantha. Mayday is arguably the easiest of the five maps, both in terms of gameplay and the trophies. The challenges aren’t too bad this time around, most of the hives are pretty straightforward, and the final boss isn’t too difficult, just a bit time-consuming. It is best to play the map with two or three total players. The map can be quite difficult to complete solo, while having a full four-player team will result in a ridiculous number of cryptids to kill. Class selection doesn’t necessarily matter, so each player should pick whatever class they are most comfortable with. The Weapon Specialist does more damage, the Tank has more health and melee damage, the Medic can residually heal teammates and revive faster, and the Engineer can use traps more effectively, as well as repair the drill faster. The most critical ability is arguably the team’s preferred special ammo (the author’s three-person group used Incendiary for every map), so that the team can constantly have enough ammo to kill the more dangerous cryptids. Team Support abilities are also extremely important, primarily body armor (allowing players to take some hits before losing health) and feral instincts (provides faster movement, faster health regeneration, and makes enemies have a yellow outline). If you have a three-person team, the third player should use the team booster, which provides faster reloads and better weapon handling. Strike Packages are very effective when used properly. The sentry gun will automatically shoot at cryptids nearby and works well for defending the drill; once fully upgraded you can place two at once. The vulture drone is basically a moving version of the sentry gun that can shoot occasional rockets, but is more expensive and only one can be placed at once. The IMS can be useful in a pinch to kill a few nearby cryptids. The Equalizer abilities are pretty much useless, so feel free to equip whatever you want. If you have a two-player team, one player should equip the preferred special ammo, feral instincts, and sentry guns. This player should focus on ammo and feral, popping sentry guns when you get overwhelmed and have extra money. The second player should have the same special ammo, body armor, and either a sentry gun or vulture drone. This player should focus on keeping everyone armored and protected with strike packages, popping ammo if necessary. If you have a three-player team, one player should focus entirely on special ammo and the team booster. The second player should focus on armor, and the third player should focus on feral instincts and sentry guns/vultures. Ultimately, the setup comes down to whatever you and your team feel would be the most effective. As one additional note, it is highly recommended to have players that have earned teeth for armory upgrades. For only five teeth, you can upgrade the strength of your special ammo types. 20 teeth allows you to revive faster. Each class has an upgrade for 15 teeth that grants a recharging special ability that can be extremely helpful. If you have managed to farm 500 teeth, you can purchase the Cryptid Slayer Ammo, which is a combination of all the other ammo types. For 1000 teeth, you can equip two classes and upgrade both at once during a game. Teeth are earned randomly for playing the maps. The more cryptids you kill and the farther you get through the map, the more teeth you will likely earn. You will earn even more by playing with relics or in hardcore difficulty. |The Belly of the Beast | Reach the cargo area in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. This trophy is earned for completing the first (and shortest) section of the map. At the beginning of the level, you will ride a transport boat into the main ship. You will have to drill two hives and one door before you reach the end of the section. There are two other doors that can be optionally drilled for additional items; these will be marked with white symbols instead of the normal orange for hives. When you get to the last hive in this section, you will always get a challenge to defeat the tentacle before the hive is destroyed. Regardless of whether or not you complete the challenge, you will get the trophy after destroying this specific hive. |Come Up For Air | Reach the top deck in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. This trophy is earned for completing the second section of the map. After fighting the tentacle for the first time, you will have to drill a door to get into the cargo bay. In the cargo bay, you will have to destroy two standard hives, one of which will reveal a drone. Place the drill on the drone, then go to the observation room above to activate it. This will send the drone into a secluded room with a third hive. This is the hardest hive of the level, as you can’t repair the drill; you will be attacked by aliens from behind in addition to dealing with the ones on the drill. Having a Tesla trap is highly recommended to deal with the aliens that come from behind or jump into the window. Once all three hives are down, you will have to destroy a door to a control room. There are two optional doors on the lower level as well. Once you get into the control room, flip the switch inside and get into the cargo container that drops down. When you reach the top deck of the ship, you will get the trophy. |Survived Mayday | Kill the Kraken for the first time in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. This trophy is earned for completing the third and final section of the map, which concludes with a boss fight. Once you get to the top deck, you will have to destroy two hives; there is also one optional door. Once those hives are destroyed, you will enter a large lab on the ship, which contains three more hives and an optional door. This is where the map starts to get very difficult, as you will often be attacked by multiple rhinos and phantoms on any given hive, as well as seeder pods. After destroying the hives, have all players proceed to the marked panel on the upper level and hold . You will now have to defend four pipes on the same wall as the panel, with two on the ground floor and two above. Only one needs to survive, but each time one gets destroyed, it will slow the progress of the objective. Once you successfully defend at least one pipe, you will be sent to the boss fight. The boss fight pits you against the Kraken. This fight isn’t too difficult if you have a good strategy, but it will require patience and coordination among your team, or a lot of skill solo. It is highly recommended that at least one player has the Venom-SX (the purple one), as it allows that player to launch their own tentacles that serve as turrets. To damage the Kraken, at least one player will need to pay for and use one of the mounted turrets; there is one in each corner of the ship. During this time, he will send tons of scouts, seekers, and hunters after you. It is generally best to have one player use a turret while the other players protect them, though you can certainly use two turrets if you have a full four-player team. Eventually, the Kraken will glow red and heat up the floor. When this happens, you either need to stand in the center of the deck, or be in one of the turrets, or else you will take damage and die pretty quickly. While fending off waves of aliens, those in the center will also have the ability to damage the Kraken. The weak point is the red dot in the center of its head. After a few minutes in the center, the heat will go away, the Kraken will switch to the other side of the ship, and you will have to return to using the turrets. This cycle will repeat until you fail or manage to kill it. Also, after every 1/4 of the Kraken’s health is depleted, it will release an EMP that will destroy any placed abilities, unless they are behind one of the cargo containers. Once you kill the Kraken, you will complete the map and get the trophy. |Upping the Ante | Kill the Kraken using a Relic in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. To get this trophy, you must complete the map while using a Relic. Relics slots are unlocked upon hitting level 30 and prestiging, sending you back to level 1. So, you will need to have prestiged at least once to get this trophy. Relics increase your final score, and completing the map with relics activated will likely grant you more teeth for the armory. There are ten relics available for use: - Take More Damage: you take approximately 25% more damage when hit. - Pistols Only: you can’t purchase any weapons on the map, and can’t pick up weapons from lockers or build weapons. - Smaller Wallet: you earn 25% less cash for all actions and can only hold up to $3000 instead of $6000. - Mortal: no class selection allowed. - Do Less Damage: you inflict approximately 2/3 as much damage as normal. - Fragile: your health regenerates slower, does not regenerate while sprinting, and falling damage is activated. - Stand Your Ground: you will move slower and can’t reload while sprinting. - No Machines: you can’t use equalizers or strike packages. - Limited Ammo: you will get less ammo from pickups and weapon purchases. - Earn Your Keep: you can’t use ammo boxes or team support items, can’t scavenge or craft, and can’t get ammo from ammo boxes. For this trophy, it doesn’t matter what relic you use, and each player will have their own preferences depending on playstyle. If you are playing as a weapon’s specialist, you should pick “do less damage”, as your upgrades will negate the relic’s effects. A tank should pick “take more damage” for the same reason. Smaller Wallet is good to use in co-op, just make sure you are using cheaper items. Stand Your Ground can be negated by using Feral Instincts and doing the first pistol upgrade. The rest of the relics are arguably tougher to use. If you want to make this trophy easier, you can do multiple runs of the map, each time having only one player use a single relic. |Mayday Completionist | Complete all Challenges and kill the Kraken in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. The most infamous trophy from the base game and first DLC returns for Mayday. Fortunately, most of the challenges on this map are actually pretty easy if you are prepared. The more players in the lobby, the higher the requirements for each challenge. Below you will find a list of challenges that can occur on this map and strategies for each. Challenges in green are considered easy, yellow for medium, and red for the hardest challenges. There are a total of 12 hives and a mandatory door that will have challenges for a total of 13 per playthrough. These are all challenges and a description for each: - Kill X aliens with assault rifles, pistols, SMGs, or LMGs: these weapon-specific challenges are very easy, as applicable weapons will be marked on screen with an orange cryptid icon. Simply kill the set number of aliens with the marked weapon before the drill is finished. - Kill X aliens with shotguns or sniper rifles: challenges with these weapons are more difficult because snipers and shotguns are generally very weak in Extinction, especially if you get the challenge late in the game. - Kill X scouts with melee: generally only appears in the first area, just land the killing blow on the set number of aliens with melee. - Kill X aliens with traps: this one can be more challenging depending on where you get it. Some hives don’t have traps nearby, so you will have to lead some aliens to the nearest trap. Additionally, if you have a fire barrel trap, you can place a sentry gun in the fire to trick the aliens into standing in the trap. - Kill X aliens while prone: simply kill the set number of aliens while prone, though traps don’t count. - Kill X aliens while standing in a circle: kill the set number of aliens while standing in the marked circle. The aliens that you kill don’t have to be in the circle. - Kill X seekers before they explode: seekers are the red aliens that come down in meteorites and explode when they get near you. You have to kill them before they explode. This is easiest to do with traps. The difficulty comes from a potential lack of seekers, as you may only get 3-4 meteorites with 2-4 seekers each, leaving little room for error. - Kill X aliens while they are in the air: this one is very luck based. It is best to use incendiary ammo to set the aliens on fire and hope that they die while in the air. Another option is to get to a higher position and shoot any aliens as they jump up to you, focusing on seekers and scouts that are easier to kill. Fire traps and the buildable Tesla traps are also pretty effective. - Kill X aliens from over 65 feet away: aliens that are far enough away will have a white outline. This challenge is generally easy unless you get it in a really close quarters area. 65 feet is actually not that far. Focus on smaller aliens that will go down in fewer shots. You can also use a flare to keep the aliens farther away, or stand a good distance away from your partners in co-op. - Kill the marked aliens before killing any others: this is one of the hardest challenges. You will have to kill a set number of aliens with white outlines before killing any others. If other aliens get killed by traps or player equipment, you will fail the challenge, so avoid using any of those items. Flares are very helpful here. If you get this challenge in co-op, have only one player near the drill focus on killing aliens while the other(s) run away from the area without shooting. - Protect a random player from going into last stand: self-explanatory, don’t let the marked player go into last stand. If you are playing solo, you may get a version of this challenge that is simply “avoid going into last stand“. - Don’t bleed out: pretty self-explanatory. Don’t let anyone die. They can go into last stand, just make sure to revive them before they bleed out. This challenge only appears in co-op. - Kill X aliens while at full health: this one is surprisingly easy, especially if you have body armor. As long as your health meter is full when you get a kill, it will count. It is fine if you take damage and let yourself heal. - Kill X aliens before taking damage: for this challenge, you have to kill a set number of aliens before taking any damage. Use all your best equipment, traps, turrets, flares, and the Venom X to keep from taking damage. Some players have stated that if you get hit while wearing body armor you may not fail the challenge, but this doesn’t seem to work for everyone. - Complete a hive without taking damage from seekers: this is arguably the hardest challenge in this DLC. You have to survive for the entire hive without getting hit by a seeker. Even if you kill one before it explodes, you may take damage if you are close to it. Just like the previous challenge, use literally everything you have in your arsenal to avoid taking damage. Constantly pop turrets/vultures, feral instincts, and use every trap available. Riot shields can also prevent you from taking damage. It can also be extremely helpful to use a hypno trap on a rhino for more protection. Whenever you see a meteor land, immediately focus most of your attention on that area. - Keep accuracy over 50%: this can only appear in the first area. Have one player shoot one bullet at an alien, then just knife them for the rest of the drilling process. - Keep drill health over 50%: this one most commonly appears in the cargo bay on the hive where you can’t repair the drill. The best way to handle this challenge is to have at least one player place a buildable Tesla trap at the entry to the drill overlook, and focus all your attention on the drill. One player should use the turret. The Venom X can make this a lot easier, especially if you have the SX. If you somehow get this challenge on a normal hive, then it is very easy because you can repair the drill. - Find and kill the Leper in 30 seconds: this used to be one of the hardest challenges, but is actually quite easy if you know what to do. Have someone pop feral instincts and look for a Hunter sized alien with black eyes. The Leper will almost always be away from the battle, on the walls or crates farther away from the drill. - Spend X amount of money before the hive is done: very simple, just keep buying your abilities and traps until you have spent enough. You should have more than enough money. Remember that Rhinos and Seekers give large amounts of money. - Don’t use abilities for X amount of time: don’t let any players use any of their four abilities until the timer is up, usually 50-75% of the way through the drilling process. You can still use traps. You get a few seconds before the challenge starts to use abilities, but it can be a bit risky, so make sure everyone has as much ammo as possible before each hive. - Don’t spend any money for X amount of time: just like the previous challenge, only you can’t spend any money, so traps are off the table. Once again, make sure you have as much ammo as possible before the hive. You can still use buildable items such as the Tesla to make this easier. - Defeat the tentacle before the hive is done: this challenge will always appear at the end of the first section. A tentacle will break through the wall, which you will have to defeat before the hive is drilled. This is very easy, just pump bullets into the tentacle until it retreats. There is also a turret in the area. The tentacle will have more health depending on the number of players in the game. This one is pretty hard to fail, and you will probably have it done halfway through the drilling. - Don’t reload for X seconds: this one is generally easy if you and your team are communicating, and it almost always appears during the first section of the map. The best way to do it is to rely on traps, abilities, and melee to get all your kills. Also, don’t pick up any special ammo, as it will automatically reload your weapon and fail the challenge. - Kill X aliens after each player has done damage to it: this one is pretty much impossible if you aren’t communicating with your team, and will only appear in co-op games. The one positive is that an alien that a teammate has damaged will have a white outline, so you can shoot that alien once and wait for someone else to kill it. The challenge is easiest with only two players and may be completed naturally, three people will require communication, and four players is very difficult if you are using special ammo. Remember that Hunters, Phantoms, and Rhinos have more health. |Inquisitive Mind | Find all of the Intel in Mayday. Mayday contains a total of nine intel items for you to collect. Thankfully, you can pick them up over the course of multiple games. Five of them are in set locations, while the other four are random spawns. Collect all nine to get the trophy. Note: you can do this trophy on casual difficulty if you don’t find all the intel during your normal playthroughs. The four random pieces of intel are found in searchable containers. It is entirely random as to where the containers spawn, or how many you get in each playthrough, and each one has a rare chance to spawn an intel piece. If you search every container through the cargo bay section, you will most likely find at least one intel. If you want to speed this up, you can simply reach the fight against the tentacle and search every container up to that point. If you don’t find anything, you can simply restart. Repeat this process until you collect all four. As for the five set spawns: - In the starting area, use the drill to open the door up the long ramp. Aside from crafting parts, you will also be able to jump through the window. Climb out the window onto a pipe running around the room, and follow it to the left. When you reach the corner, look down to find the intel tablet. - After completing the first section of the map, use the drill to open the next door, leading up a staircase to a room with schematics. If you walk past the schematic table, you will find yourself on a catwalk. Turn right and follow it to the end to find the intel. - In the back of the cargo bay, climb the sloped crate, then look to the right for some crates, one of which will have a barrel on it. Jump to this crate, then use the barrel to climb on top. Once on top, you will see a lone crate behind you, jump to this one to find the intel. - In the lab room just before the final boss, go to the back of the room where you will see a huge vertical pipe. Look behind it for the intel. - During the final battle, head to the raised platform opposite of where you spawn; the intel will be on this platform. Inquisitive Mind Video Guide Credit to Rooster Teeth for the video. Kill 15 Seeder Turrets in one game in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. Seeder turrets are spawned by the new “Seeder” alien; they look very similar to Scorpions but are a lot smaller. Seeders will run around the map shooting spores that create these seeder turrets, which are basically red flowers that fire barrages of spores at your team. These turrets are extremely dangerous, as they can kill you in just a few seconds. Thankfully, they can be destroyed with a few shots from any weapon. For this trophy, you have to destroy 15 seeder turrets in a single game. This is very likely to unlock naturally during a successful run of the map, unless you are really good about killing the Seeders themselves. |Big Game Trapper | Use a hypno trap to turn a Rhino friendly in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. See The Architect for more information about creating all the different buildable items. For this trophy, you must construct a Hypno trap and then use it to turn a Rhino friendly. Once you have built the trap, wait until the game spawns a Rhino, then deploy the trap right in its path, or even right under it. If you are playing solo, you are guaranteed to get a Rhino during the final hive or mandatory door in the cargo bay. If you are playing in co-op, you will most likely get a Rhino while dealing with the optional doors in the cargo bay. Regardless of which mode you are playing, once you turn a Rhino using the Hypno trap, you will get the trophy. |Egg-stra Devastation! | Reach the top deck in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. For this trophy, you will need to venture into the nearly dead online mode of COD Ghosts. You will need to locate a cryptid hive on each of the DLC’s four multiplayer maps: Behemoth, Collision, Ruins, and Unearthed. Once you have located the hive, simply shoot it once with any weapon, then move onto the next map. You will get a notification on screen for a challenge called “Egg Hunt“. Thankfully, you can do this trophy by playing the “squads” game mode, and then “safeguard”. Then select “find game” and “play now” on the needed map. It is pretty much impossible to do this in actual online multiplayer, with so few players left, and even fewer playing DLC maps. The locations are as follows: - Behemoth: in the western section of the map, hidden in the metal beams below the square portion of the map. - Collision: go to the east side of the map and look at the bridge ahead. On the bottom of one of the pillars, just above the water, you will see the hive. - Ruins: inside of a stone tower on the east side of the map, hanging from the top. - Unearthed: on the southern part of the map, in the room with the giant rock sticking out. Look into the small hole between the rock and the walls to find the hive. Once you have shot all four hives, go into Mayday and destroy the first hive to pop the trophy. Do note that if you have already completed this challenge on one console, you will only have to destroy the first hive on the other console, no need to enter the multiplayer at all. Egg-stra Devastation Video Guide Credit to Maka91Productions for the video. |The Architect | Successfully build all of the Schematics in Mayday in Regular or Hardcore difficulty. Among other things, Mayday introduces buildable traps and weapons. To build an item, you need to find schematics for it, and then three other items to actually build from the schematics. Once you have all the parts, hit to access the upgrade menu and to build the item. Mayday contains a total of 10 buildable items. Thankfully, you can do this trophy over the course of multiple playthroughs. Schematics are located on glowing tables throughout the map, while parts are found in red toolboxes, which can only be opened if you have schematics. Once you have built all 10 items, you will get the trophy. Sticky Flares: built with TNT, a fuse, and resin. The first opportunity to pick up the schematics is up the stairs on the right side of the starting area. Sticky flares act like normal flares but can stick to an alien. Pipe Bombs: built with TNT, a fuse, and a pipe. The first opportunity to pick up the schematics is on the same table as the sticky flares. Pipe bombs are basically more powerful versions of grenades. Hypno Trap: built with a pressure plate, cell battery, and biolum. The first opportunity to pick up the schematics is on top of the stairs after you fight the tentacle at the end of the first area. You have to actually place the trap for it to count. The hypno trap acts as a hypno knife for any cryptid that steps on it. Tesla Traps: there are three different kinds depending on what kind of battery you find. They emit constant bursts of electricity that will instantly kill nearby cryptids. The only difference is that better Teslas last for longer and are slightly more effective. All three require a wire, an amolecular magnet, and a battery. A cell battery will result in a Basic Tesla, a liquid battery will result in a Medium Tesla, and a nucleic battery will result in an Advanced Tesla. The first opportunity to pick up the schematics is on the same table as the hypno trap. Venom X: there are four different versions of the Venom X depending on what kind of biolum you find. All four versions require a nucleic battery and a deactivated venom-x. The first opportunity to pick up the schematics is behind an optional door to your left as soon as you enter the cargo bay. The weapon has a two-shot magazine, and up to four shots in reserve, that can only be refilled by picking up glowing eggs on the ground after killing random cryptids. The versions of the weapon are as follows: - Venom X: built with the regular (green) biolum. Acts like a grenade launcher; when the shot explodes it will damage nearby cryptids and leave the area poisoned for a few moments. - Venom FX: built with the orange biolum. Does flame damage to any nearby cryptids. - Venom LX: built with the blue biolum. The shot creates a small electrical barrier, a few feet in diameter, which will quickly kill any cryptids inside. This one is very useful for protecting someone repairing a drill. - Venom SX: built with the amethyst (purple) biolum. This is the best version, as each shot creates a friendly and relatively powerful seeder turret that will attack enemies.

Entities that Mimic People Paul Dale Roberts, HPI's Esoteric Detective Halo Paranormal Investigations DEMONS & GHOSTS WHO MIMIC As a paranormal investigator and investigating over 2,500 cases, I have discovered that either ghosts or demons seem to enjoy mimicking people. On some of my cases, especially my demonic cases, I will get EVPs in which the entity will sound like one of the occupants in the house. Case example: A case in Yuba City, CA, the patriarch of the household will hear his son talking in the bedroom. When the father opens the bedroom door, his son is not in the room, in fact his son is outside playing with his sister. Another case that occurred in San Jose, California, the mother of the household hears her daughter chanting and she runs into the hallway to see her daughter walking down the hallway and then vanishes. The mother opens up her daughter's bedroom door and her daughter is sound asleep. Is it possible that these children are astral projecting and that is why family members see them as ghostly figures? Or is it a ghost or demon mimicking the children of these households? One EVP that I captured, it sounded like the couple's daughter. The EVP said..."it's time to leave now!" The daughter was in the bedroom sleeping, so we knew it wasn't actually the daughter talking into the recorder. The mother listening to the EVP exclaims.."that's my daughter's voice!!" The mother and I, ran into the daughter's bedroom and yes, she was in a deep sleep. CROCOTTA - A CRYPTIC THAT MIMICS My uncle Jose "Joe" Causing was a Merchant Marine and when he made a stop in India, he heard about a cryptid called the Crocotta. The Crocotta is a mythical dog wolf and is seen in India and Ethiopia. Its appearance is of a large dog, head of a hyena, has a horse like main, and a tail of a lion. A local saw a Crocotta that was orange yellow with spots. The local told my uncle that the Crocotta can mimic human speech and will sound like it's in distress. The local said the Crocotta that he encountered cried like a small child and was yelling "Āmākē sāhāyya kara" (which means "help me" in Bengali). The local ran over to where he heard the voice and encountered the Crocotta. The Crocotta chased the local and when the local reached 3 people on a trail, the Crocotta vanished. The local told my uncle to be wary of where he walks and the Crocotta is known to be deadly. When I was stationed in Germany with the US Army, I took some R&R with my Sergeant Major to Slovenia and Croatia. While visiting these countries, I would ask the locals about various paranormal legends, and I was told about two legendary doppleganger stories. The first story is about a woman waiting for a bus and across the street she sees a bus passing by and in the last window of the bus, she sees herself staring back at her. One week later, her father died. She believes by seeing her doppleganger, that she was cursed. The other story I heard about is that a popular teacher was teaching her class to her 5th grade students. The students looked out the window and saw their teacher outside tending to her roses and she was also in the classroom teaching a history lesson to her students. When the children told the teacher that she was also outside tending to her roses, the teacher looks outside and her doppleganger had already vanished. BLACK EYED BOYS Jihanna is a paranormal experiencer and she contacted me on the paranormal hotline. She had a very interesting story to tell. This is her story. Jihanna tells me that last year in her home in downtown Sacramento, she encountered the paranormal phenomenon the Black-Eyed Boys. She remembers that in June 2009, she saw a tall skinny kid with a baseball cap on, dirty white t-shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes standing with a short stocky boy wearing a flannel red shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes standing out on her driveway. They kept looking towards her kitchen window and she thought it was quite odd, because their faces seemed to be blurry. No matter how hard she tried, she could not recognize their faces. Every part of their bodies were crystal clear, but when she looked at their faces, their faces were completely indistinguishable. The boys stood on her driveway for up to two hours and still looking towards the kitchen window. Finally, she had enough and went outside to confront the boys. When she confronted the boys, she noticed that they had no white in their eyes. Their eyes were completely black. Cold chills ran down the back of her spine. Somehow, she mustered up enough courage to ask them why they were standing in her driveway. The boys simply said…”we are sorry, we are just hungry, can we come in for a bite to eat?” She told them no. They kept asking if they could come in, Jihanna ran back to the house and locked the door, she was terrified. Jihanna says in her own words: "For a period of three days straight, they kept showing up on my driveway. Enough was enough and I called the police. When the police came they were nowhere in sight. After that, they never showed up on her driveway, but every once in a while, she would see them in the downtown area, like they were following her. Jihanna says: "They will be behind a tree, I will drive to another section of Sacramento and I would see them again or I will see them on the side of the road as I am driving by and they will just stare at me. What is amazing is that they can be in two different locations miles apart as quickly as I can drive from one point of town to another point of town. They always wear the same clothes. This year, I haven’t been pestered by these black-eyed boys and I hope they will never come back again. UPDATE: In 2014, Jihanna had some new neighbors that moved in next door. The neighbors were a couple (husband and wife) and their 2 boys. The 2 boys resembled the black-eyed boys! The only difference, is that she can make out their faces, one boy was skinny with the same baseball cap on and a dirty white t-shirt and the brother was a short stocky boy wearing a flannel red shirt. It was uncanny, how they resembled the black-eyed boys that once terrorized her. The brothers when wearing other type of clothes helped Jihanna forget about the black-eyed boys, but she wonders if the black-eyed boys were somehow connected to these 2 brothers or they were mimicking a future event? Entities that Mimic People

In June 2019, a video supposedly showing some sort of humanoid cryptid resembling the character of Dobby from the Harry Potter movie series went viral on social media: a lady posted this and said she saw this on her home camera this morning. what y’all think this is ? pic.twitter.com/L98wckn6bO — jey bee . ? (@jadynbee_) June 7, 2019 This video was originally shared online by Facebook user Vivian Gomez along with the description: "So I woke up Sunday morning and saw this on my camera and am trying to figure out ... what the heck?? First I saw the shadow walking from my front door then I saw this thing. ... has anyone else seen this on their cameras?? The other two cameras didn’t pick it up for some reason." We reached out to Gomez for more information but have yet to receive a response. Nonetheless, this video has been viewed millions of times and has spurred a number of theories about what it shows. We're not entirely certain about the identity of this "creature," but we've rounded up some of the most popular explanations and done our best to examine them. Does this video show a real house elf similar to Dobby? We're fairly certain this video doesn't actually feature Dobby since that house elf is a fictional invention of author JK Rowling. Unless Harry Potter is a documentary series (it isn't), the chances that this video shows the character of Dobby are infinitesimally small. Does This Video Show an Augmented Reality Version of Dobby? Unlikely, but possible. This video was originally posted to Facebook on 6 June 2019. The following day, Niantic, Inc. and WB Games San Francisco released a trailer for the location-based augmented reality game Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. How Stuff Works explains that augmented reality "is the blending of interactive digital elements — like dazzling visual overlays, buzzy haptic feedback, or other sensory projections — into our real-world environments." In other words, this game will create an illusion for players allowing them to interact with magical beings in the real world: As you step outside and explore the world, the Map will reveal Traces of magic, highlighting the location of magical Foundables. While these Traces can be found all around you, certain Foundables may be more likely to appear at various types of real-world locations including parks, banks, municipal buildings, college campuses, libraries, monuments, zoos, art galleries, and more. Cast a variety of spells to overcome the Confoundable magic, keep the magical Foundables safe, and send them back to the wizarding world. By returning Foundables, you’ll earn unique rewards that can be tracked in the game Registry. While this video would probably make a good viral marketing campaign for the game, VGomez doesn't appear to be involved in any way with that effort. We reached out to Niantic for comment but did not hear back by press time. A Kid with Underwear on Their Head Doing a Silly Dance? The most logical explanation is usually the correct one. While we'd love to see some solid evidence confirming the existence of aliens, bigfeet, unicorns, or house elves, this video probably isn't it. Gomez' Facebook page is full of photographs of an approximately 8-year-old boy. A few of her friends also took to the comments section to theorize that the video likely showed Gomez' son (presumably) doing a silly dance in the driveway: Viv, I think it’s Bobby! Too much fortnite! I hear your front door open and see the shadow. Is Bobby sleep walking? I can see his little chicken walk. The video also appears to show the "creature" exiting the door of this house. At the start of the video, just before "Dobby" enters the frame, a door-shaped shadow on the right side of the screen can be seen moving against the fence. Gomez' son likely has access to the house. A fictional character from Harry Potter probably doesn't. While we haven't been able to definitively determine what this video shows, the footage likely depicts a young child in a silly costume dancing in the driveway rather than an encounter with a fictional character.

A weekly podcast hosted by Mike Burton where he searches for interesting guests across the world, having ”Honest Conversations With Interesting People”! With every podcast being something different, there’s no reason not to tune in, with guests, ranging from filmmakers, authors, musicians & travellers, to fellow podcasters, actors, creatives, experts in a variety of fields and everyone in-between! No subject is off limits, so take your pick at the huge back catalogue and dig in to some Genuine Chit-Chat! Sunday Jun 18, 2023 Sunday Jun 18, 2023 Sahaj Sharda; author of College Cartel is our guest this week, to talk about the issues in higher education, how the political elite are monopolising important industries of the western world and more, in this politically fuelled, passionate conversation. In more detail, Sahaj starts by giving his background, noting the value in education and speaking about his experience in education, how education & qualifications are not the same thing, the alternatives to college/university education, the burden of debt and Sahaj’s optimism for the future. The duo then discuss monopolies & duopolies in & outside of education, how Sahaj wrote his book; College Cartel, what his hopes are going forward and more – this is one for any interested in politics, education and alternatives to the mainstream! Sahaj’s Site: https://sahajsharda.substack.com - Sahaj’s Twitter: @HajSharda Sahaj’s Book, UK: https://amzn.eu/d/jeSYJfy - US: https://www.amazon.com/College-Cartel-Sahaj-Sharda-ebook/dp/B0C2JCCS5B Article On The Varsity Admission Scandal: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56427793 Promo For Cryptid Cocktail Party: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cryptidcocktail Sign up to the Pop Culture Collective newsletter here to keep up to date with Dan, Mike & Ria’s many releases: https://pccnewsletter.com To support Mike, you can rate/review the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & other podcast apps, you can share the show or support financially. You can give a one-off payment/donation at https://ko-fi.com/genuinechitchat or you can subscribe monthly at https://Patreon.com/GenuineChitChat - either option will give you access to the exclusive “Afterthoughts” episodes. Patreons get access to weekly episodes plus every past episode (even when paying £1 a month) while Ko-fi tippers will be able to choose some episodes, depending on how much they give - any and all support of this nature is hugely appreciated! The previous episode of GCC (ep 198) is another Disney Discussions again and for the seventh episode, Ria takes the helm as we delve into our childhood cartoon crushes, featuring movies The Little Mermaid, Robin Hood, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame & Who Framed Roger Rabbit! In more detail, the gang talk about when they crushed on their chosen characters (Jessica Rabbit, Prince Eric, Robin Hood & Esmeralda) and why, as well as discussing the movies they watched themselves, other characters in the films that are “crushworthy”, if their crushes hold up today, as well as animation, non-Disney crushes and more! Find Mike’s other show; Star Wars: Comics In Canon on Spotify & the other podcast apps on the feed of Comics In Motion or on GCC’s YouTube channel. Episodes are out every Saturday; episodes 0-130 are out now; last episode was a book review of Cataclysm, the week prior was ep 130, showing Porter Engle’s origin story in The Blade and ep 129 was the Hidden Empire and Spark Eternal finales! Previous episodes include the War Of The Bounty Hunters & Crimson Reign crossovers, every other canon Star Wars comic by Marvel, the Journals of Old Ben Kenobi, full High Republic coverage (book reviews & comics) & much more - https://podfollow.com/comicsinmotion Mike recently guested on: Ike’s Flame podcast to talk about The High Republic here: https://pod.fo/e/143ce4

The creepy cryptid of West Virginia, made cute and fuzzy. Choose your color- Original black or albino white! About 20 inches tall 15 inches across Made with faux fur, and fleece for the limbs Hand & Machinesewn This item is made to order, please allow up to 2 weeks for it to be made and Shipping to US: $5 Shipping to Canada: $11 Shipping internationally: $15

SOCK IT TO ME HIDE & SEEK CHAMPION ATHLETIC CREW SOCKSSock It To Me Shipping calculated at checkout. Maybe Sasquatch isn't mythical at all, but is just playing one long game of Hide and Seek? These athletic crew style socks have a scenic image of the famous cryptid walking amongst nature. 76% Cotton, 13% Polyester, 6% Nylon, 4% Rubber, 1% Spandex Certified OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Combed Cotton Approximately fits men's US shoe size 3.5-13, fits women's US shoe size 5-14.5 - Made in S. Korea

May 14, 2021 In this fine episode: We get the lowdown on creepy Cicadas from one of our awesome listeners, Demi Lovato plans a mini docu-series about UFO’s, and we mull over creating the best Paranormal “Avengers” team! Welcome to the CreepGeeks Podcast Season 5 Episode 217! In this Episode- Cicada Update, Demi Lovato UFO Investigator and Celebrity Believers? Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30-day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/cheapgeek -Over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. Thank you to our Patreon Supporters: Dav, Isiss, James, Bobby, John and John and Adam! Want to Support the podcast? Join us on Patreon! CreepGeeks Paranormal and Weird News is creating Humorous Paranormal Podcasts, Interviews, and Videos! What is the CreepGeeks Paranormal and Weird News Podcast? CreepGeeks Podcast is an off-beat news podcast that takes a light-hearted approach to the paranormal, cryptid, supernatural, strange, the silly, and trending tech topics circulating the web. Broadcasting paranormal news and fun stories from our underground bunker in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Hey Everyone! You can call the show and leave us a message! Use Amazon Prime Free Trial! Did you know YOU can support the CreepGeeks Podcast with little to no effort! Won’t cost you anything! When you shop on Amazon.com use our affiliate link and we get a small percentage! It doesn't change your price at all. It helps us to keep the coffee flowing and gas in the Albino Rhino! CreepGeeks Podcast is an Amazon Affiliate We’ve got Bigfoot Coffee! Support the Show: CreepGeeks Swag Shop! Website- CREEPGEEKS PARANORMAL AND WEIRD NEWS Hey everyone! Help us out! Rate us on iTunes! Listener Comments: Cicada Info from Jamie FORTEAN TERM OF THE DAY: Reptilian! List of Celebrity Ghost Hunter / UFO / Cryptid Investigators Who would Ghost Hunters Pick? Audible is audio entertainment that entertains, educates, and inspires. For you, the listeners of [CreepGeeksPodcast], Audible is offering a free audiobook download with a free 30-day trial to give you the opportunity to check out their service. To download your free audiobook today go to www.audibletrial.com/cheapgeek Again, that's http://www.audibletrial.com/cheapgeek for your free audiobook. Enjoy this with your free trial: “Through the Brown Mountain Lights” by Christy Tillery French https://amzn.to/2MfRZZh Looking for something unique and spooky? Check out Omi’s new Etsy, CraftedIntent: CraftedIntent: Simultaneously BeSpoke and Spooky. by CraftedIntent This Patron-supported episode is brought to you by Dav, Isiss, James, Bobby, John and John! We really appreciate their Patronage! What to watch: Seth Breedlove Small Town Monsters https://amzn.to/2yemd8x Lyle Blackburn: Sinister Swamp: https://amzn.to/3g0Va0A Stanton Friedman- Crash at Corona: The U.S. Military Retrieval and Cover-Up of a UFO https://amzn.to/38GkCqd Shannon Legro -Beyond the Fray: Bigfoot: https://amzn.to/395obok Ramdas - The One Eyed Turtle by Robert Goerman: https://amzn.to/2DY5civ John A. Keel: The Man, The Myths, and the Ongoing Mysteries: https://amzn.to/2LHbd7X Brown Mountain Lights: History, Human Nature, and Science Explain an Appalachian Mystery https://amzn.to/2TJ2oyR Get Something From Amazon Prime! Cool Stuff on Amazon -Squatch Metalworks Microsquatch Keychain: https://amzn.to/2Mzc7Ek Need to Contact Us? Attn Greg or Omi Want to comment about the show? Join Us Next Time! #paranormal #creepgeeks #paranormalpodcast

My special guest is Emmy Award winning journalist Linda Moulton Howe. She joins me to discuss her research into cattle mutilations and the mind boggling details in which organs and other body parts are removed from the animals. The bovine corpses stunned the ranchers who found them. The animals’ ears, eyes, udders, anuses, sex organs and tongues had routinely been removed, seemingly with a sharp, clean instrument. Their carcasses had been drained of blood. No tracks or footprints were found in the immediate vicinity—nor were any of the usual opportunistic scavengers. Between April and October of 1975, nearly 200 cases of cattle mutilation were reported in the state of Colorado alone. Far from being mere tabloid fodder, it had become a nationally recognized issue: That year, the Colorado Associated Press voted it the state’s number one story. Colorado’s then-senator Floyd Haskell asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation to get involved. Throughout the 1970s, cases had continued to mount throughout the American heartland. And in 1979—after thousands of reported cattle mutilations, causing millions of dollars of livestock losses—the FBI finally opened an investigation into a series of cases that had reportedly taken place on New Mexico’s Indian lands. Pressure came, in part, from a heated public symposium on the subject that had been convened by that state’s science-minded U.S. senator, Harrison Schmitt, who had a Ph.D in geology from Harvard and had walked on the moon as an Apollo 17 astronaut. Ultimately, the FBI’s inquiry poured cold water on the idea that something strange was afoot. On January 15, 1980, the Bureau closed the investigation, putting out a statement saying that, “none of the reported cases has involved what appear to be mutilations by other than common predators.” Locals sharply disagreed. “I've been around cattle all my life and I can sure tell whether it's been done by coyote or a sharp instrument,” Sheriff George A. Yarnell of Elbert County, a rural area south of Denver, told The New York Times in the fall of 1975. Mysterious livestock mutilations weren’t confined to the 1970s, or to the United States. Similar cases involving sheep, cows or horses have been reported as far back as the early 17th century and as recently as 2019. The ‘70s cases, however, brought the most widespread attention. Broadly speaking, the debate about cattle mutilation falls into two camps: those who see the mutilations as unexplained phenomena, and those who see them as normal cattle deaths, repackaged as something mysterious or paranormal. For those in the unexplained camp, opinions have diverged about the possible explanation. Some law enforcement communities opined that the animals were being mutilated by people in strange, quasi-religious rituals. In 1980, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police blamed the mutilations on an unidentified cult. The Department of Criminal Investigations in Iowa, meanwhile, asserted that the mutilations were being conducted by satanists. Cattle mutilation (also known as bovine excision and unexplained livestock death, or animal mutilation) is the killing and mutilation of cattleunder unusual, usually bloodless circumstances. This phenomenon has been observed among wild animals as well. Worldwide, sheep, horses, goats, pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs, bison, deer and elk have been reported mutilated with similar bloodless excisions; often an ear, eyeball, jaw flesh, tongue, lymph nodes, genitals and rectum are removed. Since the first reports of animal mutilations, various explanations have been offered, ranging from natural decomposition and normal predation to cults and secretive governmental and military agencies, to a range of speculations, including cryptid predators (like the chupacabra) and extraterrestrials. Mutilations have been the subject of two independent federal investigations in the United States. The earliest known documented outbreak of unexplained livestock deaths occurred in early 1606 "...about the city of London and some of the shires adjoining. Whole slaughters of sheep have been made, in some places to number 100, in others less, where nothing is taken from the sheep but their tallow and some inward parts, the whole carcasses, and fleece remaining still behind. "Of this sundry conjectures, but most agree that it tendeth towards some fireworks." The outbreak was noted in the official records of the Court of James I of England. Charles Fort collected many accounts of cattle mutilations that occurred in England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. John Keel mentioned investigating animal mutilation cases in 1966 (while with Ivan T. Sanderson) that were being reported in the Upper Ohio River Valley, around Gallipolis, Ohio. The "Snippy" horse mutilation On September 9, 1967, Agnes King and her son Harry reportedly found the dead body of their three-year-old horse. The horse's head and neck had been skinned and defleshed, and the body displayed cuts that, to King, looked very precise. No blood was at the scene, according to Harry, and a strong medicinal odor was in the air. The story was republished by the wider press and distributed nationwide; this case was the first to feature speculation that extraterrestrial beings and unidentified flying objects were associated with mutilation. A subsequent investigation by Wadsworth Ayer for the Condon Committee concluded that "There was no evidence to support the assertion that the horse's death was associated in any way to abnormal causes". When the Lewises phoned Alamosa County Sheriff Ben Phillips, he told them that the death was probably due to "a lightning strike" and never bothered to visit the site. Early press coverage of the case misnamed Lady as Snippy. Snippy was Lady's sire and belonged to Nellie's husband, Berle Lewis. Later press coverage mentions that the horse had been shot "in the rump". However, two students from Alamosa State College confessed to sneaking out into the pasture and shooting the horse several weeks after the case was publicized.[10 IMPORTANT: Due to some issues our team had to deal with on the backend we unfortunately had to pull hundreds of episodes at the end of last year. However, now that those issues are being resolved we're releasing NEW and putting our older episodes out again for your enjoyment. To make sure you get every single new episode and the older episodes as we release them in you're chosen listening app please MAKE SURE that you're SUBSCRIBED or FOLLOWING our podcast. Note: Mysterious Radio does not guarantee that you're podcasting listening app will show all available episodes. To check for accuracy please refer to Apple Podcasts if you have an iPhone as they will ALWAYS be correct. If you have an android device we recommend that you use Amazon, Spotify or PocketCasts. If you find that you're not seeing all available episodes please reach out to the app support team to refresh the Mysterious Radio episode feed. ATTENTION: 2023 - SEASON: 8 We have a new feed for 2023 so to ensure you get new releases please make certain that you follow or subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app. Show Us Some Love! Copy and Paste our link in a text message to a friend or family member: https://www.mysteriousradio.com BECOME A PLUS PASS MEMBER TO ACCESS ARCHIVED EPISODES AND MORE! APPLE IPHONE USERS: LISTEN AD-FREE BY BECOMING A PLUS PASS MEMBER ON APPLE PODCASTS ANDROID USERS: LISTEN AD-FREE BY BECOMING A PASS MEMBER AND LISTEN FROM MOST PODCAST APPS PLUS PASS MEMBER BENEFITS: AD-FREE ACCESS TO MYSTERIOUS RADIO PLUS: AD-FREE ACCESS TO PARANORMAL FEARS! AD-FREE ACCESS TO SEVEN! AD-FREE ACCESS TO OVER 150 HOURS OF ARCHIVED EPISODES! AD-FREE ACCESS TO CONTROVERSIAL EPISODES! AD-FREE ACCESS TO BONUS EPISODES FOR MEMBERS ONLY! Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradio Follow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTok Follow us on Twitter @mysteriousradio Follow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradio Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio Want All Paranormal Episodes? Follow Our Podcast Paranormal Fears! or in your favorite podcast app! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nestled in the sweeping Great Glen, Inverness offers an alluring escape where you can roam riverbanks, explore enchanting castles, and soak up Scottish culture. This charming city provides the perfect base to access wondrous wonders across the Scottish Highlands and tantalizing trails that zigzag through lush landscapes. In this article, we’re presenting the best things to do in Inverness Scotland to new or avid travellers. From the shadow of its splendid castle along the River Ness to meandering medieval lanes, Inverness captivates visitors with its vibrant beauty and storied history. Enjoy a dram at a local whisky distillery, walk ramparts that withstood the turbulence of time, or stroll along the buzzing waterfront lined with lively bars and restaurants. Inverness charms all who visit with its eclectic events, exciting excursions to storied battle sites, and access to spellbinding Loch Ness where a curious cryptid may lurk in the glittering waters. With an array of activities like theatre, music, shopping, and cycling, Inverness is a treat for all tastes. Find fairy-tale forests perfect for hiking and cycling just minutes from the city center. Whether you seek Highland hospitality or thrilling outdoor pursuits, Inverness delivers memorable adventures and cultural treasures galore. - Inverness Castle is a must-visit landmark with panoramic views and interactive exhibits and ranks as one of the best things to do in Scotland. - The River Ness offers stunning views and a peaceful escape in nature. - Inverness Museum & Art Gallery showcases heritage and traditions with a diverse range of exhibits. - Exploring the historic town of Dornoch and visiting Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness are must-do activities for history enthusiasts and those looking to experience the Scottish Highlands. The Best Things to Do in Inverness Scotland For an unforgettable experience these are the top attractions in Inverness to keep on your bucket list as you get into Scotland. 1. Visit Inverness Castle If you’re in Inverness, don’t miss the chance to visit the iconic Inverness Castle! This must-see attraction is situated in the heart of the Highland capital and offers breathtaking views of the city and surrounding countryside. As one of the most prominent landmarks in Inverness, the castle holds a rich history that dates back centuries. Originally built in 1836, it stands on the site of an earlier fortress that played a significant role in Scottish history. Today, visitors can explore its magnificent exterior and lush gardens while learning about its past through interactive exhibits inside. Whether you’re a history buff or just looking for a beautiful spot to soak up some stunning views, a visit to Inverness Castle is an absolute must during your time in this charming city. 2. Take a Stroll Along the River Ness Explore the picturesque charm of Inverness by taking a leisurely stroll along the enchanting River Ness. This iconic river is not only a beautiful sight to behold, but it also offers a multitude of activities and attractions for visitors to enjoy. As you wander along the riverbank, you’ll be treated to stunning views of Inverness and its surrounding landscapes. Take in the serenity of the flowing water and listen to the soothing sounds of nature as you walk. The River Ness is also home to various wildlife, so keep your eyes peeled for birds and other creatures that call this area their home. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful escape or simply want to soak up the natural beauty of Inverness, a stroll along the River Ness is an absolute must-do when visiting this charming Scottish city. 3. Visit the Inverness Museum & Art Gallery When you visit the Inverness Museum & Art Gallery, you’ll discover a treasure trove of captivating exhibits and stunning artwork that will transport you through the rich history and vibrant culture of this Scottish city. Located in the heart of Inverness, the museum offers a diverse range of displays that showcase the heritage and traditions of the local area. Explore artifacts from ancient civilizations, delve into the lives of Highland clans, and learn about Inverness’s role in Scotland’s turbulent past. The art gallery features an impressive collection of contemporary and traditional artwork, with pieces that celebrate both local talent and international creativity. From paintings to sculptures to photography, there is something to captivate every artistic taste. Whether you are a history buff or an art enthusiast, a visit to the Inverness Museum & Art Gallery is a must when exploring this charming city. 4. Explore the Historic Town of Dornoch As you wander through the historic town of Dornoch, you’ll be transported back in time to a place where ancient castles, charming cobblestone streets, and rich cultural heritage come together in a truly captivating experience. This quaint Scottish town, located just a short distance from Inverness and the Scottish Highlands, is full of fascinating attractions that are sure to delight any visitor. Explore the towering Inverness Cathedral, an impressive structure that overlooks the city and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Or venture out to Urquhart Castle, a magnificent ruin perched on the shores of Loch Ness. Don’t forget to sample some local whiskey at a distillery or take in the breathtaking scenery of the Scottish Highlands. Dornoch is a must-visit destination for history buffs and nature lovers alike! 5. Visit the Famous Urquhart Castle Located on the shores of Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle offers visitors a glimpse into Scotland’s ancient history. This magnificent castle, with its stunning views of the loch and surrounding countryside, is a must-visit attraction in Inverness. As you explore the ruins of Urquhart Castle, you’ll be transported back in time to when it was a strategic fortress guarding the Great Glen. Take in the panoramic views from the tower and imagine what life would have been like for its inhabitants centuries ago. Don’t forget to visit the visitor center, where you can learn more about the castle’s history and see artifacts found on site. After your visit to Urquhart Castle, make sure to check out other nearby attractions such as Fort George, and Culloden Battlefield, and even keep an eye out for a potential sighting of the famous Loch Ness Monster! 6. Check Out the Inverness Botanic Gardens One of the highlights of Inverness is the opportunity to explore the beautiful and diverse Inverness Botanic Gardens. Located in the heart of Inverness city centre, these gardens offer a peaceful escape from the bustling city streets. With a wide variety of plants and flowers from around the world, it’s a paradise for nature lovers and garden enthusiasts. Take a leisurely stroll through the different themed areas, including tropical, alpine, and woodland gardens. Admire the vibrant colors and intoxicating scents that fill the air. The Inverness Botanic Gardens also host regular events and exhibitions, so there’s always something new to discover. Whether you’re looking for outdoor activities or simply want to relax in a tranquil setting, this is one of the top attractions in Inverness that shouldn’t be missed. 7. Take a Boat Trip on Loch Ness Now that you’ve explored the beauty of Inverness Botanic Gardens, it’s time to embark on a thrilling adventure. Get ready to take a boat trip on Loch Ness! This iconic and mysterious lake is just a stone’s throw away from Inverness, making it an absolute must-visit for anyone in the area. Hop aboard a boat and prepare to be captivated by the stunning scenery that surrounds you. As you glide through the calm waters of Loch Ness, keep your eyes peeled for a glimpse of its legendary resident – the elusive Loch Ness Monster. Along the way, make sure to visit the charming Ness Islands, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Inverness. With its tranquil atmosphere and picturesque walking trails, this is an experience you won’t want to miss. So grab your camera and get ready for an unforgettable journey on Loch Ness! - Discover breathtaking views of Scotland’s most famous lake - Keep your eyes peeled for a sighting of the mythical Loch Ness Monster - Explore the enchanting Ness Islands with their serene walking trails - Capture memorable moments with stunning photographs of this iconic location 8. Visit the Famous Culloden Battlefield After experiencing the beauty of Loch Ness, make sure to visit the famous Culloden Battlefield for a historical journey like no other. Located just outside of Inverness, this site offers a fascinating glimpse into the past. Step back in time and immerse yourself in the history of the Jacobite uprising as you explore this iconic battlefield. The Battle of Culloden took place on April 16, 1746, and marked the final confrontation between the Jacobite forces led by Bonnie Prince Charlie and the British government troops commanded by the Duke of Cumberland. Walking through the well-preserved battlefield, you can almost feel the intensity of that fateful day. Learn about this pivotal moment in Scottish history through interactive exhibits at the visitor center or take a guided tour to gain deeper insight into each aspect of the battle. As one of Inverness’ top attractions, visiting Culloden Battlefield is a must-do day trip for history enthusiasts and anyone looking to understand Scotland’s rich past. 9. Explore the Black Isle Discover the charm and natural beauty of the Black Isle, a hidden gem just outside Inverness. Immerse yourself in picturesque landscapes and enjoy a peaceful escape from city life. Located only a short drive away from Inverness, the Black Isle offers stunning views of rolling hills, quaint villages, and breathtaking coastlines. Explore its enchanting forests and meandering trails that lead to secluded beaches. These beaches are perfect for a leisurely stroll or a picnic with loved ones. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, which showcases the rich history and culture of this region. If you’re lucky enough to be in Inverness during summer, make sure to catch the thrilling Inverness Highland Games on the Black Isle. Experience traditional Scottish sports like caber tossing and Highland dancing while immersing yourself in local traditions. The Black Isle truly is an unforgettable destination that should not be missed during your visit to Inverness. 10. Take a Trip to the Cairngorms National Park Escape to the breathtaking beauty of the Cairngorms National Park, where you can immerse yourself in awe-inspiring landscapes and discover a world of outdoor adventure. Here are the top things you must experience during your trip to Scotland’s largest national park: - Visit Cairngorm Mountain: Take a scenic ride on the funicular railway or enjoy thrilling winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. - Explore Loch Morlich: Relax on its sandy shores, go for a refreshing swim, or rent a kayak to appreciate the stunning surroundings. - Discover the Highland Wildlife Park: Get up close to native Scottish wildlife like red deer, European bison, and playful polar bears. - Learn at the Glenmore Forest Park Visitor Centre: Uncover fascinating insights about this diverse ecosystem through interactive exhibits and guided tours. With these attractions in and around Cairngorms National Park, your visit will be filled with unforgettable experiences that showcase Scotland’s natural wonders. 11. Go Shopping in the Victorian Market Immerse yourself in the charm of a bygone era as you stroll through the Victorian Market. Vibrant shops and bustling stalls transport you back in time. Located in Inverness, Scotland, this historic market is a must-visit for those looking for unique shopping experiences. The Victorian Market offers a wide variety of goods, ranging from clothing and accessories to crafts and local produce. As you wander through the market’s narrow alleys, you’ll be captivated by its architectural beauty. Ornate ironwork and a stunning glass roof add to the market’s appeal. Explore the charming boutiques and antique stores that line the streets. They are perfect for finding one-of-a-kind treasures or souvenirs to take home. Whether you’re searching for gifts or simply want to soak up the atmosphere, a visit to the Victorian Market is one of the top things to do in Inverness. 12. Enjoy a Meal at the Old Town Cafe When you’re ready for a delicious meal in Inverness, head over to the Old Town Cafe and indulge in their mouthwatering dishes. Located in the heart of Inverness, Scotland, this charming cafe is one of the best places to enjoy a satisfying meal. The cozy atmosphere welcomes you as soon as you step inside, with its rustic decor and friendly staff. The menu offers a variety of options to suit every taste bud, from hearty Scottish breakfasts to delectable sandwiches and salads for lunch. Don’t forget to try their homemade cakes and pastries that are simply divine. As you savor your meal, take a moment to appreciate the rich history of Inverness surrounding you. The Old Town Cafe truly captures the essence of this beautiful city, making it an ideal spot to explore while enjoying a memorable meal. 13. Tour the Glen Ord Distillery Now that you’ve enjoyed a delicious meal at the Old Town Cafe, it’s time to continue exploring Inverness, Scotland. One of the best places to visit in this charming city is the Glen Ord Distillery. Get ready to embark on an exciting tour of one of Scotland’s finest whisky distilleries. As you step inside the distillery, you’ll be greeted by the rich aroma of malted barley and oak casks. The knowledgeable guides will take you through each stage of the whisky-making process, from mashing and fermentation to distillation and maturation. You’ll learn about the traditional methods used at Glen Ord and gain insight into the craftsmanship behind every bottle. During your visit, make sure to: - Explore their beautiful Victorian gardens - Sample a selection of their award-winning whiskies - Discover fascinating anecdotes about whisky production - Enjoy scenic views of the surrounding countryside Touring Glen Ord Distillery is an absolute must for any whisky enthusiast or anyone looking for a unique experience in Inverness, Scotland. 14. Visit the Clava Cairns As you step into the ancient world at the Clava Cairns, you can almost feel the mystical energy emanating from the standing stones and burial chambers. Located in Inverness, Scotland, the Clava Cairns is a must-visit historical site. These Bronze Age burial cairns are thought to date back over 4,000 years and offer a fascinating glimpse into Scotland’s ancient past. The Clava Cairns consists of three well-preserved passage graves surrounded by stone circles. The meticulously placed stones create an awe-inspiring atmosphere that transports you to another time. Wander through the site and marvel at the intricate carvings on some of the stones, which depict symbols and patterns from long ago. Visiting Clava Cairns is like stepping back in time and connecting with our ancestors. It’s a place where history comes alive, leaving you with a sense of wonderment and curiosity about those who once walked these grounds. Don’t miss out on this incredible experience when exploring Inverness, Scotland. 15. Take a Train Ride on the Strathspey Steam Railway Immerse yourself in the enchanting scenery of Inverness, Scotland by embarking on a memorable train ride aboard the Strathspey Steam Railway. This picturesque journey takes you through the heart of the Scottish Highlands, offering breathtaking views of rolling hills, lush green valleys, and charming villages along the way. The beautifully restored vintage steam trains will transport you back in time as you chug along the tracks, creating an atmosphere of nostalgia and romance. As part of your itinerary to explore the best of Inverness and its surrounding areas, a train ride on the Strathspey Steam Railway is a must-do experience. It provides a unique perspective on this stunning region and allows you to appreciate its natural beauty up close. During your scenic journey, be sure to keep an eye out for notable landmarks such as the Caledonian Canal and other tourist attractions that dot the landscape. The Strathspey Steam Railway offers a delightful blend of history, adventure, and relaxation – making it one of the top places to visit in Scotland for any avid traveler. So hop aboard and prepare for an unforgettable voyage through Inverness’ captivating countryside. 16. Take a Trip to the Isle of Skye Embarking on a trip to the breathtaking Isle of Skye promises an unforgettable experience filled with natural wonders and picturesque landscapes. Located just a few hours away from Inverness, the heart of the city, this stunning island is definitely worth a visit. As you make your way along the river toward Skye, you’ll be captivated by its rugged mountains, dramatic cliffs, and pristine beaches. The journey from Inverness to Skye is itself a sight to behold, with beautiful scenery unfolding before your eyes at every turn. Once you arrive on the island, there are plenty of places to visit in Inverness including The Old Man of Storr, Fairy Pools, and Dunvegan Castle. So pack your bags and get ready for an adventure like no other as you explore the magical Isle of Skye! 17. Visit the Town of Fort Augustus Once you’ve explored the stunning Isle of Skye, don’t miss the chance to visit the charming town of Fort Augustus. Located in Inverness, this great place is a must-see for history enthusiasts. One of its main attractions is the impressive fortress that overlooks Loch Ness. This historic structure is open to the public and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. As you walk through its ancient walls, you can almost feel the rich history of Inverness come alive. The town itself is filled with quaint shops, cozy cafes, and friendly locals who are always happy to share stories about their beloved community. Whether you’re interested in exploring the history of Inverness or simply taking in the picturesque scenery, Fort Augustus should definitely be on your list of things to do in Inverness, Scotland. 18. Explore the Historic Town of Beauly Take a stroll through the historic town of Beauly and you’ll be transported back in time with its charming architecture and fascinating landmarks. Located just a short drive from the center of Inverness, Beauly is a must-visit when exploring Inverness and the Highlands. This quaint town offers a glimpse into Scotland’s rich history and culture. As you wander through its narrow streets, you’ll come across picturesque buildings adorned with traditional Scottish stone carvings. Don’t miss out on visiting iconic landmarks such as Beauly Priory, a medieval ruin that dates back to the 13th century. If you’re visiting Scotland, make sure to add Beauly to your itinerary for an authentic experience that captures the essence of this enchanting region. Whether you choose to explore or stay in Inverness, Beauly is definitely worth a visit. 19. Take a Trip to the Pictish Trail When you head out on the Pictish Trail, you’ll uncover ancient mysteries and discover the secrets of Scotland’s enigmatic past. This trail takes you on a journey through history as you explore the fascinating Clava Cairns near Inverness. These prehistoric burial cairns date back to around 4,000 years ago and offer a glimpse into the lives of the ancient Picts who once inhabited this land. As you wander among these stone structures, you can’t help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at their construction and purpose. The Clava Cairns are surrounded by beautiful countryside, adding to the magical atmosphere of this historical site. So if you’re looking for something unique to do in Inverness, don’t miss out on the chance to experience the Pictish Trail and delve into Scotland’s captivating past. 20. Take an Evening Cruise on the Beauly Firth Now that you’ve explored the ancient Pictish Trail and delved into the rich history of Inverness, it’s time to unwind and experience the city from a different perspective. Why not take an evening cruise on the Beauly Firth? As you set sail along the sparkling waters, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views of Inverness and its surrounding beauty. The gentle breeze will caress your face as you glide past iconic landmarks like Eden Court, Inverness Silverware, and the Inverness War Memorial. The river Ness will guide your journey, offering glimpses of vibrant wildlife and serene landscapes along its banks. Whether you choose a romantic sunset cruise or a lively evening outing with friends, this leisurely adventure on the Beauly Firth is sure to leave you with lasting memories of Inverness’ natural splendor. 21. Visit the Historic Town of Dingwall Immerse yourself in the charm and heritage of the historic town of Dingwall. Centuries-old buildings and fascinating stories await in this quaint Scottish town. Just a short distance from Inverness, Dingwall is one of the best places to visit during your stay in Scotland. Dingwall boasts a unique attraction known as the Cactus House. Inside, you’ll find an impressive collection of rare and exotic cacti. Marvel at the vibrant colors and intricate shapes of these desert plants in this botanical wonderland. But the Cactus House is just the beginning. Dingwall offers a variety of fun things to do. Take a leisurely stroll through its picturesque streets lined with charming cottages and quaint shops. Discover local history at Dingwall Museum or enjoy a delicious meal at one of the cozy cafes in town. With its close proximity to Inverness city center, exploring Dingwall is a must-do for any visitor seeking a blend of history, culture, and unique attractions. 22. Explore the Moniack Castle Explore the Moniack Castle and immerse yourself in centuries of history and captivating stories. Located near Inverness, this must-visit castle offers an enchanting allure that will transport you to a world of ancient grandeur. With its majestic architecture, the castle stands tall and provides stunning views of the city. Step inside and be greeted by beautifully preserved interiors that showcase the rich heritage of this remarkable landmark. Take a leisurely stroll through the vast grounds surrounding the castle, allowing yourself to breathe in the fresh air and appreciate the beauty of nature. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply seeking an escape from downtown Inverness, a visit to Moniack Castle promises a truly memorable experience that will leave you in awe. 23. Take a Hike in the Torridon Hills Embark on an exhilarating adventure and hike through the breathtaking Torridon Hills, where majestic peaks and awe-inspiring landscapes await. Located just north of Inverness, this outdoor haven is a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts. Here are four reasons why exploring the Torridon Hills should be at the top of your list: - Unspoiled Beauty: Immerse yourself in unspoiled natural beauty as you traverse through rugged terrain, lush meadows, and crystal-clear lochs. - Varied Difficulty Levels: Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a novice explorer, the Torridon Hills offers trails suited for all skill levels. Choose from leisurely strolls to challenging climbs that reward you with panoramic views. - National Trust for Scotland: As you hike, discover the rich history and cultural heritage of the area preserved by the National Trust for Scotland. - Day Exploring: Spend an entire day exploring this wilderness wonderland and witness its ever-changing scenery that will leave you in awe. So lace up your boots, pack some snacks, and get ready to experience the remarkable beauty just outside Inverness in the Torridon Hills! 24. Climb Ben Wyvis If you’re craving a challenging adventure and breathtaking views, it’s time to lace up your hiking boots and conquer Ben Wyvis. Located just a short drive from Inverness, this majestic mountain stands tall at 3,432 feet, offering an exhilarating climb for outdoor enthusiasts. As you ascend the rugged path, prepare to be mesmerized by the dramatic landscapes that surround you. The steep slopes may test your endurance, but the rewards are well worth it. Once you reach the summit of Ben Wyvis, a sense of accomplishment washes over you as you take in panoramic vistas stretching across the Scottish Highlands. On clear days, you can even catch glimpses of the Moray Firth sparkling in the distance. So grab your gear and embrace the challenge that awaits as you climb Ben Wyvis and experience nature’s grandeur like never before. 25. Enjoy a Meal at the Mustard Seed Restaurant After conquering the challenging climb of Ben Wyvis, reward yourself with a delicious meal at the Mustard Seed Restaurant. Located in Inverness, Scotland, this restaurant is a must-visit when exploring the best 25 things to do in Inverness. The moment you step inside, you’ll be captivated by its warm and inviting atmosphere. The Mustard Seed offers a diverse menu that caters to all tastes and preferences. From fresh seafood caught off the coast of Scotland to tender beef dishes sourced from local farms, there’s something for everyone here. Indulge in their signature dishes like haggis bonbons or traditional Scottish salmon while enjoying stunning views of Inverness Castle across the River Ness. Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner or a casual lunch with friends, the Mustard Seed Restaurant guarantees an unforgettable dining experience. FAQs on Things to Do in Inverness Scotland Is there an entrance fee to visit Inverness Castle? No, there is no entrance fee to visit Inverness Castle. You can explore this historic landmark without having to pay anything. Situated on a hill overlooking the city, the castle offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Take a stroll around its grounds and immerse yourself in its rich history. Don’t forget your camera as you capture the stunning scenery from this iconic Scottish attraction. How long does it take to explore the Inverness Museum & Art Gallery? It typically takes about 1-2 hours to explore the Inverness Museum & Art Gallery. During your visit, you’ll have the opportunity to discover fascinating exhibits that showcase the rich history and culture of Inverness and the surrounding area. From archaeological finds to contemporary art, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Take your time strolling through the galleries, immersing yourself in the stories and artwork on display. Are there any guided tours available at Urquhart Castle? Yes, there are guided tours available at Urquhart Castle. These tours provide an excellent opportunity to learn about the castle’s rich history and explore its stunning surroundings. Led by knowledgeable guides, you’ll get to discover the different areas of the castle while hearing fascinating stories and facts along the way. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply looking for a memorable experience, these guided tours at Urquhart Castle are definitely worth considering. What is the best time to visit the Inverness Botanic Gardens? The best time to visit the Inverness Botanic Gardens is during the spring and summer months, from April to September. This is when you’ll find the gardens in full bloom, with a vibrant array of flowers and plants. The weather during this time is also more favorable for outdoor exploration and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the gardens. Don’t forget your camera to capture the beauty of this tranquil oasis in Inverness! Can I purchase souvenirs at the Victorian Market in Inverness? Yes, you can definitely purchase souvenirs at the Victorian Market in Inverness. This charming indoor market offers a wide range of unique and locally made products, including handmade crafts, jewelry, clothing, and traditional Scottish goods. It’s a perfect place to browse and find something special to remember your visit to Inverness. So make sure to check out the Victorian Market for all your souvenir shopping needs! Best Things to Do in Inverness Scotland – Final Thoughts After exploring the many sides of Inverness, from its regal castle to its buzzing nightlife, it’s clear this city encapsulates the Scottish Highlands’ mystique. Wandering along the river Ness, you feel the city’s ancient secrets and storied past. By visiting battlegrounds or sipping whisky at a local distillery, Inverness reveals its role in Scottish lore. The city provides a gateway to magical landscapes from Loch Ness’s mythical waters to trails winding through fairy-tale forests. Whether you seek outdoor adventure, cultural enlightenment, or culinary delights, Inverness delivers. Its array of castles, activities, and access to the Highlands’ wilderness and wonder create an unforgettable experience. Don’t just gaze at Scotland’s beauty from afar; step into its heart and soul in Inverness. From the pulse of its past lingering within aged walls to the promise of wilderness and magic just beyond, Inverness is a triumphant tapestry of Scottish heritage and natural glory.

HOAX HUNTERS Lot (Image Comics) *(W) Michael Moreci, Steve Seeley (A/CA) Tristan Jones THE BOOK OF MOTHMAN' saga. The final arc of season one. Featuring new series artist TRISTAN JONES! Cryptids begin appearing across the country. Regan joins Donovan to confront a powerful demon in South America. Their encounter with the deadly demon in their search for the Book of All Futures reveals a shocking insight from Donovan's past. Meanwhile, Jack and Ken continue to quell the surging cryptid activity across the Midwest. Tensions build and threats heighten, all leading to the season's powerful conclusion!

PAUL COMPTON I Apparitions Exhibition dates: 28th Feburary – 14th of March 2023 Opening night celebration Thursday March the 2nd 5.30 – 7.30pm, PG Gallery A deep interest in ghosts, the uncanny and hidden spiritual realms have influenced this collection of drawings. Using brush and dip-pen work, linocut and repetitive mark-making with ink, these offbeat works include visions of frolicsome specters, haunted plains, quirky deities and playfully conjured creatures. Coy, Roaming Cryptid, PAUL COMPTON. Ink, pencil & watercolour. 288 x 370 mm

Who Knew The Jersey Devil Likes Coffee? Try It In Swedesboro, NJ This one's for the caffeine-obsessed Jersey resident. That's a category that I identify with all too well. Take it from a gal who drinks way too many milligrams of caffeine per day, I am ALWAYS on the hunt for a good local coffee spot. This particular shop is located in Gloucester County. It might be a hike for residents that live in the most eastern parts of South Jersey, but the drinks that Valerie Robinson and her daughter Marlena are pumping out of Hens and Honey Shoppe look like they're worth the trip. Located in Swedesboro, Hens and Honey Shoppe have become known for their extensive menu of over 25 different flavors and drink types to choose from. I wasn't lying when I said that caffeine lovers were going to rejoice with this one. They're known for their insane espresso latte flights that look like works of art. Truly, they do. Take a look: The drink that I can't wait to try, however is the Jersey Devil Latte. It's two shots of espresso, your milk of choice, and then it starts to get interesting. Inspired by the legendary cryptid himself, the folks over at Hens and Honey wanted to make sure they were serving up quite a bite with this one. Makes sense, right? He's the Jersey DEVIL, so there has to be some heat! What's the secret? Well, Valerie didn't give away everything, but she said there's a bit of cayenne pepper in there to spice the iced coffee drink up a bit. She even gives a nod to the Jersey Devil's home base, the Pine Barrens, since she tops it off with pine nuts. How cool is that? Hens and Honey Shoppe is located at 1422 Kings Highway in Swedesboro. Source: Localish via Facebook

There’s another cryptid on the loose — and this one is a big, nasty dragon-like reptile, looking to contribute to the ongoing history of giant monsters in cinema. The film has gone through several name-changes (Legendary: The Shocate and Legendary: Tomb of the Dragon), but is now simply called Legendary (UK/China-2013; dir. Eric Styles). Travis and his team travel to China in search of what isn’t supposed to exist … their mission to capture a cryptid that is wreaking havoc in a remote village where a water pipeline is being built. They need to do this before Harker, the legendary bounty hunter, finds and kills it — and before anyone else falls victim to its rage. The poster image — a big reptilian eye — irresistibly brings to mind such films as Godzilla (1998) and the Jurassic Park films, as well as the SyFy tradition in giant reptile films. Hopefully it will find a place among the better of these. The dragon isn’t, however, the only legend involved in the film. Yes, it stars action-flick hero Dolph Lundgren as the bounty hunter, tidied up after enduring all the explosions and fire-fights of Expendables 2. Also from Expendables 2 is his co-star, Scott Adkins, who plays a cryptozoologist whose aim is to save the monster rather than kill it. Directed by Eric Styles (pictured below on location with the cast) and written by Andy Briggs (who has written other genre flicks, such as Rise of the Gargoyles, Ghost Town, Dark Relic and the 2012 version of The Philadelphia Experiment), it looks like it could be a decent creature feature and something to help fill the giant-monster gap between Del Toro’s epic Pacific Rim and Gareth Edwards’ much anticipated Godzilla (2014). Also in the cast are Chinese actress Yi Huang and from the UK Lydia Leonard (Jericho, London Hospital, Casualty 1909 and single-episode roles in other British TV series such as Ashes To Ashes and Spooks).

News & Politics 4/06/2021: Paranormal News Insider: Episode #474 April Fool’s Day finds Bigfoot. Alligator sightings return to Pennsylvania. Cryptid center for kids opens in Pittsburgh. UFOs return to Chicago? Michio says ‘terrible idea’ on meeting aliens. BOTW, The Contact Paradox by Keith Cooper. It is Free

Nebraska, often referred to as the Cornhusker State, may seem like a quiet and unassuming place at first glance. With its vast plains, friendly residents, and serene landscapes, it’s easy to underestimate the hidden mysteries that lurk beneath the surface. In this article, we will delve deep into the shadows to uncover some truly unsettling and scary facts about Nebraska. From eerie legends to unsolved mysteries, prepare to be intrigued and maybe even spooked as we explore the darker side of the Cornhusker State. The Haunting of Nebraska’s Hummel Park Hummel Park, located in Omaha, Nebraska, is not your typical recreational area. While it may appear picturesque during the day, as night falls, the park transforms into something much more sinister. Legend has it that the park is haunted by the ghosts of Native Americans who were once violently driven from their land. Visitors have reported hearing eerie whispers, seeing apparitions, and feeling an overwhelming sense of dread. Could there be more to this park than meets the eye, or is it simply the stuff of urban legends? The Curse of Devil’s Canyon Nebraska boasts its fair share of natural beauty, but Devil’s Canyon, near Bayard, holds a dark secret. Local folklore tells of a curse that befalls anyone who ventures too close to the canyon’s edge. It is said that those who dare to cross the boundary are doomed to suffer a series of misfortunes. Mysterious accidents, financial ruin, and even tragic deaths have been attributed to this curse. Is it mere superstition, or is there something truly ominous about Devil’s Canyon? The Disappearance of Brandon Swanson In May 2008, 19-year-old Brandon Swanson mysteriously vanished without a trace while driving home in rural Nebraska. Despite extensive search efforts, his disappearance remains unsolved to this day. The eerie part? In his final phone call to his father, Brandon mentioned being in a “ditch” and claimed he was walking towards “lights.” Yet, search teams found no signs of him or his vehicle in the area he described. Was he the victim of foul play, or did he stumble upon something far more sinister that night? The Shadowy History of Nebraska’s Abandoned Asylums Nebraska is home to several abandoned psychiatric asylums, each with its own chilling history. These institutions were notorious for their mistreatment of patients and unorthodox medical practices. The remnants of these asylums stand as eerie reminders of a darker era in mental healthcare. Visitors have reported hearing disembodied voices, witnessing ghostly apparitions, and feeling an overwhelming sense of despair when exploring these decaying structures. What secrets do these asylums hold, and what residual energy lingers within their walls? The Enigmatic Beast of Brayton In the small town of Brayton, Nebraska, residents have reported sightings of a mysterious and terrifying creature known as the “Beast of Brayton.” Described as a cross between a wolf and a bear, this creature is said to prowl the countryside, striking fear into the hearts of those who encounter it. Some speculate that it’s a cryptid, while others believe it could be an escaped exotic animal. Whatever it may be, the Beast of Brayton remains an enigma, leaving residents on edge and wary of the shadows. The Curse of Nebraska’s Strangest Town: Monowi Monowi, Nebraska, holds the distinction of being the smallest incorporated town in the United States with a population of just one. But what makes this seemingly innocuous town eerie is not its size but its history of misfortune. Local legend tells of a curse that has plagued Monowi for generations. Mysterious fires, strange accidents, and an overall sense of isolation have made life in Monowi far from ordinary. Is the curse real, or is it simply a series of unfortunate coincidences? In conclusion, Nebraska may be known for its cornfields and warm hospitality, but it also harbors a darker side filled with unsettling mysteries and eerie legends. From haunted parks to cursed canyons, unsolved disappearances, and enigmatic creatures, the Cornhusker State is home to a plethora of scary facts that challenge its tranquil facade. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer in the supernatural, these tales will undoubtedly leave you questioning the unknown and exploring the shadows of Nebraska. So, the next time you find yourself in the heartland of America, remember that there’s more to Nebraska than meets the eye, and the “scary facts about Nebraska” may be lurking just around the corner.# The Dark and Disturbing Legacy of Nebraska’s Villisca Axe Murders One of the most chilling and unsolved mysteries in Nebraska’s history is the Villisca Axe Murders that occurred in the quiet town of Villisca in 1912. Eight people, including six children, were brutally murdered with an axe in their sleep. The killer left no clues behind, and the case remains unsolved to this day. The Villisca Axe Murders have since become a source of local legend and ghostly tales. Many claim that the spirits of the victims still haunt the house where the gruesome murders occurred, leading to paranormal investigators flocking to the scene in search of answers. Is the small town of Villisca cursed by this horrifying event, or is it simply a dark chapter in Nebraska’s history that refuses to be forgotten? The Mysterious Phenomenon of Nebraska’s Brown Mountain Lights In the rugged Sandhills region of Nebraska, there exists a mysterious phenomenon known as the Brown Mountain Lights. These unexplained, ghostly orbs of light have been witnessed by many, floating above the sand dunes, and have confounded scientists and locals alike for generations. While some attribute the lights to natural phenomena like swamp gas or reflections, others believe they are the result of more supernatural forces at play. The Brown Mountain Lights remain an eerie and unexplained enigma, casting a shadow of mystery over this remote part of Nebraska. The Unearthly Encounters at Nebraska’s Maloney Hill Nebraska’s Maloney Hill, situated near the small town of O’Neill, has a reputation for unexplained phenomena and eerie encounters. Locals have reported witnessing strange lights in the night sky, hearing inexplicable noises, and encountering bizarre creatures that defy explanation. From alien encounters to ghostly apparitions, Maloney Hill seems to be a hotspot for the unexplained. Is it a place where the boundaries between our world and the unknown blur, or is there a logical explanation for these eerie experiences? The Ghostly Presence of Nebraska’s State Capitol Even the seat of Nebraska’s government, the State Capitol building in Lincoln, holds a reputation for being haunted. Many employees and visitors have reported ghostly encounters within its halls. The ghost of a workman who fell to his death during its construction is said to roam the building, and strange phenomena such as flickering lights and unexplained footsteps have been attributed to his restless spirit. The State Capitol is not only a center of government but also a hub of paranormal activity, reminding us that even the most official places can have their dark secrets. In conclusion, Nebraska is not just a land of wide-open spaces and friendly faces; it also harbors a wealth of eerie and unsettling mysteries. From haunted parks to cursed canyons, unsolved murders, and enigmatic phenomena, the Cornhusker State has its share of scary facts that defy explanation. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer in the supernatural, these tales will leave you questioning the boundaries of reality and exploring the enigmatic side of Nebraska. So, when you visit this tranquil state, remember that beneath its serene exterior lies a world of mysteries waiting to be unraveled, and the “scary facts about Nebraska” are an integral part of its history and lore.

Gators, Ghosts and Goblins returns to Gatorland for a fifth year in a row on three weekends throughout October. The event promises the return of Swamp Ghost's Monster Museum complete with an all-new exhibit, all new haunt zones, the Cryptid Express ride, interactive characters, animal meet-and-greets, shows, vendors and a kids' Halloween costume party (1 p.m. at the Upclose Arena). New haunt zones include The Creepy Creature Carnival, filled with monsters, and Frightful Frontier, an Old West-themed town littered with cursed cowboys. The all-ages event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29. Gators, Ghosts and Goblins admission is included with Gatorland park admission. Guests are invited to attend in costume (please, nothing too gory — it's a family event, people!). Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters. Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed

Meet the voices beyond the books. Cameron is the audio voice of Death Rides the Red River, Tracks, Bayou Moon, Blood Moon, and Voodoo Moon, House of Honor Books' best-selling books on Audible. He is also the host of the Dixie Cryptid podcast with thousands of listeners worldwide. Learn More. Kacey is the voice of Keshia C. Willi's book, Fire Tales. Listen to a sample of her dynamic storytelling voice on our catalog page. Learn more. Steven's many masterful voices bring to life the nineteen stories in Tokens of Perdition. Learn more. Chris takes on the voice of Kit Mann in Judgment, the second book in House of Honor Books' Mann of God series. Listen to a sample on our catalog page. Learn more. Bryan is the voice for Chronicles of Dreyfus Volume I. Listen to a sample on our catalog page. Learn more. Vincent is the creepy, stunning voice of Krampusnacht. Listen to a sample on our catalog page. Learn more. Dean is the voice of New Perspectives by Rick Shaw. Listen to a sample on our catalog page. Learn more. Jamie is the voice of Rachel Roth's book, Dead Flies. Seth is the voice of Ronald Hancock's book Man Who Walks With Sasquatch. Learn more. Andrew is the voice of Keshia C. Willi's books Johnny Be Good and Beware the Wolf. Learn More.

Chicago has a rich paranormal history. If the tales are true, our city has ghosts in its nightclubs (the Limelight, Excalibur, and Castle Chicago, all in the old Chicago Historical Society building on Dearborn), in its hotels (the Congress Plaza Hotel reputedly throngs with spirits, including those of Al Capone and a murdered peg-legged hobo), and obviously in its graveyards (most famously, Resurrection Cemetery in southwest-suburban Justice is ground zero for sightings of a phantom hitchhiking woman nicknamed Resurrection Mary, who’s been appearing since the 1930s). Even against this busy backdrop, the apparent arrival of a flying cryptid that dive-bombs off the Willis Tower provides a new level of excitement—especially when it has its own theme song. Chicago rapper and singer Rich Jones performed “Mothman,” his new track about the winged humanoid that’s supposedly been plaguing Chicago for much of the summer and fall, in early September at the North Coast Music Festival—or so I heard from an alleged eyewitness, Reader staff writer Leor Galil. His account of the song, like most eyewitness reports of cryptids, provided limited evidence for what he claimed to have experienced—he sent me a photograph of Jones performing in front of a red-eyed illustration that could’ve been the creature, but there was no audio and no video. The track hadn’t been released. In short, I had only Leor’s word about its existence. What about the 16,000 or so other people who attended North Coast that day? Surely many of them had passed within earshot of Jones’s set. Why was there no shaky bootleg video, recorded with an iPad held aloft? Was Leor part of a localized mass hallucination? And in that case, why were there no other reports from people convinced they’d witnessed the same thing? Photographs can be faked. I had to find out more. I had to get proof. Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself here. I’ve been interested in the Chicago Mothman, which I’ve been calling the Lake Michigan Bat Creature, since June 30, 2017—that’s when it was supposedly sighted in my neighborhood, outside Logan Square bar the Owl. In late July, a friend sent me a recap of sightings published by Riot Fest’s magazine, and I was thrilled by how close together many of them were. Most supposed witnesses describe the monster as a giant humanoid bat, but some report seeing a huge owl, a creature with “jagged and insect-like” wings and the “body form of a mantis,” or a cryptid resembling West Virginia’s famous Mothman from 1966. Similar sightings in Chicagoland date back to 2011, but they’ve undergone a remarkable uptick this year. Many of these sightings have been catalogued by Lon Strickler of the website Phantoms and Monsters, who lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania. According to a map he’s created, we’re now up to 58 sightings—55 of them in 2017. Most have occurred relatively close to the lakefront, though suburbs such as Tinley Park and Bolingbrook have seen one-off outliers. The majority of witnesses agree that the creature has red eyes, that it’s seven to eight feet tall, and that they experienced a strong feeling of fear or foreboding when they encountered it. The Reader‘s own Aimee Levitt covered the flying humanoid in August, and the Tribune and Playboy have published investigations as well. Reputed sightings of the Chicago Mothman, collected and mapped by the website Phantoms and Monsters As far as I know, Rich Jones is the first to address the sightings with music—but even if “Mothman” isn’t the first song about the monster, I’m willing to bet it’s the first with a verse from the monster’s point of view. Unlike the Bat Creature, Jones has a publicist, so tracking him down for a telephone interview wasn’t difficult. Since this summer, when he finished “Mothman”—an upbeat, charming pop tune with production by Fess Grandiose and Nunca Duerma—Jones has been waiting for the perfect time to release it. Halloween season was a gimme, and as soon as this story is published, the song will be out too. Jones has had a busy year. In January the Chicago native released the EP Vegas, and in June he dropped a collaboration with Mykele Deville called “No Clue.” He’s performed steadily, most notably at the Logan Square Arts Festival and North Coast, and he’s been feverishly working on new music at Fat Tongue, a Logan Square studio owned by his friend Joel Gutman. Of course, he’s also made time to study the Lake Michigan Bat Creature. “I started hearing about the creature in the middle of the summer,” Jones says. “A friend of mine had posted something on Facebook about it. Given my own personal proclivities towards urban legends and the mysterious side, I of course took an interest.” He went down a “Mothman K-hole,” he says, laughing, and in the introduction of “Mothman” he shows off some of the fruits of that research. Most folks don’t know, for instance, that the unidentified flying humanoid is theorized to have an eight-day feeding cycle. Jones was introduced to the creature cult by his friend Ross Berman, a folksinger, comedian, and professional wrestling journalist. Berman has been looking for the creature since the summer. On Monday nights in Lincoln Park—a neighborhood rich in sightings—he records a podcast called The RAW Rebellion for WrestleZone.com, and afterward he often takes long walks home, sometimes all the way to the Loop, gazing skyward and hoping to spot something. He hasn’t had any luck yet, but he speaks fondly of the creature: “It’s still the kind of thing that inspires wonder.” For Jones, it’s inspired not just wonder but also a smooth creature-feature jam. “Mothman” started as a way for him to exorcise writer’s block. “I’d been sitting on this one piece of music my friends had made for me from last fall,” he says. “I just knew I was gonna have to do something great with it. I was feeling a little stymied. At a certain point, something just clicked in my head and I thought, ‘I should write about the Mothman.’ I just thought, ‘This could be a fun little exercise.’ I hadn’t written any sort of story form or any sort of narrative in a long time, so I figured it would be kind of fun to tap into my other interests while approaching music.” The song unfolds mostly like a traditional horror story: he recounts a legend, then sets a group of hapless victims off in search of the monster it describes. When they end up face to face with it, though, Jones deviates from the template: his protagonists are met by a creature less interested in chowing down on human beings than with finding a way to fit into our world. (It’s a little like Sheb Wooley’s 1958 novelty hit “The Purple People Eater,” except this monster doesn’t mention wanting to join a rock ‘n’ roll band.) Given that Jones describes the Mothman has having “red-ass eyes,” the song turns out surprisingly poignant, which works largely due to Jones’s earnest, relaxed vocal performance. It’s a perfect summer-slipping-into-fall song, a bit of campy soft soul with a note of melancholy. On October 3, midwestern-focused paranormal research site SingularFortean.com posted the account of an anonymous local witch, who proposed that a ritual she’d conducted with her partner at Fargo Beach in Rogers Park during the so-called blood moon of September 2015 might have opened a door for these creatures. (Depending on who you believe, the plural “creatures” is entirely apt. In May near Navy Pier, witnesses reported a pair flying together.) Originally the witch had designed the ceremony to honor the lake and the moon, but due to a premonition that “the veil between worlds was becoming permeable,” she changed the spell to create a portal. She remembers “dark, shadowy things seemingly pouring out of the doorway” while conducting her incantation, but she feels warmly toward the shadows. She advises trying to establish a relationship with the creatures, believing they’re here to help—though this conviction puts her in a tiny minority. Jones joins her in that belief—or at least that’s how he feels about the monster in his song. “I wanted to put a quasi-positive spin on it,” he says, “and make it sound like he’s not the worst thing in the world—if he even is a ‘he’! I wanted to make the moth creature slightly sympathetic.” Even before the Mothman speaks on its own behalf, Jones notes that it’s a lonely thing, without a support network: “Never known to have affiliated with the Masons, has no patron, has no matron.” The second verse is all creature, with Jones singing through a Helicon voice modulator to create its deep, fuzzed-out speech. “I originally was approaching this record as more of a straightforward general ’emotion’ record, not really being specific to anything. That verse is actually remnants of what was supposed to be a more serious vocal attempt,” Jones explains. “I was actually pretty geeked that I was able to find a way to reframe something that had been a loose string of words into something with a bit more potency and make something more interesting.” Jones isn’t simply trying to get us to sympathize with the Chicago Mothman, though. It’s more complicated than that—he suggests that the creature can portend evil without itself being evil. He may reference Superman on the hook (“Look there, up in the sky”), but it’s not a bird or a plane overhead but rather a “being whose existence may spell our doom.” Jones thinks the sightings may be connected to the famed West Virginia Mothman, which author John Keel linked to the collapse of the Silver Bridge in his 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies, thus solidifying the notion of the creature as bad omen. When I ask Jones if he’s concerned that our homegrown humanoid might also be a grim portent, he’s cautious. “I don’t want to speak any evil shit into existence, so I will decline to answer that,” he says. Berman isn’t so hesitant. “I always felt the ‘Mothman’ theory was people trying to layer previous encounters that people had across the country with whatever the hell people are seeing in Chicago. I’m not ready to actually call it a Mothman,” he says. He suspects that the “bad omen” aspect of the story might be our own psychological projection. “It appeared at the time when we were looking for something to be a harbinger of doom, because Donald Trump was tweeting about North Korea—we had all kinds of hell going on here in the States. So people went, ‘Clearly this Mothman is a warning! This is a sign!’ I think that stigmatizes it a little.” But Berman’s speculation stops short of any attempt to explain what the monster might actually be doing. “It doesn’t feel like this creature is trying to warn us of anything, or if it is, it just can’t communicate with us,” he says. “The only thing that will help is actually figuring out what this creature is and what it wants.” When I ask Berman if he has any insight into the creature’s thought process, he demurs: “I don’t know if it really has any motivation other than survival.” He’s trying to avoid making assumptions, instead treating the creature like any other unknown animal. When I spoke to Jones, he was on his way to New York City, but when he returns, he plans to meet up with Berman and join him in his creature hunt. Even if that just means wandering along the lakefront, he’s excited—the dark pall from earlier in our talk seems to have passed. “Part of what makes these things fun is that they’re an escape from our reality, things of more measured consequence,” he says, laughing. “It’s just such a strange time—I just think having these kinds of minor escapes is a really healthy thing. Otherwise, we’ll just go crazy, and then what’s the joy in life?” v

There’s one DC movie so notoriously bad that it could only be saved by a re-cut done by one of the visionary minds behind it. And now it’s finally here: the Ryan Reynolds cut of Green Lantern ...wait, what did you think I meant? In order to create his new masterpiece, Reynolds cut the 2011 Green Lantern movie down from its actual running time of one hour and 54 minutes, to a lean 27 seconds. He also used almost no actual footage from the movie. Here’s the secret Reynolds Cut of GL you all haven’t been waiting for. In order to make it as great as possible we made some judicious cuts. pic.twitter.com/B2tUelctr8— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 4, 2020 Instead, the re-cut starts with the Deadpool 2 post-credits scene where Deadpool goes back in time to shoot Reynolds rather than letting him take the Green Lantern role, then moves through the entire plot of the actual movie in about four quick scenes. Green Lantern’s dad is a pilot who dies, Green Lantern becomes a pilot, he gets the ring, beats Parallax, and that’s pretty much the whole movie. For some reason, Tom Cruise plays Green Lantern in the end. There’s even an after-credits scene in the Reynolds cut that includes Green Lantern meeting the Justice League before flying away. This isn’t Reynolds first time taking shots at his (second) failed journey into superhero stardom. As previously mentioned, Deadpool never misses a chance to make fun of Reynolds foray into the DC Universe, and he’s made more than a few jokes in other places as well. It does seem worth mentioning that one thing that is almost entirely left out of Reynolds’ new Green Lantern cut is his co-star and wife Blake Lively, which is either extremely rude or an act of mercy, depending on how you look at it. Of course, Reynolds is also poking fun at another idea with his tweet, the much teased and anticipated, “Snyder Cut” of Justice League. The new edit of the infamously bad DC team-up movie spent years as a Movie Internet cryptid, but thanks to HBO Max and Snyder himself, it’s finally set to come out sometime next year. But let it be known that it was beat to market by the Reynolds Cut of Green Lantern. Despite the fact that Reynolds’ new, and significantly shorter, version of Green Lantern does include him meeting the Justice League, it’s worth noting that his version of Hal Jordan probably won’t actually show up in the Snyder Cut. In fact, HBO Max is currently working on a new Green Lantern TV show from the creators of Arrow and Flash, that will hopefully give the hero a shot at redemption, at least on the small screen. There’s no word yet on who will play Green Lantern in the series, but after this video, Reynolds’ chances seem low.

New Zealand director, producer and screenwriter Jane Campion is one of contemporary cinema’s most notable filmmakers. She is the first and only female director to receive the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival (1993) and only the second of four women ever to be nominated as Best Director at the Academy Awards (1994), both for THE PIANO. Jane went on to win Best Screenplay. Jane studied anthropology at Victoria University in Wellington and painting at London’s Chelsea School of Arts and the Sydney College of the Arts before moving to film in the early 1980s studying at the Australian Film Television and Radio School. Her first short film, PEEL (1982), winner of the Short Film Palme d’Or in 1986 at Cannes Film Festival was followed in 1989 by SWEETIE, AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (1990), THE PIANO (1993), THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (1996); HOLY SMOKE (1999); IN THE CUT (2003) and BRIGHT STAR (2009). In 2013 Jane created and co-wrote (with Gerard Lee), directed (with Garth Davis) and executive produced the mystery thriller TOP OF THE LAKE, a six-hour TV mini-series for the BBC, UK TV and the Sundance Channel. In 2014 Jane was the Jury President of 67th Festival de Cannes. In Conversation with Jane Campion, Sun 11 October 3.10pm Directing Masterclass with Jane Campion, Sun 11 October 10.30am One of Australia’s most prolific thespians, Rachel Griffiths is also an Academy Award nominated and multi-award winning actress. After a successful career on the Australian stage, Rachel Griffiths burst onto the international scene in 1994 with P.J. Hogan’s much loved feature film MURIEL’S WEDDING. Her film credits since then include MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING alongside Julia Roberts, THE ROOKIE, THE HARD WORD with Guy Pearce, BLOW, STEP UP, BURNING MAN, NED KELLY, PATRICK, SAVING MR BANKS with Tom Hanks, BEAUTIFUL KATE and HILARY & JACKIE, a performance which earned her an Academy Award nomination. In television Rachel earned a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Brenda in the critically acclaimed and long running HBO series SIX FEET UNDER. She also received an Emmy Award nomination for her role in fellow US series BROTHERS & SISTERS. Other television credits include the HBO/NBC CoPro CAMP and the Julian Assange biopic UNDERGROUND, which screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. Rachel featured in the hugely successful series HOUSE HUSBANDS in 2014 as well as a directing spot on NOWHERE BOYS for Matchbox Pictures. Other television credits include MAG WARS and DEADLINE GALLIPOLI for Foxtel alongside Sam Worthington, Hugh Dancy and Charles Dance. On stage Griffiths received Helpmann and Green Room Awards for her role as ‘Catherine’ in the of David Auburn’sPulitzer production of Proof. Perhaps most notably, Rachel tread the boards in the Broadway production of Other Desert Cities opposite Stockard Channing, Stacy Keach and Thomas Sadoski. Keynote Address: Rachel Griffiths, Sat 10th October, 4.20pm In Conversation with Rachel Griffiths, Sun 11th October, 1.45pm Academy Award and two-time Golden Globe winning producer Jon Landau holds the distinction of having produced the two highest grossing films of all time: AVATAR and TITANIC. The combination of Landau’s thorough understanding of the most complex state-of-the-art technologies, his ability to work hand-in-hand with the highest calibre of creative talent, and his motivational ability has enabled him to play a significant role in numerous major feature films. Landau has a handle on all aspects of the creative process, including a firm grasp on the ever-changing landscape of digital technology. With an innate ability to inspire others to push the creative boundaries of storytelling, and the imagination to invent any new tools that will achieve this success, Jon Landau teaches believes that if you feel limited because you feel your ideas are “ahead of their time” – get a new watch. Jon Landau was recently appointed to the New Zealand Screen Advisory Board alongside other BSS 2015 speaker Jane Campion, bringing a wealth of experience and generosity of spirit to our local industry. In Conversation with Jon Landau, Sat 10th October, 1.35pm Since early in his career, the films of Sebastián Silva, a Chilean writer and director, have received international acclaim. He studied filmmaking at the Escuela de Cine de Chile for a year before leaving to study animation in Montreal. In 2007, he co-wrote and directed his first feature, LA VIDA ME MATA which garnered multiple awards, including Best Film from the Chilean Critics Circle. Silva’s success continued with his next film, LA NANA (THE MAID) which premiered in World Competition at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and won the Grand Jury prize. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe, as well as an Independent Spirit Award in the Best Foreign Film category. Sebastián followed up THE MAID with his film OLD CATS, which premiered at the 2010 New York Film Festival. In 2012 Sebastián directed two films, MAGIC MAGIC and CRYSTAL FAIRY. MAGIC MAGIC, which he wrote and directed, is a dark thriller starring Michael Cera, Juno Temple and Emily Browning with Christine Vachon and Mike White producing. The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival as well as the 2013 Cannes Film Festival as part of Directors’ Fortnight. CRYSTAL FAIRY similarly premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival as part of the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. The film starred Michael Cera and Gaby Hoffman, and was produced by Pablo Larrain and Juan de Dios Larrian. Sebastián’s film NASTY BABY, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, stars Sebastián himself as Freddy, a Brooklyn artist, alongside Tunde Adebimpe as Mo, who are a gay couple grappling with the complications of conceiving a child via artificial insemination, and enlist the help of their friend Polly, played by Kristen Wiig. Filmmaking Masterclass with Sebastián Silva, Sat 10th October, 11.20am In Conversation with Sebastián Silva, Sun 11th October, 9.00am Novelist, filmmaker, producer and playwright A double Academy Award nominated and double BAFTA winning screenwriter and film producer of the film THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (2014) as well as a celebrated novelist, New Zealand-born Anthony McCarten is a filmmaker, novelist and playwright. He received early international success with his play Ladies Night, which remains New Zealand’s most commercially successful play of all time. In 2011, his adaptation of his own novel DEATH OF A SUPERHERO had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, won the 2011 Les Arcs European Film Festival Audience Choice Prize and Young Jury Prize, and the Audience Award and ‘Special Mention’ of the Jury at the Mamer-en-Mars European Film Festival. Prior to this, VIA SATELLITE, which he adapted from his own stage play, and directed himself, was invited to several film festivals including London, Cannes, Toronto, Melbourne, Hawaii and Seattle. His follow-up feature as writer/director, SHOW OF HANDS(2008), premiered at the Montreal International Film Festival and was an official selection for the Shanghai Film Festival 2009, and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director at the New Zealand Film Awards. McCarten produced and wrote THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (2014), concerning the life of Prof. Stephen Hawking, and his first wife, Jane Hawking. On January 15, 2015 the film received 5 Academy Award nominations, with McCarten earning two as producer and screenwriter in the categories of Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. He won two BAFTA awards for his roles as producer Best British Film and screenwriter Best Adapted Screenplay. He is currently working on several upcoming projects: a biopic of Winston Churchill, another of Freddie Mercury, the 2008 siege of The Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai, the origin story of bungee jumping, an adaptation of his latest novel Funnygirl, and a project for George Clooney. In 2015 he was inducted as a Literary Fellow of the New Zealand Society of Authors. He lives in London. Writing Masterclass with Anthony McCarten, Sat 10th October, 2.45pm Australian producer Liz Watts has over 13 years of experience in the screen industry, having produced and executive-produced over ten feature films and numerous television dramas. Amongst her credits are many critically acclaimed titles, by some of Australia’s most anticipated directors. Her feature films include ANIMAL KINGDOM (2010, Director David Michôd), THE HOME SONG STORIES (2007, Director Tony Ayres), LITTLE FISH (2005, Director Rowan Woods), Cannes & Sundance selected JEWBOY (2005, Director Tony Krawitz), and Berlin selected WALKING ON WATER, (2002 Director Tony Ayres). Liz’ last feature THE ROVER, reteaming with writer/ director David Michôd, premiered in Official Selection Cannes Film Festival 2014. THE ROVER stars Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson, and is sold by FilmNation. Liz produced the acclaimed German Australian co-production LORE, directed by Cate Shortland, and DEAD EUROPE, directed by Tony Krawitz, with Emile Sherman & Iain Canning, both of which premiered at Festival Special Presentation Toronto International Film in 2012. As Executive Producer, her credits include THE HUNTER (2011, Daniel Nettheim), starring Willem Defoe, LOU (2010 Belinda Chayko, starring John Hurt), PRIME MOVER (2009 David Caesar), and in 2015, THE KETTERING INCIDENT 8 part TV series for Foxtel, and upcoming feature film JASPER JONES with director Rachel Perkins. Liz’s television credits include two seasons of LAID (ABC TV, Marieke Hardy & Kirsty Fisher creators, Trent O’Donnell, Abe Forsythe Directing), MARTHA’S NEW COAT (2003, SBS, Director Rachel Ward), DELIVERY DAY (2001, SBS, Director Jane Manning) as well as documentaries including BURIED COUNTRY (2000, SBS); THE PITCH (1998, ABC) and ISLAND STYLE (1999, SBS). Liz is a 2011 Churchill Fellowship recipient, and she served as Board Member of the Sydney Film Festival for 5 years and as Vice President of the Board of MetroScreen for 6 years. She is currently a Board member of the South Australian Film Corporation. Producing Masterclass with Liz Watts, Sun 11th October, 1.45pm Graeme Revell was born in New Zealand, graduating from the University of Auckland in geography and political-economy. Revell worked for a short time as a regional planner in Australia and Indonesia but then spent two fascinating years as an orderly in an Australian psychiatric hospital. Arising from his experience there, Graeme became a founding member of SPK, a seminal 1970s Industrial music group, relocating to France and England, studying philosophy and gaining considerable fame in Europe and the US. Transitioning to film composition, the score of his first film DEAD CALM won him an Australian Film Industry award and he quickly became one of the most sought-after composers in Hollywood. Since 1990 he has written over 100 major film soundtracks and television series including THE CROW, THE SAINT, THE CHINESE BOX (Gold award, Venice Film festival), BLOW, SIN CITY, CSI MIAMI and the new hit: GOTHAM. Mr. Revell was recently honored by BMI with a lifetime achievement award in a notable ceremony MC’d by none other than Chucky (the doll character from the CHILD’S PLAY movies) for whom Revell wrote several scores. Graeme continues to reinvent himself, wearing his new hat as CEO of a start-up eCommerce venture but hopes to devote considerable time to mentoring younger composers. Score-Composing Masterclass with Graeme Revell, Sun 11th October, 10.30am Born in Canada and raised in New Zealand, Alison Maclean came to international attention when her short film KITCHEN SINK (1989) was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and won eight awards at festivals worldwide. Starring a young Theresa Healey, it is arguably the most successful short film to come from New Zealand. Her debut NZ feature film CRUSH (1992), produced by Bridget Ikin, also played in competition at Cannes, and was the only debut feature in competition. Alison then moved to the US and directed her second feature, JESUS’ SON (1999), which won the Little Gold Lion at the Venice Film Festival and earned Alison a Best Director nomination. Alison has since made her home in New York, working professionally as a director for the last two decades in commercials and television drama. She has directed episodes of the critically acclaimed series SEX IN THE CITY, CARNIVALE, THE TUDORS, THE L-WORD, and GOSSIP GIRL. In addition to drama, Alison co-directed the documentary PERSON OF INTEREST, which screened in competition at the Sundance Film Festival, and the comedic documentary/narrative hybrid Intolerable, which screened at the Edinburg, Toronto, L.A., and Hamptons International Film festivals. Alison has continued make short films, and is developing a number of feature projects. She directed the NZ feature film THE REHEARSAL, for which Maclean co-wrote an adapted screenplay with novelist Emily Perkins, from Eleanor Catton’s first novel of the same name. In Conversation with Alison Maclean, Sat 10th October, 2.45pm Bridget Ikin works as an independent producer of feature films, documentary, and more recently artists’ moving image installations. She’s currently filming an adaptation of Eleanor Catton’s first novel THE REHEARSAL, which Alison Maclean is directing (and co-wrote with Emily Perkins). Previous features include: AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (Silver Lion, Venice Film Festival 1990); Alison Maclean’s CRUSH (In Competition, Cannes, 1992); Clara Law’s FLOATING LIFE (Silver Leopard, Locarno, 1996); Sarah Watt’s LOOK BOTH WAYS (AFI Awards for Best Film; FIPRESCI Award); and MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX (2009). In 2015, she completed SHERPA, a feature doc (Jennifer Peedom dir) which played in the Aus/ NZ Film festivals, Telluride, TIFF. She’s also produced two landmark documentary series on Aboriginal art, ART + SOUL (presenter Hetti Perkins; directors Warwick Thornton/ Steven McGregor). Recently, Bridget and her partner John Maynard established Felix Media, a new production company to collaborate with artists on exceptional original moving image projects for cinema and gallery presentation. Productions include Lynette Wallworth’s CORAL, Hossein Valamanesh’s CHAR SOO, as well as several works by Angelica Mesiti. With over 10 years experience and six feature films, writer/director Florian Habicht is continually exploring new ways to tell a story. Florian was born in Berlin, and immigrated with his family to New Zealand in the eighties. He studied at the Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland and Binger Filmlab, Amsterdam. He is responsible for some of NZ’s most innovative films. His debut feature WOODENHEAD (2003), a Grimm-inspired musical fairytale, is renowned for its unique process. In lieu of writing a screenplay, Florian first recorded the soundtrack including dialogue, music and location sounds, in the style of a radio play. He then shot the black and white visuals, giving the film it’s fairy tale like quality. His well-loved documentary KAIKOHE DEMOLITION (2004), reveals the heart and soul of Far North town Kaikohe, as it follows a group of regulars at the local demolition derby. In his 2010 feature film LOVE STORY, Florian shot the film’s opening sequence and then asked New Yorkers on the streets of NYC for love advice and ideas on what should happen next in the story. These were then acted out by Habicht & actress Masha Yakovenko. When LOVE STORY screened at the London Film Festival, Jarvis Cocker of PULP invited Florian to make a feature documentary about the UK group. This became Florian’s most recent endeavour PULP: A FILM ABOUT LIFE, DEATH & SUPERMARKETS. Florian went on to shoot three short films in the UK: on musician BECK, spiritual speed dating, and Japanese band BOREDOMS. These ‘Random Acts’ were commissioned by Channel 4. In 2017 Florian released his latest feature film SPOOKERS, and has two other feature films in development. Jake Mahaffy is a filmmaker and teacher who grew up in the US midwest, and studied visual art and film at the Rhode Island School of Design and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as attending the directing course at the Russian State Institute of Cinematography in Moscow. Jake’s self-produced, micro-budget shorts and features were made single-handed, featuring untrained actors in rural settings. WELLNESS, MIRACLE BOY, WAR and other films have screened in international festivals including Sundance, Venice, and SXSW (Grand Jury Prize). At the Big Screen Symposium Jake talks about his latest film, FREE IN DEED, which premiered at the 72nd Venice Film Festival. It was awarded the Orizzonti Best Film prize by jury president Jonathan Demme, and it received exceptional reviews, described by Variety Magazine as a “jagged, productively provocative work” with “superb, skin-prickling performances.” Developed over 11 years, and workshopped through the Sundance Labs, the film is based on a true story set in the distinctive world of storefront churches and depicts a man who tries to perform a miracle. Jake has been awarded fellowships from foundations and institutes including Guggenheim, Tribeca, Sundance, Creative Capital. In the US he founded filmmaking programmes at two universities as an Associate Professor before immigrating to New Zealand. Jake currently works as a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland. Case Study: FREE IN DEED, Sun 11th October, 10.30am The multi-talented Duncan Sarkies is a screenwriter, playwright, novelist, performer and short story writer. In New Zealand he is best known for writing the hit black comedy SCARFIES. He also wrote two episodes for the HBO TV series FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS: ‘New Fans’ and ‘The Cup’. Duncan has written film scripts, plays, short stories and novels, touring several shows around New Zealand and abroad. He won the 1995 New Zealand Play of the Year award for Saving Grace, and the 2000 Montana New Zealand Best First Book Award for his short story collection Stray Thoughts and Nose Bleeds. He has written two novels. His debut novel Two Little Boys was published in 2008 to rave reviews, and was brought to life as a major motion picture directed by Robert Sarkies in 2012, and starred Hamish Blake and Bret McKenzie. His second novel, The Demolition of The Century, was released in 2013 year through John Murray Publishers, and is currently in development as a film project. He is also working on a film/radio/graphic novel project with musician Lawrence Arabia, artist Stephen Templer and comedian Jemaine Clement called The Mysterious Secrets of Uncle Bertie’s Botanarium. Writing Masterclass with Duncan Sarkies, Sun 11th October, 10.30am Anna Dean is a PR maven with a passion for arts, culture and entertainment. Based in Wellington, she is well known for taking a creative approach to communications through both on and off-line strategy and has a number of NZ features, transmedia projects and campaigns under her belt. Her successes on the WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS campaign were recognised with the Best Independent Marketing Campaign Award 2014 awarded earlier this year by the NZ Motion Picture Industry Council (NZMPIC). She was selected to attend Pixel Lab 2015 in Scotland in July 2015 with 30 people from around the world, and is all about having real conversations around fresh approaches to marketing and publicity. Publicity and Marketing Masterclass with Anna Dean, Sat 10th October, 2.45pm Documentary director, editor and cinematographer THE GROUND WE WON (2015) is Chris Pryor’s second feature documentary as director, cinematographer and editor. The critically acclaimed feature length documentary HOW FAR IS HEAVEN (2012) was Chris’s debut as a director. He was also the cinematographer and editor, for which he was awarded a New Zealand Film Award for Best Documentary Cinematography, as well as being nominated for Best Documentary Film, Best Documentary Director and Best Documentary Editor. Chris has also collaborated on a myriad of other works both long and short, for the big and the small screen. Chris was a participant of Script to Screen’s FilmUp Mentorship programme in 2014. Case Study: THE GROUND WE WON, Sat 10th October, 11.20am Documentary Producer & Creator Miriam Smith produced & co-created the critically acclaimed observational documentaries THE GROUND WE WON (2015) & HOW FAR IS HEAVEN (2012), both of which had successful cinema releases in New Zealand. THE GROUND WE WON screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival & Locarno Film Festival – Semaine de la Critique, amongst a growing list of international festivals. Also a writer, Miriam is alumni of the Binger Filmlab, Script to Screen’s Aotearoa Writers’ Lab & FilmUp, and has a BA in English & Film & MCPA from the University of Auckland. Case Study: THE GROUND WE WON, Sat 10th October, 11.20am With a background in documentary directing, Chelsea Winstanley began producing television and short films with business partner Desray Armstrong in 2008. Since then she has gone on to make some of the most successful NZ short films of the last 4 years, including having films in competition at the Cannes Film Festival two years in a row – NIGHTSHIFT by Zia Mandviwalla, and MEATHEAD by Sam Holst respectively. She graduated from EAVE in 2011 with a focus on co-production. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS is Chelsea’s first theatrical feature film. In 2018, MERATA a feature documentary about Aotearoa’s pioneering Maori filmmaker Merata Mita was released. Future projects include Taika Waititi’s upcoming World War 2 drama JOJO RABBIT, and the feature documentary SPRAY OF PLENTY. Panel: The Global Indigenous Network – Empowering Makers & Communities, Sat 10th October, 11.20am Briar Grace-Smith is of Ngā Puhi descent, and is an award-winning writer of short fiction, stage plays and feature films. Her plays include Ngā Pou Wāhine, Purapurawhetū and When Sun and Moon Collide. She is an inaugural Arts Foundation Laureate and was the writer in residence at Victoria University in 2003. She has also worked as a Development Executive for the New Zealand Film commission and taught ‘Writing for Theatre’ at IIML (2015). Briar is a Sundance alumni and the writer of the feature films THE STRENGTH OF WATERand the horror comedy FRESH MEAT. Her television credits include FISHSKIN SUIT, BEING EVE, KAITANGATA TWITCH andthe Māori Television drama THIS IS PIKI. She was a director and co-writer of the short film, NINE OF HEARTS,and recently wrote and directed CHARM for the collaborative feature project WARU (BSAG Productions), which brought together the work of eight Māori women directors. See Briar Grace-Smith in the following session: WARU: Breaking the silence – Sat 24th September, 11:00 am. Libby Hakaraia has worked in broadcasting and media for the past 25 years as a producer and director of current affairs, factual documentary, arts & entertainment series, corporate promotional films and drama. Libby is passionate about New Zealand which has led to her creating films for Creative NZ, Tourism NZ and Maori Tourism. She has also been involved in major brand work co-producing the design for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the National Cycle way – Nga Haerenga. In 2014 Libby launched Maoriland Film Festival, NZ’s first International Indigenous Industry focused film festival. Libby has been a jury member at the world’s largest Indigenous film festival in Toronto and has also participated in forums at the Berlin Film Festival. Libby has a slate of projects in development including drama and documentary. She lives at Otaki Beach with television and film producer/director Tainui Stephens. Panel: The Global Indigenous Network – Empowering Makers & Communities, Sat 10th October, 11.20am Producer Matthew Metcalfe has worked in film and TV for the past eighteen years. In that time he has produced over NZD 110 million worth of production, representing eleven feature films, ten tele-features and numerous other TV shows, TVC’s, documentaries and music videos. Matthew’s most recent film, 25 APRIL, screened at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. An animated (graphic novel style) feature film about the Australasian experience at Gallipoli in World War I. He was also a producer on ATOMIC FALAFEL a NZ/German/Israel co-production that tells of mismatched love in the Middle East through biting political satire. ATOMIC FALAFEL opened to the highest ever numbers for a domestic film during its recent theatrical release in Israel. He is currently in production with the action/thriller 6 DAYS and feature documentary MCLAREN. In 2014 he produced THE DEAD LANDS which released in New Zealand following its world premiere via Special Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film opened at number one at the NZ box office, rounding beating the Brad Pitt vehicle, FURY. In 2013 he had theatrical releases with BEYOND THE EDGE 3D, the true story of the conquest of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and the 1953 English expedition and GISELLE a feature co-production with the Royal New Zealand Ballet directed by multi award winning director, Toa Fraser. Both BEYOND THE EDGE and GISELLE were invited to screen at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. Previous films produced by Matthew have been nominated for thirty-eight NZ Film Awards and have won fourteen as well as being recognised at festivals such as Cannes, Toronto and London. Films produced by Matthew have also been long-listed for two BAFTA’s and nominated for a London Critics Circle Award. Matthew also received a Tui Award at the 2002 NZ Music Awards for producing the iconic music video for FADE WAY by Che Fu. Matthew has also contributed to the New Zealand screen sector by serving for three years on the New Zealand Film Commissions SPIF Committee (SPIFCOM) and as a member of the 2012 Government Steering Committee for the Screen Sector Review. In 2014 he was appointed to the NZ SPG Significant Economic Benefits Verification Panel. Matthew holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Auckland and an Advanced Diploma in English History from the University of Oxford. Producer, former CEO of NZFC Dave Gibson is the former CEO of the NZFC and has produced feature films and television programmes that have sold in more than eighty countries worldwide. He has co-produced major television drama series and feature films with partners based in Canada, Britain, Australia, Germany and Sweden. He has served on the board of the New Zealand Drama School and was the inaugural Chair of the New Zealand Independent Producers and Directors Guild. He was the Chairman of Project Blue Sky (a major New Zealand film and television initiative that won the CER court case in Australia) and in 1997/1998 was the President of SPADA. Dave was awarded the honour of SPADA Industry Champion in 2005. In 2012 he was appointed an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in recognition of his services to the film and television industries. After graduating from drama school Toi Whakaari in 1987, Robyn Malcolm worked extensively in theatre for the first 5 years, performing in over 30 plays. In 2003 she won an International Actors Fellowship to study Shakespeare in performance with Mark Rylance at the Globe Theatre in London. Malcolm first came to the attention of television audience in 1995 when she joined the staff of SHORTLAND STREET. As nursing manager and mother Ellen Crozier, she quickly lost a husband, accidentally burnt the house down, and soon found herself caught up in a complicated love-life – not to mention the complications which ensued when an ex-boyfriend got married to her psychotic sister. The writers of the show lovingly called her “the slut in the cardy” Malcolm earned her first screen nomination for Best Actress at the 1998 Television Awards. In 1999 Malcolm founded the New Zealand Actors’ Company with Tim Balme, Katie Wolfe and future OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE director Simon Bennett. The company produced and toured successful stage productions of Shakepeare adaptations and NZ works throughout the country to huge audiences. She gained another nomination 3 years later for the film for television CLARE, based on the cervical cancer experiment at National Women’s Hospital. The film’s inspiration was Clare Matheson, whose book Fate Cries Enough chronicles how over 15 years she became an unwitting participant in a medical experiment where carcinoma in situ was often left untreated. Over this time Malcolm had smaller roles in movies PERFECT STRANGERS, ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE, THE LAST TATTOO, and LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS. In 2004, Malcolm travelled to France to front her documentary OUR LOST WAR: PASSCHENDAELE. She followed her Great Uncles footstep’s from the hills of Central Otago, to the UK and France to then Belgium where he eventually was killed in 1917. She would score her first actual screen award in 2005 for a show which surely drew some inspiration from SHORTLAND STREET: satire SERIAL KILLERS, in which she played a stressed out scriptwriter. 2005 was also the year that she first played Cheryl West, in OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE. The show would go on to become the longest running and most successful drama in New Zealand TV history. Bringing her substantial experience to the part, Malcolm helped created an iconic character on New Zealand television: feisty, flawed and cleavaged to the hilt, the straight-talking Cheryl tried to keep the West whanau on the straight and narrow, while trying to sort her affections for her criminal husband Wolf (Grant Bowler) and policeman Wayne Judd (Kirk Torrance). By the show’s third season, women were turning up in Kiwi hair salons asking for a “Cheryl West”. Malcolm argued in 2007 that audiences liked the character “because she’s so fallible… no one wants a two dimensional hero. We want messed up struggling people.” The final episode of OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE aired in November 2010 and rated better than any in the show’s six season run. Over those 5 years Malcolm has stacked up an unprecedented run of awards for her role. In 2010 Malcolm took another centre stage role with THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF GAZZA SNELL, the first feature from award-winning INSIDERS GUIDE director Brendan Donovan. She was nominated again for best actress for this role. She then went to Australia for feature films DRIFT starring Sam Worthington, and THE BURNING MAN. She also began her association with the much acclaimed and loved Aussie TV series RAKE. Her recurring character the mad and hilarious Kirsty Corella, wife of jailed gangster gained her much praise in Australia. Malcolm pitched her idea for her “tragi-comedy” AGENT ANNA, which debuted on television in January 2013. She was intrigued by the idea of basing a show around a middle-class mum “with no hint of hero about her,” who is forced to enter the highly competitive world of selling real estate whilst in a state of growing internal collapse. She features in Jane Campion’s acclaimed mini-series TOP OF THE LAKE as a messed up American chimpanzee owner seeking healing down under and was voted Best Supporting Actress by Indiewire at the Berlin Festival. Robyn featured in the hugely popular Melbourne comedy UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN and the second series of critically acclaimed political thriller THE CODE. Through these years of film and television she has kept up regular theatre work. Most notably in recent years as the buried Winnie in Samuel Becket’s in HAPPY DAYS for Silo Theatre, the title role in Auckland Theatre Company’s production of MARY STUART and again for that company the roles of Shen Te and Shui Ta in Brechts THE GOOD SOUL OF SZECHUAN. Robyn’s most recent work has included her role in the feature film HOSTILES (2017) starring Christian Bale, and as the star of the 2017 short film GOODNESS GROWS HERE. She has been kept busy with her roles in various new television series including Season 1 and 2 of WANTED (2015/2016), WAKE IN FRIGHT (2017) and HARROW (2017). She is slowly becoming a fixture at the Big Screen Symposium as a regular interviewer of guests because “I love talking to people about this business, it’s a never-ending treasure trove of experience and story.” See Robyn in the following session: Case Study: THE CHANGEOVER – Sunday 1 October, 1.20pm. Philippa Campbell is the producer of Jane Campion’s Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning series TOP OF THE LAKE. She has produced six feature films, including the acclaimed RAIN, which premiered in competition in Cannes, Sundance award winner NO.2, comedy-horror hit BLACK SHEEP and Florian Habicht’s genre-busting RUBBINGS FROM A LIVE MAN. She is currently Executive Producer of Jackie Van Beek’s debut feature THE INLAND ROAD and in prep for UK/NZ co-production CROAK. In 2015, she was dramaturg of Emily Perkins’ first play, a contemporary reimagining of Ibsen’s A DOLL’S HOUSE, directed by Colin McColl for Auckland Theatre Company. Philippa is a partner in the new production company Field Theory. Gaylene Preston has been celebrated as one of New Zealand‘s leading filmmakers, having made some of the most enduring popular classics of New Zealand cinema. Gaylene is a storyteller whose work has a distinctive flavour; that entertain while presenting serious subjects with humour and warmth. Her compassion and understanding of real life, and real people, combined with her talent for portraying on film metaphoric stories, has contributed to Gaylene’s reputation as a distinct local voice. Her career has spanned three decades, and her generosity of spirit and her powerful mentorship and advocacy skills have been central to the development of New Zealand’s filmmaking community. Gaylene’s feature films include MR WRONG (1985), RUBY AND RATA (1990), WAR STORIES OUR MOTHER NEVER TOLD US (1995), PERFECT STRANGERS (2003), and HOME BY CHRISTMAS (2010). Her documentaries include ALL THE WAY UP THERE (1978), LEARNING FAST (1980), MAKING UTU (1982), KERI HULME – KAI PURAKAU (1987), HONE TUWHARE – NO OTHER LIPS (1996), GETTING TO OUR PLACE (1999), PUNITIVE DAMAGE (Co-producer, 1999), TITLESS WONDERS (2001), COFFEE, TEA OR ME? (Producer, 2003), LANDS OF OUR FATHERS (Executive producer, 2004), EARTHQUAKE! (2006), TIME OF OUR LIVES (2007), LOVELY RITA (2007), STRONGMAN THE TRAGEDY (2011). Her television series include BREAD AND ROSES (1993) and HOPE AND WIRE (2014), a three-part drama focused on the social and psychological upheaval during the Christchurch earthquakes. Gaylene’s films have been in official selection for most major international film festivals including Venice, Sundance, Toronto, London, Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand and have won awards in the USA, Canada, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, Australia and New Zealand. In 2001 she was honoured by the New Zealand Arts Foundation, becoming New Zealand’s first Filmmaker Laureate. In 2002 Gaylene was appointed an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit for her services to filmmaking. Gaylene is currently working on a feature documentary for international distribution following one of the most powerful New Zealanders in the world. Tom Hern was recently recognised as a future leader of the industry in SCREEN INTERNATIONAL’s special Cannes 2015 edition, heralded as one of the world’s top emerging producers. Thirty-year-old Hern has produced three feature films. One, the micro-budget-whodunnit-thriller, I’M NOT HARRY JENSON, which was funded entirely through private investment and was released theatrically in its home country of New Zealand to critical acclaim in 2009. Two, the eerily provocative festival darling, EVERYTHING WE LOVED, which he made with writer/director Max Currie and co-producer, Luke Robinson in 2012/13. And three, THE DARK HORSE, the gritty-based-on-a-true-story-drama which recently became a box office smash (NZD$2M) and audience fave in NZ, before launching internationally at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the film received fantastic reviews and sold to all major territories around the world. THE DARK HORSE has gone on to win a number of awards at top film festivals (including Audience Awards at the Rotterdam, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC and the Palm Springs International Film Festivals), and will be released theatrically in the US by Broad Green Pictures on December 11th this year. As lead producer on THE DARK HORSE, Hern won the Moa Award for “Best Film” at the 2014 New Zealand Film Awards. Hern was a member of the prestigious international jury for the Berlin Film Festival (Generation Section) in 2015. Hern and his shingle, Four Knights Film, had two features slated for production in early 2016 – a reimagining of the 1981 Kiwi Classic action/comedy, GOODBYE PORK PIE, and a NZ/Irish co-production entitled, A LONG WAY HOME. Producer, writer and script consultant Christina Milligan is an Auckland-based producer, writer and script consultant. Her most recent production is the feature documentary THE PRICE OF PEACE, directed by Kim Webby, which is currently playing in cinemas in the North Island after a very successful run at the NZ International Film Festival. As a producer or executive producer, her work includes the award-winning features MT ZION and THE END OF THE GOLDEN WEATHER as well as many television dramas for both adults and children. She has written for a number of prime-time Australian drama series and has script-edited hundreds of hours of drama including Emmy-finalist HANLON. Christina is also a researcher in the field of indigenous filmmaking and lectures in screen production and screenwriting at AUT University. Dramaturg, coach and consultant Brita McVeigh works with actors, directors, writers and producers, as a dramaturg, coach and consultant. In less than a decade, Brita’s working methodology has contributed to the development of more than 123 feature film, short film, television and theatre projects. Brita began working in the film industry at the age of 19 and directed her first film at 28. She had previously worked in story development, casting, production and post production in both NZ and the United States. Since 2011, over 400 creative professionals have attended Brita’s Acting for Humans workshops. She is an advisory board member of Story Camp Aotearoa, a five-day residential retreat for filmmakers. See Brita McVeigh in the following sessions: Screenwriting Masterclass with Cate Shortland – Sat 24th September, 2:55 pm. Directing Masterclass with Tony Krawitz – Sun 25th September, 2:15pm. Karin Williams descends from Cook Islands ‘akapapa on her father’s side. Her mother’s ancestors arrived in Aotearoa from Britain in the mid-1800s. This bicultural genealogy makes Karin a proud Kiwi who is passionate about the stories of her tupuna on both sides. She began her career as a journalist on Rarotonga and went on to work in New Zealand and the USA as a writer, director and producer for broadcast, film and theatre. Her award-winning independent documentaries, short films and theatre productions have shown at festivals around the world. Karin is currently serving as a Development Executive at the New Zealand Film Commission. Georgina Allison Conder Georgina Allison Conder started off from career in the early 2000’s with Larry Parr and his company Kahukura Productions. Under the Mentorship of Larry she spent the next two years working in the development team, budgeting projects and working in the production team. At this time Kahukura was focused on producing 4 micro budget films for the NZFC as well as larger budget productions – TV series LOVE BITES and feature film FRACTURE. In the coming years she gained experience in a large number of production roles on films, documentaries and TV series. In recent years she has been working as a line producer, working on New Zealand feature films EAGLE VS SHARK, BOY, SHOPPING and THE PA BOYS. Most recently she co-produced CONSENT: THE LOUISE NICHOLAS STORY. In 2014 Georgina and Simon Price were selected to attend La Biennale College of Cinema in Venice with their project BE WILDEBEEST, which is in currently in development with the NZ Film Commission. Her most recent film is FREE IN DEED, directed by Jake Mahaffy, and co-produced with US Producers Mike Ryan, Mike Bowes and Brent Stiefel. This project has enabled her to continue working in the area she loves – low budget independent films. FREE IN DEED premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2015, where it won the Grand Jury Prize in the festival’s Orizzonti category. In 2015 Georgina founded Miss Conception Films with Ainsley Gardiner. Their new production company is focused on female-lead character driven projects with female key creatives. Producer and Documentary Director Julia Parnell is an award-winning producer and documentary director. In her 12 year career as an independent producer she has created a diverse range of projects including the renowned comedy WAYNE ANDERSON: SINGER OF SONGS and documentaries and documentary series RESTORING HOPE, BOTH WORLDS, PRIME ROCKS: THE EXPONENTS, PRIME PRESENTS: DRAGON and DRUG COURT. In recent years since launching Notable Pictures, Julia has expanded into producing drama with four NZFC-funded theatrical shorts HITCH HIKE, FRIDAY TIGERS, DIVE and RISING DUST. FRIDAY TIGERS, won the New Zealand International Film Festival’s Best New Zealand Short Film for 2013, and DIVE went on to win best film and screenplay at Show Me Shorts Film Festival in 2014. Notable Pictures also founded the online short documentary platform Loading Docs, which presents ten distinctive and original three-minute documentary shorts exploring the same theme. The platform aims to provide local documentary makers with a platform to promote their creativity and talent. After graduating with a journalism degree, David Farrier began work on New Zealand news show Nightline as an entertainment reporter in 2005. He quickly became known for covering quirky local news, and bigger entertainment stories overseas, travelling to LA to cover events like the Grammys and the E3 expo. Fascinated by cryptozoology he began hosting THE CRYPTID FACTOR radio show in 2009 with comic and actor Rhys Darby. The show now runs as a podcast, keeping listeners abreast of matters related to Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. Farrier and Darby went on to star in Netflix comedy series SHORT POPPIES, in which Farrier played himself. In 2015 Farrier began co-hosting late night news show NEWSWORTHY, a daily show that looks at “the ordinary and the extraordinary”. He released his first feature length documentary, TICKLED, in 2016. Composer and musician Victoria Kelly is an award-winning composer and musician. Her contemporary classical music has been commissioned, performed and recorded by many of NZ’s leading performers and ensembles including NZTrio, the NZ String Quartet, Stroma and Michael Houstoun. For her work in film and television, she has received numerous nominations and won two New Zealand Screen Awards. Her original scores include BLACK SHEEP, UNDER THE MOUNTAIN, OUT OF THE BLUE, and FIELD PUNISHMENT NO.1. for which she won the inaugural APRA Best Original Music for a Feature Film award at the Silver Scrolls in 2014. She co-composed the music for the television series THE ALMIGHTY JOHNSONS with Sean Donnelly and has performed extensively in Sean’s band, SJD, as well as in ‘The Bellbirds’ with Don McGlashan, Sean Donnelly and Sandy Mill. Victoria tours and performs regularly with Neil Finn and created the orchestral arrangements for his recent solo album “Dizzy Heights.” In 2011 she was the composer and Musical Director for the Opening Ceremony of the Rugby World Cup 2011. Victoria is now the Director of NZ Member Services at APRA AMCOS. See Victoria Kelly in the following session: Composing Masterclass with Luke Buda and Sam Scott: Scoring HUNT FOR THE WILDER PEOPLE – Sun 25th September, 1:50 pm.

Did you capture something strange on a film, audio, or video format? Perfect! We are looking for submissions for our public gallery that will be on display at the 2023 Expo. It's super easy to submit your media with our handy-dandy online form. CLICK HERE FOR THE ONLINE FORM. We are interested in putting your Alaskan cryptid photos, video, and other media on display at the Expo. During the 2021 Expo we had about 20 photos. For the 2023 Expo, we are opening it up to video, audio, and whatever else. If you want to submit something, please include: Your Name, Location of media, and a Blurb. We simply want to know who to give credit to, where you got your photo/video/other, and give us some details. Were you out camping? Were you changing a tire on the side of the road? How did you come across this stuff? Video: 2009 footage from fisherman Kelly Nash, taken at Nushagak Bay, Alaska.

OUR STAFF AT EYES ON TRADE High Priestess of Prism The heart of Eyes on Trade, Maggie has been with the shop since its inception! With nearly a decade of experience in the optical industry, she has an associates degree in opticianry and is both ABO and CPO certified. Prior to finding her path in optical, she was a school teacher, and is now able to channel her passion for teaching into educating both our staff and our patients about eyecare. She truly delights in connecting with patients, and her favorite part of being an optician is problem solving tough optical problems, ensuring that every patient is experiencing their best possible vision. In her spare time, she can be found hanging out with her dog, Izzy, planning out her next tattoo, and struggling to keep her houseplants alive. She is also involved in the local LGBTQIA+ community, and is a strong advocate for mental health services. Favorite place to visit: New Orleans Megan is new to the optical industry, but as a Winston-Salem native, and a veteran of the downtown service scene, she’s already a familiar face to many! With her bubbly southern charm and a genuine enjoyment of working with people, she’s quickly become a fixture at Eyes on Trade. Her favorite part of being an optician is finding the perfect frame for every unique face! Outside of work, Megan enjoys relaxing with a nice glass of red wine, spending time with her husky mix Freya, and re-reading the Harry Potter series. Favorite Harry Potter Spell: “Oculus Reparo!” The Spectacle Witch One of the OG Opticians on Trade, Stacia has been with us since before we opened our doors! With an art background and over a decade of experience in customer service, she brings a unique array of skills to the table. She loves pushing patients a little outside of their comfort zone, and her favorite part of being an optician is helping people find confidence in themselves through eyewear. When not at the shop, Stacia can be found working on an ever expanding number of crafting projects, selling her artwork and handmade copper jewelry around town, or reading comics with her daughter. Favorite cryptid: Mothman Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! Or do – He’s honestly a delight. ABO certified, and boasting a decade of experience working in optical labs, Zak is our best-kept secret, and the one who makes the magic happen at our in-house lab. You will rarely catch a glimpse of him on the sales floor, but he is always working diligently behind the scenes – communicating with insurance labs, doing complicated lens math, and meticulously cutting and fitting our patient’s lenses to their frames. He has always found great enjoyment in working with his hands, and loves that his work in the lab allows him to do so. His favorite part of being our lab technician is being able to work with a team that he believes in, while providing the absolute best standard of care for our patients. Outside of the lab, Zack enjoys cooking, hanging out with a good book, watching sports, and spending time with his two dogs. Favorite way to spell his name: No one knows COME IN FOR AN EYEWEAR CONSULT TODAY! Monday to Friday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

On the classification of paranormal subjects, Terence Hines in his book Pseudoscience and the Paranormal (2003) wrote: The paranormal can best be thought of as a subset of pseudoscience. What sets the paranormal apart from other pseudosciences is a reliance on explanations for alleged phenomena that are well outside the bounds of established science. Thus, paranormal phenomena include extrasensory perception (ESP), telekinesis, ghosts, poltergeists, life after death, reincarnation, faith healing, human auras, and so forth. The explanations for these allied phenomena are phrased in vague terms of "psychic forces", "human energy fields", and so on. This is in contrast to many pseudoscientific explanations for other nonparanormal phenomena, which, although very bad science, are still couched in acceptable scientific terms Ghosts and other spiritual entities In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is a manifestation of the spirit or soul of a person. Alternative theories expand on that idea and include belief in the ghosts of deceased animals. Sometimes the term "ghost" is used synonymously with any spirit or demon, however in popular usage the term typically refers to a deceased person's spirit. Extraterrestrial life and UFOs The possibility of extraterrestrial life is not, by itself, a paranormal subject. Many scientists are actively engaged in the search for unicellular life within the solar system, carrying out studies on the surface of mars and examining meteors that have fallen to earth. Projects such as SETI are conducting an astronomical search for radio activity that would show evidence of intelligent life outside the solar system. scientific theories of how life developed on Earth allow for the possibility that life developed on other planets as well. The paranormal aspect of extraterrestrial life centers largely around the belief in unidentified flying objects and the phenomena said to be associated with them. A cryptid is an animal whose existence is not confirmed by science, or is a specimen that is typically considered to be extinct. The study of these creatures is known as cryptozoology. Those that study the existence of cryptids are called cryptozoologists. Claims of cryptid sightings have occurred and been documented for centuries, and there are hundreds of distinct cryptids claimed to be in existence today. Some of the more popular cryptids include the bigfoot, the loch ness monster, el chupacabra, living dinosaurs, mothman, the jersey devil, dragons, gnomes and werewolves.

Endermen are frightening monsters; while not from another planet they are from the End, another dimension adjacent to the Overworld. Though not directly hostile, they are apparently extremely territorial and will attack anything that looks them in the face or that attacks them first. Endermen have purple eyes that glow. Though (likely) originating from the End, they can appear in the overworld and can function normally. They have the ability to teleport and have glow effects like a nether portal. They are hurt by water and can be damaged by simply stepping into it. They fight skeletons if they are shot and are attacked by iron and snow golems. Upon death, Endermen will drop ender pearls that can be used to find the End portal (if crafted into an eye of the ender) or to teleport. - Minecraft Dungeons - The Endermen were based on the fictional "cryptid" monster, Slenderman, which is best known for appearing in a series of popular memes and as the antagonist of the PC game Slender. - A popular fan joke is that they are allergic to water, explaining why they are hurt by it. This information however, has never been stated by Mojang and is not canon. - They can now spawn in the Nether. Unknown if they are visiting, or some migrated to that dimension. - The Mobestiary page on Enderman show that they have abnormally large brains.

Interview with Christian MacLeod, "Cryptid Guy" of the Asheville Cryptid And Paranormal Society. | Host/Narrator – Marlene Pardo Pellicer Christian MacLeod, "The Cryptid Guy" is the Director and Lead Investigator of the A.C.A.P.S. He has over 24 years of experience investigating Cryptid and Paranormal activities. | Host/Narrator – Marlene Pardo Pellicer Podcast of the YouTube show Miami Ghost Chronicles' Stories of the Supernatural, which presents episodes about all the mysteries of the paranormal world.

Oh dang, here's some free stuff. Lucky 70 (suerte): New Work by Dougie Padilla Local artist Dougie Padilla is turning 70. To celebrate, Rogue Buddha Gallery is hosting an exhibition of his art, as well as a number of related events. Padilla works in a variety of mediums, often drawing on spiritual themes for his pieces, which feature bright colors, vivid creatures, exploding patterns, and mystical energy. The show will include paintings, drawings, original prints, tile work, and an immersive ofrenda (altar) installation of Día de los Muertos skulls. Things kick off at the opening reception on Friday, September 6, where you can wish Padilla a happy birthday from 7 to 11 p.m. Other events include a conversation with Karen Mary Davalos on September 12, a performance and book launch on September 26, and a talk with Padilla on October 3. Free. Rogue Buddha Art Gallery, 357 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis; 612-331-3889. –Sheila Regan Taste of Greece Festival 2019 Featuring authentic Greek food, handmade desserts, live music, authentic Greek folk dances, church tours, a Greek boutique, Courtyard Cafe, and kids play area. 12-10 p.m. Sept. 6-7; 12-6 p.m. Sept. 8. Free admission; tickets for food and drink are $1 apiece. St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church, 3450 Irving Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-825-9595. The Comedy Corner Open Mic Night 10 p.m. every Fri. Free. The Corner Bar, 1501 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-339-4333. With Pinched and Goodnight Gorillas. 10 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis; 612-331-1746. With Prathloons and Ollo 11. 9 p.m. Hexagon Bar, 2600 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-722-3454. Hip-Hop Dance Party Featuring hip-hop music from the '80s to current hits, curated by DJ Manny Duke. 10 p.m. every Fri. Free. Hickory n' Hops, 2937 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-856-2150. With Jonathan Ackerman 9 p.m. every 1st Fri. Free. Kitty Cat Klub, 315 14th Ave. SE, Minneapolis; 612-331-9800. Be Kind, Rewind! 90’s/00’s Bangerz & Jamz DJ dance party. 9 p.m. Moxy Minneapolis Uptown, 1121 W. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-822-5020. James J. Hill Days 2019 Featuring an outdoor night market, ninja challenge, car show, corgi races, food, drinks, family events, and live music from Free & Easy, Stephanie Varone & Starlett'es Web, the Plott Hounds, Powertap, Black Van, and Chad Edwards Band. Full schedule and info at jamesjhilldays.com. Daily from Sept. 6-8. Most events are free; some require tickets. Downtown Wayzata, 701 E. Lake St., Wayzata. Release party for the author/illustrator's new book, 'Grease Bats.' 6:30-8 p.m. Sept. 6; Free. Moon Palace Books, 3032 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; 612-454-0455. Can Can Wonderland Karaoke Hosted by Silly Miss Tilly. All ages. 5:30-8:30 p.m. every Fri. Free. Can Can Wonderland, 755 Prior Ave. N., Ste. 4, St. Paul; 651-925-2261. Erin Schwab and Jay Fuchs 8:30-11:30 p.m. every Fri. Free. Birch's Lowertown, 289 Fifth St. E., St. Paul; 651-432-4677. Joel Shapira Trio 8 p.m. Sept. 6. Free. The Lexington, 1096 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-289-4990. Lowertown First Fridays Featuring open studios, special receptions, and more showcasing artists working in Lowertown. For more info, visit lowertownfirstfridays.org. 6-9 p.m. every 1st Fri. Free. Lowertown, 5th St. E. & Sibley St., St Paul. Author presents her new book, 'Stray.' 7 p.m. Sept. 6; Free. Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; 651-225-8989. Sarah Elaine Smith Author presents her new book, 'Marilou Is Everywhere.' 7 p.m. Sept. 6; Free. Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611. Sumi-e Society of America’s 56th Annual National Juried Exhibition Group show. Artists' reception 6-8 p.m. Fri., Sep. 6. Free. Artistry at Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington; 952-563-8575. Group tap dance lessons. 4-6 p.m. every Fri. Free. Can Can Wonderland, 755 Prior Ave. N., Ste. 4, St. Paul; 651-925-2261. Dear Gaza Block Party 2019 This Saturday, folks will come together in the Wedge neighborhood to celebrate Palestinian culture and to showcase the local Arab-American community. The afternoon will include music onstage from the likes of Hello Psychaleppo, a Syrian artist who mashes 1950s Arabic pop with electronic music, and Brooklyn-based garage-rock girl band Habibi. Clarissa Bitar, Yevrah, WNDRLND, DJ Yasmeenah, Kamoon, and others will play sets as well. There will also be dance performances, and art activities exploring traditional Palestinian textiles. World Street Kitchen and Milkjam Creamery will serve up special menus inspired by Arab eats. This event, now in its fifth year, has raised over $90,000 for organizations that offer aid to people in the Gaza Strip; this year’s $10 suggested donation will benefit the Anera In-Kind Medical Relief Program. 4-10 p.m. Sept. 7. Free. Find the fun at West 24th Street, between Lyndale and Garfield, Minneapolis. --Jessica Armbruster My Aqual Stage In 2017, multimedia artist Ifrah Mansour teamed up with people in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood to create a giant nomadic Somali house, called an “aqal.” The interactive installation was part of the Northern Spark festival. This week, Mansour is returning to the project. Over the course of three days, she will lead the building of a new aqal. Then, on Saturday, it will open up to the public. There will be a reception starting at 6 p.m., which will include snacks and mini-performances. Starting at 9:30 p.m., guests can enjoy live music from Thunder Band, buraanbur poetry led by Caasho Buranburtooy, and a set featuring the Somali Museum Dance Troupe. The aqal will return for several pop-ups, including events on September 13 and 20, and it will also be at the Global Roots Festival from September 23-25. 6-11:55 p.m. Sept. 7. Free; register on Eventbrite.com. The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-338-2674. --Sheila Regan All-day motorcycle celebration with food from Butcher Salt and Gerhard's Brats, over 40 vendors, giveaways, beer, bikes on display, and live music from Astronautalis, the Bad Man, NUR-D, Blackbird Bridge, and more. Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Bauhaus Brew Labs, 1315 Tyler St. NE, Minneapolis; 612-276-6911. Animal Actor (Tape Release and Tour Kick Off Show) With Loud Sun and Healthy Competition. 10 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis; 612-331-1746. With Diminished, Infuriate, Exlex, and Borrachoz Inc. 9 p.m. Hexagon Bar, 2600 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-722-3454. Red Bull Flugtag St. Paul “Flugtag” is German for “Flying Day.” And while flying is definitely the goal of this competition, most entrants will probably be doing more of a flop or a crash into the water. But that’s part of the fun. This international event is stopping by St. Paul for the second time. Fifty Twin Cities teams have created contraptions to hurl off a runway over the Mississippi River. A panel of judges will determine winners based on distance, creativity, and showmanship. Competitors include the Jucy Lucy-inspired Das Fliegenlucy, featuring employees from the Nook in St. Paul; the St. Paul RacoonTeurs, who will honor the racoon who took the internet by storm after climbing the UBS Building; and the Spoonbridge Cherry Glider, named after the iconic Minneapolis Sculpture Garden piece. After the event, stop by the Flugtag Block Party on West Seventh Street for live music, beer, and eats. 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 7; Free. Harriet Island, 200 Dr. Justus Ohage Blvd., St. Paul. –Jessica Armbruster Flugtag Street Party Two-block street party with food, drinks, music from City of the Weak, Hillbilly Inc., Chris Hawkey, DJ Mark Haugen. Saturday, 2-11 p.m. West Seventh (pick up/drop off zones for shuttles at corner of Robert and Fillmore), St. Paul. A Star Like Any Other Paintings and sculpture by Jasper Marsalis. Opening reception 3-5 p.m. Sat., Sep. 7. Free. Midway Contemporary Art, 527 2nd Ave. SE, Minneapolis; 612-605-4504. Geeks of Color Reading & Open Mic: Overcoming Otherness Writers include Erin Sharkey, Rob Callahan, Bryan Thao Worra, Irna Landrum. Saturday, 6-9 p.m. Boneshaker Books, 2002 23rd Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-7110. Night Market at Chroma Zone Mural & Art Fest The Creative Enterprise Zone, an artist hub located in the Raymond/University area of St. Paul, invites you to immerse yourself in the world of street art. This multi-day festival features mural painting, nighttime fun, and beer. Things kick off Friday with a reception and party at Dual Citizen Brewing Co. (725 Raymond Ave.), which will get a new outdoor mural this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, barhoppers will be encouraged to drink beer at a variety of St. Paul breweries—including Lake Monster, Can Can, Black Stack, and Bang—with $1 from each branded pint benefiting the festival. Saturday and Sunday, Little Mekong Night Market returns with an artsy edge. In addition to Asian eats, dance, and performances, local artist Reggie LeFlore will create a glow-in-the-dark mural using fluorescent spray paint. Sunday will include a “sound mural,” hosted by experimental artists Beatrix*Jar. Find the complete schedule of happenings at www.chromazone.net. 5 p.m.-12 a.m. Sept. 7; 3-10 p.m. Sept. 8; Free. University Avenue, from Lexington Pkwy. to Marion St., St. Paul; 651-224-8555. –Jessica Armbruster For his first major U.S. exhibition, Chicago-based social practice artist Theaster Gates bucks Marie Kondo-ization and other minimalist trends to methodically install four rooms with castoff objects he’s collected. The objective behind re-contextualizing these items is to inject them with new meaning. As viewers, looking at them provides only one pathway in. Gates encourages us to also investigate their historical and cultural provenance, delight in the inspiration behind them, celebrate the conversations they elicit, and reach deeply into their resonance as representations of African-American material culture. In the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden stands Gates’ first outdoor commission, Black Vessel for a Saint, in which a salvaged statue of Saint Laurence, the patron saint of librarians and archivists, stands watch. Sept. 7-Jan. 12. Included with museum admission; free on Thursday nights and first Saturdays (aka today!). Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; 612-375-7600. September Free First Saturday: Dance the Day Away Family-friendly outdoor activities in the Sculpture Garden, featuring a performance by the Somali Museum Dance Troupe, a kids’ dance party, kinetic sculpture discussion, and a workshop led by professional dancer Kenna-Camara Cottman, with games, art-making, kids films, and free gallery admission. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 7. Free. Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; 612-375-7600. 11th Annual Minneapolis Monarch Festival Featuring hands-on art activities, native plant sales, music, food, dance, and games, celebrating the monarch butterfly's migration from Minnesota to Mexico. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 7; Free. Lake Nokomis Park, 4955 W. Lake Nokomis Pkwy., Minneapolis. The Art of John Sauer Oil paintings, curated by Angel Hawari. Public reception 6-9 p.m. Sat., Sep. 14. Free. Cryptid Hair Parlour, 2358 NE Stinson Pkwy., Minneapolis; 612-354-7328. Group exhibition featuring CIRCA artists. Opening reception 4-8 p.m. Sat., Sep. 7. Free. Circa Gallery, 1125 Buchanan St. NE, Minneapolis; 612-332-2386. Paintings by Bonnie Heller. Public reception 6-9:30 Sat., Sep. 7. Free. Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art, 250 3rd Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-247-1244. Bands for the Brave Benefit for Helping Out Our American Heroes, featuring a silent auction, BBQ, beer, and live music from 10 bands including NOS, Logan's Zeroes, and the CeeGees. 12-8 p.m. Sept. 7. Free. Maple Island Brewery, 225 Main St. N., Stillwater; 651-430-0044. Beverley Oliver Hawkins and Nieeta Presley: Influential St. Paul Developers Exhibition chronicling Hawkins and Presley's experiences and motivations to pursue funding for affordable, quality housing that has influenced the design and development of the Central Corridor. Free. Ralph Rapson Hall, 89 Church St. SE, Minneapolis; 612-625-5000. Edina Fall into the Arts Festival 2019 Featuring more than 225 artists and exhibitors showing and selling photography, jewelry, pottery, sculpture, wearable art, glass, fiber arts, wood, and paintings, with a variety of food vendors. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 7; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 8. Free. Centennial Lakes Park and Putting Course, 7499 France Ave., Edina; 952-832-6789. Nicollet Island: A Visual History New paintings by James Conaway. Opening reception 2-5 p.m. Sat., Sep. 7. Free. Groveland Gallery, 25 Groveland Terrace, Minneapolis; 612-377-7800. New paintings by Anne DeCoster. Opening reception 2-5 p.m. Sat., Sep. 7. Free. Groveland Gallery, 25 Groveland Terrace, Minneapolis; 612-377-7800. Twin Cities Pagan Pride Fall Festival 2019 Featuring workshops, rituals, discussions, vendors, food drive, community groups, and entertainment. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 7. Free. Minnehaha Park and Falls, 4801 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; 612-230-6400. Midtown Farmers Market Featuring farm products, prepared and cottage foods, and ready-to-eat local cuisine, local artwork, and live entertainment. More info at midtownfarmersmarket.org. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sat. from May 18-Oct. 26. Free. Midtown Farmers Market, 3032 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-724-7457. Mill City Farmers Market Long running market in the shadow of Mill Ruins Park, featuring local, sustainable, and organic groceries and produce, with weekly cooking clinics and live entertainment. More info at www.millcityfarmersmarket.org. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sat. from May 4-Oct. 26. Free. Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis; 612-341-7555. Vine Arts Center’s 12th Annual Member Show Featuring 24 current members exhibiting their artwork. Opening reception 6-9 p.m. Sat., Sep. 7. Free. Vine Arts Center, 2637 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-728-5745. Zacc Harris Trio 8 p.m. Sept. 7; 8 p.m. Sept. 28. Free. The Lexington, 1096 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-289-4990. Borough Block Party 2019 All ages outdoor party, featuring food and drinks from Borough and Parlour, and live music from the Gentlemen's Anti-Temperance League, Private Oates, Black Market Brass, and Viva Knievel. 12-8 p.m. Sept. 8. Free. Borough & Parlour, 730 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-354-3135. XRTC Critical Mass International Solidarity Ride Cyclists will meet at the dandelion fountain, then ride through downtown Minneapolis, ending at Open Streets at the University of Minnesota. Sunday, 1-3:30 p.m. Loring Park, 1382 Willow St., Minneapolis. With Hellish View and Pissonyourdad. 9 p.m. Hexagon Bar, 2600 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-722-3454. Sundays in September at Linden Hills Market will be all about showcasing local vegan businesses and animal-rights organizations. This includes savory and sweet treats from Prairie Vegan Pies, popsicles made from locally sourced ingredients by Saint Pops, and goods from a variety of Twin Cities bakeries and pastry shops. Sample your way through and find new things to crave. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 8. Free. Linden Hills Farmers' Market, 2813 W. 43rd St., Minneapolis; 612-345-0946. –Jessica Armbruster 10th Annual Goldzilla Largest gathering of Golden Retrievers in America, with a walk for rescue, pet activities, games, photo contest, vendor village, and raising awareness for Retrieve a Golden of the Midwest. More info at goldzilla.ragom.org. 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 8. Free. Long Lake Regional Park, 1500 Old Highway 8, New Brighton, Minneapolis; 651-748-2500. Author presents his new book, 'Pass the Paddle: Mississippi Dreamin' Come Hell or High Water.' 5 p.m. Sept. 8; Free. Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611. Open Streets Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Featuring live music, skateboard demos, sidewalk sales, and more as the street closes to cars. More info at www.openstreetsmpls.org. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 8. Free. U of M campus, from 14th Avenue Southeast down University Avenue Southeast, and Oak Street Southeast, Minneapolis. Minnesota Comic Book Convention Featuring dealers with comics from past and present, collectibles, and comic book buyers. More info at www.epguides.com/comics. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 8. Free. LivINN Hotel, 5201 Central Ave. NE, Fridley; 763-571-9440. Weekly residency with a variety of special guests and opening acts. 7-9 p.m. every Sun. Free. Palmer's Bar, 500 S. Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; 612-333-7625. 8 p.m. every Sun. Free. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-729-4365.

On this night so cold and dreary, the news near-done, my tired eyes bleary, From seeking lore and science behind the cyber-veil. Startled now, and nearly falling, in my mind some thing is calling, Within my brain some ghoul is crawling, demanding now with piercing wail, ” ‘Tis just Greg’s demon,” I muttered, “calling for The Daily Grail. More time,” I begged, to no avail. —with apologies to E. A. Poe - It may be freezing cold and covered in ice now but 70-million years ago the Arctic Ocean was as tepid as the Mediterranean. - Catastrophic flooding from an ancient lake may have triggered a cold period. - Here’s one less thing for you to worry about. A French Egyptologist claims that he has conclusive evidence of the builder of the Sphinx. - China leads Europe by more than 2,000-years in pig iron casting. - How did they know how to fire ceramics 7,000-years ago? Researchers seek to unlock the mysteries of ancient potters. - Grave robbers ransack Holy Land history. Haven’t they always done so? - Here’s a quick study on the (The Da Vinci) Code vs. Fact. If you know the one of the hundred or so people in the world that haven’t read it yet, it’s available from Amazon US and Amazon UK for Xmas delivery. - When Jesus walked in Japan. - The shroud’s second image – a growing body of evidence is calling for reassessment of the Turin shroud. - Americans have been eating food with a GM content for more than seven years without harm and even, significantly, without a single lawsuit alleging harm. Nobody grew horns either. - Cuban President Fidel Castro’s granddaughter has become an U.S. citizen. - The United States has eased sanctions against Cuba, Iran and Sudan to facilitate literary and scientific exchanges. - A Texas professor searches for the human soul. - The rest of you relax, this one is for Shadows and me. If you’ve got roses, you need ladybugs. Probably not in Australia though. - The recent extraordinary behavior of one of the world’s most notorious volcanoes, Mount St Helens in the US, may mean it is preparing for a dramatic eruption. Or it may just like to worry people. - Scientist to study Hobbit morphing. - Life expectancy at birth could reach 100-years over the next two generations. It could be much longer if you listen to the Prophet of Immortality. - Life is fragile. A research team discovers the first evidence of life in a rock glacier. - Alcohol vulnerability is linked to action of insulin. - Vitamin E in plant seeds could halt prostate and lung cancer, but pills don’t work. - Got herbs? Herbal remedies found to contain toxic heavy metals. - The French government has banned broadcasts by a satellite TV channel run by the militant Hizbullah organization on the grounds of anti-Semitism. - Ancient and modern tattoos celebrated in photography book. (photo gallery) - Demystifying the quantum properties of exotic materials. - If you look into the eyes of someone who is frightened, your brain will pick up on the fear in a split second. This needed a study? Did they think those people playing Texas Hold ‘Em on TV were wearing sunglasses because the sun was out? - A bipedal robot learns to run (with video). Okay then, how about a fish-shaped robot for underwater research? Last chance – how about a smart scarecrow? - T-ray vision sees through clothes. I want one. - The Google Internet Library is called a revolution. Oh no, then everyone could read the books. - Mathematicians have made a crochet model of chaos. Mathematicians have never been known for cleverness that the rest of us understand. - Stand-by for the Top [insert number here] lists: The Top Ten Space Urban Legends, the Top Five Space-Related Costumes for Adults, the Top Ten Science Discoveries of 2004, the Top Cryptozoology Stories of 2004, and the Top 50 Cryptids From Around The World (no, you don’t, but you will know what a cryptid is). - The Megatsunami: A possible modern threat. - 2004 is among the hottest years on record. Modern record, anyway. - Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park) takes on Global Warming in latest work. State Of Fear is available at Amazon US and Amazon UK. - An Australian report damns Kyoto. - Global Warming melts dreams of a White Christmas. Forgive me – but i love this stuff. ;o) - Now that we have Global Warming, bundle up because it’s going to get colder. - The daring visionaries of crackpot aviation. - Need energy? Plant will make clean power from turkey droppings. - NASA eyes the ice changes around Earth’s frozen caps. - UFO over Sunraysia? Alien boom spawns theories. The UFO cited in northwest China still baffling. - ‘Ultrasound’ may explain a solar weather mystery. - Holiday Sky Show: Five planets to shine in predawn. - Russian scientists are selecting volunteers to be locked in a capsule for 500-days to test plans for a trip to Mars. - A Cassini scientist sees evidence that Saturn’s outer rings could be disappearing. - Russia intends to send a neutron gun to Mars aboard a US space mission scheduled to be launched in 2009. - Reaching Toward Neptune: Two ways to explore an ice giant. - A US firm is proposing to use guided missile technology to make a precision, automated landing on the Moon. - Where did life come from? Look at algae, beetles, sponges, jellyfish, snakes, condors, and giant sequoias. If you didn’t know better, you would be hard-pressed to believe that they all came from the same universe, much less the same planet. - The outer reaches of our solar system may have been shaped long ago by a close encounter with another star that tore up both nascent planetary systems like colliding buzz saws. Quote of the Day: Hey Santa, how much for your list of naughty girls?

Magic and mayhem when yo.., p.1 Magic and Mayhem: When You Witch Upon A Star (Kindle Worlds Novella), page 1 Text copyright ©2016 by the Author. This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Robyn Peterman. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Magic and Mayhem remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Robyn Peterman, or their affiliates or licensors. For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds When You Witch Upon a Star Table of Contents Books by Melanie James Chapter Twenty One Magic & Mayhem Authors About the Author Books by Melanie James Magic & Mayhem When You Witch Upon A Star Literal Leigh Romance Diaries Tales From The Paranormal Plantation Gertie’s Paranormal Plantation Back to the Fuchsia Karma Inc. Files Black Paw Pack Fur Ever Yours Ava & Will Kara & Dave Laura & Alan Jamie & Brad Ashley & Jeff Valerie & Greg Éveiller Drive Boxed Set A Valentine’s Surprise A Deadly Obsession Snowflakes, Exes & Ohs When You Witch Upon A Star By: Melanie James Editing: Elayne Morgan Cover Artist: Renee George Robyn – First and foremost, thank you! I am so very honored to be part of your crazy world! Teri – You are one of the best and I love you! To all of my Crazy Lady Sisters – I love and adore you. To all of my wonderful readers. Thank you for being you! Nearly a year ago, I made a discovery that changed everything and it wasn’t red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, though that cake does rank pretty damn high on the list. Nope. I learned that my cousins Randy and Kelly had somehow become witches. In fact, all of their close friends were witches and they trotted through magical worlds as easily as they went to the mall. It was accidental that I found out, mostly. Some people might call me nosey, but they’re wrong. I prefer to describe myself as naturally curious. A trait like that predisposes one for a career in science. For me specifically, it led me to follow my true calling: professional cryptozoologist. I may be a waitress at my day job, but it’s not who I am. Once I complete my correspondence course, I’ll never ask another person if they want fries with that. I know cryptozoologists have their detractors. They ridicule us for our courage to delve blindly into the unknown, but we all know who’ll get the last laugh—cryptozoologists. Yep. When someone like me discovers the Loch Ness Monster or captures a Chupacabra, the joke will be on them. In any case, Gertie, Randy’s roommate and fellow witch, runs the Paranormal Plantation, a shelter and safe haven for paranormal creatures. You can just imagine my excitement when I found out about the amazing creatures she has. In fact, it turns out Gertie and I are like kindred spirits when it comes to our love for all critters of mysterious origins. I really put my cousins in one heck of a predicament when I discovered the truth about the world they lived in. What could they do with an inquisitive person like me, their dear sweet cousin? Could I be trusted to keep such amazing secrets to myself? That’s doubtful. Now that I knew their secret, would I keep my investigative nose out of their witchy business? Absolutely not. There was only one sensible answer. I had to be inducted into their coven as a novice witch. If you’re like me, you just asked, “What the hell is a novice witch?” Good question. From what I understand, it’s a special status which puts me under the watchful eyes of the Witches Union Local 1313. Strictly limited magic—only what they’ve deemed safe enough for a recruit like me—will be made available. The Union then appraises my magical ability and makes a determination of whether or not I was born to be a witch. If all goes well, I’ll be given a mentor and proper training. I’ll be honest, I have my doubts about their training program. Having personally tasted the bitter failure of the other witches’ magical disasters, it’s safe to say the Union Training Program is dead on its ass. It didn’t matter that much to me. I was standing on the threshold of my twenty-second summer and it practically glimmered with magical possibilities. Why shouldn’t it? I was a newbie witch, a hopeful cryptozoologist, and a young woman with a secret wish for some steamy Shifter romance. Nonna’s howls reverberated through the bungalow’s cramped hallway. Hell hath no fury like an Italian grandma at the receiving end of a botched hairstyle, even if the stylist is her thirteen-year-old granddaughter. I winced and whispered a quick prayer for my little sister, Maria. She’d offered to make one of Nonna’s dreams come true by turning her into a beautiful redhead. Maria’s pleas and Nonna’s thick Italian accent approached my room. When the door swung open, I gasped—quite audibly. There was no denying it, Nonna’s hair had certainly been dyed red. But it was a disaster: a very unfortunate orangish-reddish and frizzled beyond belief. When I say frizzled, I mean it poked out in all directions and had the texture of a used scouring pad. My poor Nonna looked like an orangutan with a bad perm. Her canary-yellow polyester pants only added to the already shocking effect. “Nonna, it’s only May. Halloween is a long ways away.” I figured a little levity might break the tension. Boy, was I wrong. “Jessie! Jessie! Look at me. You see this? I’m goin’ to go to the Andrea Bocelli concert. Like this! ‘Look! It’s Sophia Loren!’ No! He’s gonna say, ‘Look! It’s a clown!’ What can I do? Tell me, Jessie.” “Well, you do kind of look like Ronald McDonald on acid, Nonna.” “Oh my God! What if Andrea Bocelli sees me?” “He’s blind, Nonna.” “Lucky for me.” Maria inched closer to me, avoiding Nonna’s wagging finger. She quickly snapped her eyelids shut for fear of having her eyes poked out by the wrinkled aging threat, and tiny tears trickled from the corners. Her closed lips contorted, like she was trying to hold back a case The familiar squeak of the front door opening and the booming voice of Nonna’s brother caught our attention. “You should keep the door locked! You never know who will try to come barging in!” “Hi Uncle Carmine!” I shouted, loud enough for him to hear me from my room. “Ha! Watch this. I’m gonna scare the hell out of Carmine.” Nonna tiptoed out of the room, her mischievous laughter quietly trailing behind her. Uncle Carmine’s shouts proved success for Nonna. The unintelligible Italian conversation that followed prompted Maria to close my door. Then she let loose. It wasn’t tears she’d been holding back, it was a full-scale laughing fit. “Jessica! Oh. My. God. Nonna’s hair!” Nearly hyperventilating, Maria huffed, “I think I might have ruined it. How mad is she, really?” “She’s not mad at all. You know her. Besides, you saw—she’s already having fun with it. I don’t know what kind of crowd shows up at an Andrea Bocelli concert, but she doesn’t give a damn. Nonna does what she likes and I dare anyone to get in her way. Do you think style is important to her? If it was, she wouldn’t dress like a polyester Easter egg.” “Yeah. I guess you’re right. I kind of admire her for it.” Maria pawed around my desk and picked up a steamy paranormal romance book. “Bangin’ the Billionwere by Leigh Epstein. Can I borrow it?” “Yikes!” I snatched it away like it was a box of rat poison. “No, no, nope. You’re way too young.” I traded it for another Leigh Epstein paperback. “Here, take this other one she wrote, Regurgitant. It’s one of those teen dystopian stories.” “I’m going to miss you this summer when you go off and earn your Bigfoot Hunter badge or whatever you call it. You better come back before school starts.” “I’ll miss you too, and it’s called my cryptozoologist certification. I may be just a waitress for my daily bread, but you of all people know my passion is cryptozoology. This trip is the first real step on my yellow brick road to becoming a cryptozoologist. Don’t worry though, I’ll probably run out of money and come back early.” Unfortunately, I was telling the truth. “Unless you meet someone awesome and fall in love.” “Love? Not on my checklist. Besides, I’d have better odds playing the lottery than finding love.” My response trailed after Maria, going unheard as she strolled out of my room with her nose stuck in the book I’d just given her. Love. My twenty-first birthday wish had been for true love. Pshh! Apparently, I’d wasted a perfectly good wish there. While other girls my age were already in some pretty advanced relationships, I was an untouched, unromanced, uneverythinged virgin. It wasn’t for lack of trying—it was for lack of opportunity. Let’s face it, the pickings are slim when you come of age bouncing around from town to town with a traveling freakfest. About a month ago, I’d blown out my twenty-second birthday candles, silently reciting a carefully crafted wish for something more realistic than true love. I wished to find a hot male Shifter—purely for scientific study, with an option for friends with benefits. Completely reasonable, right? I was quite specific because the way I understand it, you only get one wish per birthday. Downgrading my goal from true love to FWB was something I could live with. Thanks to my collection of paranormal romance books, you could say I was beyond desperate. Hell, if I had balls they’d be as blue as Anderson Cooper’s eyes. But, like Nonna says, “Spit in one hand and wish with the other, and see which one fills up first.” In other words: if I wanted results, it was up to me to go out and find a real live Shifter. The Shifter really is the ultimate prize for a cryptozoologist, in my opinion. Bigfoot? Found a pair of them, and it was a thrilling and hilarious experience, to say the least. I never expected them to be so frisky and full of mischief. I mean, who would have ever thought they’d see a Bigfoot smoking a bong and running around the sixteenth-century countryside with a giant purple dildo strapped to its big furry head? But my escapade back in time with Gertie is a whole other story. And since the Sasquatches resided at my new friend Gertie’s Paranormal Plantation, I couldn’t tell a soul about the adventure of a lifetime. It sucks to be me some days. If I ever expected to earn the highly prized and coveted certifications needed to achieve my professional cryptozoologist’s status, I’d have to hit a home run with an up-close and personal Shifter encounter. Thanks to my gossipy cousin, Randy, I knew right where to start. As luck would have it, he’d coughed up a very juicy rumor that begged for my investigation. His sister, my cousin Kelly, supposedly found a real bear Shifter somewhere up in northern Wisconsin. According to Randy, she’d not only discovered one but, in fact, had enjoyed a steamy romantic relationship with a sexy Native American werebear. Sure, it was all hush-hush. As a cryptozoologist, I find that most people prefer to keep the world of Sasquatches, Shifters, alien abductions and the like a secret. My job was to drag those secrets out into the light of day, exposing them for the world to see. There was just one thing I needed to take care of before I approached my cousin. I doubt many scientists write a submission letter for their report before they’ve even started their research. But I needed to. If I had it down on paper, it’d be a virtual contract to ensure I’d actually carry through with my summer plan. I powered up my laptop and before long, my fingers were carefully pecking at the keys like finicky chickens. I’d like to thank the Chicago Chapter of Cryptozoologists and UFOologists for the opportunity to submit my expedition journal for review. I’m sure that after you’ve read my report you will be impressed, amazed, and flabbergasted. I humbly request the illustrious and majestic officers consider my request for elevation to the distinguished level of Semiprofessional Cryptozoologist, Third Class. Gratefully, I am, as always, your devoted follower, P.S. Yes, that’s right: I am from the notorious Franchetti family. Please keep that in mind as you weigh your decision. “That should work. What do you say, Tiago?” Tiago, my blue-fronted Amazon parrot, bobbed on his perch. He either agreed, or was digesting breakfast. Suddenly he froze, lifting one leg up, as if a thought had occurred to him. “Ah, I see. You think throwing my family name out there might give them the wrong impression. Perhaps they’ll think I’m a spoiled diva from a well-connected Chicago mob family, like the ones you see on TV. Hah! Look around. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Still, I do want to be taken seriously.” The truth is, my great-uncle Carmine is a retired capo. Sure, he ran a neighborhood, but it wasn’t like in the movies. Construction bid rigging, illegal betting, and exotic pet smuggling were all in a day’s work for his outfit, but he had legitimate business interests as well. When people came to him for favors, he’d do what he could. No, there weren’t any extravagant lifestyles to be found in the blue-collar Franchetti family. If the TV mobster families’ piles of cash and jewels actually exist outside of fiction, they must keep them all on the East Coast, because they sure as hell never made it our way. I deleted my veiled threat. Tiago squawked his approval. I was ready to take my first step on the journey. Sammy’s Diner wasn’t going anywhere and I’d already received assurances that my job serving mediocre Italian food to the lunch-hour crowds would be waiting for me in the fall. I glanced around my bedroom. Thumbtack-studded maps displayed the locations of each reported cryptid sighting—color coded by species, of course. I also collect posters portraying all the great paranormals or cryptids in photographs, paintings, and movies. Those familiar images papered over every bit of the remaining wall spaces. I’d somehow managed to triple my collection over the three years since I’d moved in with Nonna. Her Chicago bungalow is the only real house I can remember living in. Not many people can say their Mom performed in a knife-throwing act in the circus. She hauled me and my baby sister, Maria, around in a grotesque 1983 Chevy Suburban, towing an even more grotesque travel trailer from state to state. It wasn’t all terrible. I’m comfortable with traveling. I appreciate friends more than most people, I think. Growing up with our lifestyle, I never had friends. As soon as I turned eighteen, I told Mom I was moving to Nonna’s and it was in Maria’s best interest to come with me. Mom went absolutely insane, freaking out just like that time the mimes replaced the bearded lady’s shampoo with Nair. She said there was no way she would allow it. The Fates didn’t agree with her. The following week, she found out her latest boyfriend, Jake, who was also her performance partner, had been cheating on her with a clown—a serious breach of social etiquette. A few days later, during the second Saturday performance in Blue Ball, Pennsylvania, Mom missed her target for the first time in nineteen years. Instead of shaving Jake’s smoldering cigarette from his lips, she impaled him to the wooden backboard with a chrome-plated dagger through his scrotum. She could have gotten away with it by claiming it was an accident. However, after she strutted up to him, plucked the cigarette from his mouth, took a drag, and twisted the dagger a few times, it was clear to us it was no accident. Apparently, it was clear to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well. We’re hoping for parole by Christmas. And that’s how Maria and I ended up at Nonna’s. I wasn’t about to hang around the circus any longer than I had to after that little incident. I knew I’d miss Maria and Nonna when I set foot on my own personal yellow brick road, but they’d be fine. They got along great and, in fact, Nonna had given me her blessing and encouraged me to go on my summer expedition. With a somewhat anxious sigh, I printed my letter and thumbtacked it to the wall. It was time to go interrogate my cousin. by Melanie James / Romance / Paranormal / Chick Lit have rating 4 out of 5 / Based on32 votes

There's ample circumstantial evidence for all these creatures: eyewitness accounts, blurry photographs, mysterious footprints. For many cryptozoologists—the people who search for legendary animals—that evidence is enough to confirm a monster's existence. But it will take more than shadowy sightings to convince Daniel Loxton and Donald R. Prothero that Bigfoot or any of the other monsters are real. What Loxton and Prothero want is scientific evidence. In their new book, Abominable Science! Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids, they analyze the history of mythic beasts and the clues to their existence. Loxton and Prothero come at cryptozoology from different directions. Loxton, a staff writer for Skeptic magazine, was an ardent believer in monsters as a kid, having spotted a Bigfoot print in the woods and a pterodactyl winging over his backyard. (Now, he suspects the print was a prank and the pterodactyl was a great blue heron.) Prothero is a paleontologist, who is also trained in biology and geology. He has written over 250 scientific papers and 28 books, including five textbooks on geology. National Geographic's Rachel Hartigan Shea spoke with the two authors about bringing skepticism and science to the study of cryptids. First of all, what is a cryptid? DP: A cryptid is any animal that has never been described by science, usually something very unusual along the lines of a Loch Ness monster or Bigfoot, something that stretches the limits of what is scientifically plausible. DL: It's based on the word cryptozoology, which means hidden life or animals. It implies a creature that's been recorded through folklore, something that we have reason to suspect exists. What can science tell us about cryptids? DP: The first thing, of course, is that a cryptid can't be a single animal. If there's one of them, there's got to be many of them. You can talk about their population density, the size of range they should have based on their estimated body size. All of that tends to weigh against them being real because they should have had huge ranges, and they should have been spotted a long time ago if they really did exist. And then there's other aspects, like geology, something you never hear the cryptozoologists mention. All the lake monsters, not just Loch Ness but the ones here in North America, in Lake Champlain and Lake George, were all under a mile of ice 20,000 years ago. The cryptozoologists never asked the question, "Well, how did the monster get in the lake if the lake was completely under ice, the lakes are all landlocked, and there's no way for a marine creature to get there at all?" Those are all things that are not news to geologists, they're not news to biologists, but they're apparently news to cryptozoologists. All the cryptids that you discuss in the book – Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, Mokele Mbembe – are very similar to things that exist or existed in the past: bears, primates, plesiosaurs, sauropods. Why the similarity? DL: In some cases I think it's because they are the same. Bears are often associated with ogres or wildmen in folklore because they're pretty humanlike. Once that folklore is underway, you have the opportunity for people to make these misidentification errors where they see a bear and think it might be a bigfoot. (Read a National Geographic magazine story about Europe's wildmen.) DP: These animals look like something familiar to us because the myths grow around whatever we've already just seen. Daniel pointed out in the book that the Mokele Mbembe myth emerged right about the time that large sauropod skeletons were first mounted in New York City and illustrated by people like Charles R. Knight. Then lo and behold, someone starts reporting one in the Congo, where it doesn't have any history prior to that. So Mokele Mbembe definitely does not exist? DP: We have an excellent fossil record of Africa. We have very great confidence that there have been no dinosaurs around in the last 65 million years because we have bones of large animals from Africa of all kinds but they're all mammals. Same goes for plesiosaurs. Worldwide, there are no bones of plesiosaurs in any marine deposit after about 70 million years ago. There are plenty of places where they should show up if they actually lived, but they don't. That to me is not just absence of evidence, that's very strong evidence that they don't exist. That sentence -- the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence – occurs a lot in the book. DL: It's a really good thing for people to keep in mind, but it's not always true. If the claim that you are advancing implies some kind of evidence, then failing to find that kind of evidence is evidence that that thing does not exist. Take, for example, the idea that there might be plesiosaurs in Loch Ness. Well, plesiosaurs had bones. That implies that there should be bones littering the loch. Well, they've dredged the loch to see if there are any monster bones down there, any plesiosaur bones, and there aren't. That goes to the truth of the claim. Do you ever encounter people who say, "No, I saw it!" DL: Oh yeah. I have a lot of sympathy for that. If you have the experience of seeing something with your own eyes, it's natural that that should trump my "talking head" skepticism and Don's arguments about why that's probably not so. But there's only so much I can do with your personal experience that I did not share. I accept that it's compelling to you, but it cannot be as compelling to me. DP: By and large, all of the evidence for these really strange cryptids is from eyewitness testimony. People are fooled by their senses, especially sight, because we are notoriously bad witnesses. One of the sightings of the Yeti, or the abominable snowman, turns out to be a rock outcrop. The guy saw it move the first time and then he had to leave. He came back finally a year later--after his sighting had been all over the media--and it turns out that it was just a rock he was shooting pictures of. What do you think the connection is between people believing in cryptids and the level of scientific literacy among the general public? DP: Lately cryptozoology has been connected to creationism in a lot of ways. People who actively search for Loch Ness monsters or Mokele Mbembe do it entirely as creationist ministers. They think that if they found a dinosaur in the Congo it would overturn all of evolution. It wouldn't. It would just be a late-occurring dinosaur, but that's their mistaken notion of evolution. Is there any one cryptid that you wish was real? DL: All of them. DP: I'm a paleontologist. I'd love to have Mokele Mbembe and a plesiosaur! This interview has been edited and condensed. Follow Rachel Hartigan Shea on Twitter.

Legend of "Lechuza" Possibly Seen In Carrizo Springs By KGNS News The legend of the "Lechuza" has been told in this area for years. Now, a recent picture has sparked a discussion the picture is real. The picture believed to have been taken in Carrizo Springs shows two men holding a white owl with a very large wing span. Our Lauren Kendrick has more in our top story. The picture has definitely got people interested whether or not they believe in the myth. We spoke to one of the owners of Petland who tells us this picture has her baffled when it comes to classifying the type of owl. "I think people would like to believe it's real just like they'd like to believe big foot's real and the loch ness monster and all the other creatures." Owner of Petland Laredo, Laura Hatton, gives us her take on the picture that's been circulating social networking sites for the past few days. The picture was taken in Carrizo Springs. Many people are calling the big white bird "Lechuza" from the urban legend commonly told in the Mexican heritage where the spirit of a woman or a witch turns into an owl. "Those wives tales are there for a reason. They are a legend. Perhaps there at one time was a much larger species of an owl that was here." Hatton says it looks like a barn owl but is way too large. She says it's really hard to determine the exact species by the undercarriage. By looking at the picture, she says it's hard to tell if it is indeed real or fake. "The head is really out of focus so it makes you wonder about photo shop. But the wings itself look like a barn owl." “Whether people believe in the legend or not, people have been sounding off on Facebook so we decided to go out on the streets and see what people had to say about the owl" One thing Hatton says doesn't add up is the size of the bird. "The size doesn't make any sense for the species of an owl because even the largest...a great horned owl doesn't look anything like it and it's still way smaller." Just like other legends in south Texas like the chupacabra, there's no way of telling if this is a real "Lechuza" or not. "I think they'd like it to be the "Lechuza" because I find the culture here to be full of mysticism and people enjoy it." |by Mike Cox| |At night in South Texas, especially under a big moon, things start moving.| Deer begin grazing, coarse-haired feral hogs emerge from the brush to steal corn from game feeders on the big ranches, five-foot rattlesnakes slide from their lair, the sensors on their arrowhead-shaped heads looking for warm meat. And sometimes, an owl spreads its wide wings and flies from its roost looking for prey. But some people along the border believe that owls are more than big-eyed night feeders. Among that group are three Zavala County women who vividly remember an experience they had one night on their way home from a shopping trip to San Antonio. Just outside Batesville on State Highway 57, a large, dark and menacing bird suddenly appeared in the headlights of their car. The bird flew ahead of them faster than the vehicle, swinging back and forth and bobbing up and down. The woman behind the wheel pressed her foot on the gas to outdistance the bird, which at one point circled back to fly right outside the driver's window. The bird seemed to be mocking the women, but this was no mockingbird. That's when the car went dead. The lights went dark and the vehicle stalled, slowly losing speed. The driver managed to get the car off the roadway but could not restart it. The women locked themselves in the car, stuck out in the middle of nowhere. The bird, meanwhile, had disappeared. As mysteriously as it had died, the car eventually restarted. Sure, it could have been a loose battery wire, or any number of easy-explainable mechanical things. But as far as these three women were concerned, the answer could be articulated in one word: lechuza.Since Spanish colonial times, generations of children in South Texas and across the river in Mexico have grown up hearing stories of lechuzas. Despite that, an internet search shows that the tradition is mostly oral. "A lot of people believe in lechuza," says Zavala County historian and newspaper columnist Richard G. Santos. Fascinated by stories like the one told by the three women whose shopping trip ended scarily, Santos has been collecting them for several years. A couple who for obvious reasons did not want to be named told the Crystal City writer this story: They were on State Highway 191, headed toward Eagle Pass, when their vehicle's windshield wipers suddenly came on. "It must be a lechuza," said the woman's husband, who reached over and turned off the wipers. As he did that, the headlights of their vehicle illuminated a big bird sitting on a telephone pole. "It was big and it watched us as we drove by," one of them told Santos. "It was scary." Indeed, lechuzas have been scaring people in Mexico and South Texas for a long time. According to Santos, lechuzas are witches - brujas - who transform themselves into birds. In most stories, the bird is an owl, but sometimes a bruja will turn into an eagle. Another school of thought holds that not all lechuzas are brujas. Some are merely the spirits of women annoyed for a specific reason, a faithless husband or a widower who has remarried. Those frightened by the appearances of a lechuza can fall back on four basic remedies: Prayer, tying seven knots in a string or rope, engaging the services of a curandera or blasting the bird with a shotgun or rifle. One man told Santos he had heard as a boy about a lechuza being shot. No one could find the dead bird, but the next morning, someone discovered the body of a very unattractive, mature woman hanging across a tree branch. Needless to say, many saw a connection between the killing of the lechuza and the corpse. Santos, a serious historian who moved to Crystal City from San Antonio to care for his elderly parents, says he does not believe in ghosts or witches. But he definitely believes in stories of ghosts and witches. He has found that lechuzas are particularly active in Zavala County. A lechuza can appear at any time, but these feathery witches seem particularly prone to spread their wings and terrorize those who have popped a top or two or three. Cars moving down lonely highways also seem a favorite target of lechuzas. Fortunately, as they say on the border, "Las lechuzas, por regular, no son peligrosas." They are not dangerous. Normally. © Mike Cox "Texas Tales" October 22, 2003 column |Posted on July 9, 2012 at 1:10 AM| MOTHMAN AS AN OWL From the Cryptid Chronicles June 20, 2012 (Cryptozoologist's Note: While doing some follow-up research, I came across this post from the Cryptid Chronicles in which the author postulates the same identity for the so-called Mothman as I had previously—that it may be a species of giant owl, possibly a surviving species long thought to be extinct. I am presenting their post verbatim, the only addition being an illustration comparing the size of a Cuban Giant Owl or Giant Cursorial Owl (Ornimegalonyx oteroi) with that of a human. I think their article presents some interesting additional support for this theory. That said, any typographical or grammatical errors are part of their original post. ~ Crypto) Mothman as an owl has previously been discussed on Cryptid Chronicles with Mark A. Hall’s theory about “Bighoot” with his sense that Mothman/Bighoot may have developed a protective mimicry that has been utilized by the giant owls to disguise themselves as upright trees and logs lying on the ground. While I don’t believe that all Mothman sightings can be misdiagnosed as an animal, I do think with specific qualities reported in some cases such as Mothman having no head but rather a set of eyes in its upper chest and accounts of “glowing” eyes lends credence to Mothman as an owl. One of the original eyewitnesses, Linda Scarberry (1966), specifically stated that the effect was related to the car headlights. “There was no glowing about it until the lights hit it,” she said. Others echoed her statement. For example, one man, alerted by his dog, aimed his flashlight in the direction of his barn, “and it picked up two red circles, or eyes, which,” he said, “looked like bicycle reflectors” (Keel 1975, 56). The reflector-like nature of the creature’s eyes is revealing. As ornithologists well know, some birds’ eyes shine bright red at night when caught in a beam from auto headlights or a flashlight. “This ‘eyeshine’ is not the iris color,” explains an authority, “but that of the vascular membrane—the tapetum—showing through the translucent pigment layer on the surface of the retina” (Gill 1994). The TNT area is surrounded by the McClintic Wildlife Management Area—then, as now, a bird sanctuary! Owls, which exhibit crimson eyeshine, populate the area. Indeed, Steve Warner (2002), who works for West Virginia Munitions to produce .50-caliber ammunition in the TNT compound, reported to Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, that there were “owls all over this place.” Conversely, neither he nor a coworker, Duane Chatworthy (2002), had ever seen Mothman, although Warner pointed out he had lived in the region all of his life. Because of Mothman’s squeaky cry, “funny little face,” and other features, including its presence near barns and abandoned buildings, Joe Nickell identified it as the common barn owl (Nickell 2002). One Skeptical Inquirer reader (Long 2002) insisted it was instead a great horned owl which, although not matching certain features so well, does have the advantage of larger size. It seems likely that various owls and even other large birds played Mothman on occasion. Here then is the question separating the mystifiers from the skeptics: Is it more likely that there has long been a previously undiscovered giant species among the order strigiformes (owls), or that some people suddenly encountering a “monster” at night have misjudged its size? Could there be a super large owl living in the north-east at least—in the woods of West Virginia and the Appalachian Mountains which may be a genuine cryptid? There has been evidence of super large owls found in the fossil records in that area dating back several hundreds of thousands of years ago—some with a wingspan of over 40 to 50 feet! That’s an owl large enough to easily pick up a cow or a buffalo and carry it away to a giant nest to feed its young. It would be 6 feet tall while standing with its wings closed! Could you imagine coming upon that thing in the woods at night? So it is JUST possible that at least some reports of the MOTHMAN is not a monster or a demon or a extra-terrestrial after all—but a bonafide “cryptid”—a relic of evolution left over from prehistoric times which may have been living deep inside Appalachian mountain hollows for hundreds of thousands of years and has only rarely emerged to be seen by human eyes (and scare them shitless) due to some change or variability in its natural environment or food base. And if you’ll pardon the pun… Who (hoo) knows? Perhaps this giant owl has a giant brain that is telepathic and can indeed force you to stand paralyzed just with it’s piercing gaze. Maybe, as the Native Americans say, it’s even intelligent and has a memory of its history and a spirituality all it’s own. There is at least one unconfirmed report of a GIANT OWL swooping down to pick up a small boy out playing in a farm yard in the Appalachian mountains back in the 1930’s. The giant owl screeched with such a terrifying sound at the boy’s struggling and biting at its feet that the boys father and brother and farm hand heard it from the barn and came out and threw rocks and sticks at it until it dropped the boy from a height of about 15 feet into a soft earthen livestock yard relatively unhurt except for a few scratches and bruises from the giant owl’s claws (and probably some hilacious nightmares!!!!). However when the family reported the incident to the local authorities, they were ridiculed and laughed at and eventually came to wish they’d never made the report. But to further confirm their story, possibly the exact same giant owl was seen again about a hundred miles away not more than three months later by a well-respected and sober business man out on a solitary fishing and hunting trip up in the Appalachians. The shaken fellow who reported seeing the giant owl fly over head with the limp carcass of a dark brown horse dangling from it talons said it was the most terrifying moment of his entire life. He said every hair on his body stood on end when that giant bird flew over with a roaring whooosh and looked down at him for just a second with those large, piercing eyes… “I know exactly what a field mouse feels like now when he spots an owl swooping down from overhead… with those DAMNED EYES that cut right into ya and turn your blood to ice… and it ain’t a good feelin’ let me tell ya…” Enormous prehistoric owls may have migrated from Cuba to a town near you In the piney mountains and desert mesas of south central New Mexico, residents of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation still share the legends of an enormous and evil bird: Big Owl. The Jicarilla Apaches, along the state’s northern edge, also talk of Big Owl, beneath the slickrock canyons and gray bluffs of their reservation. But in their stories, Big Owl can paralyze humans just by staring at them, and after doing so, it swallows them whole, just as smaller owls swallow mice. Such stories may actually have a basis in fact, citing accounts of an actual undocumented species of 3-to-5-foot-tall giant owl (Bighoot). Ornimegalonyx oteroi, or the Cuban giant owl, was an approximately 3-foot-tall owl that lived in what’s now western Cuba up until about 8,000 years ago. In the last few decades, three nearly intact skeletons of this bird have been found in Cuban caves, and their size and bone structure suggest this owl was similar to an oversized version of the common burrowing owl, with long legs and an ability to fly only short distances. Perhaps some giant owls survived extinction, migrated, reproduced and became part of New Mexico’s Apache oral histories—and there are a number of intriguing points that support his case. Mentions of giant owls occur throughout the mythology of American- and Canadian-Indian tribes. Many Iroquois once feared what they called Flying Heads—man-sized, bodiless, open-mouthed heads covered in ragged hair—heads that could fly in a halting way, were armed with talons and craved humans which Mark A. Hall has theorized were actually giant owls. Sightings of giant owls continued into the era of North America’s first European-American settlers. Hall said some settlers saw their livestock carried off by enormous birds they called booger owls, and such sightings have persisted into the present, across America and across the Southwest. In a chapter of Cryptozoology and the Investigation of Lesser-Known Mystery Animals, New Mexico journalist Jerry A. Padilla recounted a Taos woman’s encounter with an owl she estimated to be at least 4 1/2 feet tall. This incident reportedly took place in the 1950s, not far north of the New Mexico-Colorado state line, when Taos resident Rosa M. Lucero was a little girl. Lucero recalled the giant owl wandering silently from a cluster of willows, walking back and forth and just staring at her and her grandmother, Elena Bustos Lucero, as the two of them frantically gestured the sign of the cross. “It just walked around in the garden by the willows,” Rosa M. Lucero said in the above-mentioned book. “My grandmother was convinced it was a nagual—someone taking the form of an owl—because she herself said that in all her long life she’d never encountered an owl so large and unafraid of people.” Though generally described as making a hooting sound, owls are sometimes also said to hum. The Internet is studded with mentions of owls humming as coyotes howl, owls humming the sounds of the night and barn owls humming people to sleep. Taos Tales, by Elsie Clews Parsons, includes a northern New Mexico oral history of a coyote who “went singing and at the end of every song he said like the owl, hum! hum! (grunt).” A much better-known hum in northern New Mexico is the notorious Taos Hum—a low, pulsing throb of a sound that torments about 2 percent of Taos’s population, causing anxiety, dizziness, headaches, nosebleeds and insomnia. Many people have suggested possible explanations—a government project, aliens, mass hysteria—but the Hum’s cause remains unknown. Would it be ridiculous, though, to suggest that maybe, just maybe, the Taos Hum might be caused by man-sized owls—the Bighoot—humming throughout the New Mexico woods? This evidence presents a somewhat rational explanation for the Mothman as some giant bastard owl. Whether a mutation or relic animal, one thing is certain—happening upon one would be an unnerving encounter. Sources csicop.org/sb/show/mothman_revisitedinvestigating_on_site, blogster.com/anaibendai/mothman-mystery-solved, s8int.com/eyewit12.html, dailylobo.com/index.php/article/2007/04/enormous_prehistoric_owls_may_have_migrated_from_cuba_to_a_town_near_you Top illustration credit Copyright © Yasmin Foster I would like to thank Yasmin Foster for her generous contribution of the gorgeous artwork, it’s a very neat interepretation of Mothman as an actual owl. Please check out more of her artwork at http://yasminfoster.blogspot.com

Like a good story about creepy stuff? Like maybe how it feels to be at an alleged (Travis Walton) UFO alien abduction site? … or maybe legends about the fabulous “Lost Ship of The Mojave Desert”? ….and throw in a crazy cryptid known as the “Cactus Cat” and you have this episode of “3 Questions” with Mojave Mysteries Author M.L.Behrman Grab a cup of coffee and sit back for a good yarn from the “Rod Serling of the Desert”!

I'm sharing just some of the amazing array of cryptids reported in the United States. Local areas have many of their own that have grown over time, such as my hometown's Bunnyman that was at one time a man who ate bunnies, then a man in a bunny suit, and over time has been thrown into the cryptid pile. Lizardman: In Tucson, Arizona during a bike race, a rider saw a Lizardman standing in the desert. “We had been riding for about… I don’t know maybe nine hours, taking breaks every now and then. Then Michael says he needs to stop for a minute. We are waiting for him to finish when all of a sudden we see this long figure walking across the trail. He is maybe about 6-foot tall, very very skinny, and it had an awkward gait, like a monkey…or a man with a disease, almost robotic, kind of,” he told Cryptozoology News. Horned demon creature of Felton? Alaska Lake Monster Pope Lick Monster Lizard man of Scape Ore Swamp Was it really any wonder that the Native People have repeated legends of man/animal forms, dance in costumes that portray them? Then, there are also the campy cryptids - Man has been pretty arrogant about ruling the earth and knowing all of its inhabitants and yet every year, even large creatures are discovered "officially" for the first time (thought Native people knew of these creatures). It's a fascinating land, America. We are not such a new continent. Technically, all continents were from a master continent and broke apart. We are as old as any other continent and what happened her had isolation for millions of years before humans arrived in a place that might have already harbored humanoids.

Ah, On the road again…on Monday, June 27, 2011, I was in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. I was poking around some of the old haunts of the cryptid sites and reports of the 1970s. But things are not always as they seem to be. Three thousand miles. Lots to see… The mystical roots of this county run deep. Were you aware that this famous Frank Lloyd Wright location (Fallingwater, above) was built on the site of a former Masonic Lodge? [Hat tip to old high school classmate Tim Henebry who suggested to me a side trip here during my Illinois-back-to-Maine leg of my trek.] Here’s my previous summary of the context into which these cases fit, as they definitely occurred during a special era: During the 1960s, Bigfoot began to bask in the glow of continental wonder, much differently than how “wildmen” and Sasquatch had experienced the calmer local outbreaks of interest before 1958. Certainly, the post-Patterson-Gimlin film days seemed, at first, to be a moment in Bigfoot history when the ultimate quest appeared nearly at an end. One of these animals would be captured and classified soon, it was assumed, and a new zoological discovery tale would be told. But then a detour down some side roads in Minnesota and Bossburg gave a hint of a bizarre new age ahead. The ensuing period became known as one of “high strangeness.” The impact of those times still influences the stories gathered, and the books produced today. It was an era in which the mixing of several threads of the inexplicable overlapped, danced about together, and merged. Bigfoot met Forteana, whether it was globes, cattle mutilations, electromagnetic effects, or other bizarre imports from the world of the so-called paranormal. Ufologist Jerome Clark talks of the transformations of this period in his 1996 encyclopedia, High Strangeness: UFOs from 1960 through 1979. Clark noted that the “UFO controversy [changed] from a debate about aerial phenomena into one about experiences at ground level…[in which] the strangeness of the content of these claims seemed to escalate. No wonder many ufologists lost their bearings. The distinction between a hoaxer’s tall tale and a frightened witness’ sincere testimony blurs when the content of one is barely less outlandish than the other. Both shameless liars and earnest souls told of meetings, sometimes with extended communication, with alien humanoids.” Clark also noted that other persons spoke “falsely or sincerely” of sightings of hairy creatures, which he has characterized as “Hairy Biped” sightings, some in conjunction, supposedly, with UFOs. During the 1970s, individuals like California researcher Peter Guttilla began discussing what he saw as the overlapping nature of Bigfoot and UFO reports. Mostly unaccredited talks between Guttilla, Barbara Ann Slate, and Alan Berry would lead to writings by Slate and Berry highlighting the UFO link to Bigfoot sightings. In Pennsylvania, UFO researcher Stan Gordon was promoting attention for the strange hairy creature reports that were coming his way. He was especially intrigued by a rash of reports beginning in 1973 that seemed to link sightings of Bigfoot and UFOs. Gordon told of sightings on October 25, 1973, near Uniontown and Greensburg, on November 2, 1974, again near Uniontown, and on February 6, 1974, in rural Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in which glowing objects would be seen near where Bigfoot were also being seen. Through police officers alerting Stan Gordon, he and Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz did the primary investigations on these cases. Tracks found at a landing site, Bigfoot seen near a UFO site, and other tentative associations made the UFO/Bigfoot link for Gordon, and he was convinced of the interactions. “We have hundreds of unexplained cases that stand out,” he said. Other Ufologists were getting into the Bigfoot business too. Coral Lorenzen, Leonard Stringfield, Andrew Collins, Dr. Leo Sprinkle, John S. Derr, R. Martin Wolf, and Steven Mayne began looking into hairy creature sightings during the 1970s. These individuals’ ufological philosophies caused them to think in terms of their frame of references and their literature now contains clear-cut Bigfoot accounts, which were collected by ufologists. There is no doubt a body of work that has Bigfoot-like creatures directly connected to UFO sightings has been deduced and chronicled by ufologists (not Forteans, not cryptozoologists) as worthy of their time. Other authors, such as Brad Steiger, Warren Smith, and their humorously combined single author, known under the pseudonym “Eric Norman,” were also producing paperback books full of new stories of UFOs and apemen. In New York, writer John A. Keel was pondering the material he gathered a few years earlier in a place called Point Pleasant, West Virginia, which lumped Bigfoot, dog killings, Mothman, Men-In-Black, and UFOs in the same vortex. The volume he wrote even before his famous Mothman book was published in 1975 was Strange Creatures from Time and Space (1970). It was typical of the new wave of paperback books that would capture the mood of the times. A year before Strange Creatures came out, Keel had introduced Jerome Clark to me and we carried on a lively exchange of stories and ideas. I found myself investigating the reports of glowing red-eyed creatures, such as those haunting the cornfields of Farmer City, Illinois in 1970, and the railways during the Enfield Horror of 1973. Clark, in the meantime was digging into airship reports and exploring fairy lore and ufology. By the mid-1970s, Clark and Coleman were actually coauthoring articles that merged our two fields of study, full of sociological and psychological assessments, including the now rejected Jungian hypothesis set forth in our Creatures of the Outer Edge (1978, reprinted 2006). Creatures spawned a wave of psychosocial thinking that lives on today in various pockets of theorizing still current in Europe. Clark, with the distance of time, looked anew at Hairy Bipeds and UFOs in 1996, when he noted: “In the most extreme UFO stories — those that allege extensive communications with (usually benevolent) extraterrestrials — Hairy Bipeds make an occasional appearance.” Clark, while intrigued by the reports in the 1970s, concluded that the evidence for direct contact between the Bigfoot and UFOs is anything but secure. He finishes with this observation: “These are huge suppositions tied to small evidence. At this stage, given the limitations of human knowledge, there is hardly anything about Hairy Bipeds, or their possible connections with the UFO phenomenon, that can be stated with any degree of confidence.” It was into these times of high strangeness that Janet and Colin Bord stepped in, to write their book The Bigfoot Casebook, first published in 1982, and in the revised version…. The Bords sharply captured the mood of the times, and they must be congratulated for this classic work in the field of hominology, for it succeeded on [some] essential fronts. First of all, their approach was different from other chroniclers. This collection has always been important because the Bords strictly documented “sightings” — without restrictions to location — in time and space — without getting sidetracked by debates about tracks, signs, and “Pacific-Northwest-only” groupings….The Bords’ singular book, coming out as it did, must be credited as a major milestone allowing a broader and more extensive examination of all the data. For that, the Bords must be appreciated, and the flow of hominology was forever extended to examining credible reports from throughout North America, and not in just a special little corner of the Pacific Northwest. On another level, of course, the skeptics, debunkers, fast-money promoters, and fake artists are still out there. If nothing more, this book demonstrates that a mountain of good evidence exists for these creatures, these unknown animals we today call Bigfoot, Sasquatch, cryptids all, that may be finally discovered in your lifetime….In the wake of the Ray Wallace fiasco, we must carve out the positive nature such things bring to us, including dismissing fake footprints that no longer deserve our attention and appreciating the need for this book. But the converse of bad footprints still in the record and being published as “good data” is the sightings, as shown here in this work, which still are occurring. It is obvious a thousand sightings cannot easily be explained away, whether it’s Patterson-Gimlin’s Bigfoot of 1967 or those recent sightings from Manitoba and the Yukon. — Loren Coleman 12 July 2005

Tuesdays with Morzant: Getting to Know an Author MORZANT: Zulko, humans. Today I’m talking with author Kathi Appelt. Welcome, Kathi. I’m happy to meet you. Bigfoot speaks highly and frequently of your performance years ago in YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN. I understand you were quite convincing as Snoopy. Tell me, how did you prepare for the role of a food-obsessed beagle? KATHI APPELT: As you know the big number in that play is “Suppertime.” Since I’m all about Method Acting, I had to be sure that I portrayed Snoopy authentically, so for several weeks all I ate was Purina and Alpo. Grrrr..... MORZANT: You certainly seem to be as dedicated to your writing as to your acting. You’ve written picture books, novels, short stories, poetry, and non-fiction. How do you account for your multitudinous body of work? Do you time travel? Or perhaps you acquire manuscripts from other versions of yourself in parallel universes? KA: Actually, all of those reasons sound rather more glamorous than the truth, which is that I get bored with myself and my own writing fairly quickly. I’ve learned to cope by switching genres from time to time. MORZANT: BIGFOOT READS followers are familiar with my studies of Earth literature. In POEMS FROM HOMEROOM: A WRITER’S PLACE TO START, you tout writing creatively as liberating in its allowance of the invention of personalities and settings that never before existed. Forgive me, but aren’t you basically saying that it’s fun to fib? KA: Well of course. One of the wonderful things about being a human is that we get to make stuff up. MORZANT: I see. For a number of years, you taught creative writing to children and adults. Did you observe a difference in how children and adults approach creative writing? KA: Up until they’re in about the 4th grade, young Earthlings are much less inhibited by perfection. They’re more about the Story itself than about the commas and dangling participles. After 4th grade, we get much more bogged down by those matters of grammar and logic. More self-aware I guess, which is too bad. MORZANT: “Bogged down” has such negative connotations. Personally, I find a strict observance of logic to be stimulating. Do you believe that anybody can learn to write creatively? KA: Barring some physical or mental issue, yes, I do believe that anyone can learn to write creatively. Yeppers. MORZANT: I’m thinking specifically of my friend Norman who is a half-invisible turtle. He’s been working on a novel. Although my studies of Earth literature are just beginning, based on my research to date, I’m tempted to conclude that Norman’s novel is the worst story ever written. KA: There’s a critic in every room. MORZANT: Perhaps you’re correct and I’m being unduly harsh. On the other hand, the last scene he shared with me included a termite playing penny hockey with a walrus while they contemplated the meaning of life. But I digress. I must admit that a particular poem from POEMS FROM HOMEROOM inspired me to expand my own writing repertoire beyond scientific reports. In the poem, Dreaming in Haiku, a boy with mathematical inclinations is drawn to the poetic form haiku because of its adherence to a structure dictating that each of its three lines consist of a fixed number of syllables. Being a mathematically-inclined being myself, I endeavored to write haiku. I found the experience not unlike solving an equation. Here’s my solution: Numbers are my friends I add them when I’m able Wish they’d multiply My friend, this is sweet. If you write one each morning, multiply they will. MORZANT: I did enjoy writing haiku, but I’m baffled by other poetic forms. Many of your picture books are written as poetry and your novels use poetic imagery. What purpose does poetry serve? Isn’t it more efficient to say what you mean directly? KA: It might be more efficient, but it wouldn’t please the ear. I’m all about happy ears. MORZANT: Poetry may be a pleasant diversion, but I’ve found some evidence that indulgence in exuberant language may lead to anarchy. The copy of POEMS FROM HOMEROOM that I borrowed from the public library contained the graffito “[name redacted] is a HUNK” written in pencil near the poem The Yearbook Photographer. Do you feel your creative writing contributed to the delinquency of this library patron? I can’t help but wonder what this particular yearbook photographer is a hunk of. KA: If my poem moved a person to act, even in this way, that sort of makes me smile, makes me feel that the graffiti artist and I made a small connection. As for the hunk part? The yearbook photographer is likely a “hunka hunka burning love.” MORZANT: On a side note, I understand your husband is a photographer. I feel foolish asking, as the odds of an affirmative answer are essentially astronomical, but has he ever successfully photographed Bigfoot? KA: My hubby was a professional photographer for several years. He’s not in that business any longer. He mostly took photos of weddings, so unless Bigfoot got married, I doubt Ken took his photo. MORZANT: No, Bigfoot is a bachelor. I wonder if your husband has any theories as to what might be causing Bigfoot’s photography impediment? I’m at a standstill in my research and I’m willing to entertain any suggestions. KA: Like most of us, Bigfoot probably just doesn’t think that having a portrait made is all that much fun. Plus, he’s probably sick of the paparazzi! MORZANT: If only the answer were so simple. But I mustn’t dwell on the cause of his blurry photographs now. Let’s get back to you and your books. You’ve written about dogs, cats, bats, bears, pigs, crows, seagulls, horses, and elephants. Furthermore, in answer to a reader who inquired as to why you included crabs in your middle grade novel KEEPER, you stated in a video on your blog that you feel crabs have received short shrift in literature. I feel gastropods are similarly ignored. Have you ever considered writing about them? Earth readers have been deprived of a gastropod book for far too long. Would you consider filling this gross literary void with a well-researched tome, or even a poem? KA: Excuse me, but perhaps you have never read SOME SMUG SLUG, by Pamela Duncan Edwards? Or THE AMAZING TRAIL OF SEYMOUR SNAIL, by Lynn E. Hazen? It’s not gastropods who are underrepresented in literary letters. It’s squids. With the exception of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, in what tome can you find a squid in the role of hero? MORZANT: I’m not familiar with either of those gastropod books, but you can be sure that I will be soon. Thank you for informing me about them. I shall pursue your theory about squid books. If true, that does seem a shameful oversight. I noticed that many of your characters dance: the bats in BATS AROUND THE CLOCK, the cats in THE ALLEY CAT’S MEOW, and the pigs in PIGGIES IN A POLKA. I don’t have a question regarding this. I merely thought it was worth mentioning. KA: You forgot KISSING TENNESSEE. MORZANT: Indeed I did. I also neglected to mention TODDLER TWO-STEP and RAIN DANCE. It’s fascinating that dancing recurs so frequently in your work. Is that a reflection from your life? KA: Hah! I only dance in my imagination, and okay, also when I drink. MORZANT: I wasn’t aware of a connection between rhythmic movement and hydration in human physiology. It seems I’ll never learn all there is to know about Earth and its inhabitants. Several months ago the Cryptid Book Club discussed KEEPER, a book in which there are mermaids. During that meeting, and since, I’ve been widely criticized by my friends for monopolizing the meeting with my questions about which creatures exist on your planet and which do not. My friends entertained themselves by providing me with spurious answers. Can you please tell me if are mermaids real? If so, have you ever met one? KA: Of course mermaids are real. You can see them up close and personal at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida. If you sign up early, you can even attend Mermaid Camp. Have I ever met one? Did I meet my grandmother? MORZANT: I recently learned how to recognize a rhetorical question and I believe I’ve spotted one here. You mean to say that you most assuredly have met your grandmother. Furthermore, she was a mermaid. This means I now have confirmation independent of my jokester comrades that mermaids do indeed exist. Truly fascinating. I intend to travel to Florida at the earliest opportunity to attend Mermaid Camp. I assume the mermaids there will take me canoeing and teach me how to make lanyards. KA: They will probably also let you in on the secrets of opening oysters with your jaws. MORZANT: Oh, dear. I trust the oysters are willing participants in that activity. In any case, Zeentonians don’t have jawbones. During that lesson I’ll take a hike or compose a campfire song. Maybe Oliver will let me bring his ukulele with me. Ever since Bigfoot read KEEPER to Oliver, Oliver has wanted to learn to play the ukulele like Dogie can. He’s had some difficulty strumming the ukulele with his paws, but he’s a persistent puppy. I have no doubt he’ll master it eventually. Do you know how to play any instruments? KA: I played the flute when I was in high school, but now I just play the radio. I’m good at that. MORZANT: In my research for this interview I discovered that as a child, your best friend was an imaginary horse. Have you kept in touch through the years? If you had a falling out, I’ll understand if this is a painful subject you’d rather not discuss. KA: Yes, my imaginary horse’s name was Olaf. I haven’t seen him in years, ever since he galloped off to his imaginary pasture and joined up with the imaginary herd. MORZANT: I also learned that you live in Texas, in the United States of America. Norman informed me that most Texans have at least two pet armadillos. How many do you have and do you find that they snore loudly? KA: I have lost count of the armadillos. They don’t snore, but even if they did it wouldn’t matter because they sleep during the day and so don’t bother me. MORZANT: As I’m sure you’re aware, Texas airspace is heavily trafficked by extraterrestrial craft. Have you ever seen what your people call “UFOs”? For the record, I have nothing to do with exsanguinated livestock. KA: Ask me about my sister’s abduction. MORZANT: Please, do tell. KA: Well, the sister who had Christmas dinner with me swears that aliens picked her up. I’m still waiting for them to return my real sister. MORZANT: I must tell you that your sister is having fun at your expense. Extraterrestrials have been known to give a human or two a tour of their spacecraft or a lift to the post office, but the concept of alien abductions is a human invention. One moment. It occurs to me that your sister isn’t the teaser, but rather it is you who are teasing me. You did confess earlier, did you not, that it’s your prerogative as a human to, how did you phrase it—to “make stuff up”? I hope it’s not rude for me to admit that I’m suspicious of virtually everything you’ve said today. My final question is one better suited to your now obvious playful inclinations. I’ve become intrigued by the notion of hypothetical questions and I’d like to ask you one now based on a creative writing prompt from POEMS FROM HOMEROOM in which you set forth a scenario whereby one may bring three companions with them to a deserted island. My question for you is, which three cryptids would you bring with you on an all-expenses paid (by you) trip to Hawaii? KA: For sure, no zombies. But Sasquatch would be fun to meet. And Nessie too. I think Pan would make a good traveling partner. MORZANT: Bigfoot informed me there are no such things as zombies, so you needn’t worry about a zombie disrupting any luaus you attend. Bigfoot and Penny might be a bit disappointed that you’d pass over their company for Bigfoot’s Canadian cousin and Penny’s great uncle Bill’s ex-girlfriend. Not to be immodest, but I’d be a superior traveling companion to any of your choices. I’m a delightful conversationalist, which helps pass the time at airports, I pack lightly, and I usually have stretchy foods on hand for snacking. But I harbor no resentment toward you for not inviting me on this hypothetical vacation. Instead, let me thank you for sharing your time and writing insights with me and the BIGFOOT READS audience. KA: I was actually planning to put you all in my suitcase. That way it’s only $25 for your airfare. (Can I just say that I’m relieved about the whole zombie thing? Whew!) MORZANT: As I suspected. You’re as much of a kidder as Norman. Although, might I add, a much better writer. Good-bye for now, humans. To keep you busy until we meet again, might I suggest you read some of Kathi Appelt’s wonderful, and sometimes mermaid-filled, books. Here’s a sampling of her work: (illustrated by Keith Baker/Harcourt, 1993) (illustrated by Neil Waldman/HarperCollins, 1995) (illustrated by Dale Gottlieb/Henry Holt, 1996) (illustrated by Melissa Sweet/HarperCollins, 1998) (illustrated by Ward Schumaker/HarperFestival-HarperCollins, 2000) (illustrated by Emilie Chollat/HarperFestival-HarperCollins, 2001) THE ALLEY CAT’S MEOW (illustrated by Jon Goodell/Harcourt, 2002) BUBBA AND BEAU, BEST FRIENDS (illustrated by Arthur Howard/Harcourt, 2002) PIGGIES IN A POLKA (illustrated by LeUyen Pham/Harcourt, 2003) MISS LADYBIRD’S WILDFLOWERS: HOW A FIRST LADY CHANGED AMERICA (illustrated by JOY FISHER HEIN/HarperCollins, 2005) DOWN CUT SHIN CREEK: THE PACK HORSE LIBRARIANS OF KENTUCKY (co-authored with Jeanne Cannella Schmitzer/HarperCollins, 2001) (with illustrations by David Small/Atheneum-Simon & Schuster, 2008) (with illustrations by August Hall/Atheneum-Simon & Schuster, 2010) KISSING TENNESSEE: AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE STARDUST DANCE POEMS FROM HOMEROOM: A WRITER’S PLACE TO START (Henry Holt, 2002) MY FATHER’S SUMMERS: A DAUGHTER’S MEMOIR (Henry Holt, 2004)

Q. As a Bible teacher, I don’t think I can simply pass off questions from people I love and respect, whose integrity and character is solid and Biblical, about the bigfoot and other cryptid animal sightings. Only one hint I’ve been able to find in Scripture are Jesus’ words about the Days of Noah being similar to the End of the Age. In those Days, apparently, there were strange humans and animals including giants and others. Do we have an answer for these folks? A. I’ve come to understand that the phrase “as it was in the days of Noah” in Matt. 24:37 doesn’t necessarily mean the creation will be in the same general state at the coming of the Lord as it was in the time preceding the Great Flood. I believe the Lord was referring more to the general unawareness among the people as to what was/will be happening. Notice His comparison of what people were doing. In both cases they were trying to live out their lives as people do, not realizing that the world as they know it was about to end (Matt. 24:38-41). The presence of hybrid beings at the end of the age is a popular assumption that may or may not be accurate but I don’t think it can be justified by the Lord’s teaching in Matt. 24.

Eric Chats With Alex Grecian About Proof: Endangered #5 (of 5) Welcome to the latest and the last edition of the Proof Positive column for a while. In this edition, Alex Grecian and I discuss all things Proof with the last issue of Endangered! In this issue we had our heroes fighting a rather epic battle, things set up for the next few stories and a beautiful epilogue that will bring a tear to your eye. So let's jump right in! Eric Ratcliffe: First question for this month has to do with Autumn who, as we can see in her bio picture towards the back, has evolved very interestingly as a character. Was most of her evolution Riley on art or was it specifically in the scripts? Alex Grecian: Hmm. Not sure what you mean by her evolution. Her look, including the tattoos, was Riley. Character arcs, story elements and personality were my department, though, for good or bad. Riley didn't exercise much input on plot. Eric: I just meant that her hair has changed a bit and her overall look is different from when we first met the character. Part of it probably has to do with Riley's style changing over time. Alex: Oh, well, yeah. That's all Riley. Eric: We've known Autumn for ages but didn't know much about her family life, which seems to be all about gaining a bit of love from her father? Is it safe to say that's where a lot of her hate of cryptids comes from? Alex: Yup. She comes from a long line of cryptid mutilators. Eric: I'm a little confused as to why Nadine killed Autumn's brother. He wasn't tied to Elvis's death and other than that conversation was fighting on team Proof during the chaos? Alex: Rain was there with Elvis while Nadine was with Autumn in another part of the neighborhood. So he was a suspect, since she still doesn't know who killed Elvis. We may assume that Bella and Mr. Lee are in a fair amount of danger at this point. Eric: As Nadine hints in the dialogue...chupacabras can move around in the shell they are currently wearing? So the head shot was just on the skin or did it actually hit her? Alex: Your guess is as good as mine. Eric: It's an interesting moment, though, between Nadine and Autumn as you really have to wonder if Nadine would have 100 percent killed her if she took another shot on her. I have to wonder if Nadine knows of all the fairies that Autumn is responsible for killing. Alex: Yeah, but if I had to back one of them in that fight, it'd be Nadine. Autumn would put up a fight, for sure, but... I guess maybe we'll see one of these days. Eric: So one of the teasers that we are given is another look into Proof's past. When the time comes to return to the book will this be similar to the Julia arc in tone? Or is this a much different version of Proof than we've seen in most flashbacks as he seems to be a teen at this point. Alex: Poplar Forest would directly follow the short story that ran in, I think, the second trade, that showed Proof being discovered by the Lewis and Clark expedition. We've envisioned it as an OGN, detailing Proof's voyage back to Washington DC and his time living with Jefferson. If we ever get to do it, we wanna fill it with journal entries and maps and all kinds of cool stuff that you can't normally do in a monthly comic. Eric: So like "The Black Dossier" for the Proofverse? (The Black Dossier is of course the third League of Extraordinary Gentleman book by Alan Moore.) Would it have any modern story telling devices as well? Alex: Exactly! And we haven't really had much of a chance to mull it all over yet. We've been talking about it for a year or two, but we're not sure there's a market for it just now. Eric: So when a ningen is split in half it just falls over and dies? Would it eventually "melt" and wash away? Alex: I think it was probably still alive, just crippled. But it's possible that Proof himself killed the thing by burrowing through it to escape. Eric: The ningen is such an interesting cryptid from both a visual standpoint and a creative standpoint, do you think when returning to the series that it will get a little more of a spotlight? Alex: Hard to say. I sorta doubt it, though. Riley and I have discussed a return to the series and the direction we take might surprise a lot of people. When we come back, we'll probably take it back up after the epilogue in issue five. That seems to make the most sense for us at the moment, rather than trying to drag along all the backstory. When and if we do get to the "to be continued" stories, I imagine they'll be self-contained OGNs or flashbacks or something we haven't thought of yet. Starting over would need to be a relatively continuity-free reboot, I think Eric: How many cryptids did Po bring to the fight? I think I personally lost count as I was reading. Alex: A bunch! Eric: Before we go back to talking about this issue itself, that just brought up a really interesting question. When we do return to the book, it will be the "5 years later" ending and going from there? I find that a really interesting idea and it must be really unique via a writer's perspective? Alex: Yeah, I think it's a lot more interesting than going through the motions of stuff we've already set up. There'll be a lot more surprises. We'll get to reintroduce older concepts and characters, but in new ways. And we'll get to move on to new characters and concepts without having to wait to get the other stuff out of the way first. We'll make sure everybody gets caught up with what's happened in that five year period though. I just really love the idea of pushing the reset button and having a series with Bigfoot, a female FBI agent and her little boy, traveling the world and having cool adventures. Eric: I think the things I loved the most about the way that scene was set up is that Ginger finally looks to be at peace, Proof is rather dapper in that suit and you can see the now 5 year old kid just looks up to the man who I am guessing is his godfather/guardian. Alex: That relationship is something I look forward to exploring. Eric: So with the ending in mind and your plans for the future, will we ever get any pay off on things at the lodge, other than what we saw in the 1 year later issue? Eric: The title of the issue was "End...Angered," which I thought was interesting. Is that in response to the actual end for a while or more of the mindset of pretty much the entire cast of the book? Alex: It referred more to Proof's mindset at the climax of the issue. But then there's that epilogue, in which he seems to have lost that edge a bit, huh? Eric: I'm not too surprised that Bella can seemingly hold her own on the battle field. We've never really seen her have to fight before, though - has she been getting self defense lessens from Proof and Ginger off panel? Though I believe, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, she must have taken some sort of self defense classes after losing her husband? Alex: Bella's a pretty headstrong, independent woman. And she was cleared for field work before the Thunderbirds arc (she shows up in a pretty dangerous place there), so she's probably had some training in how to take care of herself. Since you mention it, I'd take defense lessons from Ginger before I did Proof. I'd have a Scotch with Proof, but I don't know that he's necessarily a good fighter. Eric: That actually opens up something I'm not sure we've ever talked about before: Proof's fighting style. He's much more a brawler than, say, a tactician. He lets his anger work towards his goals before using his brain. Obviously, probably not the smartest way to fight, but in the end it gets the job done for him. Now to make this a bit longer and more long winded on my end, when writing a character like this do you actually look into different kinds of fighting/boxing/wrestling? Or is Proof's fighting style more just from the top of your head? Alex: I think violence is usually fast and ugly and artless. When two people fight, there's no time for art to enter into it. You go at the other person until he goes down or you do. Proof's big and he's always relied on that to get him through a tough spot. One of these days, it won't. Eric: The chupacabra at the lodge has quite the personality to her. She seems pretty flat out sadistic to me. Alex: Yeah, she's scary. Also, possibly the first cross-dressing cryptid ever. Riley's kind of in love with her. Eric: Fake Wayne seemed to lose his cover there when he thought the other chupacabra was going to kill him; do you think it's becoming obvious to either of the other men with him that he's not who he seems? Alex: Well, the real problem's going to come when and if Dachshund figures it out, but we see in the One Year Later story that he hasn't yet. In that issue (25), Dachshund makes a gay joke about Wayne, which would seem to indicate that he thinks he's still the same guy he was before. Eric: That Asian store owner is awesome, he's really stolen the few pages he's actually been on. Alex: Mister Lee's pretty cool. I had no plans for him, but then he asked Belinda out and I suddenly realized he's gonna have to come back. Eric: Speaking of Belinda, it's been under a year since she joined the lodge right? She adjusted real fast. Alex: Well, she's been a cop for a long time. Eric: I know Ginger's going through a lot, but you have to wonder if when she calmed down she felt bad for what she said to Bella. I mean sure, Ginger killed her boyfriend thanks to a cryptid, but Bella lost her husband to a wendigo...pretty sure she knows what she's going through to a certain extent right? Alex: Maybe so. But Bella's husband was murdered. Ginger killed her own boyfriend. Granted, she didn't do it on purpose, but that's sort of a double-whammy. I'd feel bad if my wife died, but I'd be carrying around a whole different set of baggage if I killed her. I don't think Bella will hold a grudge about being yelled at. And anyway, I think Ginger was venting in general, not yelling at Bella specifically. Eric: I love all the chaos that's going on around the main characters throughout the character stuff, especially when it's Nadine beating up another cryptid. I don't know why, but I think it's a fun dynamic of the action going on as things are kind of "quiet" with our leads. Alex: You felt like things were quiet for the lead characters? After one of them was being killed, another was killing him, one was going through the worst family reunion and... well, Bella was mostly helping everyone else. I guess we didn't do our jobs if it felt quiet. :) But, yeah, I'm not a huge fan of talking heads. It works fine in film or TV where there's some motion no matter what's going on, where actors can communicate tension through body language or inflection. Or in prose, where you're zipping through dialogue before you can wonder about what's happening. In comics, you have static moments of action and I feel you need to have something going on during those moments. Most of the time. Eric: I meant quiet in the sense that you put, which is the "talking heads" thing, which is what a writer such as yourself is very good at. It seems to be, for me, something that I think is the most fun in a book like Proof. Moments like Proof, Ginger and Bella or The Dover Demon talking to Elvis at the funeral many moons ago. Alex: That's still my favorite issue. Eric: Proof being kind of a pacifist about his "brother" intrigues me, especially after everything he's caused. Is it mostly due to the fact that he's afraid of being the "last of his kind" or is it mostly due to not knowing if he'd ever find out where his blood related family was? Alex: Proof has always been a pacifist. Getting him to do anything is a chore. That's one of the central conceits of the series and probably a big reason why this book hasn't done as well as everybody involved would like. He would much rather read a book than fight someone. He wasn't conflicted in this last issue, or taking a stand. He was just reluctant to hurt Po. Eric: Po really seems to be mostly regretting his actions during the big confrontational scene; is that fair to say or would you say that he'd say anything for Proof to just come home with him? Alex: Oh, I don't think he'd just "say anything." Nor do I think that the possibility of defeat hadn't occurred to him. He's a very smart guy and has probably got some failsafe plan that Proof and company have now blundered into. Come back next month and find out what... Oh, never mind. Eric: So do you think you and Riley will put out an omnibus like collection some point soon with everything? I can see a crazy amount of extras included as well. Mind you, a book like that would probably cost at least $75 to $100 and probably be a very limited print run, but I personally believe it would be an instant sell out to the diehard fanbase. Alex: For 50 grand, Riley and I will handcraft such a thing. (Editor's note: Obviously Alex is kidding, but I wonder if we somehow managed to put together an insane amount of money like the Firefly fans tried to do if we could actually get something like this?) Eric: On a less serious note, you totally wanted Proof to be in a t-shirt and jeans in that epilogue didn't you? The suit and fedora was another Riley idea? ;) (joking of course) Actually, the island they're on, Inishbofin, is a place my wife and I visited a few years ago. I proposed to her on that trip and thought it would be a nice place to set Proof's happy ending. Eric: Do we know how long Po's been sitting on the information connected to Proof's father? Alex: Well, the finger was sent to The Lodge in the last arc of the regular Proof series. I think Po's had Proof's father (or at least his finger) for a long time now. Years maybe. Just waiting for the right moment to use that info. Eric: I know we talked about it a little last month, but I would like to bring it up again. The happy ending as you said...was it really important for you to show that to readers in order to ease the pain of not reading the book for a while? A sort of "here's the ending" kind of thing? Alex: Well, sure. We were dangling three cliffhangers in front of everybody, but then not saying how soon we'd actually wrap them up. Some sort of closure was necessary so people wouldn't throw tomatoes at us at conventions. Plus, this was the ending I've always had in mind for the series. I wanted to be able to get it out there, just in case. I didn't want this to be one of those things that people follow and then never see an ending for. Including me. I wanted to see that ending. Eric: I really like the fact that even at the end of this part of the book you're still showing people who have mixed thoughts on the series on the letters page via the post from CBR. Why did you include that if you don't mind me asking? Alex: I've always liked letters pages that are more than just fans stroking the creators' egos. The pages with more bite are the ones where there's a mix of positive and negative opinion. Erik Larsen does a great job of that in Savage Dragon. I thought the CBR guy made a good point. I don't necessarily agree with him, but I can see where the difference in pacing would bother some longtime readers. And he was right: there was a bit of a rush to get a lot in there. As I said in that last essay, if I'd known we were going to have to take a hiatus when we started Endangered, I would have trimmed some of the elements that were included in the first couple of issues. Wrapping all of those up quickly was a bit of a juggling act and, while I'm reasonably happy with the way it all turned out, I might have tried for a more leisurely pace if I had it to do over again. Anyway, I appreciated his opinion as much as I appreciated everyone else's. He was reasonable and I always listen to reasonable people. Eric: It bums me out that we aren't going to be doing this monthly for a while, Alex. I'm trying to figure out if there's anything that we've really missed discussing. Alex: I'm a little bummed too. But there are five teasers here for future stories (I'm including Scott's brilliant back cover, which was entirely his idea). And Riley and I still love Proof. We have to take care of some other projects and we have to try to get to a place where we can bring more people back with us to Proof. Once we do that, we'll be back here and Proof will still be here waiting for us. We both sincerely hope that you (and I mean all of you) will be here waiting too. Without everyone who's taken a chance on us and on our special brand of Bigfoot, we wouldn't have made it this far. Well that's it for now, folks, the end...well for now at least. This column will return when the book does, and of course both Riley and Alex will hopefully be on the podcast some point down the line. I would really like to thank people that checked each of these out. I've been doing this column with Alex for around 2 years now, maybe a little longer and I've loved every second of it. Proof was and is one of the most unique books I've had the pleasure of running across in the comic industry and I really feel it will always be something special. On a personal note, I really do have to thank Alex for doing all these with me. It's been a pleasure getting to know such a great writer and he's done nothing but help improve my interview style as well as just being an overall great guy. It's still funny to me that we've sadly yet to meet. Hopefully that will change at a convention sometime in the near future. Anyways, as I've mentioned, we will continue to bring you news on all things Proof when we hear about it as well as any and all projects Alex and Riley are working on! Eric Ratcliffe is a young writer/pop culture journalist/interviewer currently working on pitching a project named the Hunter chronicles. When not reading his weekly stack Eric can be found watching dvd's, playing on his 360 (gamertag: Zack Hunter) or just surfing online trying to find a scoop or two. Brand new to the Comic Related family, Eric is a fun new voice. blog comments powered by Disqus

The prince of the Buritisu Kingdom and the only heir to the throne! The Shadow Knights of Algus finally gathered up! The great cryptid under the command of Superior Dragon is commercialized by Tamashii Web Shop! Superior Dragon who went through a new evolution in the Gold Saga. The shadows of the Knights of Argus materialized!! The last of the Algus Knights, the leader "Knight Alex" has finally arrived to SDX! Y2012 collection project of Algus knights is carrying on ! The weapon volumn is top of SDX series!

Robert F. Slatzer Review by David Carter Posted on 05 October 2012 Source Cheezy Flicks DVD Categories 31 Days of Horror IX When the first European settlers arrived in North America they brought a rich tradition of folklore. The import of such mythology meant that vampires and werewolves would have a place in the fears of the new world. Unbeknownst to these settlers, however, was the knowledge of a hirsute and evasive creature lurking in the wilds of what would become the United States and Canada: the Sasquatch. Known under a variety of regional names but commonly called “Bigfoot,” the creature, according to native North Americans, was either a ferocious predator or a gentle nature spirit, but all concurred on the beast’s inherent elusiveness. Sightings of the creature date into the 1800s, but a debate persists as to what Bigfoot actually is: the fabled “missing link,” an undiscovered species of ape, or simply an endless stream of misidentifications and hoaxes. What is certain is that as one of the only monsters indigenous to North America, the Bigfoot has been woefully underrepresented in American horror cinema. On Fridays throughout the coming month we’ll be taking a look at some of the high and low lights of Sasquatch cinema. Few actors were as prolific as John Carradine, and the only likely contenders would be other members of Carradine acting family. Beginning in the late 1950s, John Carradine became notorious for accepting practically every role he was offered, most of which were low budget horror films, and by the 1970s Carradine was more closely associated with cheap rubber-masked monsters and fake blood than he was with his star making performance in The Grapes of Wrath. 1970’s Big Foot was much like dozens of other Carradine projects in the seventies: a gimmicky quickie that arrived on and left the drive-in circuit with little fanfare. While not a shining moment in John Carradine’s career, Big Foot has the distinction of being the first horror movie to feature the Sasquatch as its monster. Carradine anchors the film as Jasper Hawkes, a Southern traveling salesman who has made his way west with his associate Elmer (John Mitchum, Robert’s older brother). Radiator trouble leaves the pair stranded on the roadside for a time, but they make a hasty retreat after Elmer finds a massive footprint on the banks of a creek. High above them, the beautiful Joi is having engine troubles of her own and is forced to parachute to safety when her Cessna loses power. Joi lands on a heavily wooded mountainside, and she barely has time to get her bearings before she’s grabbed by a pair of large, hairy arms. Meanwhile, a curiously well-mannered and clean-cut biker gang cleans out a small general store’s supply of beer and junk food. A pair of young lovers, Rick and his girlfriend Chris, break away from the group to have some alone time and stumble upon a giant, ape-like creature buried in a shallow grave, but surprisingly don’t seem very concerned about it and have a picnic nearby. Rick leaves to make some tune-ups to his bike when he’s attacked and knocked unconscious by a creature similar to the one in the grave. Upon waking, he finds Chris gone and he rushes back to town to report the incident. Due to his outsider status, he finds few willing to listen to his tale, despite the fact that they all agree they’ve heard of similar attacks by large monsters recently. Jasper listens to Rick, however, and he believes the monster the young man saw to be the legendary Bigfoot. Jasper and Elmer offer to help Rick find Chris, knowing that the capture of a such a monster will make them both millionaires. Big Foot is an anomalous film for 1970. It is a firmly PG affair at a time when horror and exploitation cinemas were routinely pushing boundaries, be it Hammer’s gory updates of classics, the European cycle of erotic horrors, or drive-in shockers such as I Drink Your Blood or the films of HG Lewis. Big Foot instead takes its inspiration from an earlier time and has much in common with horror cinema of the 1950s, and this thought is furthered in its production value. Very few scenes were shot on location, and the overwhelming majority of the “outdoor” footage takes place on glaringly obvious sets. The cheapness of the production, when coupled with stars from previous decades and frequent allusions to King Kong, would have made the film seem antiquated to audiences upon release and was likely a contributing factor to the film’s lack of commercial success. Considering Big Foot as a continuation of the American horror cycle from the fifties opens the film up to a more intriguing interpretations. Most of the standard tropes of the genre are present – juvenile delinquents, unconcerned law enforcement, a remote small town – which suggests that the similarities were intentional. Fifties horror was primarily concerned with otherworldly creatures and giant animals, and these monsters invariably represented the specters of atomic war, Communism, or mankind’s hubris. What then does Big Foot’s cryptozoological antagonist represent? The most likely metaphor at work in the film is that Bigfoot represents an internal, social threat rather than an external, political threat as in the atomic horrors—fear of the outsider within our midst. This can alternately be interpreted along racial or class lines, and readings where Bigfoot represents African-Americans, Native Americans, or hippies and political dissidents are equally valid. Bigfoot essentially represents anyone who was not a part of the white middle-class referred to as the “Silent Majority” by Nixon and enshrined as “Man of the Year” by Time magazine in January 1970. This is best seen in the type of threat that the creature represents. The film’s exclusively white male heroes are not in physical danger from the beast, but rather are faced with a socio-sexual threat. Bigfoot has kidnapped Joi and Chris to mate with them, planning to create a “hybrid” race of creatures because he is the last of his kind. The Bigfoot threatens to usurp their dominance and steal their women, literally and figuratively rendering them impotent, and the males – bikers, police, and townspeople acting in unison – destroy the creature violently when given the first opportunity. Despite the film’s limited budget it remains surprisingly true to famous Bigfoot encounters and contemporaneous scholarship on the subject. The film’s storyline of a Bigfoot family is drawn from Albert Ostman’s 1957 claim to have been abducted in 1924 by a mother-father pair of Sasquatches and their children. Ostman’s story was famous enough to have become the subject of an R. Crumb comic (“Whiteman Meets Bigfoot”) in 1971, meaning that the legend had some degree of cultural currency at the time. Elmer’s discovery of a large footprint is reminiscent of Raymond Wallace’s 1958 discovery of the same, a story later revealed to be a hoax but the genesis of the Sasquatch’s “Bigfoot” nickname. Most importantly, the suit design of the Bigfoot is based on the controversial Patterson-Gimlin film from 1967, and the filmic Bigfoot even mimics that creature’s familiar gait. Big Foot is a prime example of the type of disposable cinema that was ubiquitous in drive-ins throughout the South and Midwest. Its distinction as the first Bigfoot film is the only thing saving it from complete obscurity, helped undoubtedly by the renewed modern interest in the cryptid as a result of increased television exposure. It is a far more intriguing work than the average drive-in fare, however. Although I regard the film’s social commentary as both indirect and unintentional, it is an important film in spite of itself, representing both a pop culture milestone and a subtle but surprisingly harsh critique of prevailing social paradigms. Wake in Fright1971 Invasion from Inner Earth1974 In the Company of Men1997 Happy Birthday to Me1981 I Drink Your Blood1970 The Legend of Boggy Creek1972 The Giant Spider Invasion1975 Ganja & Hess1973 Not of This Earth1957 Let’s Scare Jessica to Death1971 Next of Kin1982 Def by Temptation1990 Shriek of the Mutilated1974 The Alpha Incident1978 Planet of the Vampires1965 Vampire in Brooklyn1995 Sasquatch: the Legend of Bigfoot1977 The Demons of Ludlow1983 The Blair Witch Project1999

Monday, November 29, 2010 - Name: Inexplicata (IHU) The Institute of Hispanic Ufology was established in October of 1998 with the appearance of the first issue of Inexplicata. The organization currently has representatives and contributing editors in over a dozen Spanish-speaking countries. Director: Scott Corrales. - Mexico: "The Circles of the Gods" - Cuba: The "Ingeniería OVNI" Documentary Debated - Spain: Barcelona's Giant Winged Cryptid (1990) - Argentina: UFO Sightings on the Rise in Merlo - The Magic of Lost Cities - Bob Pratt: Saucers Over Guantánamo - Argentina: More on the Chicoana Crop Circles - Mexico: Uncanny UFO Videos - Argentina: New UFO Prints in Chicoana - Peru: Spirited Away by the Faerie Folk?

|Not in FusionFall Retro.| | The following article is about something that appeared after the Birthday Bash update in FusionFall, and so will not appear in FusionFall Retro.| As such, it solely exists for archiving part of the original game. |“||Greetings and bienvenue.||”| –V.V. Argost's greeting V.V. Argost is the evil archenemy of the Saturdays. He's very rich and hosts his own immensely popular television show called Weird World, along with his half-human, half-spider minion/co-host Munya. He isn't human himself. He is a yeti. In FusionFall, V.V. Argost appeared at the 2009 Thanksgiving event as a mission giver in Peach Creek. He gave two missions relating to Cryptids: "A Thanksgiving Delicacy (Part 1 of 2)" and "A Thanksgiving Delicacy (Part 2 of 2)" (the cryptid he was looking for was actually a monster from The Powerpuff Girls). He is the only NPC whose missions do not include waypoints, aside from Flapjack and Freddy Fishlegs in the Valentine's Day event. He is a known NPC and was seen in the Birthday Bash party, hinting he will be a full character for the expansion.In the new introduction sequence, he appears along side the rest of the villains. - He is one of the characters that has not appeared since Birthday Bash in 2010. - Curiously, he believes that the blowfish was a cryptid. - His full name is Vincent Vladislav Argost.

The Jersey Devil is a magical creature which is often considered by scientific researchers as a cryptid, a creature the existence of which is in doubt due to lack of proof. It supposedly inhabits the Pine Barrens in Southern New Jersey. During the events of "The Long Weekend", the wood Sprites living in the Pine Barrens reveal to Jake a prophecy about the Jersey Devil. According to the stars, once every hundred years, a great evil will rise from the woods and attack the Sprites for seven consecutive nights. The Jersey Devil will raid their crop supplies and pillage their food storage, which would leave them to starve during the winter. The stars also reveal that a hero will appear every 100 years to defeat the Jersey Devil and restore peace to the Sprite village. The Jersey Devil has a very peculiar look. It has the body of a brown moose and a lion tail. Its head is covered in gray fur and its eyes glow a deep red. It also has a pair of short, rounded antlers on its head and a pair of gray eagle wings. Magical PowersSince it is often described as a bipedal creature, the Jersey Devil can stand on its two hind legs just as easily as a human. It can also use its two front pincer-like hooves just like hands. It can fly very high thanks to its wings and often envelops itself with them to camouflage its body in the foliage of the forest. As seen very briefly, it has a sensitive nose (if hit in that area, it will most likely flee). The Jersey Devil cannot speak and only comes out at night. The Jersey Devil is a very intelligent creature. When fighting the American Dragon, it often manages to counterattack Jake's moves. It can use the surrounding environment to its advantage and even lures Jake into his own trap. The Jersey Devil is very cunning, and will stop at nothing to deliver its rampage. Current StatusThe Jersey Devil was caught in a net and thrown off a steep cliff. It is unclear whether it survived or not. However, due to the Sprites' prophecy, a Jersey Devil should return after another a hundred years to restart its rampaging cycle. - It was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. - The Jersey Devil's cry is a mix of roars and screeches. - Jake's father, Jonathan, mistook the Jersey Devil for a bear. - The Jersey Devil can be affected by the stunning effects of bear spray. - Fu Dog and Lao Shi never mention the Jersey Devil in the entire series. - The legend of the Jersey Devil inspired the name of New Jersey's NHL ice hockey team, the New Jersey Devils. - When Jake hits the Jersey Devil on the nose, the creature's screeches sounded like a dog's. - In cryptozoology, the Jersey Devil is described to be a winged half bird, half horse, standing upright on hoof feet with a reptilian tail, and to a hairy creature walking on all fours, resembling a cross between a monkey and a dog.

UPDATE 2 3/22/2016 I’ve added an asterisk to the other people who requested removal. I’ve also made some starting edits to the main file noting the kind of update. Many thanks to judgeadd for the detailed comments: I need to spend some time on the weekend checking, but I think I have the core of the edits in place. The two people who contacted me personally or posted a comment to this page or the Mad Genius Club posts asking to be removed have been marked with an asterisk. I will post separately explaining my reasoning. No corrections have been made yet: I’m still catching up from Lunacon. I’ll note the edits at the top of the page when I make them. The Mad Genius Club post will NOT be edited so my typos and miscategorizations will remain there for all posterity. Or posterior, which I suspect is the more apt way to put it. The List is done. It’s not all on this page because there’s too much – the full list is viewable here. My methodology was pretty basic – any comments that were favorable to the work got counted as a +1 and added to the tally. -1 comments or disagreement weren’t counted. I’ve probably been more generous on that front than others, because I included things like “I wish that was eligible” as a +1. A few clearly misplaced votes got moved to the appropriate place. If someone was the only person to suggest their own work, it’s been noted as a self-nomination – which, of course, is not against any rules. If other people voted, the self-nomination didn’t get listed. Works that have questions about whether they were eligible are noted in the full list. Thank you to every person who took the time to add a suggestion and persevered through WordPress and its infinite weirdness when it comes to allowing things. Thank you also to those who offered their time and assistance in going through the comments thread. There’s nothing hidden here, only a lot of judgment calls on whether something is a genuine recommendation or not. So yes, the satirical suggestions highlighting the SFnal nature of certain modern conflicts are also on the The List. This is not, never was, and never will be a slate. It’s informational. I hope the herding cats effect contributed to the lack of interest in some categories and that actual nominating numbers are going to be way higher, but in the spirit of encouraging everyone to read, watch, view, and nominate it’s a worthy project. One that I will not be doing without software assistance to autocollate as we go if I get sweet-talked into doing something like this again. That said, here are the top ten-ish for all the categories, in no particular order (if there weren’t enough suggestions with more than 1 vote or not enough period, there won’t be 10 listed – go to the entire list for the full information and the counts): Campbell Award for Best New Writer (which is of course Not A Hugo but piggybacks rather a lot on the Hugo process) - Andy Weir – The Martian - Brian Niemeier – Nethereal - Alyssa Wong – Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers - Natasha Pulley – The Watchmakers of Filigree Street - Becky Chambers – The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - Scott Hawkins – The Library at Mount Char - Charlie N Holmberg – The Paper Magician - John Sandford & Ctein – Saturn Run - Sebastien de Castelle – Great Coats Interestingly enough almost all of these popped up somewhere in the Best Novel selection, despite not all of them being eligible for the Hugo, being in their second year of Campbell eligibility. Best Fan Artist This category was ridiculously split, and one of the most popular suggestions is probably better under Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form. - Otaking77077 – TIE Fighter animated film (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN_CP4SuoTU) - Karezoid (Michał Karcz) – http://karezoid.deviantart.com/art/Within-The-Choir-of-Ascending-Spirit-571475023 - Matthew Callahan – http://www.callahanvisual.com/galacticwarfighters/zl8qd59i0iczlgvsm79u4rfqnxxa7q - Piper Thibodeau – There wasn’t a link listed, but a lot of work in a lot of places. UPDATE courtesy judgeadd: http://cryptid-creations.deviantart.com/gallery/?catpath=%2F&offset=72 Best Professional Artist This was another insanely split category, with 30-some artists suggested, but not many of them with more than 1 vote apiece. - Abigail Larson - Sam Weber - Frank Cho - Larry Elmore - Dustin Nguyen - Richard Anderson Best Fan Writer Yet another one with a whole lot of suggestions at 1 vote apiece. - Jeffro Johnson – Space Gaming and Castalia House blogs - Declan Finn – Sad Puppies Bite Back - Eric Flint – In Defense of Sad Puppies (http://www.ericflint.net/index.php/2015/06/08/in-defense-of-the-sad-puppies/) - Mike Glyer – Puppy roundup posts on File 770 (http://file770.com/?page_id=22881) - Brandon Kempner – Chaos Horizon - Charles Akins – http://dyverscampaign.blogspot.com/p/best-reads-of-week.html - Dave Freer – Mad Genius Club - Dorothy Grant (fynbospress) – Mad Genius Club - Ron Edwards – https://adeptpress.wordpress.com/ - Tea and Jeopardy - Geek Gab - Hello Greedo Yes, another one. - File 770 – http://file770.com/ - Nuke Mars – http://www.nukemars.com/ - Superversive SF – http://superversivesf.com/ - Otherwhere Gazette - Tangent Online – http://www.tangentonline.com/ This category was so anemic it’s not funny. I get that it’s hard to find semi-pro zines, but still… - Sci Phi Journal Yes. It was the only suggestion with more than 1 vote. Best Editor – Short Form - Jerry Pournelle – There Will Be War vol X - John Joseph Adams – Lightspeed, and Nightmare - S. M. Sterling – The Change anthology - Jason Rennie – Sci Phi Journal - Paula Goodlett – Grantville Gazette - Bryan Thomas Schmidt – Mission: Tomorrow * Best Editor – Long Form Really, folks? Did y’all think I wouldn’t take any other suggestions? - Toni Weisskopf – Baen - Jim Mintz – Baen - Tony Daniel – Baen Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form Another broad scattering of suggestions here. There’s something like a 15-way tie for 6th place, so I’ll just list down to 10. - Daredevil Season 1 Episode 2 - My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic – The Cutie Mark parts 1 & 2 - Person of Interest Season 4 Episode 11: If-Then-Else - Kung Fury - TIE Fighter animation by Otaking 77077 – Yes this did also show up in Best Fan Artist. From what I can see both are reasonable, but this is the better fit. - Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Melinda - Daredevil Season 1 Episode 13 - Doctor Who: Heaven Sent - Gravity Falls: Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons - Gravity Falls: Northwest Mansion Mystery Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form - Mad Max: Fury Road - The Martian - Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Inside Out - iZombie (Season 1 as a whole) - Person of Interest (Season 4 as a whole) - Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Ex Machina Best Graphic Story - Order of the Stick - Stand Still Stay Silent – any 2015 plot arc - Schlock Mercenary Book 15 * - Empowered Volume 9 - Saga Volume 5 - Fables: Farewell Volume 22 - Gunnerkrigg Court Chapter 50: Totem - Invisible Republic Volume 1 - Lazarus: Conclave Best Related Work - Sad Puppies Bite Back – Declan Finn - Appendix N – Jeffro Johnson - Safe Space as Rape Room: Science Fiction Culture and Childhood’s End – Daniel - A History of Epic Fantasy – Adam Whitehead - Atomic Rockets – Winchell Chung - Legosity – Tom Simon - There Will Be War Vol X – Edited Jerry Pournelle - You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) – Felicia Day - Frazetta Sketchbook Number 2 - Galactic Journey – http://galacticjourney.org/ Best Short Story - Tuesdays With Molakesh The Destroyer – Megan Grey - Today I am Paul – Martin L Shoemaker - … And I Show You How Deep the Rabbit Hole Goes – Scott Alexander - Asymmetrical Warfare – S R Algernon - Cat Pictures, Please – Naomi Kritzer - Damage – David Levine * - A Flat Effect – Eric Flint - Daedelus – Niall Burke - Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers – Alyssa Wong - I am Graalnak of the Vroon Empire, Destroyer of Galaxies, Supreme Overlord of the Planet Earth. Ask Me Anything – Laura Pearlman - And You Shall Know Her By The Trail Of Dead – Brooke Bolander - Pure Attentions – T R Dillon - Folding Beijing – Hao Jingfang translated by Ken Liu - If I Had No Head and My Eyes Were Floating Way Up In the Air – Clifford D Simak - Obits – Stephen King - Our Lady of the Open Road – Sarah Pinsker - Binti – Nnedi Okorafor - Penric’s Demon – Lois McMaster Bujold - Slow Bullets – Alastair Reynolds * - Perfect State – Brandon Sanderson - The End of All Things 1: The Life of the Mind – John Scalzi - Speak Easy – Catherynne M Valente * - The Builders – Daniel Polansky - Somewhither – John C Wright - Honor At Stake – Declan Finn - The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut’s Windlass – Jim Butcher - Uprooted – Naomi Novik - A Long Time Until Now – Michael Z Williamson - Seveneves – Neal Stephenson - Son of the Black Sword – Larry Correia - Strands of Sorrow – John Ringo - Nethereal – Brian Niemeier - Ancillary Mercy – Ann Leckie Nominating the entire Discworld series was also a top 10-ish contender, but I stuck to the actual novels for this listing. - If This Goes On – Heinlein, for Best Novel - Requiem – Heinlein, Best Short Story - The Roads Must Roll – Heinlein, Best Short Story. And that’s The List top 10-ish version.

A days work from my first Ludum Dare … I’ve been streaming it all here A days work from my first Ludum Dare … I’ve been streaming it all here Ok so I’m in this year, after watching the whole thing on Twitch last year. I’m maybe gonna participate in the Jam with my friend, if he can, else I’m gonna go for the Compo. I will of course be livestreaming the whole thing: ArcGames Twitch I am going to use: Adobe Flash cs6 (AS2) – for the code and graphics Adobe Photoshop – for sketches / Concept art My friend (maybe…) – for algorithms’n’shit Myself – for art and the knowledge about flash and AS2 Audacity – for sounds Pickle – if pixelart necessary Happy Ludum Dare everyone and don’t forget: POTATOES! – approved by sam Hello fellow awesome game developers! Yup, that’s right, chrome won’t accept keyboard inputs from any flash AS2 game, as it would seem. EDIT 8/22/10: Updating slightly I’ll likely be using a global leaderboard with my Flash game entry like last Ludum Dare because it can be really fun to encourage competition with fellow LDers on your game. I remember a few Flash devs being curious about the process so I wanted to post a brief step by step tutorial for those of you who want to take the plunge this weekend. If you are using AS3 I’ll also be hanging in the IRC channel and am happy to answer any tech issues you may have if you choose to implement these. Without further ado — 10 Steps to Global Leaderboards: Can’t wait for the theme! Hey all.. I realized I had forgotten to post a lib I wanted to ask about using that is related to online high score ability in a flash game. Would just want to know peoples thoughts about using it for this compo.. or other compos if deemed too late. Basically it’s just a 2 line call someone can drop into their flash project that enables online leaderboards via mochi. You don’t have to use their ad network or anything but it would easily support the ability for people to see others scores in my game. Anyway.. thoughts? Too late for this time perhaps..? but what about future compos? It isn’t really game code per se.. but it does give a game an advantage in that online leaderboards often lead to more competition with the score motivated players. I am pretty sure I’m going to make a go of LD14 this weekend. I will be voting in the theme rounds all week long and take a look Friday to see the theme that is picked. I will make up my mind then for sure. Why the hesitation? Well, I have a lot of things I’m already working on game wise so I have to make sure working on ANOTHER game is the best use of my energy… 😉 I do love the LD compos though.. it’s what got me back into game programming again so it will always have a lot of pull on my heart. It is just so much fun as many of you know to participate in this event. As far as programming tech and libraries go I will be making a change for the first time in all my LD experience! Previously I was rocking the Ruby language and using the excellent Gosu game dev library (which I still highly recommend!) This time I’ll be using Flash / ActionScript 3.0. I have spent the past couple months learning ActionScript (first used AS2 for one game) and then another game I did in AS3 to work on my knowledge in that. Plus I’ve cranked through a couple really great books I picked up that I also highly recommend to anyone looking to make the leap. Essential ActionScript 3.0 (O’Reilly), ActionScript 3.0 Animation (Keith Peters), and Flash CS4 Professional (Katherine Ulrich). The Kongregate Shootorials were also a great place to start for AS2 and they have an AS3 version of the finished tutorial to learn from the code (it is well commented.) I learn good from books so I had to grab a few to help out. Anyway, I’ve been having a blast with Flash / ActionScript! I’ve been very impressed by how quickly you can rough out a game prototype using the Flash authoring tool and some simple ActionScript classes. I used to think that I’d be hard pressed to find as rapid a dev environment than what I was already using with Ruby / Gosu but all I can say is DAMN.. flash is fast. Plus, the added benefit of having both rapid playable cross platform versions for compo feedback as well as not worrying about the various builds after the compo and I think it builds a strong case as rapid prototyping tool geared for quick compos like this one. Tool Set I want to use: Flash / ActionScript 3.0 Libraries I want to use (if this seems ok par the rules?): Looking forward to a great theme and a great compo everyone, take care! This could only bring madness… or terror… or both! I’m going for it! This is rough mockup to get the idea down but basically instead of the old miner carrying the leaky powderkeg.. we have our miner taking up a different profession. That’s right, he’s using the lawnmower (or is that chestmower?) from The Hairy Chestival.. only problem is that the lawnmower is leaking fuel like there’s no peak oil! You have to mow down the dry grass (or is that… hair?) before the spark ignites your fuel mixture. Oh yeah, for some reason the field is littered with explosive barrels that you can’t run into but that you have to destroy. There will also be a fuel meter on the lawnmower that will run out I think as well (like the button to discard the powderkeg in Short Fuse. I still have to work out exactly what the rewards are (do you really need one in a game so ludicrous? 😉 ) and what the dangers are. But, I have high hopes for this.. hehe. I’ll be using Flash. Either AS2 or AS3.. jury is still out for this mini-LD. I love the theme of the mash up and am scouring the archive grid looking at old thumbnails. I’m trying to find a concept that won’t be too ambitious at all. The reason? Because this weekend I will make some progress towards learning AS3 I hope. I have my Essential ActionScript 3.0 book handy. I have my Flash CS4 Professional book handy. I have healthy snacks… I have angry chihuahuas.. (well not really, but my wife and I are picking up a new puppy tomorrow! Shiba Inu mix, not chihuahua I’m afraid.) I have already made 1 Flash AS2 game so far but know nothing about actually using the Flash tool for making animations and such things. I also “know” AS2 in that sense that I’ve been programming in other languages a long time and can now brute force any kind of ugly code into working but I’m far from the land of knowing best practices so far! I really want to push on past AS2 though. I think it would be fun to find a mash-up game that will ideally not be too large in scope that will allow me to get to know the Flash authoring tool and AS3. It does mean I have to make some more progress in the AS book. Only time will tell what will happen. Epic Fail? We shall see! 😉 Well after an incredible amount of work I have finally released my first Flash / ActionScript 2.0 game! You can play it here if you’d like. I hope it is cool to post here because it is relevant in that the original game play idea came from my Cryptid Puzzle Challenge entry in the Mini-Ludum Dare #7 competition back at the beginning of the month. I also wanted to really share it all with my buds here at Ludum Dare! TurnStyle is a unique visual and memory based puzzle game where each of the 15 puzzles are original illustrations that follow a complete story arc over the duration of the game. Every puzzle is made up of individual pieces which have been randomly rotated so that they are scrambled each time. You must work quickly and efficiently to rotate the individual pieces into the proper alignment before the timer runs out. There are easy, medium, and hard difficulty puzzles mainly guided by the amount of individual image pieces that make up each puzzle and the way that I break up the images into pieces. Personal best records are stored locally for score and rotation count per puzzle. Global high scores may be submitted to the Mochi Leaderboards at any puzzle progress screen. You are able to retry a level if the time runs out. I haven’t submitted it to any portals or whatnot yet so it is living at it’s mochi-ads home right now. I’m using their encryption, version control platform, advert api, and leaderboards/facebook api. Seems pretty easy to setup. I will try to post more about my adventure in creating this game and learning Flash over at my personal site but for now this is finished!

|Aliens and Cattle Mutilations Aliens Gathering Genetic Material for Species Propagation Cattle mutilation is the apparent killing and then mutilation of cattle under unusual or anomalous circumstances. Sheep and horses have allegedly been mutilated under similar circumstances. hallmark of these incidents is the surgical nature of the mutilation, and unexplained phenomena such as the complete draining of the animal's blood, loss of internal organs with no obvious point of entry, and surgically precise removal of the reproductive organs and anal coring. reported event is that the animal is found 'dumped' in an area where there are no marks or tracks leading to or from the carcass, even when it is found in soft ground or mud. The surgical-type wounds tend to be cauterized by an intense heat and made by very sharp/precise instruments, with no bleeding evident. Often flesh will be removed to the bone in an exact manner, consistent across cases, such as removal of flesh from around the jaw exposing the mandible. Since the time that reports of purported animal mutilations began, the causes have been attributed variously to natural decomposition, normal predators, cryptid predators (like the Chupacabra), extraterrestrials, secretive governmental or military agencies, and cults. "Mutilations" have been the subject of two independent federal investigations in the United Although the exact nature of mutilations varies from case to case, a typical mutilation might involve any or all of the following: - The removal of eyes, udders and sexual organs very cleanly with surgical precision. - The removal of the anus to a depth of around 12 inches similar in appearance to surgical coring. - The removal of the lips and/or tongue deeply cut out from the throat. - The removal of one ear. - The removal of major organs (such as heart or liver) with no obvious entry/excision marks. Often, if the heart is missing, apart from no excision wound, the Pericardium will still be present and intact, with the heart missing. - The stripping of hide and flesh from the jaw and the area directly beneath the ear to the bone. - The removal of soft organs from the lower body. - The presence of incisions and cuts across the body that appear to have been made by a surgical instrument. - Unexplained damage to remaining organs, but no sign of damage to the surrounding area. - A lack of predation signs (including teethmarks, tearing of the skin or flesh, or animal footprints) on or around the carcass. - Lack of obvious scavenging. - In many cases, a draining of the majority of blood from the animal. What blood is left exhibits color anomalies and may not coagulate for days. - The animal will appear 'dumped' or dropped in a secluded area, with no animal, human or vehicle track(s) leading to or from the site. Some have been found draped over fences or in treetops. - The ground under the animal appears depressed, as if the animal was dropped on the site from a height leaving an impact crater. - The animal's bones found to be fractured with injuries consistent with being dropped. - Strange marks/holes in the ground around the carcass. - Other cattle avoid the carcass and the area where it's found. - Eyewitness reports of aerial objects in the vicinity of cattle at the time of an animal going missing. mutilation is the alleged killing and then subsequent mutilation of cattle. Sheep or horses have also been similarly mutilated, according to Mutilations include removal of parts of the mouth and hind regions, especially the anus and sexual organs. Some attribute these mutilations to extraterrestrials, such as "bad" aliens. Others, including cryptozoologists, attribute them to malevolent alien creatures released by other aliens. Reports of mutilated cattle first surfaced in the United States in the early 1960s when it was allegedly largely confined to the states of Pennsylvania and Kansas. The phenomenon remained largely unknown outside cattle raising communities until 1967, when the Pueblo Chieftain in Pueblo, Colorado published a story about a horse named Lady who was mutilated in mysterious circumstances, which was then picked up by the wider press and distributed nationwide. This case was also the first to feature speculation that extraterrestrial beings and unidentified flying objects were associated with mutilation. Cattle Mutilation In Colorado Mar 11th, 2009 A cattle rancher made a horrific and mysterious discovery Sunday when he found the carcass of one of his cattle that was missing its udders and other female parts. one is sure what killed the cow on a pasture near the Purgatoire River, but Trinidad rancher Mike Duran said he definitely finds the death Duran, 49, said Monday that after the cow had been missing for two days, he went to look for it in a pasture where he runs cattle a mile west of the town of Weston near Colorado 12. "I last saw her Friday. She's an older cow so I thought she may have died. Sunday, I spotted her near the (Purgatoire) river bottom and went and looked at her. She was on her side and it looked a little odd. "When I took a closer look I saw that her udders had been removed," Duran said. The cow had its udders cleanly cut off with no blood on or around the carcass, Duran said. "It was a perfect circle almost like a laser cut," he said. "It's not like a knife. it seemed to be cut and sealed at the same time," he said. This is not the first time Duran has found a mutilated cow on his ranch. In 1995, Duran said he found a cow that had been mutilated the exact same way on the same pasture. "The other cow's udders were snipped off the same way. It's hard to imagine what or who could have done this to me again," Duran said. The mutilation in 1995 never has been solved. who operates a 30-head cattle ranch, said that in both occurrences, there were no animal or human tracks around the carcasses. "There was no blood around either and if you cut off an udder there would be a whole lot of blood," Duran said. The Cattle Mutilation Phenomena Cattle mutilation phenomena involve thousands of cases in North America in which cattle have been found mutilated under unusual circumstances. The cows are found dead (although the cause of death is undetermined), exsanguinated (all their blood has been removed) and have had certain organs removed from their bodies. Often their reproductive and rectal parts have been removed. thousands of reported cattle mutilations in the United States and around the world dating to the 1970s have spawned theories about aliens sent to Earth to slice up cows. "I don't know if aliens are doing this or what, but whoever it is, I don't like it," Duran said. look at cattle mutilations in other places and it's just really something that can't be explained. I don't know, maybe it's UFOs (unidentified flying objects) or maybe not," he said with a laugh. Duran said neighbors near the pasture told him that they had not heard or seen anything this past weekend. Duran, who also is a teacher at Trinidad High School, said he is no expert on the subject of cattle mutilations, but has studied information on the "I looked up some pictures and facts last night and there are similar occurrences to what has happened to me. Some are exactly the same," he reported. Duran said he has notified the Las Animas County Sheriff's Department about the mutilated cattle. Las Animas County Undersheriff Derek Navarette said his office takes cattle mutilations seriously, although no one has ever been charged with the "If it's someone here killing livestock, that's a crime," Navarette said. "The problem is that there's never any evidence around to support that anyone was there. "It's an odd phenomenon. The cattle is just there dead," Navarette said. There hasn't been a cattle mutilation case in the area for several years, Navarette said. The case is similar to most around the United States. "The same body parts were removed." The place where the cow was found Sunday is almost impossible for a vehicle to get to. "It's an unusual place," he said. Navarette said his office will continue to investigate "This is simply a mystery and it is very odd," he said. cases mutilation wounds appear to be clean, and carried out surgically. Mutilated animals are usually, though not always reported to have been drained of blood, and have no sign of blood in the immediate area or around their wounds. George E. Onet, a doctor of veterinary microbiology and cattle mutilation investigator claims that allegedly mutilated cattle are avoided by large scavengers "such as coyotes, wolves, foxes, dogs, skunks, badgers, and bobcats" for several days after its death. Similarly, domestic animals are also reported to be "visibly agitated" and "fearful" of the carcass. Cattle Mutilation Statistics In FBI records from 1975, mutilations of the eye occurred in 14 percent of cases, mutilation of the tongue in 33 percent of cases, mutilation of the genitals in 74 percent of cases, and mutilation of the rectum in 48 percent of cases. According to a later survey taken by the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS), mutilation of the eye occurred in 59 percent of cases, mutilation of the tongue in 42 percent of cases, the genitals in 85 percent of cases, and the rectum in 76 percent of cases. According to Dr. Howard Burgess, nearly 90 percent of mutilated cattle are between four and five years old. Some mutilations are said to occur in very brief periods. A 2002 NIDS report relates a 1997 case from Utah. Two ranchers tagged a specific calf, then continued tagging other animals in the same pasture. The ranchers were, at the most, about 300 yards from the calf. Less than an hour later, the first calf was discovered completely eviscerated—most muscle and all internal organs were missing. There was no blood, entrails, or apparent disturbance at the scene. Independent analysts both uncovered marks on the calf's remains consistent with two different types of tools: a large, machete-type blade, and smaller, more The absence of tracks or footprints around the site of the mutilated carcass is often considered a hallmark of cattle mutilation. However, in some cases, strange marks or imprints near the site have been found. In the famous "Snippy" case, there was an absolute absence of tracks in a 100 ft radius of the carcass (even the horse's own tracks disappeared within 100 ft of the body.) But within this radius several small holes were found seemingly "punched" in the ground and two bushes were UFO Files - Cattle Mutilations In Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, June 1976, a "trail of suction cup-like impressions" were found leading from a mutilated three-year-old cow. The indentations were in a tripod form, 4 inches in diameter, 28 inches apart, and disappeared 500 feet from the dead cow. Similar incidents were reported in the area in carried out on some mutilated animals have shown unusually high or low levels of vitamins or minerals in tissue samples, and the presence of chemicals not normally found in animals. However, not all mutilated animals display these anomalies, and those that do have slightly different anomalies from one another. On account of the time between death and necropsy, and a lack of background information on specific cattle, investigators have often found it impossible to determine if these variations are connected to the animals' deaths or not. In one case documented by New Mexico police and the FBI, an 11 month old cross Hereford-Charolais bull, belonging to a Mr. Manuel Gomez of Dulce, New Mexico, was found mutilated on March 24th, 1978. It displayed 'classic' mutilation signs, including the removal of the rectum and sex organs with what appeared to be “a sharp and precise instrument” and its internal organs were found to be inconsistent with a normal case of death followed by predation. “Both the liver and the heart were white and mushy. Both organs had the texture and consistency of peanut butter” - Gabriel L Veldez, New Mexico Police The animal's heart as well as bone and muscle samples were sent to the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, part of the University of California, for microscopic and bacteriological studies, while samples from the animal's liver were sent to two separate private laboratories. Los Alamos detected the presence of naturally occurring Clostridium bacteria in the heart, but was unable to reach any conclusions because of the possibility that the bacteria represented postmortem contamination. They did not directly investigate the heart's unusual color or texture. Samples from the animal's liver were found to be completely devoid of copper and to contain 4 times the normal level of zinc, potassium and phosphorus. The scientists performing the analysis were unable to explain these anomalies. Blood samples taken at the scene were reported to be "light pink in color" and “Did not clot after several days” while the animal's hide was found to be unusually brittle for a fresh death (the animal was estimated to have been dead for 5 hours) and the flesh underneath was found to be discolored. None of the laboratories were able to report any firm conclusions on the cause of the blood or tissue damage. At the time, it was suggested that a burst of radiation may have been used to kill the animal, blowing apart its red blood cells in the process. This hypothesis was later discarded as subsequent reports from the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory later confirmed the presence of anti-coagulants in samples taken from other cows mutilated in the Various hypotheses suggest cattle mutilations have been committed by aliens gathering genetic material for unknown purposes. Most of these hypotheses are based on the premise that earthly entities could not perform such clean dissections in such a short space of time without being seen or leaving evidence behind at the mutilation site, and around laboratory reports suggesting the use of unconventional cutting tools and other unexpected phenomena. Some suggest that as cows make up a significant part of the global human diet a study is being carried out on this element of the human food chain. Numerous speculative theories abound, but others center on possible specific nutrient requisites, hormone procurement, species propagation (reproduction), and rote experimentation on mammalian populations.

The all-female Ghostbusters movie is already set to become part of the collective pop-culture psyche, but here in the real world, there are many women who have been busy inspiring, pushing, and changing the way we see real-life paranormal investigators. These ladies put the fictional phantom hunters to shame by asking the right questions, kicking ass, and always seeking the truth, no matter where it might hide. Meet the real-life female ghostbusters that are changing the way we approach the paranormal. I decided to start my list off with Amy Bruni for many reasons, but most importantly, because Amy has been busy literally doing it all. Not only is she a mom, a business owner, a television star, and an executive producer, but she also makes it all look absolutely effortless in the process. From 2008 to 2014 Amy co-hosted Ghost Hunters, the longest-running and highest-rated paranormal series on television, before going on to create Strange Escapes, one of the most successful boutique travel companies in the world, which, of course, takes guests on luxurious adventures to the world’s most haunted places. During her brief hiatus from television, Amy has managed to dominate the paranormal travel industry, but now she’s heading back to the airwaves by starring in and executive producing her own series alongside Adam Berry. Juggling all of these roles is no small feat, so its not surprising that Amy has been inspiring women to carve a place for themselves into every aspect of the paranormal, from investigation, to business, to adventure. The Dead Files‘ resident physical medium Amy Allan is, in my opinion, one of the most compelling psychics of our generation. In a virtual sea of “love and lighters”, Amy isn’t afraid to lead us into her often dark world to show us that not all of our nightmares are make-believe. After years of scrutinization from parapsychologists like Dr. William Roll, Dr. Gary Schwartz, and William Everett, Amy has proven herself time and time again to be the real deal. For five years she’s lent her unique talents to people in the grips of paranormal trauma, and though her advice isn’t always what the client wants to hear, it’s real and to the point. Not only has Allan has changed the way that psychics are included in paranormal research, but she’s made an effort to correct the rose-colored conclusions that “experts” often offer to clients with regards to the complexities of their cases. Ok, so she’s not technically a ghostbuster, but Ranae Holland has been playing the Dana Scully to Finding Bigfoot’s many Mulders for nearly a hundred episodes, and though she’s traveled the world in search of the Big Hairy Guy for years, she’s still no closer to believing he’s real… and that’s what I love about her. A skeptic at heart, Ranae is a field biologist by trade and has never been afraid to use that training to debunk potential Bigfoot evidence, which isn’t exactly an easy job when your co-hosts are Cliff, Matt, and Bobo. Since the beginning, Ranea has held the trio to a scientific standard, and because of that, she’s helped raise the quality of the evidence they discover. Ranae has inspired skeptics and believers alike to get off their butts and get out into the woods, and to always be prepared to challenge the evidence. There’s a lot to be said about the way one approaches an investigation, and ever since she first appeared on Paranormal State, Katrina Weidman has been bringing with her a depth and scope to ghost hunting that is often overlooked on reality television shows. Host of not one, but three successful paranormal series, Katrina is the real deal, and her style of investigating the unexplained reminds us to consider that the very core of what we’re doing is dealing with people, both living and dead. When the common attitude in the paranormal community is to be tough and aggressive, Katrina reminds us not to forget that being thoughtful and compassionate is often the only real way to discover the truth. Currently co-hosting Destination America’s Paranormal Lockdown with seasoned investigator Nick Groff, Katrina has spent the past year in the country’s most haunted locations, capturing some of the most compelling evidence ever seen on television, and if you haven’t been watching, you’re seriously missing out. There isn’t a subterranean cave, dangerous desert, or cryptid-infested mountain in the world that scares Erin Ryder, and that’s because she’s a bonafide badass monster hunter with the guns to back it up. Seriously, look at those arms. Erin made her mark by investigating some of the world’s most terrifying legends along side her co-adventurer Josh Gates on SyFy’s Destination Truth. Her specific style of investigation usually involves bombing around remote parts of the world like the real life Lara Croft, often digging up the truth behind timeless mysteries of the unexplained. She’s proven time and time again that there’s literally nowhere she won’t go to find the answers. Since her TV debut in 2011, Erin has been inspiring us all to go on an adventure, get dirty, and to never let fear get the better of us. Erin is currently being a total badass on Myth Explorer, an online series promoting the new King Kong attraction at Universal Studios. No list of female investigators would be complete without the inclusion of Lorraine Warren. Not only is Lorraine arguably the most prolific female paranormal investigator of all time, she’s connected to some some of the most iconic cases of paranormal activity in the world. From Amityville to Enfield, Lorraine paved the way for all believers, and even at the age of 89, she continues to inspire many to investigate the paranormal to this very day. Today she’s been fictionalized by Vera Farmiga in The Conjuring franchise, which has been busy adapting all of Ed and Lorraine’s most famous cases. Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan (or believer) of Lorraine’s, it’s impossible to deny that she’s directly effected everyone who seeks the strange in some way, shape, or form. Ghostbusters might be a fictional franchise, but in real life there’s a much more compelling group of female supernatural sleuths who have not only been paving the way for those passionate about the paranormal, but inspiring women all over the world to get out there to search for the answers to the world’s most enduring mysteries.

The Emela-ntouka is a mythic African legendary creature among the Pygmy tribes. Its name means "killer of the elephants" in the Lingala language and is also known as the Aseka-moke, Njago-gunda, Ngamba-namae, Chipekwe or Irizima. The Emela-ntouka is around the size of an African Bush Elephant, brownish to gray in color, with a heavy tail, and a body of similar to a rhinoceros. It has one long horn on its snout although it is unknown what the horn is made of whether it be ivory, bone or keratin. It is described as having no frills or ridges along the neck. The animal is alleged to be semi-aquatic and feed on Malombo and other leafy plants. The Emela-ntouka is known to snort, rumble or growl. This cryptid is alleged to mainly inhabit the vast shallow waters in the swamps and lakes of the Congo River basin, particularly in the Likouala swamps in the Republic of the Congo. It is also said to inhabit Lake Bangweulu in Zambia. They are claimed to be solitary and herbivores. Locals allegedly treat the creature with great fear because of its fierce sense of territoriality. What could this creature possibly be? One of the more popular theories suggest it is a ceratopsian or a herbivorous, beaked dinosaur. However, some experts disagree siting descriptions told by witnesses don't include key features ceratopsians possess. Furthermore, ceratopsian fossils are primarily found in North America and Asia, not so much Africa. Others believe it may be related to the Triceratops or Ttyracosaurus. Author Loren Coleman suggests that the Emela-Ntouka is not saurian or reptilian, but a new species of semi-aquatic rhinoceros. This creature may not be well known by the masses but it has found its place in the written word. J.E. Hughes published his book Eighteen Years on Lake Bangweulu in 1933. He spoke of an animal that fits the description of an Emela-Ntouka despite not being referred to by name that was slaughtered by Wa-Ushi tribesmen, along the shores of the Luapula River. However, the Emela-Ntouka was mentioned by name for the first time in 1954, in an article in the journal Mammalia, by former Likouala game inspector Lucien Blancou. He stated the Emela-Ntouka was "larger than a buffalo" and dwelled throughout the Likouala swamps. He was also the first to mentioned the fact it kills elephants, buffalos or hippos when disturbed. An episode of the New Zealand documentary World Mysteries included an interview with a man who claimed to have encountered a dead Emela-Ntouka. He allegedly still possesses the animal's horn which he removed from the body. The episode was filmed but never aired. Perhaps this creature will be the subject of a future episode of Destination Truth.

Here's chapter twenty one of my Yu-Gi-Oh GX fanfic. As you all remember last time after Lance fell to Crypt Jason, Mori, and Trish all took it upon themselves to find the culprit and make him answer for his crimes only to be defeated by Crypt himself. Then after being isolated by Crypt on the academy island Destiny, Amun, Locket, Gaia, Kazuya, Rose, Fate, Yukie, and Ninomiya began to form a resistance against him until Gaia finds Ninomiya in a similar state as the others and begins a duel with Crypt but seems to have more knowledge of his deck than the others, but will it help him now. Crypt is left with 2600 life points, three card in hand, one card face-down, a face-up trap card Bermuda Triangle, and one monster, Cryptid-Species Niseag (currently 2000/2000), on the field about to take a bite out of Gaia. Gaia is left with 3500 life points, three card in hand, no monsters on the field, and two cards face-down. DISCLAIMER: ALL THE CREDIT FOR YU-GI-OH GOES TO KAZUKI TAKAHASHI AND SHONEN JUMP. I OWN ONLY SOME OF THE OCs AND THE DECKS USED BY THEM. Duel XXI: Crusade of the Academy; Cosmos v. Cryptid-Species, Part 2 "Ancient Fury!" Crypt shouted out as the monster reared its head back and thrust it forward releasing a large burst of water that traveled towards Gaia at break-neck speed. "This better work…for all our sakes," Gaia thought while closing his eyes bracing himself for impact and then opening them only a second later. "I play Mirror Force!" he declared as a large mirrored barrier surrounded. "With this all your monsters in attack mode are destroyed no questions asked." Snickering Crypt simply looked at his monster as it continued releasing the water which hit the shield and began to lose power. Gaia sighed with relief but then heard a small cracking sound. Looking up at the spot where the barrier was being attacked Gaia found a small cracks massing where the water was battering the shield eventually destroying it and then blasting Gaia with the tons of water being poured out against him reducing his life points from 3500-1500. "Niseag is too elegant to be stopped by your meaningless defense," Crypt explained. "It cannot be destroyed or affected by spell or trap cards in any way, shape or form. Guess you better start thinking of something else." "Shut-up," Gaia said drawing his card. "I summon DFF-VII Cloud (1900/1200) in attack mode!" he declared summoning a young warrior with blond hair, an indigo outfit, a metal shoulder brace, a brown belt with a large symbol on it, brown boots, and a large broadsword he held behind his back. "And once per turn, I get to destroy one of your spell or trap cards, do your stuff." Running past the monster the warrior brought his sword in front of him and slashed the card manifestation of the Bermuda Triangle dispelling the field below the two of them. Gaia sighed with relief and placed another face-down card ending his turn. "My move," Crypt said chuckling dangling the card in between his index and middle finger. "I summon the Cryptid-Species Bayer Road Beast (?/?) in attack mode!" he declared summoning a large bipedal wolf with its fangs dripping with drool, scratches in multiple parts of its body and the same claw charm around its neck. "My ever-faithful doggy has a growth of 1500 every end phase at the cost of one of my monsters from my hand during the end phase or else he gets nothing. With that I'll end my turn giving my Niseag no gain and now the cost must be paid for Bayer Road Beast," Crypt reminded dropping the Mongolian Death Worm into the graveyard. "And with that, next turn my Niseag will gain an extra 2700 next time I attack, putting you closer to your headstone." "Why?" Gaia asked. "Why are you back? Why do you have to cause me grief? It's been ten years since I've seen you and here you are trying to kill of an entire academy just for some stupid magic power." "Exactly," Crypt said. "There's a reason I've isolated all of you here; each of you has your own magic, some more prominent than others. In order for me to complete my ambition I must have all of your magic." Gaia stood still and looked back up at Crypt with the most enraged look he had ever had, "People aren't mere pawns!" he shouted. "And you're trying to kill us for something that won't work!" "How naïve," Crypt said. "Destiny is the final key; she is descended from a woman whose predictions were 99% correct until she was murdered for her power. Destiny may not know this yet, but in order for anyone to be healed of this poison they have to use the power of the Celestial Queen whose spirit inhabits Destiny." "Exactly," Crypt said in agreement. "A figure that is said to be able to amplify any power that a person holds. How is it that Destiny is able to figure out complex maneuvers that her opponents use sometimes before they even use them allowing her to prepare a defense for said tactic. This queen, however, comes with a price, you must make a necessary sacrifice. She can only enter the lives of people who have experienced the ultimate loss." "Loss of loved ones," Gaia remarked with Crypt chuckling. "Precisely," Crypt said. "Destiny is the last person alive in her entire extended family; mother, father, uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, in-laws, any kind of family you can think of she's lost. This makes her power all the more potent, and obvious. She can only lose by her own choice." "That's where you're wrong, I've defeated Destiny and she went into shock afterwards," Gaia said defensively. "Oh if only that were true," Crypt said. "At first it only seems as though a larger spirit is required for her power to manifest, but upon closer examination of the facts she could've won all those duels, but chose not to." "E-even if that were true how would you beat her?" Gaia asked. "Simple," Crypt started chuckling. "I give her the choice between her or her friends. The queen is nothing, if not gracious, and selfless. She'll gladly give her life many times over to save her friends even if that means letting me live, and giving up her power." "Not as long as there are people willing to protect her," Gaia said. "Like me! Draw!" he declared. "I activate EX-Mode Activate! This grants my monster an extra 1000 attack points and the piercing effect," he explained as the warrior's sword began to change into a more stream-lined sword with a large blue stripe running down its body increasing its attack from 1900-2900. "Now attack his wolf friend with Omnislash!" The swordsman jumped into the air slashing away at the werewolf creature about thirteen times before bringing the sword above his head and slashing downwards destroying the creature and reducing Crypt's life points from 2600-1200. Gaia looked at Crypt as after the attack finished Crypt was in a state of near hysteria and held onto his arm as his back began to tense. "What is your problem?" Gaia asked. "Nothing," Crypt started. "Just giving into another monstrous feature I have," he finished removing his coat revealing a bulge inside a black buttoned shirt. Taking the glove off his hand and revealing his claws from the Death Raptor Crypt scratched a large tear in to his shirt from which a large wing shot out of made of a leather material and scattered feathers. "What in the world?" Gaia exclaimed looking at the wing which stretched to about six feet long into the air. "Seeing as how it's my turn I draw!" Crypt declared as his wing fluttered in the wind. "This wing is from a creature found in both legends of Native Americans and seen as a ferocious beast that will attack should anything get too close, and I summon it now; Cryptid-Species Thunderbird (?/?) in attack mode!" he declared summoning a large avian figure with the same leathery wings and scattered feathers wings and the head of regular an eagle that screeched in the face of the warrior controlled by Gaia. "This monster has a 1400 growth, but can be the only monster I attack with during my turn." "Why?" Gaia asked. "Isn't it obvious," he said. "Because it can attack you directly; this monster also gains its attack during the battle phase like Niseag, so attack Thunder Rage!" he commanded as the bird flew into the air and became engulfed in lightning and then charged through the air straight to Gaia. "I play Cosmos Call!" Gaia declared. "With this trap card I can negate your attack, destroy your monster, and then after all that summon a monster from my deck or graveyard with DFF in its name." The large bird began to screech in pain as its matter began to shift and was then destroyed when Gaia's deck began to shine. "And by the final effect of Cosmos Call I can summon DFF-X Tidus (1000/2000) in attack mode!" Gaia declared summoning a warrior approximately the same age as the one before wearing a torn pair of black overalls with a yellow hooded shirt with the left sleeve torn off, and a shoulder brace and a gauntlet on the left arm. "I end my turn," Crypt said chuckling again with his wing still fluttering in the wind. "Why Tao?" Gaia asked after a long silence. "Why did you have to kill Tao? He had lived through so much, he had been the person who can say that he was almost killed, but more importantly he was the person who could say he would never give up, even after death." "That's why he was the first to go," Crypt said with a hint of insanity. "He was the one who would continue to fight me." "Why? Who are you to Tao?" Gaia asked. "The example of someone who can survive the poison," Crypt said showing off his monstrous features. "He knew that so long as there was there even a trace of that poison that people like me and him would come after the Celestial Queen; hence our obsession with finding the power to enhance our power." "What do you mean?" "It's simply this," Crypt said. "The poison coursing through our vein can twist us, it makes us act like people we aren't. People like Tao aren't able to fathom the full extent of their power and hence become afraid of it and try to destroy it. But people like me appreciate this power and gladly would become monsters for the sake of our own gain no matter who we have to step on or destroy along the way. Duels like this are simply a formality." "Formality?" Gaia asked with contempt. "You've ended Tao's, Lance's, Jason's, Trish's, Mori's, and now Ninomiya's life. That's not formalities; that's evidence of a mass murderer." "Your point?" Crypt asked. "This poison's done wonders for me and I'll show the world what I can do with it and finally get the respect people with our condition deserve. Tao was one of them, a man who believed that this was a disease and that people like this shouldn't be around people again. He was a necessary death for my plan." "Shut your mouth!" Gaia shouted. "I'm proud to say that Tao was probably the best friend I could've ever had; it's one of the few things that me and Aigis have in common. The other is that you deserve to be in the very thing you are named after. Draw!" he declared looking at the card in his hand. "I choose to pass my turn and allow you to make your final move." "Final move?" Crypt asked mockingly. "You think that you can beat me on my own turn?" "I don't think, I know!" Gaia declared confidently. "Fine! Show me what you've got!" Crypt shouted challengingly as he drew his card and never even looked at it but cringed as he drew it. "I attack with Niseag boosting his attack to 4700, Ancient Fury!" he declared as the giant reptilian creature's attack increased from 2000-4700. "Destroy Tidus!" The creature shot the blast of water towards the warrior just summoned by Gaia's trap who held out his arms confidently as the blast continued to come towards him. "Now!" Gaia yelled as the warrior unsheathed a sword and looked as though he were about to slice through the blast. "Whenever Tidus battles against an enemy monster it switches its attack with the monster it battles." "So you allowed me the chance to attack which would increase my attack to a level in which that you could switch the attacks and defeat me indefinitely?" Crypt asked. "That's the basic idea," Gaia said. "Now, it's time to put you into the ground where you belong. Tidus, Sonic Buster!" The young warrior smiled as he sliced right through the blast of water and reached the monster and sliced through its figure as it was surrounded by fog. The fog lifted shortly after that and revealed that the blade had sliced through Gaia who was left stunned as the large creature controlled by Crypt was left standing. "It's strange," Crypt said. "Sometimes your eyes can play tricks on you. Just like the trap card Dense Fog. In Loch Ness, the fog can become so thick that you become unaware of what you really see. In many cases the Loch Ness Monster is mistaken for logs, otters, but in the case of this card one of the two players by the choice of the next card I draw. Should it be a monster your attack goes through and if my monster is destroyed I take damage equal to its current growth rate. But if it's a spell or trap card like the Cryptic Shield the attack id redirected towards you. So, you lose." The young warrior remained in shock at its actions as Gaia fell to his knees with his life points dropping from 1500-0. Crypt walked up to him and grinned evilly. "Even if I should fall the others will beat you," Gaia declared as Crypt began chanting words in an ancient language that made Gaia fall to the ground unconscious. "One less fly to worry about," Crypt said clapping his hands together as though clapping away dust from his hand. "Who will be my next victim?" he asked himself walking back into the forest still laughing to himself. On the forest ground Gaia's motionless body began to cringe as it suddenly stood up with no emotion in its eyes. It sat itself up against a tree and drifted back into unconsciousness. Inside Gaia's mind he stood there without any emotion as he remained a transparent blue color. As he turned his head a large flash of red appeared in his mind and the two colors separated the two halves of his mind. From within the image of the red Gaia saw Aigis looking at him disapprovingly. "I knew I should've dueled him again," Aigis said. "I would've been able to beat him had you not let your emotions get the better of you." "At least I have emotions," Gaia said. "And what do you have?" "Nothing," Aigis answered. "That's why I always win. You allowed your anger to get the better of you so you were blind to his hulking twenty foot sea monster and hidden face down card. You lost because of your emotions. This is why I don't bother with the stuff." "Do you even care if he gets to Destiny?" Gaia asked beginning to anger. "In a way, no," Aigis said plainly. "What I do care about is Crypt getting away with cheating death so many times in his life that he should at least taste its cold bitter taste. But with the body we share as it is now, we can't do anything." "Remind me why we have it in for Crypt again," Gaia said wracking his brain. "Because of what he did to me, not you," Aigis explained. "But what does Tao have to do with it?" Gaia asked. "His reason was way too shallow to be plausible. I have to know." "I know," Aigis said surprising Gaia. "And I'll tell you…if you can beat me in a duel," he said activating a duel disk. "What?" Gaia said as he found a duel disk attached to his arm as well. "If you want the information that can possibly save Destiny and all of your little friends, why not wager it more sportingly. Since we're still on academy grounds the only way to do that is to duel," Aigis explained. "Fine, but make sure to keep up on your end of the bargain," Gaia said activating his duel disk and then pondered what Aigis said. "Wait, this won't work. How can I warn the others if I'm stuck inside a literally dead body? Aigis obviously has something up his sleeve, but I need to know what Tao and Crypt's connection is. No one can kill somebody for being sympathetic against his kind. I will win this duel, and I will find the truth." "DUEL!" the two declared in unison. Chapter twenty one complete. Another cliffhanger, aren't I the best. Well anyway, I know that the creator of Gaia has been wanting a duel between the split personality duo for a while and I found it appropriate to put it here. With the end of the arc coming be prepared to see the best and the worst of some of our characters. Next time: Gaia and Aigis duel to discover the secret connection between Tao and Crypt. Meanwhile Crypt begins his final offensive against the resistance members remaining to get to the ultimate prize, The Celestial Queen. Next time: Crusade of the Academy; Cosmos v. Chaos.

Posted by: John Kirk on May 3rd, 2007 I wrote of Barrie Alden here on Cryptomundo some months ago. Barrie is in the news again as an elusive British Columbia Cryptid has made the headlines again: VANCOUVER – Was it a prehistoric lizard on the brink of extinction, or an ordinary hoax? No one’s sure, but a small alligator spotted in a ravine at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C., has mysteriously vanished. “It’s become a wild goose chase,” said Paul Springate, the animal shelter curator who was tracking the renegade reptile. “I don’t want to call it a hoax, so maybe the better term is ‘mistake.’ Some security guards saw it splashing in the water, but we think it may have just been beavers.” But Barrie Alden, former director of the B.C. Wildlife Federation in the Lower Mainland, said the alligator may be a creature he’s been tracking since the 1970s. “This is still in the realm of the sasquatch, but the ancient stories and my research confirm it,” the ardent amateur cryptozoologist said. “These reptiles – small alligators or large salamanders – keep appearing …Mark my words, one of these days, someone’s going to discover a new species and it will explain everything.” But whatever it was, the mysterious creature is most likely dead now, Springate said. Traps set last week were untouched, and there were no further sightings in a week of slogging and splashing through the ravine. Vancouver ProvinceCanWest News Service The earliest recollection of alligators can be found in Charles Flood’s writings. In 1915, Flood, Donald MacRae and Green Hicks saw what they described as black alligators in the Holy Cross mountains of British Columbia. We do not have alligators or crocodiles in BC, but we are said to have a species of black salamander here which is far larger than any known species. Our sporadically seen amphibian is 6 to ten feet long and has been seen in a variety of lakes, most recently as 2004. As for prehistoric lizards, Warren Scott is supposed to have captured three horned lizards in the 1970s somewhere near Pitt Lake. These were allagedly of an unknown species, but Scott has made some unsubstantiated outlandish claims about discovering a lost valley with hot springs, lush vegetation and plants north of Pitt Lake which no one has ever reported before. He also claimed to have been kidnapped by sasquatches a la Albert Ostman, so his credibility is somewhat lacking. We do have a horned lizard in BC called the Pigmy Short-horned Lizard or Phrynosoma douglasi douglasi but sightings are rare and the last one was seen in Osoyoos in 1998 some 250 miles from Pitt Lake. None of our other lizards could be remotely described as horned. Trinity Western University is notthat far away from Cultus Lake in Chilliwack where cryptid black salamanders are said to dwell. Could one of the Cultus Lake brood have made it as far as Langley? Perhaps. It seems the Trinity Western subject has managed to get away to swim another day, but I agree with Barrie that one of these days we will get a specimen that will put an end to the mystery of this cryptid and perhaps the giant salamanders of the Trinity Alps in California which is directly south along the Cascade Mountains from here. If you have seen any cryptid in British Columbia report it to the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club at email@example.com. One of the founders of the BCSCC, John Kirk has enjoyed a varied and exciting career path. Both a print and broadcast journalist, John Kirk has in recent years been at the forefront of much of the BCSCC’s expeditions, investigations and publishing. John has been particularly interested in the phenomenon of unknown aquatic cryptids around the world and is the author of In the Domain of the Lake Monsters (Key Porter Books, 1998). In addition to his interest in freshwater cryptids, John has been keenly interested in investigating the possible existence of sasquatch and other bipedal hominids of the world, and in particular, the Yeren of China. John is also chairman of the Crypto Safari organization, which specializes in sending teams of investigators to remote parts of the world to search for animals as yet unidentified by science. John travelled with a Crypto Safari team to Cameroon and northern Republic of Congo to interview witnesses among the Baka pygmies and Bantu bushmen who have sighted a large unknown animal that bears more than a superficial resemblance to a dinosaur. Since 1996, John Kirk has been editor and publisher of the BCSCC Quarterly which is the flagship publication of the BCSCC. In demand at conferences, seminars, lectures and on television and radio programs, John has spoken all over North America and has appeared in programs on NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, TLC, Discovery, CBC, CTV and the BBC. In his personal life John spends much time studying the histories of Scottish Clans and is himself the president of the Clan Kirk Society. John is also an avid soccer enthusiast and player.

Posted by: Loren Coleman on March 7th, 2010 The Leeds Loki by Loren Coleman © 2010 Dateline: Leeds, Maine – February-March 2010 A weird creature is the talk of a tiny town in Maine. In the midst of the boggy lands that are the Turner Triangle, in Androscoggin County, Maine, containing the little towns of Turner, Turner Center, Greene, Leeds, and farther south, Durham, there exists a hodgepodge of reports of cryptids, creatures, and critters. Some appear to be black panthers, others are of hynea-like animals, and a few tell of mountain lion/cougars. This is the county that has given us the “Durham Gorilla” of 1973, the “Maine Mutant” 0f 2006, and the backwood’s “Turner Beast” or “Greene Monster” of the last dozen years. The same area also hosts historical and new accounts of Bigfoot and Bigfoot-type creatures. Leeds, a name more associated with the Jersey Devil, in New Jersey, than monsters in Maine, nevertheless, appears to have its very own Windigo, of sorts. I shall overview the results of the recent investigations of myself, Loren Coleman, director, and Jeff Meuse, chief docent coordinator of the International Cryptozoology Museum. I shall attempt to make some sense of all of what I am calling the accounts of the Leeds Loki. “Loki” – a hairy wild man trickster who sometimes appears as something else entirely – is a handy label as the body of accounts is a swirl of confusing descriptions that are hard to nail down. Furthermore, as it turns out, there is a decidedly Norse coincidence to the region’s 25 year old sightings, as was uncovered during our investigations. The people in the area know of the news that has spread throughout town, and yet the news media are totally unaware that the folks of Leeds are abuzz with current reports of a large hairy creature having crossed a local road. The newest eyewitnesses’ close encounters for February 2010 are, generally, said to be of a hairy hominoid seen crossing the Line Road between Leeds and Greene, Maine. Nevertheless, sightings of recent and the not-too-distance past have described, along this very same roadway, mystery cat encounters, too. In Leeds, Maine, one of the local gathering spots for talk of the new Bigfoot sightings is the Red Roof, a gasoline station-convenience store-eating establishment on Route 202, seen in the background of this Loren Coleman photograph. This video spotlights the exact location of the February 8, 2010 sighting, and associated activity. The most recent full-view sighting of the Leeds Loki took place on Monday, February 8, 2010, at 8:50 am. The creature was said to have crossed north to south, which would be from Leeds to Greene. It reportedly moved at a fast clip and crossed the road in a short amount of time. It’s arms hung quite low, and likewise swayed low. The witnesses noted that it did not peer in their direction. Both agreed it was tall, with eyewitness #1 saying it was perhaps six and a half feet tall, and eyewitness #2 reporting it as seven feet in height. Each eyewitness said it was extremely dark in color, with the hair covering the entire body and head. (Due to privacy issues, the eyewitnesses do not wish to be identified, at this time.) Jeff Meuse and I timed our trek to the area after a fresh fall of snow, so conditions would duplicate those on the day of the sighting. Warm days since the February 8th sighting had caused the snow in the sighting location to melt. Thus, when we searched the area on March 1st, the landscape looked as it did in early February. Above you see, only a few feet into the woods at the spot of the sightings, Meuse disappears into the darkness of the forest at high noon on March 1, 2010. Here Loren Coleman tests the ground for impression depths and impact in the snow-covered boggy ground. (The fact he appears to be imitating the posture of the Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot is purely coincidental.) Coleman and Meuse had permission from the land’s owner to investigate the area, off the road. We caution against any searchers trespassing, going onto private property, or otherwise disturbing the privacy of property owners in the area. [Sites described in this descriptive material may be on private property or border landowners’ property. The author and blog owner advise readers not to trespass on private property and disclaim any responsibility for those who are prosecuted for trespassing.] Tracks of an unknown origin, at the exact site where the Bigfoot crossed the road, were found and photographed ten days after the sighting. They are posted below, with permission. During the Coleman-Meuse investigations, locals told us often and openly of tawny-colored mountain lion/cougar encounters and black panther sightings, people being followed, and cat screams heard in the night around the surrounding Greene-Leeds area. Others told of Bigfoot-type sightings in the same specific area. For example, five different individuals (Graham, Robert, Eric, David, and Tom – last names on file) all stopped to discuss with us what they had heard had been sighted along Line Road within the last month. We interviewed them without telling what we were investigating, letting these contacts and others lead us in whatever direction they wished. Graham told of Bigfoot sightings being reported in the River Road area in Leeds. David was well aware of the local Bigfoot reports, when I merely asked about any “unusual animal activity in the area.” Tom told of cougar signs being found in the boggy area. Two searchers from a lumber company had been in the area a week earlier looking for cougar and Bigfoot signs. Eric had heard strange animals himself thereabouts, and felt like animals often followed him and others in the area. Indeed, Eric’s brother Leif had one of the best close-up sightings of a smaller version of a Bigfoot over 25 years ago, in the “flats” area off Turner Center’s Bridge Road, near Allen Pond Road. (Interestingly, Turner Center’s Bridge Road is exactly on the line between Turner and Greene, just as the Line Road of the recent sightings are on the exact border between Greene and Leeds. It will also be recalled that the “Durham Gorilla” accounts of 1973 took place exactly on the River Road in those incidents, which is the dividing line between Durham and Brunswick, Maine. In September 1999, tracks were found of a Bigfoot next to the road at the town line between Sidney and Manchester, Maine.) Leif reported this circa 1985 “small Bigfoot” was not tall, but more like 5-6 feet in height, and was observed kneeling down, perhaps over a dead animal. Local high schoolers who had to walk across the “flats,” to and from school, would frequently report sightings and a sense they were being followed. The “flats” are described locally like they are the moors of the northlands of Europe. The two brothers with the Norse names, Eric and Leif, are bookends to over a quarter of a century of accounts of these borderland creatures. The Leeds Loki seen up close in 2010 and by Leif and others in 1985-1986, seems to have been around a long time. The surrounding area is ripe with a long list of sightings and stories. The one dead roadside “Maine Mutant” of 2006, popularized by news reporter Mark LaFlamme, was revealed to be of a dead dog found on Rt. 4 at Turner. However, as was mentioned often during the media madness of that summer, the “Turner Beast” back story was that a real creature or creatures, never caught, never identified, had been reported in the local woods for over 12 years. It has been variously described as hynea-like, panther-like, and wolf-like. It regularly disturbed livestock and viciously attacked domestic pets, especially large dogs. Here’s what I wrote about this beast years ago: During the summer of 2004, Lewiston Sun-Journal reporter Mark LaFlamme covered the story of a strange creature that was killing dogs. “It began in mid-August ,” wrote LaFlamme, “when a Wales [Maine] man reported that an unknown animal crept out of the woods behind his house and mauled his Doberman pinscher….Since that attack, people from Wales, Litchfield, Sabattus, Greene, Turner, Lewiston and Auburn have come forward to speak of a mystery creature.” During the wave of sightings in 2004, one animal control officer sighted the cryptid along Sawyer Road in Greene, Maine. Although the officer had years of experience with animals, he could not identify it. He told reporter LaFlamme only that it looked like a hyena to him, just as more than a dozen others had described it. In the most recent incident, it happened again in Greene, a rural town outside of Lewiston, Maine. Reporter Mark LaFlamme recounted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005, in the Lewiston Sun-Journal: “A dog found with a 10-inch gash across its throat in Greene on Monday [November 14, 2005] may have been attacked by a wild animal, veterinary officials said Tuesday. The collie-shepherd mix was found wounded and bleeding on a porch at Allen Pond and Hooper roads. On Tuesday, the dog was recovering at the Lewiston Veterinary Hospital, but no one had come forward to claim it. And the nature of the animal’s wounds remained a mystery. “We can’t say for sure that it was a wild animal,” said Margaret McCloskey, a co-manager of the animal hospital on Stetson Road. “But something big and bad got at this dog.” In addition to the gash around the animal’s neck, the dog’s left front leg appeared to have been chewed on, McCloskey said. There was no indication that it was a person that caused the wounds. “We’re pretty convinced that it’s a large-animal wound,” McCloskey said. I did an update of the story in 2005. Investigative reporter Mark LaFlamme wrote again of Maine’s mystery beast with a new article published in the November 18, 2005, Lewiston Sun-Journal, in which he told of… Joanne D’Unger, who lives in Leeds, stated in an e-mail that she saw such an animal on Quaker Ridge Road in Greene [six weeks previously]. “I saw an animal standing, broadside, in the middle of the road ahead and thought it must be a dog, as it appeared rather small for a deer,” D’Unger wrote. “I quickly realized that I was looking at a cat. … The hindquarters were taller than the forequarters as the back legs appeared to be longer.” The cat ran back into the woods, D’Unger added. In 2010, Meuse and I were told that on farms in Leeds reports of panthers and mountain lions have circulated for years. Individuals in local businesses (e.g. the Red Roof and elsewhere) related similar stories. The BFRO’s Report # 859, submitted by a witness on December 5, 2000, contains details of two men in a car (one is identified in the report as the driver, a “Tom Drottar”) seeing a six-ft-tall, light brown, hairy, upright animal on the side of Rt. 127, off Rt. 4, near Turner, Maine. The sighting took place on October 15, 1986, thus overlapping with Leif’s sighting. The BFRO account reports: “So many other sightings of the animal caused people in the area to give it the name ‘Loopgaroo.'” The local name given as “Loopgaroo,” appears to be a corrupted spelling of, as the BFRO also discovered, loup garou, which is French for werewolf. The same undercurrent is reflected in this name, as it is in my pick, loki. There is clearly a local realization of the many and varied creatures or the multi-descriptors for what is being seen. As recently as last night, March 6, 2010, I was told by a local in Leeds that a large animal has been “heard” all week, screaming in the woods up and down the Line Road that splits Leeds/Greene. If you have more information on the Leeds Loki, please contact me, or, if you wish, share what you’ve heard or seen in the comments section below. Thank you for your support so that I may investigate ~ and keep the museum alive. Patience and passion, with a little funding, and I have much to do in the next 50 years!! Sites described in the above descriptive posting are presented as a historical record of local testimony, legends, and folklore tied to locations in central Maine. Many of these legends, sightings, and stories cannot be independently confirmed or corroborated, and the author and Cryptomundo owner make no representation as to their factual accuracy, other than as collected and reported information. The reader should be advised that many of the sites described in this article may be located on private property and should not be visited, or you may face prosecution for trespassing. Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct). Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015. Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.

Orang Pendek – the small man A healthy skepticism is a key to be a real scientist. In this case, a word “healthy” is crucial as a healthy attitude enables scientists to adopt a different point of view and not to be blinded by their own ideas. Hence, a real scientist is an open-minded person, who aims to find evidence that could prove even the most extraordinary theories. Certainly, an open mind will be useful while learning about a creature like Orang Pendek – a little bipedal animal reportedly living in the forests, of whom the inhabitants of Indonesian islands have spoken for hundreds of years. - Status: cryptid - Classification: hominid - Alleged place of occurrence: Indonesia - Potential habitat: rain forests - Other names: Uhang Pandak, Sedapa, Ebu gorgo, Umang, Orang Gugu, Orang Letjo, Atoe Pandak, Atoe Rimbo, Ijaoe, Geogoeh The witnesses as well as Indonesian legends describe Orang Pendek as a 1 m (3.2 ft) long anthropoid with a wide chest and powerful, long arm. All its body is covered in short hair that may be blackish-brown, reddish, golden-brown, golden, yellow or orange. It was encountered walking on two legs, just like Sasquatch, Yeti and Yowie. Although Indonesian never considered it a human but an animal, they called it a “short man”. We will try to explain why. Orang Pendek was rarely described as a magic or an extraterrestrial creature. It was rather claimed that it is an ordinary forest animal, well known by almost every Indonesian. Its bipedalism is quite surprising though, as it is a human, who is scientifically proved to be the only one bipedal ape. Therefore, it is possible that Orang Pendek constitutes an important missing link that we still do not know much about. Orang Pendek was allegedly encountered on the farmlands, where it picked the crops, including potatoes, corn and different kinds of fruits. However, local villagers are sure that it looks in particular for ginger, young shoots, insects in rotting logs and river crabs. Indonesians claim that its favorite food is the durian fruit. Suku Anak Dalan – the groups of nomadic people They have known Orang Pendek for ages. They have fought of it as a cohabitant of the forests. They know where those animals reside and what is more, they share a tobacco with them (leaving it for them in some places). They provided us with the most pieces of information about Orang Pendek. However, taking into consideration how many stories there are about it, we may suppose that many local villagers considered that Orang Pendek existed, without having ever met it. Indonesians claimed also that Orang Pendek’s legs were inverted, so no one knows for sure, which way he went 🙂 The best-known Dutch who met Orang Pendek was Van Heerwarden. He met an unknown creature while surveying land on Sumatra in 1923. He claimed that the animal was sitting on the branch and was all hairy. It did not look like a typical ape though. Similar information was reported by a man called Oostingh. Those descriptions are not well documented. The most interesting observation of Orang Pendek was made by a couple of British scientists Debbie Martyr and Jeremy Holden. They were both in Indonesia since the 1990s of 20th century, looking for Orang Pendek in order to take a photo of it. They both claim to have seen the animal repeatedly. They decided to launch the Project Orang Pendek, which was financed by Fauna and Flora International. Thanks to the project, scientists are able to extend a database with new information on Orang Pendek. It is quite a pleasant way to earn one’s life, isn’t it? Orang Pendek – explanations The missing link A theory that Orang Pendek is the missing link between humans and prehistoric primate apes constitute one of the views on its origin. According to some other theory Orang Pendek may be a surviving form of Australopithecus – bipedal hominid and human’s relative. What is fairly interesting the second theory may actually be true, as some skeleton remains of a new species of the genus Homo, have been discovered recently in the Flores island (in Indonesia). The scientists called the new discovery Homo floresiensis (a man from Flores – an island in the Indonesian archipelago) and estimated that those creatures were approximately 1 m tall. They determined as well that those hominids lived about 12 000 years ago, what as far as the evolution is concerned, seems like it was just yesterday. Nonetheless, it is not confirmed whether Orang Pendek was a man from Flores. The potential traces of Orang Pendek may have been made by a much less extraordinary animal – a sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) which is the smallest bear in the world. The traces of those bears resemble the footprints of a 7-year-old. It is also assumed that similar footprints have gibbons and siamangs – the arboreal apes that sometimes may move on the ground on two legs. It is possible then that the footprints do not belong to the short man. Local villagers sometimes take by mistake the members of the Suku Anak Dalam, living in the forests, for Orang Pendek. Why is the faith in Orang Pendek’s existence so strong? Since there are so many others, more rational explanations, why many Indonesians and cryptozoologists do not intend to doubt the existence of Orang Pendek? It is worth mentioning that the little hominid has been a part of Indonesian folklore for hundreds of years. Moreover, the local villagers’ reports on an animal resembling a small, bipedal ape cannot be ignored. This theory was confirmed by two western scientists Debbie Martyr and Jeremy Holden, who were said to see Orang Pendek with their own eyes. The discovery of traces and hair may as well be thought-provoking as it was stated on the basis of the analysis that they belong to an unidentified forest animal. Detailed information / size - Height: from 80 cm to 120 cm (2ft 7.5in – 3ft 11in), the tallest was said to be 150 cm (4ft 11in) - Occurrence: the central Sumatra (a part of Indonesia), Indonesia Orang Pendek – curiosities - Even though the name of Orang Pendek is translated as “a short man”, local villagers have always considered it an animal and not a human. It is worth reminding that a name orang-utan means “a person of the forest”. - The members of the Suku Anak Dalam claim that Orang Pendek learned to smoke tobacco. - The people who have observed Orang Pendek provide quite divergent descriptions of Orang Pendek’s fur color. Some of them claim that there is long blond hair on its shoulders that may reach its waist. According to some observers, Orang Pendek’s fur is black and the other claim that its fur is brown, smoke colored, grey and even red.

A westerner named Casey, studying Ninjutsu in Japan, is asked by the Sensei to return to New York to protect the legendary Yoroi Bitsu, an armored chest that contains the weapons of the last Koga Ninja. Travis and his team travel to China in search of what isn't supposed to exist ... their mission to capture a Cryptid which is wreaking havoc in a remote village and they need to do this ... See full summary » Casey, a Westerner studies Ninjitsu in Japan. And in their Master's possession is an Ninja armor with some legendary weapons which goes to a deserving person. Masazuka, another student thinks he is that person but the Master has an affinity for Casey. One day Masazuka attacks Casey and Casey defends himself scarring Masazuka. Masazuka would be banished. He would then become an assassin, who works for a group criminals called The Ring. Masazuka would return demanding the armor but the Master still refuses. The Master tells Casey and his daughter, Namiko to take the armor to America were it can be kept from Masazuka. After killing the Master, Masazuka follows them to Anmerica and tries to get it. Casey is erroneously arrested for crimes committed by Masazuka. He eventually abducts Namiko and demands turn the armor to him. Casey tells him if he wants he'll have to fight him for it. Written by Fumio Demura, who choreographed the fighting for the Karate Kid series as well as doubled Pat Morita, makes a brief appearance in the film. See more » Masazuka faces Casey during their first fight with his bokken in his right hand. This is not correct form when facing an opponent as it precludes rapid drawing of the weapon and striking. The students (including Masazuka) sit correctly at the start of this sequence with the weapon on their right hand side to signal that they do not have hostile intent, whereas Masazuka keeps his weapon in his right hand after rising. This is evident when he must rapidly shift hands before the fight begins. See more » I didn't think they made them like this anymore! This film instantly transported me back to the 80's. To a time when I'd been out on my BMX all day, building tree houses and eating crisp sandwiches, riding through the fields that are now poorly made housing estates and back in time for tea and a dose of ninja action. When plot, script and acting didn't really matter and all you really cared about was: 'How many roundhouses does he do?' There's an abundance of dumb henchman, all wearing the same get up but who are actually members of a secret cult, controlled by some scary businessman who worships... err, something or other and have the same salute as the Nazis. These guys are loosely involved with the main ninja bad guy who has a nasty scar, ooh nasty. You've got your Sensai betrayal, high tech ninja sh*t, stupid copper, traditional weaponry, beautiful girl and even a cameo from Batman. Could this film be any better? Well, yeah it could... a lot actually but, who cares? It's so authentic in its simplicity, it achieves what 1000's of high budget films nowadays lack - watchabilty. 37 of 57 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Posted by: Loren Coleman on June 22nd, 2006 St. John’s Day Knights Templars display “Mysterious Head” at Poitiers (1308). Founding of the Order of the Garter (1348). John Cabot discovers North America (1497). Galileo released (1633). “Woman of the Wilderness” utopian community arrives in America (1694). “W of W” angelic visions (1701). Grand Lodge of Freemasons inaugurated (1717). Ambrose Bierce born (1842). Red rain, Italy (1877). Ice fall, Ft. Lyon, Colorado (1877). Fall of jelly-like mass, Eton (1911). Fred Hoyle born (1915). Mick Fleetwood (1942) and Jeff Beck (1944) born. First day of “flying saucer” history, Mt. Rainier & Mt. Adams, Washington State (1947). Filmstock fire kills seventeen people, Brussels (1947). Movie theaters evaluated during huge fire, Perth Amboy, NJ (1947). United Airlines plane struck by lightning over Cleveland (1947). Invasion of grasshoppers battled with flame-throwers, Guatemala/El Salvador (1947). Woman attacked and killed by bees or wasps, Seattle (1947). Bizarre aerial sightings near Daggett, California (1950) and on Iwo Jima (1953). The deaths of various phenomena researchers, writers, and fans (Frank Scully, June 24, 1964; Frank Edwards, near the coming midnight of the 24th, still on June 23, 1967; Arthur Bryant, June 24, 1967; Richard Church June 24, 1967; Willy Ley, June 24, 1969; Jackie Gleason, June 24, 1987). Locals have Bigfoot sightings, Logan and Union counties, Ohio (1980). Chupacabras encountered outside disco, Maria Elena, Argentina (2000). Moose hunters see Bigfoot, near Fort Simpson, NWT, Canada (2002). Mysterious fire erupts in Gallipolis, Ohio resident’s car on bridge from Ohio to Point Pleasant, West Virginia (2003). Massive unusual aerial phenomena, Xalapa, Mexico (2005). “Aren’t You Chupacabra to See Me?” airs for first time on Cartoon Network (2005). Nestle uses Bigfoot-costumed marchers to launch Kit Kat Limited Edition – Cappuccino at the Giant Mahkota Parade, Malacca, and Jusco Tebrau City, Johor (2005). Grand opening of Bates College Museum of Art’s “Cryptozoology: Out of Time Place Scale” exhibition (2006). Unexplained events. Mysterious fiery outbursts. Strange cryptid sightings. Beltane fires. Little people. Miracles. Bathing. Round dances. Collecting of glowworms. Folkloric incidents. Weird encounters. Respect the wonder and adventure of the 24th of June. What events have dotted your past crypto-inquiries from this point on the calendar? What’s in the mix on this day in ’06? Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct). Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015. Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.

Talking to the Proof Team While the internet is abuzz with news of a Sasquatch carcass found in Georgia and sitting in a freezer, comic book readers already have "Proof" that Bigfoot exists."Our Bigfoot is more like George Clooney with fur," said Alex Grecian, the author of Proof, a comic book series about a Bigfoot named John "Proof" Prufrock who works secretly for the government. "He's very sophisticated. Very dapper. And very clean as well. He's a hygienic Bigfoot." "He would be embarrassed for the Bigfoot in the freezer, because it's so poorly dressed," laughed the series artist, Riley Rossmo. The ongoing Proof comic series, which had its first five issues recently collected in paperback from Image Comics, tells the story of a secret government organization called the Lodge, which has confiscated strange "cryptids" and kept them secret. That includes a Bigfoot named Proof who was found during the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805. "The whole concept started as a joke, when we first came up with the idea that the government is keeping Bigfoot a secret because he's working for them," Grecian said. "But we treat it seriously in the comic. We don't treat it as a joke." The comic series is filled with little facts that the creators call "Cryptoids" as the series explores a variety of modern mythical creatures like the Cottingly Fairies and the Chupacabra. "Our first story is about a Chupacabra. The story starts out with an ex-FBI agent named Ginger Brown who gets recruited to the Lodge, which is a mysterious government agency in the Pacific Northwest," Grecian explained. "On her first day on the job, she's introduced to her new partner, who is a Bigfoot named 'Proof.' And she discovers that, immediately, she has to track down the Chupacabra, who is eating people in Minnesota. "I think what surprised people is that, when we hit the fourth issue, Proof doesn't fight the Chupacabra. He sits down and talks with her over tea. And hot dogs," he said. Grecian and Rossmo said they love how real life is mimicking their art as various cryptids show up in the news. Along with the Bigfoot in Georgia, the Chupacabra has also been creating buzz recently, as a strange-looking head found by a woman in South Texas was labeled as the mythical creature, and police later videotaped a similar Chupacabra-type animal running on a road in a nearby town. "You mean the mangy coyote?" Grecian said, explaining that tests had been done on the head found in South Texas and DNA showed that it was some type of coyote. Grecian explained that he's become somewhat of an expert as he's done so much research for the series, so he's been following which ones are debunked and which are still mysteries. When asked about the recent Montauk Monster that washed up on a shore in Montauk, N.Y., Grecian laughed, saying it looked like a turtle without its shell to him. But then added that if the legend of the Montauk Monster grows, it might show up in the Proof comic series one day as one of the creatures housed at the Lodge. "The Lodge is like a reserve. It's a nature reserve," Rossmo said. "They have all kinds of cryptids. They even have Leprechauns. I like the Leprechauns a lot." "I think the fairies are the most popular. And the Dover Demon," said Grecian. "It's a legend from Dover, Mass., from the early '70s when some teenagers, on three separate occasions, saw a critter in the woods out there. Lots of witnesses and lots of scared people described it to sheriff's deputies, but nobody's ever seen it again. What we've said is that the Lodge scooped up the Dover Demon right after those three sightings, and that's why nobody's seen it again." Rossmo added that in the comic, whatever the Dover Demon says ends up coming true. "He predicts the future in ways that you can't quite understand until they happen," Grecian said. The creators said they would love for more of the cryptids that they've researched to show up in the news. "I would love a Loch Ness Monster to finally be caught, or captured on video," Grecian said, adding that the Loch Ness Monster will be showing up in the Proof series soon. "And it would be cool if the Mothman showed up again," Rossmo added. "But that would freak me out. I'm scared of the Mothman. He makes my skin crawl." "There was a Richard Gere movie a couple years ago about that," Grecian said of the Mothman legend, which originated in West Virginia. "A bunch of people in this one area saw a six-foot-tall critter with black wings and glowing red eyes that flew at their cars and, at the same time, a bunch of people got cryptic warnings not to drive on a bridge. And the bridge actually collapsed, and a whole bunch of people died on Christmas Eve, and nobody's seen the Mothman again. "I did a whole ton of research on that recently, and my whole family was away, and my wife and son were out of town, and I read tons of stuff about the Mothman and couldn't sleep," Grecian said. "The Mothman is scary. And yes, I was doing research because he's going to be showing up in Proof." The Proof creators said they'll also be introducing a main villain to the comic soon, but they couldn't reveal who that will be. "Proof's main nemesis shows up in Issue #13, which ships in October," Grecian said. "We're building toward something called the Cryptid War. And that's going to be devastating for the whole series." The two creators said they're looking forward to seeing what happens with the frozen Sasquatch found in Georgia, with the discoverers claiming the body is real. "That someone has a Bigfoot cut up in their freezer is pretty weird," Rossmo said with a laugh, adding that they're both under the impression this one is a hoax. "But the interesting thing about the Bigfoot legend is that it's universal. It's just weird that culturally, it's recurring. Historically, these furry men have been a recurring thing in different places. It's weird that it keeps coming up, even after satellite imaging and everything -- that people are still talking about it." Grecian said that if Proof himself were real, he'd have to go investigate the body in the freezer. "Proof doesn't remember what happened to him or where he came from. He only remembers being discovered by humans when he was a kid, and he has no memory of other... uh... 'Bigfeet,'" Grecian said with a laugh. "The throughline of our whole series is that he's looking for more Sasquatches. He needs to find his family. And he'd have to go see if maybe that's his family in that freezer." Twitter activity Tweets by @Newsarama

In several posts I have written about marine creatures from the Miocene Epoch (which spans from about 23.3 to 5.3 Million years ago). During this period the geography of South America was quite different from what it is nowadays. As the map above shows, vasts parts of the continent were submerged by marine ingressions due to higher sea levels. Some "islands" remained safe and dry (the highlands which comprised the Brazilian and Guyanan shields as well as the rising Proto Andes). All the rest was under water. Submerged South America During the mid Miociene, between 10 and 20 million years ago, the sea levels rose and reached a maximum level, some 30 to 40 m (100 - 130 ft.) above current sea levels about 14 million years ago. Seawater flooded the interior of South America forming "epicontinental" seas. There is still some discussion regarding the exact extension of these seas and if they were all interconnected however the fact remains that most of the Amazon basin and the Paranáa River basin and the Pampas were under the sea. Parts of Patagonia were submerged (Somuncuráa Plateau and the Deseado shield) kept dry. This marine enviornment would have created new access routes for Northern Hemisphere sea-going mammals such as the ancestors of modern seals, manatees and walruses. We have already mentioned the 'Central American seaway" (left red arrow) through Panama which linked the Caribbean with the Pacific Ocean as a route for dispersion. But, as you can see in the map, another narrow seaway connected the Caribbean with the Pebesian Sea (right red arrow). From here these creatures could have moved east into the Amazon or South all the way down to Patagonia. Could the marine creatures discovered in southern Peru and Northern Chile ('walruses', giant marine sloths and sea cows) have counterparts on the eastern side of the Andes? In fact, the amazonian manatee and all other manatees around the world are said to have originated in Colombia (from the potamosiren). One of the members of the American manatee family (Trichechidae), the ribodon could be found all the way from the coast of North Carolina in the U.S. to Argentina in the south. The lack of fossils in this region which was formerly the coast of these ancient seas may be due to their placement on the eastern foothills of the Andes. An area which is covered by dense jungles in the north and central parts of South America and, in the whole area, by hundreds of feet of sediment deposited there by the rivers dragging soil from the constant erosion of the Andes. Maybe future exploration may yield new fossils that could help clarify the origin of some of South American cryptids (and hopefully, Patagonian cryptids too). Quizás futuras exploraciones resulten en nuevos fósiles que puedan explicar algunos de los criptidos sudamericanos (y patagónicos). This seaway joining the Caribbean and the South Atlantic is worth deeper analysis from a cryptozoological viewpoint as a route for cryptid dispersion. Daryl P. Domning, (1982). Evolution of Manatees: A Speculative History. Journal of Paleontology, vol. 56, No. 3 (May, 1982), pp. 599-619. Evolution of the Sirenia For the map: Kirby M.X., Jones D.S., MacFadden B.J., (2008) Lower Miocene Stratigraphy along the Panama Canal and Its Bearing on the Central American Peninsula. PLoS ONE 3(7): e2791. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002791 Marengo, H.G., (2000). Rasgos micropaleontológicos de los depósitos de la transgresión Entrerriense-Paranense en la cuenca Chaco-Paranense y noroeste argentino, República Argentina. En: F.G. Aceñolaza y R. Herbst (eds.), El Neógeno de Argentina. Serie Correlación Geológica 14: 29-45. Alonso, Ricardo N., (1999). El terciario de la Puna salte˜ña In: Congreso Geológico Argentino, 1999, Salta. Relatorio XIV congreso geológico argentino, tomo I. , 1954. p.311 – 316. Bush, Mark B., and Oliveira, Paulo E. de, (2006). The rise and fall of the Refugial Hypothesis of Amazonian speciation: a paleoecological perspective. Biota Neotrop., vol.6, n.1. ISSN 1676-0603. doi: 10.1590/S1676-06032006000100002. Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia2010 International Year of Biodiversity Copyright 2009-2010 by Austin Whittall ©

For all lovers of things quirky and particularly Douglas Adams brand of quirk. View original post 324 more words For all lovers of things quirky and particularly Douglas Adams brand of quirk. View original post 324 more words This time Carpe Diem has provided some fascinating information to go with the daily haiku challenge. Do go and look at the post and the video of classical Japanese dance – simplicity and gracefulness personified. I really wanted to write about it: Night falls; the dancers glide onstage and pause – their first steps held back for a heart beat. I don’t know that I have a favourite here because without thinking very hard I can’t recall many films made from books that I’ve seen (this doesn’t count the ones made from books I haven’t read – there are probably a lot of those). I have to admit that one of the reasons I remember the film so well is that it’s the one that taught me not to expect the ‘film of the book’ to be as good as the book. Hound of the Baskervilles isn’t a favourite book of mine but is certainly one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes stories and I love it’s title. Baskerville is a great name and if it wasn’t so well known I might be tempted to use it for one of my own characters. In doing the research for this blog I came across a new-to-me word – cryptid, which, according to Wikipedia, is what Nessie is. It’s nice to think of our world secretly harbouring hoards of cryptic creatures, too shy to be discovered by science but feeding the imagination all over the world. I don’t know how long I’ve had this book. It came to light when we moved house. It was published in 1984 but I don’t think I’ve had it anything like that long. It’s probably one I picked up in a charity shop or event. Forgotten it may have been, but having found it, I’m grateful for it. It’s a charming read. It’s Arthur Marshall‘s autobiography, up to the point where he started appearing on Call My Bluff. If you’ve never seen this, you’ve missed a treat. It’s a TV quiz about words and their meanings and is peopled by entertaining broadcasters and their guests. It’s a book of smiles. Despite the quotes from the famous on the cover claiming it to be hilarious there were only a few places where I laughed out loud. But there was a smile, not to say a grin, in almost every paragraph. The world the author grew up in, starting before WW1, is long gone, but appreciation of the humour in life transcends time. Mr Marshall certainly saw humour wherever he went. A tendency to laugh at the slightest excuse got him into trouble several times. He introduces an array of characters, famous and unknown, and we learn nice things about all of them – if the author knew any horrid people he didn’t write about them. His life was varied and eventful, including several jobs, service in WW2, a devotion to the theatre both professional and amateur and a lot of broadcasting. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to smile broadly, laugh loudly and see the nice side of their fellow people. Picture from ebay. Browsing through various websites I’ve come across a couple of literary anniversaries that might interest or amuse. The first is Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap which has been celebrating its 60th anniversary for some months with a touring production. Its true anniversary is in November for which there is a special ‘star-studded’ performance. I was interested to see in the Guardian archives that it had at least one bad review. Yet it’s still going strong, while the reviewer is probably long since retired. Why is it so popular? Of course, it has become an institution; a must-see for visitors to London. But in order to get to that position it had to run for a good many years. Despite so-so reviews, it attracted audiences from the beginning. It gives them something that some reviewers apparently miss. It has suspense, a good many laughs, distinct, if not very realistic, characters, and a strong structure moving swiftly to an unexpected climax. I think all these things give the audience a lift if not a catharsis. The other anniversary I came across is the 80th of National Book Tokens. The invention of this easy but happily received present should get a large pat on the back. How many aunts, uncles and grandparents, stuck for a gift, have joyfully sent off book tokens for birthdays and other gifty celebrations? Other tokens have followed, but I think book tokens were probably first. I remember the first time I received one when I was very young. After my mother explained what it was, I was thrilled at the idea of being able to choose my own book without having to save pocket money to do it. I can’t remember what I chose, but I do recall it took me weeks to do it: going into bookshops, browsing, hovering between this story and that, then going out again to think it over. I have a wonderful book – Poem for the Day edited by Nicholas Albery. Not only does it give a poem for each day of the year (plus leap year), but also a whole collection of poetry-related snippets. Today is the anniversary of the death of Aphra Behn (1640 to 16th April 1689). What a lady! In a relatively short life, by modern standards, she fitted in travel, marriage, widowhood, work as a spy and a stint in debtors’ prison, as well as writing plays, novels and poems. She was one of the first women to earn enough by writing to support herself. She was sympathetic to Catholics (at a time when Catholics were seriously unpopular), and was one of the first to write against the horrors of slavery. She was no saint and has had plenty of criticism in her day and since. But her fame lives on – both for her writing and her feminism. Virginia Woolf wrote of her: All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the tomb of Aphra Behn, …for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds. Like many other famous spies, there are mysterious gaps in her biography. These have allowed later authors to invent incidents and include her in their stories. She even appears in the science fiction series Riverworld by Jose Phillip Farmer. Most of her poems are about love. Love Armed, below, is one of the shorter ones. Love in fantastic triumph sate Whilst bleeding hearts around him flow’d, For whom fresh pains he did create And strange tyrannic power he show’d: From thy bright eyes he took his fires, Which round about in sport he hurl’d; But ’twas from mine he took desires Enough t’ undo the amorous world. From me he took his sighs and tears, From thee his pride and cruelty; From me his languishments and fears, And every killing dart from thee. Thus thou and I the god have arm’d And set him up a deity; But my poor heart alone is harm’d, Whilst thine the victor is, and free! I sent for the CD I wrote about in a previous post on this subject and have just listened to it. Before listening I read the accompanying booklet and I’m glad I did (usually I listen first and then find out what I should have known after). It explains what evidence the OP (Original Pronunciation) is based on and describes some possible regional variations of Shakespeare’s time. It also gives pointers as to what to listen for. To me the accent sounded vaguely Midlandish – not surprising since that was where Shakespeare came from. However, as the booklet’s author (Ben Crystal) points out, it is not exactly like any modern speech. The disk contains twenty eight tracks from the sonnets and plays, well chosen to cover a range of mood and speaker, and beautifully performed. A few things surprised me. First was how quickly I adapted to OP. A couple of tracks and it stopped sounding strange. If I ever see a whole play, by the end of the first act I probably won’t notice. Second was that, to my ear anyway, there was no difference between the kings and aristocrats and their servants and followers. Third there were no words I couldn’t understand – I had expected a few instances of ‘what’s that word?’. I also noticed for the first time how many words in English end in –ion. This was the only feature that leapt out at me for several tracks, as the ending of words like possession, consummation etc were pronounced really differently. After a while I stopped noticing until we got to the extract from Julius Caesar. Antony’s talk with the plebeians contains many repetitions of the word ‘ambition’ and they poked out of the surrounding speech with a strength and force I’d not noted before. Is this an effect Shakespeare intended? or is it the result of my modern ear? I can’t say this disk made me reassess any of the plays or sonnets. I have found that any short extract from them, well recorded, can give me that ‘now I really understand that’ thrill. But it is an enjoyable disk and an interesting experience. I look forward to the OP movement spreading and giving us more performances. For a taster of the disk you can go to The Telegraph review and listen to a snippet of Romeo and Juliet. The disk is available from the British Library shop. I’ve just read the news that The British Library is releasing a CD with excerpts from The Bard’s poems and plays in the original pronunciation. Apparently this is the first commercially available recording of Shakespeare as he really sounded. Over the years there has been a lot of research and I suppose scholars are getting closer and closer to the true voice of the time. The article on the British Library website doesn’t mention how the research is done. Years ago I attended a live reading of what was supposed to be Shakespearean pronunciation. It sounded odd but was understandable. The way the plays sound has undoubtedly changed several times over the centuries – what seems odd today may be common tomorrow. We already have ‘authentic’ performances of old music. Perhaps in the future there’ll be a movement towards ‘authentic speech’ productions of plays. I am definitely going to buy the CD (available from the British Library Shop); I’m a sucker for any unusual literary items. The picture is a public domain one from Wikimedia Commons. So Gypsy Rose Lee is to hit the big screen again. I’ve never seen her film or TV appearances nor any of her biopics or bio-stage shows nor have I read the famous autobiography, so I don’t really know what the attraction is. Surely a pushy mother and an ability to take off her clothes with elegance can’t be the only reasons for her popularity. Checking around the internet, I discovered that she wrote several books, including a couple of crime stories, and a play. She also knew a thing or two about art and amassed a considerable collection. Obviously a multi-talented lady. The money she made in burlesque no doubt put her in a position to develop her other talents. I like this quote from The Wall Street Journal: Gypsy Rose Lee’s inimitable burlesque act won her fame, but her classic memoir is what made her immortal. So it is for her writing that she continues to be famous. I don’t wonder so many celebrities publish their autobiographies, perhaps in the hope a good book will keep their name alive. Who wouldn’t want to have musicals, books, films, exhibitions and umpteen web-sites commemorating them long after their death? Two shortlisted poets have pulled out of the T S Eliot prize because the sponsor is an investment firm and hence rampantly capitalist. The prize money comes from the Eliot family, but the administration costs don’t. Until now the Poetry Book Society has used money from the Arts Council, but that’s gone with the cuts and they’ve had to seek support elsewhere. There’s a long history of people in the arts supporting left-wing causes and making relevant protests. Most of the publicity has gone to actors: I can recall Marlon Brando refusing an award, and Jane Fonda making her mark as an activist. There have been many others. There have also been a few right-wing actors – John Wayne and Charlton Heston spring most readily to my mind. During their careers they often played right-wing roles. Thinking about this made me wonder about the relationship between an actor’s opinions and the roles played. Did Wayne et al start out on the right and choose parts accordingly, or were their political opinions formed by the films they made? I know of no research into this relationship. Are actors changed by what they play? Are they aware of it? Does the current script cancel out the effects of the last one? Would a year spent playing Hamlet make one mad?

The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens in southern New Jersey. The Devil is often described as a bipedal flying creature with hooves, but there are many variations. The most popular version of the Jersey Devil legend hold that a Deborah Smith from England emigrated to the Pine Barrens in southern New Jersey to marry a Mr. Leeds in the 18th Century. Mr. Leeds was a very vain man, and wanted many heirs to carry on the family name. This kept the new Mrs. Leeds continually pregnant. After bearing twelve healthy children, Mrs. Leeds was dismayed to discovered she was now carrying a thirteenth. She cursed the unborn child and declared she would rather bear the Devil's child than another Leeds. Apparently, her wish was granted when this new child was born with cloven hooves, claws, and a tail. The newborn then preceded to eat the other twelve Leeds children and escape out the chimney to begin its reign of terror. This version's major flaw is that Mother Leeds has descendants that, as of 1998, still lived in Atlantic County New Jersey according to an article on the myth in the New York Times on April 26, 1998 (Section 14NJ, Page 8). There are several other variants of the Leeds tale. Another version of the tale claims that when Mrs. Leeds found out she was pregnant with her 13th, she said that if she were to have one more child, "may it be a devil". The belief that a deformed child was the work of Satan or a curse was still common during the 1700’s. January 1909, however, saw the most widespread period of sightings ever recorded. Thousands of people claimed to have seen the Jersey Devil during the week of January 16 – 23. Newspapers nationwide followed the story and published eyewitness reports. Hysteria gripped the entire state during this terrible week. - 16th (Saturday) — The Devil was sighted flying over Woodbury. - 17th (Sunday) — In Bristol, Pennsylvania, several people saw the creature and tracks were found in the snow the following day. - 18th (Monday) — Burlington was covered in strange tracks that seemed to defy logic; some were found on rooftops; others started and stopped abruptly, with no origin or destination. Several other towns found similar footprints. - 19th (Tuesday) — Nelson Evans and his wife, of Gloucester, found the Devil outside their window at 2:30 AM . - Mr. Evans gave the following account: "It was about three feet and a half high, with a head like a collie dog and a face like a horse. It had a long neck, wings about two feet long, and its back legs were like those of a crane, and it had horse's hooves. It walked on its back legs and held up two short front legs with paws on them. It didn't use the front legs at all while we were watching. My wife and I were scared, I tell you, but I managed to open the window and say, 'Shoo!' and it turned around, barked at me, and flew away". - Two Gloucester City hunters tracked the Devil's seemingly impossible trail for 20 miles. The trail appeared to jump fences and squeeze under eight-inch gaps. Sightings were reported in several other towns. - 20th (Wednesday) — In Haddonfield and Collingswood, posses were formed to find the Devil. They watched him fly off toward Moorestown, where he was later sighted by at least two people. - 21st (Thursday) — The Devil attacked a trolley car in Haddon Heights, but was chased off. Trolley cars in several other towns began to maintain armed guards. Several poultry farmers found their chickens dead. The Devil was reported to have walked into an electric rail in Clayton, but if this did happen, it did not kill the beast. A telegraph worker near Atlantic City claimed to have shot the Devil and watched him limp into the woods. If so, he was not fazed much because he continued his assault, visiting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and West Collingswood, New Jersey (where he was hosed by the local fire department). The Devil prepared to attack nearby people, who threw whatever they could find at it. Right as he was about to strike, the Devil flew away. He emerged later in Camden and injured a dog, ripping a chunk of flesh out before the dog's owner drove it away. This is the first Devil attack on a living creature that was witnessed. - 22nd (Friday) — Last day of sightings. By now many towns were in a panic, with businesses and schools closed for fear of the creature. It was, however, only seen a few times that day and did not attack anything. In addition to the number of major attacks and sightings, the Devil was sighted flying over many other towns. Since the week of terror in 1909, sightings have slowed considerably, but by no means did they end. In 1951 there was another panic in Gibbstown, New Jersey, after local boys claimed to have seen a humanoid monster and heard screams. As recently as 1991, a pizza delivery driver in Edison, New Jersey, described a night encounter with a white, horse-like creature. In Freehold, New Jersey, in 2002, a woman supposedley saw a huge creature with bat-like wings by her house. There today exist many websites and magazines (such as Weird NJ) which catalog sightings of the Devil. Many different descriptions have been offered by those who have seen the creature. Several eyewitness accounts follow. - "I looked out upon the Delaware and saw flying diagonally across what appeared to be a large crane, but which was emitting a glow like a fire-fly. Its head resembled that of a ram, with curled horns, and its long thick neck was thrust forward in flight. It had long thin wings and short legs, the front legs shorter than the hind." — E.W. Minster, Bristol, PA. Sighted on January 16, 1909. - "It was three feet high... long black hair over its entire body, arms and hands like a monkey, face like a dog, split hooves [...] and a tail a foot long". — George Snyder, Moorestown, NJ. Sighted on January 20, 1909. - "In general appearance it resembled a kangaroo... It has a long neck and from what glimpse I got of its head its features are hideous. It has wings of a fairly good size and of course in the darkness looked black. Its legs are long and somewhat slender and were held in just such a position as a swan's when it is flying...It looked to be about four feet high". — Lewis Boeger, Haddon Heights, NJ. Sighted on January 21, 1909. - "As nearly as I can describe the terror, it had the head of a horse, the wings of a bat and a tail like a rat's, only longer". — Howard Campbell, who claimed to have shot the devil near Atlantic City (see above). Sighted on January 21, 1909. In 1909, in the midst of the sudden burst of sightings in New Jersey, the Philadelphia Zoo posted a $10,000 reward on the capture of the devil. This prompted a variety of hoaxes. One included a kangaroo with artificial wings. The reward still remains to be claimed today. A bizarre rotting corpse vaguely matching the Jersey Devil description was discovered in 1957, leaving some to believe the creature was dead. However, there have been numerous sightings since then.

I’ve been enjoying an “Uncorrected Advance Reading Copy” of the upcoming U.S. edition of Mike McRae’s Tribal Science from Prometheus Books, which has once again put me in mind of something I think about often: the considerable bogusness of the conceit of “skeptics” versus “believers.” There is a social subculture that can be called “skepticism” and there is a niche of scholarly activity by the same name, but it’s a mistake to suppose that skeptics and believers are very different sorts of people. The true landscape of skepticism and belief is so complex that I can’t resist summing it up with this wonderful T-shirt slogan from Ben Goldacre: “I think you’ll find it’s a bit more complicated than that.” Bulldozing the complexity of human striving for understanding into tribal “skeptic” and “believer ” piles distorts reality, and makes it harder to do the already difficult work of solving mysteries and promoting science literacy. The truth is that self-identified skeptics are not so terribly good at critical or scientific thinking. There’s little shame in that; nobody is all that good at those things. Nor, on the other hand, are paranormal “believers” all that terribly bad. Regardless of our intellectual commitments, regardless of our investments in this or that ideology or belief, humans everywhere are pretty damn smart—and also pretty dumb. To get at this complexity, I’d like to share this prescient 1857 description of an approach to fringe claims that we would now call “scientific skepticism.” The power of drawing correct inferences from what we see, and even of knowing what we do really see, and what we only imagine, is vastly augmented by the rigorous training of the faculties which long habits of observing certain classes of phenomena induce; and every man of science must have met with numberless cases in which statements egregiously false have been made to him in the most perfect good faith; his informant implicitly believing that he was simply telling what he had seen with his own eyes. A person the other day assured me, that he had frequently seen hummingbirds sucking flowers in England; I did not set him down as a liar, because he was a person of indubitable honor; his acquaintance with natural history, however was small, and he had fallen into the very natural error of mistaking a moth for a bird. It is quite proper that, when evidence is presented of certain occurrences, the admission of which would overturn what we have come to consider as fixed laws, or against which there exists a high degree of antecedent improbability—that evidence should be received with great suspicion. It should be carefully sifted; possible cause of error should be suggested; the powers of the observer to judge of the facts should be examined; the actual bounding line between sensuous perception and mental inference should be critically investigated; and confirmatory, yet independent testimony should be sought. Yet, when we have done all this, we should ever remember that truth is stranger than fiction; that our power to judge of fixed laws is itself very imperfect; and that indubitable phenomena are ever and anon brought to light, which compel us to revise our code.1 Couldn’t say it better myself! But this is not a quote from anyone that skeptics think of as one of “us,” but from one of the more infamous creation theorists of all time: Philip Henry Gosse, whose Omphalos: An Attempt to Untie the Geological Knot proposed that the apparent geological antiquity of the Earth was built into God’s instantaneous creation as a kind of virtual past. It is a book that stands as the ultimate example of an untestable hypothesis in the history of science—”spectacular nonsense” in the words of Stephen Jay Gould.2 Moreover, the sensibly skeptical passage above is part Gosse’s defense of the great Atlantic sea serpent, a cryptid whose existence he advocated alongside a Bigfoot-like creature in Venezuela—and even unicorns! “So what?” you may think. Even the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, right? Gosse made some skeptical noises, but clearly he should be dismissed as a kook…shouldn’t he? Once again we find that it’s a bit more complicated than that. As Gould explained, Gosse was also one of great science popularizers of the English-speaking world, “the David Attenborough of his day, Britain’s finest popular narrator of nature’s fascination. He wrote a dozen books on plants and animals, lectured widely to popular audiences, and published several technical papers on marine invertebrates.”3 He was a friendly personal acquaintance of Charles Darwin, to whose theory of natural selection he gave a friendly shout-out and hefty quote earlier in the same book that promotes sea serpents.4 You may even have a part of Gosse’s scientific legacy right in your own home: he was among the first to experiment with salt water “aquariums”—a word he popularized with his books on the topic, inspiring both the continuing household hobby and the tourist industry of marine animal exhibition parks. It’s fair to look back at Gosse through many different modern lenses, as a scientist, pseudoscientist, naturalist, supernaturalist, skeptic, wild-eyed speculator, creationist, cryptozoologist, and more. Each description is as true as such retrospective judgements can be; each is also incomplete. Gosse was complicated. As are we all. In more recent years, astronomer Carl Sagan described science and skepticism as “an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas.”5 He was of course correct about the value of this “exquisite balance,” and movement skeptics often quote that evocative phrase. But here’s the thing: everyone embodies that balance to a substantial degree. Every person on every side of every paranormal question believes that they are both skeptical and open-minded—and they are all both correct and incorrect. This is possible because people are people, and not cardboard cutouts. We’re verbs, and we’re complicated. Our internal equalizer bars of gullible and shrewd, foolish and wise, willful and humble are in constant flux. We all try our best. We all get the balance wrong. Does this mean there is no value to the skeptic label? Is it an affectation, a flag for arbitrary tribal affiliation? I’ll come back to my own defense of the term in another post, but for now: I think the answer in some ways is “Yes.” I’m persuaded that there is nothing very special or different about skeptics. Certainly, we are not immune to base tribal impulses. It’s worth considering that Sagan’s “exquisite balance” passage followed immediately after these sentences of warning: I want to say a little more about the burden of skepticism. You can get into a habit of thought in which you enjoy making fun of all those other people who don’t see things as clearly as you do. This is a potential social danger of an organization like CSICOP. We have to guard carefully against it.6 Remember as well that most skeptics are not scientists, but (at best) science enthusiasts. The social danger Sagan warned about is not merely that we may be impolite, but that we may express certainty that goes beyond the evidence, or beyond our own command of the evidence. Science-y language and the unearned pretension of scientific authority — pseudoscience, in short — may be used as a cudgel by those selling science just as easily as by those selling homeopathy. And yet, the situation is a bit more complicated than that, too, isn’t it? Because while people are much the same, in all our flaws and glory, ideas are not. As Sagan explained, it’s not enough to have skepticism and open-mindedness in our hearts; we must also have rigorous techniques for putting these shared human values to work on the task of untangling the external complexities of the universe and the internal complexities of our biases and tribal dispositions. “Some ideas are better than others,” Sagan wrote. “The machinery for distinguishing them is an essential tool in dealing with the world and especially in dealing with the future. And it is precisely the mix of these two modes of thought that is central to the success of science.”7 Which brings us to a further irony of our nature, which I’ll leave to Mike McRae’s Tribal Science to describe: “The universe is at once confusing, majestic, beautiful, logical and incomprehensible. And yet something in our tribal wiring makes it impossible for us to stop trying to understand it.”8 - Gosse, Philip Henry. The Romance of Natural History. (London: James Nisbet and Co., 1863.) p. 298–299. Hyperlink added. - Gould, Stephen Jay. “Adam’s Navel.” The Flamingo’s Smile. (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1985.) p. 100 - Gosse (1863.) p. 79–82. “I am very far, indeed, from accepting Mr. Darwin’s theory to the extent to which he pushes it, completely trampling on Revelation as it does,” wrote Gosse, “but I think there is a measure of truth in it.” - Sagan, Carl. “The Burden of Skepticism.” Skeptical Inquirer, Volume 12.1, Fall 1987. pp. 38–46 - Ibid. Hyperlink added. - McRae, Mike. Tribal Science. (New York: Prometheus Books, 2012.) p. 224. Quote from uncorrected advance reading copy.

first and most importantly--SINNERS and SAINTS by rich woodall and jason copland part 3 is now up at TALES FROM THE PERHAPS~! (see the button above...) i think you'll agree, these guys did a fantastic job with this, our first tales story, and each new page builds the suspense! well, i've been going for years, but i'm so excited about going to HEROESCON next week that it feels like the first time! craig and i will be there with all our perhapanauts junk--as will matt and suzanne with the RINGO SCHOLARSHIP--as will many of our other friends and haps fans and, of course, i couldn't stop craig from doing one of our now-required PERHAPANAUTS ONE-SHEETS. in the past we had only really done these for fun, but somewhere along the way, craig had the idea to make the one-sheets convention specific, exclusive and tagged for the show. that also gave us the idea for each print to feature the haps battling a cryptid or strange anomaly native to that region or area of the country. which is why last year we spotlighted the goatman in baltimore, the loveland frog creatures in ohio, the ingot in seattle, the dover demon in boston...and now the bizarre blob-like life-form that is growing in the sewers below raleigh north carolina! more on this next week as we ramp up to go to the show, but here are a couple photos of craig's progress as the piece--as well as the creature--came to life~! "five for friday" chain reaction edition! for those of you who have never seen game show network's chain reaction, the object is quite simple. you get a word to start out with, as well as the word to end on, and the first letter of the next word to help you build a chain of words or phrases that go with one another. for example, if you were given the following start points... ...you could deduce that deep is followed by fried is followed by chicken and so on... here are five more chains for you to solve. have a great weekend! smell ya later~!

This is such an exciting time (albeit frustrating) to be a researcher into human evolution. Scientists have found the oldest DNA evidence yet of humans’ biological history. But instead of neatly clarifying human evolution, the finding is adding new mysteries. In a paper in the journal Nature, scientists reported Wednesday that they had retrieved ancient human DNA from a fossil dating back about 400,000 years, shattering the previous record of 100,000 years. The fossil, a thigh bone found in Spain, had previously seemed to many experts to belong to a forerunner of Neanderthals. But its DNA tells a very different story. It most closely resembles DNA from an enigmatic lineage of humans known as Denisovans. Until now, Denisovans were known only from DNA retrieved from 80,000-year-old remains in Siberia, 4,000 miles east of where the new DNA was found. The discovery is a surprise and forces scientists to rethink the complexity of human evolution of the past hundred thousands of years. The new evidence that has been forthcoming recently strongly suggests human evolution is a very branchy bush with likely more human populations yet to find (all extinct). This is a straight science story but it’s worthwhile to cover here, I think. Basically, that’s because I’m cynical and I think findings that are so powerful and awesome will get warped and abused by pseudoscientists and anti-science interests, including the religiously inclined. So, let me state this plainly for everyone: This IN NO WAY means is that evolution is “wrong”. Evolution is a framework for understanding. This new data still fits into that framework, just makes the innards looks far more complicated. We know evolution happens. It’s the way nature works but to figure out the details of how it works is tricky. We are developing ways to tease out the answers or, in this case, to open a new door to lots more questions. The puzzle pieces just multiplied. This also does not have anything to do with the Bible or aliens or Bigfoot or any other cryptid. I just thought I would make that clear because I suspect people are going to try and wedge it into their favorite outrageous concepts. This is science at work. As our technology has gotten better, we can look even deeper and more carefully into these issues. Here is a link to the paper (by subscription only) A mitochondrial genome sequence of a hominin from Sima de los Huesos : Nature : Nature Publishing Group. Excavations of a complex of caves in the Sierra de Atapuerca in northern Spain have unearthed hominin fossils that range in age from the early Pleistocene to the Holocene1. One of these sites, the ‘Sima de los Huesos’ (‘pit of bones’), has yielded the world’s largest assemblage of Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils, consisting of at least 28 individuals dated to over 300,000 years ago. The skeletal remains share a number of morphological features with fossils classified as Homo heidelbergensis and also display distinct Neanderthal-derived traits. Here we determine an almost complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a hominin from Sima de los Huesos and show that it is closely related to the lineage leading to mitochondrial genomes of Denisovans, an eastern Eurasian sister group to Neanderthals. Our results pave the way for DNA research on hominins from the Middle Pleistocene. I love science.

Archive for the “Merbeings” Posted by: Craig Woolheater on September 26th, 2015 Recent sightings around Alaska match native stories of a vicious Arctic mermaid that attacks unsuspecting people. With only five percent of the world’s oceans explored, new marine species are being discovered all the time. Could a sinister mermaid be among the oceans’ undocumented creatures? Our expert team searches for answers. Read: Missing in Alaska: It Lurks Beneath the Ice » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on April 10th, 2015 Strange and Mysterious Creatures in Men’s Adventure Magazines Read: Cryptozoology Anthology » Posted by: Karl Shuker on December 28th, 2014 Dr Georg Wilhelm Steller was a German physician and naturalist participating during the early 1740s in the last of Danish explorer Vitus Bering’s Russian expeditions to the Arctic waters (now called the Bering Sea) separating Siberia’s Kamchatka Peninsula from Alaska. During this expedition, Steller documented many new species of animal, including four very contentious forms that continue to arouse cryptozoological curiosity even today. Read: Steller’s Secret Fauna – Gargantuan Sea-Cows, Inaccessible Sea-Ravens, and Bewhiskered Sea-Monkeys » Posted by: Karl Shuker on December 9th, 2014 …the publication of The Menagerie of Marvels, whose subtitle, A Third Compendium of Extraordinary Animals, reveals that it is volume #3 in my series dealing with extraordinary animals from both cryptozoology and mainstream zoology. Read: My Menagerie of Marvels is Here! » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on July 29th, 2014 Let’s have a little fun here amongst your fellow Cryptomundians… Read: What’s Your Cryptid Name? » Posted by: Nick Redfern on April 7th, 2014 “The waterways of Japan have long been home to many mysteries, with a large number of accounts of various strange creatures lurking in the depths of Japans rivers, lakes, and coasts…” Read: Mystery River Mammals of Japan » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on March 8th, 2014 Mama Creech: As we celebrate 60 years of Creech this week, we would be remiss if didn’t mention the amazingly talented (and often overlooked) genius who created the Creature, Milicent Patrick. The Creature is one of the few Universal monsters who was arguably more famous than the actors behind the makeup. Legendary!Famous Monsters of Filmland Read: Mama Creech » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on March 6th, 2014 Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of The Creature From the Black Lagoon‘s theatrical release. Read: Happy Anniversary Creature! » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on February 8th, 2014 Posted by: Craig Woolheater on December 19th, 2013 Darin Naish returns to MonsterTalk to discuss his latest book, Cryptozoologicon: Volume I. From the well known to the very obscure, this book takes three looks at monsters. It critically examines them, but also speculates on what they might be like if they were real… Read: MonsterTalk: Cryptozoologicon » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on December 12th, 2013 C. M. Kosemen on the Cryptozoologicon Book Launch Read: A New Approach To Cryptozoology » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on December 11th, 2013 Darren Naish’s talk at the launch of the Cryptozoologicon… speculative zoology, scepticism, cryptozoology Read: Cryptids, Speculation and Skepticism » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on December 5th, 2013 People love to fill in mysterious areas of nature with myths of monsters. Early maps had voids of knowledge marked with warnings that “Here be Dragons,” sasquatches are believed to be prowling the thick forests, and legends tell of strange creatures that might be concealed beneath the surface of our lakes. Here we present our map of American lake monsters, showing the spread of cryptids that might be lurking in the depths of the waters of the United States. Read: The Lake Monsters of America » Posted by: Craig Woolheater on October 4th, 2013 Fantom Fest in San Antonio is this weekend. Horror, cryptozoology, paranormal, etc. I’ll be there with David Weatherly, Ken Gerhard, and many more. Read: Reminder: Fantom Fest 2013 This Weekend » Posted by: Nick Redfern on July 31st, 2013 “While the notion that the United Kingdom might actually be the home of living, breathing, flesh-and-blood mermaids will inevitably be greeted by many with the justified rolling of eyes and hoots of derision, it is an undeniable and astonishing fact that such beliefs persisted for centuries…” Read: Exposing a Mermaid Cult »

Big Screen Terror: Adaptations of the Third Kind Ready? Roll tape! Yes, it’s time for the feature presentation! The talkies have long been a source of rumour and entertainment; ensnaring movie-goers in a state of thrilling suspense. But it is a specific genre of movie; a thematic continuity in film which has caught the eyes of many: the paranormal. Christopher Lee’s portrayal of the master vampire Dracula may have been less “accurate” and more “exaggerated”, unfortunately, the silver screen versions of many of our favourite creatures and cryptids have left us feeling the same way. Here are some of the most horrifying – and the most face-palm worthy – adaptations of all time. Harry a.k.a Bigfoot The lovable sasquatch who became one of the family, Harry Henderson is arguably the biggest ever mainstream representation of our hairy North American friend. And at the risk of offending some of you out there who are fans of family fun-time films: this was not a good movie. Still, can’t argue with the box office. Whether he’s referred to as sasquatch, bigfoot, yeti or Harry, this mysterious cryptid has caused some of the most cringe-worthy films to be made, including one involving a no holds barred grudge match against a chupacabra. You have been warned… Alien a.k.a Alien Ask someone to name some of the biggest sci-fi movies of all time and they will almost always mention Ridley Scott’s Alien. Ask that same person what the one thing they remember from that film and they will almost always say the alien. Every other time they’d say Sigourney Weaver in her underwear. Extraterrestrial beings have a long history in the movies, featuring in such films as Predator, Predator 2, Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, Alien vs Predator, Aliens vs Predator: Requiem….god, aren’t we sick of this yet? The Children of Midwhich a.k.a Black Eyed Kids Okay, so the children’s eyes aren’t black. And, they aren’t showing up at people’s houses in the middle of the night asking for anything. But apart from that, the similarities still stand. Originally filmed in 1960, then later remade in 1995, the Village of the Damned is one of the creepiest films ever made, no ifs ands or buts about it. Spawning a sequel named Children of the Damned, the story continued. They know all our secrets…

Posted by: Loren Coleman on January 26th, 2009 Kim Manners may be remembered globally as *the* director of “The X-Files” but, in my mind, he will always have the distinction of being the director who steered the first uttering in history of the word “Cryptozoology” on a science-fiction television program. Manners directed “Quagmire,” which first aired May 3, 1996, on Season 3, Episode 22 of “The X-Files.” The plot concerned a series of mysterious deaths and disappearances reported near a lake in a small town in Georgia. That freshwater body of water was named Heuvelman’s (sic) Lake and agents Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate. With the local legend of a killer Lake Monster (“Big Blue”) being told among the locals, the agents soon found evidence of a cryptid, disappearing frogs, vanishing people, and a giant crocodilian. The episode has a riveting debate between the agents, as they are standing on rocks in the water, in which the term “cryptozoology” is used. The ending has a definitely pro-cryptozoology teaser. This episode marks the final appearance of Scully’s dog, Queequeg. Other names in the episode include Millikan County; Georgia; Striker’s Cove; Blue Ridge Mountains; County Road 33; Ted’s Bait & Tackle; Rigdon; Lariat Rental Cars; U.S. Forestry Service; plesiosaur; bull shark; peg-leg; hook; Rana sphenocephalus; Ecology Sciences Lab; Patricia Rae; Moby Dick; Ahab; Starbuck; and Harpoonist. Manners directed the script written by Kim Newton & Darin Morgan (uncredited). Other “X-Files” episodes of interest to cryptozoo-minded fans directed by Manners include “Humbug,” “War of the Coprophages,” and “Field Trip.” Now Manners, sadly, has died. It is with extraordinarily heavy heart that I report the death last night, Jan. 25, of my friend Kim Manners. I first met Kim when he directed me in an episode of The X-Files, for which he was a major figure in the appeal of that show, its look, style, and movement. I thought, in that few days, that I had found one of the great directors I’d ever worked with, and a mensch of the first order. Little did I know. Several years later, I ended up with a recurring role on Supernatural, where Kim was both an executive producer and a principal director. I have never had such fun working with a director, and Kim became a dear friend….He was an AMAZING director, who knew everything I can imagine a director might need or want to know about directing television. And he was one of the very best people, one of the very best friends, a person might ever want to have…. Rest in peace, chum. by Jim Beaver Kim Manner was born in 1950 and passed away on January 25, 2009. His output as a director and producer was extensive, as evidenced by the listing from the Internet Movie Database, including being involved with “Supernatural,” “The X-Files,” “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.,” “Mission Impossible,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and “Charlie’s Angels.” He appeared as himself in the documentaries, The X Files: The Making of “The Truth” (2004) and The Cigarette Smoking Man Revealed (1999). Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct). Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013.

Teen Book Club November 05, 2010 What is your favorite genre of book? Come and be a part of our Teen Book Club. Read one book per month, and then come and join us for lively discussions. Refreshments served. For November, we are reading: Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith. Marty is a smart aleck, a fine athlete, and a wonderful cook. Grace, a genius, is afraid of her own shadow and has disturbing, possibly psychic dreams. When their parents are lost in a plane wreck in the Amazon, the twins are taken out of their boarding school in Switzerland and shipped off to Cryptos Island in Puget Sound, the home of their mysterious uncle, Dr. Wolfe. He is a super-scientist who specializes in the study of cryptids, creatures that cannot be proven to exist, like the yeti or the Loch Ness monster. Soon, Dr. Wolfe and his loyal team are on their way to the Congo, racing to find the last living Mokele-mbembe, a smaller cousin of the brontosaurus, which has been rumored to have survived in Africa for centuries. When their chief competitor, the fabulously wealthy and definitely evil scientist and television personality, Dr. Blackwood, sends a team of thugs to capture the dinosaur for his own nefarious purposes, things turn desperate. Grace and Marty manage to fall out of an airplane, and find themselves lost in the heart of the Congo with dangerous animals all around and Blackwood's thugs closing in. Copies of the novel are available at the library. Snacks are provided for the discussion.

Archive for the 'Monster World' Category Crypto-Anthroponemesis. noun. see also Cryptid. The scientific classification of the common monster. There are three categories of Cryptid, Class Alpha, Class Beta, and Class Omega. Of the three types of crypto-anthroponemisis, Class Omega Cryptids pose the greatest threat. Their title Omega was chosen by Dr. Jacob Fawcett since Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. Class Omega Monsters pose an existential threat to the human race. 15 year old Griffin Fawcett is trying to understand who he is and where he came from. He also happens to live in a world in which monsters are real. Terrorizing Creatures, Fascist Vampires and Radioactive Dragons, they all come together in THE MONSTER WORLD…

post on Facebook reveals that recent that the PC edition of Dark Souls II is coming next month were correct, and the action/RPG sequel should be released via Steam ). Word is: "PC & STEAM version will benefit from PC capabilities with increased texture resolution and an enhanced frame rate option. On top of that, FromSoftware have been working to perfectly adapt the game for a mouse & Activision announces Devastation is the next DLC pack for Call of , saying it will debut as a limited-time exclusive on Xbox LIVE on April 3rd, with other platforms to follow (in a month, based on history). Here's a trailer here's word on the devastation this will bring: Continue here to read the full story Gamers clamoring for all-new Call of Duty®: Ghosts content can set their calendars for Devastation, the second of four massive DLC Packs, set to launch on April 3rd. Available first, exclusively on Xbox Live for both Xbox One and Xbox 360, Devastation delivers a new assortment of content to Call of Duty®'s definitive online multiplayer experience. The DLC Pack features four new small to medium-sized multiplayer maps, including a mountaintop Mayan temple, a mangled container ship, a giant excavation digger in South America, and a fully reimagined version of Infinity Ward's fan-favorite map "Dome" from Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 - each with their own unique Field Order. There's also the all-new "Ripper" tactical 2-in-1 weapon, and "Episode 2: Mayday" - the gripping second chapter in Extinction's four-part episodic narrative which includes multiple mod-able versions of the Venom-X weapon, and closes with a battle against a monstrous, 100-foot tall Cryptid alien boss, aptly named the Kraken. has details on massive cuts at Disney Interactive, saying about 700 employees today were cut today, which represents about a quarter of the workforce at Disney's game and Internet division. Word is this is part of a refocus that will involve the release of fewer games and a concentration on outside development. "We’re not exiting any businesses, and we will pursue licensing partnerships in which we retain a lot of creative input," says James A. Pitaro, president of Disney Interactive. "But this is a doubling down on mobile and an effort to focus much more intently on a core set of priorities." The article also notes the move seems an admission that Disney's purchase of Playdom in 2010 was a waste of more than a half-billion dollars. Thanks now offers a the opportunity to "Discover the Dragon Age" in Dragon Age: Inquisition the upcoming continuation of the Dragon Age action/RPG series. "Our new 'Discover the Dragon Age' video highlights only some of the locations you can choose to visit during your adventure. Each area in the video has its own realistic ecosystem with predators, prey, factions, and opportunities to expand your Inquisition," explains producer Cameron Lee. "The world’s population is based on an emergent system that adjusts what you’ll encounter based on how your actions tip the balance in the area. You’ll see towns attacked by bandits, deer fleeing from wolves, giants feeding on bears, and countless other scenarios." Continue here to read the full story is underway for Planets³, a voxel-based first-person RPG in the works at Cubical Drift. They say the game is about 10% complete, and the $250,000 goal for the campaign is what it will take to complete and release it in the fall of next year. Here's the pitch: Imagined by video game lovers, Planets³ (pronounced «planetscube») combines the excitement of role playing with the pleasure of construction and the boundless freedom to roam about in a 3D universe. Its intricate plot and outstanding voxel based design offers opportunities for intense action and unlimited creativity. Planets³ has been designed to promote multi-player gameplay, to share the fun with friends. Today, in the early development stage, all the elements are in place to develop a first PC release. What we need now is your help to make it happen! confirms rumors (threats?) of plans for a sequel to Shaq-Fu, the brawler that put the FU into fighting games (their motto is, "this time we wont fu it all up"). The page includes an explanation of how the original game starring now retired basketball star Shaquille O'Neil came to be: "Most celebrity games take a well known face and build a crappy game around it, knowing it will sell." They go on to explain their goal is to "build a game that would kick ass even without Shaq." For his part, Shaq the original wasn't awful, because it made money. ''When you talk about the worst, you've got to talk about sales," said O'Neal. "I actually sold a lot of games, but when I did the first `Shaq-Fu,' that was at the end of analog right before digital came out. It wasn't a bad game. It wasn't a good game, but it wasn't awful.'' The campaign is looking to raise $450,000, and their plans. Continue here to read the full story - Assetto Corsa on Steam. Save 33%. - Devolver Digital Double Debut on - Infested Planet on Steam. Save 20%. - PopCap Weekly Sale on - Return to Mysterious Island on Steam. Save 33%. - Return to Mysterious Island 2 on Steam. Save 33%. - Rogue Legacy on Steam. Save 66%. Ubisoft announces a May 27th release date for Watch Dogs PS4, Xbox One, PS3, and Xbox 360, saying the Wii U edition of the hacking action/adventure game also seen written as Watch_Dogs/WATCH_DOGS is due "at a later date." They celebrate the news with a new story trailer which they describe thusly: "Check out the all-new Story Trailer and get a deeper look into what drives Aiden Pearce. Remember, there are some things you can’t walk away from." Continue here to read the full story Microsoft has launched a new DirectX 12 Twitter account indicating another version is in the works, with the motto on the Twitter account stating "#DirectX12 is coming... follow us for the latest news." This contradicts other indications they might be phasing out the API collection. This goes along with a GDC 2014 Session titled "DirectX: Evolving Microsoft's Graphics Platform (Presented by Microsoft)." Here's word on DirectX 12 from the session summary: nearly 20 years, DirectX has been the platform used by game developers to create the fastest, most visually impressive games on the planet. However, you asked us to do more. You asked us to bring you even closer to the metal and to do so on an unparalleled assortment of hardware. You also asked us for better tools so that you can squeeze every last drop of performance out of your PC, tablet, phone and console. Come learn our plans to deliver. Lifetime sales of Monaco: What's Yours is Mine have passed 750,000 units, Pocketwatch Games Blog , a 50% improvement over the 500K in sales they reported just a couple of weeks ago ). The boost is thanks to a two-week run in the Humble Indie Bundle 11 , though being a "beat-the-average" bonus in the promotion impacted how much cash they raked in. Here's word: Monaco was a Beat the Average game, which means that not all HIB bundle sales resulted in a Monaco sale. Of the 493,000 bundles sold, 370,034 of them included Monaco. Of those, 270,677 have activated their Steam keys. Interestingly, this means three quarters of the Humble customers beat the average. (Remember that the average starts low and climbs as people beat the average) This means that Monaco has now sold over 750,000 copies! Distribution of revenue typically ends up being the default distribution of 65% developers, 20% charity, 15% humble tip. With 6 developers, plus the mid-week additions of Fez, Starseed Pilgrim, and BeatBuddy, that’s around 8% per developer. Monaco grossed approximately $215,000 over the course of the Humble Bundle. Of course we’ll know more when we get the actual sales report. In any case, that’s a nice hefty sum! The first gameplay trailer is now available from Tropico 5 , the return of the island dictator series coming this summer to Windows, OS X, Linux, and Xbox 360 (a PS4 edition is expected to follow). Word is: "El Presidente invites you to take a historical tour around the beautiful island paradise of Tropico in the first gameplay trailer for Tropico 5. Bask in the Caribbean sun and watch Tropico develop through the ages from a small colonial state of the Crown to a sprawling metropolis of the future. See how small farming communities evolve into thriving industrial powerhouses under the glorious leadership of El Presidente and his new family dynasty." Continue here to read the full story Horizon - Diablo III is fun again (or for the first time). "'Fun." That’s the key here. It was fun; more fun than any previous Diablo III experience. That is what Loot 2.0 is all about, and I would describe it as an absolute success. Blizzard has implemented a system that reduces time wasted by traveling to town by reducing the number of garbage drops significantly, and made finding items more fun with gear that is appropriate to the class being played, and exciting legendary drops to look forward to, and even count on. That is one problem solved." - ADATA Elite CE700 Qi Wireless Charging Station on - AMD Radeon HD 6990 vs R9 290X on - ASUS GeForce GTX 780 Ti DirectCU II OC on - ASUSTOR AS-304T Multi Media Storage Server on - BitFenix Colossus M MicroATX Computer Case on - CM Storm Alcor und CM Storm Mizar on OverClocked inside. German. - Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini-ITX Case on - GAMDIAS HEPHAESTUS Almighty 7.1-channel Gaming Headset on - OCZ Vertex 460 240 GB on - SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive on - Shuttle OMNINAS KD22 on - Vantec NexStar eSATA to USB 3.0 Adapter on The past week has been shockingly cold around these parts, though, thankfully, the latest winter storm predicted for the area missed us. Here's hoping the current predictions are more accurate than that, as after one last frigid day today, things are supposed to warm up tomorrow and the milder weather stretches on into next week. I'm more than ready for this winter to be over, as it has been as rough as any I can remember... I ran outside without a coat for around 30 seconds to get something out of the car last night, and it took several minutes after coming back inside to catch my breath from the spasmodic shivering this caused. Of course I am very wimpy about the cold in general, but still, this has been way too extreme.

Call Of Duty: Ghosts' third expansion Invasion gets a release date on Xbox Activision has announced a release date for the penultimate pack of downloadable content for Call Of Duty: Ghosts for Xbox One and Xbox 360. Invasion will bring another selection of competitive multiplayer maps, new weaponry and a third scenario for the alien battling Extinction mode called Awakening. The competitive maps included are all small to medium in size designed with the fast pace of Call Of Duty multiplayer in mind. Departed is set in a rural Mexican town during the Day of The Dead festival adding a bright splash of colour to multiplayer matches. Next up is Pharaoh a map set in an archaeological dig site of an Egyptian palace. It's on multiple leves and is overseen my a massive statue of the Egyptian half-man/half-jackal god Anubis. Mutiny is set in a remote pirate hideout deep in the Caribbean. It has a field order that when completed will release two ghostly pirate warriors to fight by your side. The final map Favela is a reworking of the popular Modern Warfare 2 map of the same name set in a Brazilian hillside shanty town. Infinity Ward has introduced a field order for thios map that calls in a massive Y-8 Gunship to shower the map with a barrage of 105mm, 40mm and 25mm shells. Awakening is the third part in the four-part narrative campaign for Extinction mode. After clearing out an infested derelict ship in the South Pacific the team heads to the Cryptid's subterranean lair on an alien planet and take them down on their own territory with a new range of hi-tech weaponry. Invasion will hit Xbox Live for Xbox One and Xbox 360 on June the 3rd. The PC and PlayStation release date has yet to be announced. - Call of Duty: Black Ops III is coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360 after all - Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third gets a release date - Adr1ft is coming to PC and consoles at the end of the summer - EA gives the new Mirror's Edge a name – Mirror's Edge Catalyst - ZombiU PS4 and Xbox One port reportedly in the works - Mike Bithell's Volume to be released this August - Gearbox's new shooter Battleborn gets a pre-E3 trailer - Steam Controller launches in October, Steam Machines arrive in November - Gears Of War devs Black Tusk change their name to The Coalition ahead of E3

Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night... The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity-and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance. Sounds pretty simple, right? It would be, if it weren't for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family's old enemies, the Covenant of St. George. When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed. To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone's spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city...Well, wasn't this just a refreshing urban fantasy read? It has a lot to do with Verity Price, the heroine of the story. She's young, yes... she can kick ass and has some wonderful sarcastic lines in this story, but Verity is happy! She's not moody or depressed or a downer. Helping along with this refreshing atmosphere we have her permanent roommates, the Aeslin mice, those happy, happy, talking rodents who have daily religious celebrations about everything they can think of, and HAIL Verity as their Princess. It's a party at home for this girl whether she wants one or not Verity's family life and personal choices help along with the atmosphere too. She seems to have a "normal," loving relationship with her parents and siblings, Alex and Antimony, even if her life is not considered the norm. The other surprise is her choice to make a career out of ballroom dancing. An urban fantasy heroine as a ballroom dancing queen? Lots of fun. I love it! I also love Verity's sense of freedom when she plummets from her kitchen window into the darkness and races through the rooftops of New York City, and her straight forward approach to situations as she confronts or relates to both friends and foes. Of course Discount Armageddon is not a light fairytale. There are dark spaces, tough villains, scary moments, great kick ass fighting, a mystery to solve and that wonderful pacing that makes urban fantasy the genre we all love. There's also a love interest who just happens to be part of the Covenant and a nemesis of the Price family. Dominic DeLuca is in New York for the Covenant of St. George to evaluate the situation for his organization to see if a Cryptid purge is needed. Of course these two meet as enemies, but this is Dominic's first foray into the field and pretty soon he and Verity are working together and she's trying to change his long-held beliefs: that all Cryptids are monsters and all deserve to be exterminated. Verity and her family were labeled traitors to the human race by the Covenant when they quit the organization generations ago. Why? Well, they hold different beliefs. To them Cryptids are sentient beings and as such yes, some are monsters, but most just do what they are meant to do, live with their families, or alone, and survive, and nature dictates that there's a reason for their existence. Because the family is considered traitorous, they are hunted by the Covenant and have been in hiding to avoid assassination for generations. Verity and Dominic's meeting in New York is monumental and dangerous, not only for her personally, but for her whole family's safety. I love Verity and Dominic together, as well as the rest of the cast of characters that are introduced in this book. For me, one of the few weakness in this first book comes from Verity's lack of curiosity about Dominic and in how quickly she "trusts" an enemy. Verity doesn't ask enough questions, and since the story is from her first person point of view by the end of the story Dominic is still pretty much a mystery. There's no real proof that what he says is truth, and although his actions do back up what he says, there's a 'wait and see' factor to Dominic's character that is not entirely satisfactory. Although I'm sure his background will really be explored in future installments. Verity's family's history is also a bit of a muddle even with the family tree that's provided at the beginning of the book. Her immediate family is well defined: her mother, father and siblings sound wonderful, but once great grandparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, etc., are mentioned, the relationships and some of the events that Verity mentions get a bit confusing and some bits of information dropped here and there are left unexplained. This is something that is also left open for future exploration. The mystery is well done with plenty of clues along the way, a good twist at the end, and some logistics that don't quite make sense to me -- mainly to do with William. McGuire is a new-to-me author, so I'm one of those readers who is beginning with a clean slate. I'm not comparing this series with her Toby books (yet). As such, I can say that even with the niggles found in this first book, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Discount Armageddon is fun and refreshing, full of wonderful characters, and I love this world. I can't wait to meet Alex and Antimony, or to find out what the heck is up with Dominic. And of course, Hail Verity! Category: Urban Fantasy Publisher/Release Date: Daw Books, Inc/March 6, 2012 - Kindle Ed. Visit Seanan McGuire here.

By JOHN METCALFE If you want to catch a cryptid doing its thing in America, common sense would deem you drive far out into the woods where humankind rarely ventures. After all, it’s typically hunters and hikers who wind up having awkward run-ins with Bigfoot or the Flatwoods monster. But city dwellers who want a taste of the supernatural ought not to despair. A deep riffling through the musty archives of American folklore reveal several beasties who have given up their woodsy pad for the fast-paced life of the big city. THE SARASOTA SKUNK APE The Skunk Ape, or “Booger,” terrorized Florida (meaning, stole some apples from a lady’s porch) in the 1960s and ’70s. It is said to stand upright and smell just awful. Skeptics theorize it is an escaped orangutan. THE DETROIT NAIN ROUGE This tiny red dwarf is the source of all of Detroit’s historical woes, including its depressed economy, some folks believe. Sporting red eyes and rotten teeth, the Nain Rouge allegedly appeared before the 1763 Battle of Bloody Run and 1967’s 12th Street Riot. Nightclub patrons caught it in 1996 running away from a car break-in while wearing a “really nasty torn fur coat.” THE GOATMAN OF D.C. This federal agricultural scientist was the victim of an experiment on goats gone horribly wrong. Nowadays, the Goatman roams the D.C. area attacking victims with an axe. However, he also might just be a crazy old hermit who lives in the woods, as per one report. THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN MONSTER Champy the Happy Plesiosaur was the original Loch Ness Monster, first spotted in Lake Champlain in 1883 by a sheriff who described a “giant water serpent” with white spots inside its mouth. P.T. Barnum later put a $50,000 bounty on its snakelike head. Today, Champy serves as the mascot for the Vermont Lake Monsters mascot, a minor league baseball team in Burlington, Vermont. THE MOLE PEOPLE OF NYC Shuffling, nearly blind homeless people are said to live in the steam-and-dust-filled tunnels of New York’s MTA, subsisting on large rats they call “raccoons.” Jennifer Toth described her dealings with this subterranean race in her 1993 book “The Mole People,” saying most were crazy or drug-addicted. Many of Toth’s claims have been disputed, but filmmaker Marc Singer verified at least one underground shantytown in the 2000 documentary “Dark Days.” BOSTON’S DOVER DEMON Witnesses spotted this unhealthy-looking specimen in 1977 climbing a wall near a bar in Dover, 15 miles southwest of Boston. Newspapers that carried the drawing you see here told of a hairless beast with a watermelon-sized head, orange eyes and no mouth. Oh, and it squawked like a hawk-snake.

Friday, June 07, 2013 Just the Facts?: Unknown Physical Contact -- Burke & Hare Murder Dolls -- Moehau: NZ Cryptid Ape-Man Unknown Physical Contact 6/29/1956 - unedited: I was about 3 years old having just moved with my family to Marshall, Texas from Pineland, Texas. We were poor and rented a small 2 bedroom house and with 7 children, beds were everywhere!! I slept with my just older brother in my parents room. The head of the bed was toward a wall with 2 large windows which were left open for coolness and air circulation. The foot of the bed was toward the center of the room but had a door going into the second bedroom just at the end of the bed on the right. There was also a dresser at the foot of the bed against a partial wall. I woke sometime in the early AM hours and felt like I was being watched. I couldn't understand the feeling I had and could see no one. Suddenly, I felt something being placed, or thrown over me and slowly pulled to the foot of the bed. I reached out and touched it finding it to be like some sort of net. The material was very sturdy but pliable and lightweight. Whatever or whoever was at the end of the bed pulled the "net" slowly and evenly until it was completely off of my brother and me. He never woke during the whole process and knew nothing about it the next morning. I heard nothing in the room but shortly afterwards, I heard the back door close and my father, who was in the same room, got out of bed and went to lock it. This in itself was very off because my father was a very light sleeper and never went to be with the doors unlocked. Securing the house at night was as natural to him as breathing. I called to him but he told me to go back to sleep, which I did even though I was very frightened during the incident. My father denied everything the next morning telling me not to say anything to anyone about it. Ive never spoken to anyone outside my immediate family but when we did talk, it seems as though the whole family have had memory lapses in time. Ive never read anything like this event and was wondering if there are others out there who have had the same? - MUFON CMS Ancient Alien Question: From UFOs to Extraterrestrial Visitations Alien Abductions and Ufo Visitations Alien Mysteries, Conspiracies and Cover-Ups Bizarre: Burke and Hare Murder Dolls In the late 1820s, two men in Edinburgh, Scotland, began a grisly cottage industry. William Hare (who owned a boarding house), and William Burke were Irishmen who became friends. When a tenant at Hare’s house died, the pair sold his body to Ediburgh University. They quickly realized they could make a pretty penny doing this, but unfortunately bodies were in short supply. So they decided to create some of their own. All told, they killed 16 people, mostly by smothering, and sold their wares to a Dr. Knox at the University. One day, a tenant at Hare’s boarding house found a body and went to the police. They managed to dispatch with the corpse before the police arrived, but Burke & Hare’s crime spree was over. Hare turned over on his accomplice in exchange for his freedom. Burke’s fate would mirror that of his victims; after his execution, he was dissected in public. Hare vanished, never to be seen again. But the story doesn’t end there. Shortly after the murder spree, a young boy playing in a cave in Edinburgh came across a collection of carved wooden dolls in a cave. There were 17 in all, about the size of a finger, each secreted in its own tiny coffin. It didn’t take long for people to realize that the dolls greatly resembled the victims of Burke & Hare in both number and appearance. DNA tests on the macabre toys against the remains of Burke yielded no results. Only 8 of the 17 are still known to exist; they can be seen at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Just who created these morbid effigies, and what they were meant to represent, will never be known. - Listverse Also known as the Kiwaidae, this crab is a type of marine decapod living at deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps. The animals are commonly referred to as "yeti crabs" because of their claws and legs, which are white and appear to be furry like the mythical yeti. Crop formations in Italy New crop circle formation in Italy. This huge one was found in Barbiano Lugo near Ravenna on Thursday, 6th June 2013. The Deepening Complexity of Crop Circles: Scientific Research and Urban Legends The Heck Hypothesis: Crop Circle Insight Moehau: New Zealand Cryptid Ape-Man New Zealand has its own cryptid ape-man called the Moehau, although it is also called Maero, Matau, Tuuhourangi, Taongina, and Rapuwai. The large hairy creatures which haunt the Coromandel Ranges are aggressive and are thought to be responsible for the deaths of a prospector and a nearby woman in 1882. The woman had been abducted from her home and was found with a broken neck. The prospector had been partially eaten. Moehau are the size of a normal man, with an apelike face, long shaggy hair, and extremely long fingers and sharp fingernails or claws. 15% Off - All U.S. Veterans & Active Military / Spouses. Use coupon code A1028 during purchase - unlimited use. Thank you for your service & sacrifice! 'Phantoms & Monsters' Available Titles

Geocaching in California Select a Local City (Cities with populations over 20,000 are shown.) | Other Search Options Events, Past and Present... 10/3/2015 Another BBQ in an Awesome Park by TheSeaRhinoceros 10/3/2015 Wake up and smell the Coffee Part 7 by Webfoot 10/3/2015 CHILLA with the KILLA by KILLA 10/3/2015 Rancho Los Nietos Meet & Greet! #7 by spyxyz 10/4/2015 That's A Big 10-4 There Good Buddy! by DragonsWest 10/6/2015 VVGC Get-Together #6 by Victor Valley Geocachers 10/6/2015 Be very, very quiet...we're hunting Geocaches (10) by prinlita 10/7/2015 Cache Addicts Meet & Greet #109 by Fixated Cache Addicts 10/7/2015 Week 43 in Chula Vista (October 7th, 2015) by trixxster 10/8/2015 Lunch In McEnery Park - Completely Exhausted by CKayaks 10/10/2015 The GO! Team is Coming to Town (Anaheim Edition) by The GO! Team 10/10/2015 History, Architecture and Geocoins in Vallejo? by VHGT Team 10/11/2015 CITO surrounded by birds - WARBIRDS by MAC 10/11/2015 Stonewall Peak Challenge by jcfca 10/11/2015 Somewhere East of Java VI by DragonsWest 10/13/2015 Burgers, Burgers, and F.R.O.G.S by CACory 10/13/2015 FREE GIFTS FROM THE TRUNK OF BASSO by bassocantor 10/13/2015 Eye Love Sun Devils & Joe Kicks Gold in San Diego by kanchan 10/14/2015 Lunch In McEnery Park - EZ Tomato Weigh by CKayaks 10/14/2015 SFV Geocachers Meet & Greet #69 by SFVGeocachers 10/14/2015 Week 44 in Chula Vista (October 14, 2015) by trixxster 10/15/2015 San Gabriel Valley Geocachers Meet & Greet #28 by DNF Hound 10/17/2015 A V Geocachers Meet & Greet #16 by AV Geocachers 10/17/2015 KCSearcher is now part of the 5 digit club by mgallinatti 10/17/2015 COSCA's 25th Annual Trail Work Day by Ventura County Cachers 10/17/2015 Cool Mornin' & EZ Cachin' Day by CarlottaP 10/18/2015 I Now Pronounce You, WildBandy!!! by WildBandy 10/18/2015 Festivus 8ctubrius: The Ocho by forestmanjoo 10/18/2015 Event: Dutch Treat – Liquorice by Team Omam 10/20/2015 Hello from france by LechercheurLensois 10/20/2015 Early morning meet and greet by DerLakaiMS 10/20/2015 XIS by kanchan 10/21/2015 Back to the Future Time Travel Event by Ginny & Stevecat 10/21/2015 The Day Marty McFly Arrives in the Future by gsmX2 and the OVC event planning committee 10/21/2015 Back to the Future Day! by CraigsOutside 10/21/2015 Happy Halloween, Yuba City Meet & Greet #90 by retiredprof 10/21/2015 1.21 GIGAWATTS!? Great Scott! by Time Traveler mblatch 10/21/2015 Welcome Back To The Future by H2O KLAN 10/21/2015 Week 45 in Chula Vista (Oct. 21, 2015 by trixxster 10/23/2015 Eat, Drink & Be Scary Halloween'y Party - Take Two by Wicked 2160 Estate 10/24/2015 Otter Paradise: A Trout Pond in the Garden by Olivia Ottlet 10/24/2015 Simi Valley Wildlife Corridor CITO Event by GoinHikin 10/24/2015 Zombie Walk in the Park and RCGDS Picnic! by The Cryptid Crew, Team Pluto & the BlondVoodoos 10/24/2015 Second Annual North County Cachers Costume Ball by North County Cachers 10/25/2015 Trail of Horror by Larry the pool guy 10/25/2015 Xeric Xmas by ecrane 10/26/2015 IE Meet and Greet #54 by stevowert 10/27/2015 Hawks are in America - L.A. by Harold's Hawks 10/27/2015 FMR - October 27 2015 by Dead End Zombies 10/27/2015 Dinner at Q III by Jubeloh 10/27/2015 UFO by kanchan 10/27/2015 ~ SCV Geo Meet & Greet #7 ~ by Enchantingly Wild 10/28/2015 Week 46 in Chula Vista ( Oct. 28, 2015) by trixxster 10/28/2015 Lunch In McEnery Park - Redwood Heaven by CKayaks 10/31/2015 Halloween Cup of Witches Brew by running_bears 11/1/2015 All Hallows' Night Terror by Micro-Owls 11/2/2015 El Dorado Native Quiet Joe Finds Bucket of Gold by kanchan 11/4/2015 Cache Addicts Meet & Greet #110 by Fixated Cache Addicts 11/6/2015 GIFF - Ventura Harbor - Take One by gsmX2 11/7/2015 GIFF - Ventura Harbor - Take Two by gsmX2 11/7/2015 Taft's Geocaching International Film Festival Show by elrojo14 11/7/2015 13th Annual GeoOcotillo Campout by Campout Crew 11/7/2015 Tour de Coachella Valley by Team de Tour 11/7/2015 Geocaching International Film Festival - Oroville by Niwenomian 11/14/2015 Come meet the Rednecks! by ElJako98 11/14/2015 LM Urban Trails Block Party, Contest End & TB Swap by City of La Mesa 11/14/2015 RCGDS Discovery in November Event by Papa EGTH 11/15/2015 Balboa Island by Kritterly & Kobretty 11/16/2015 IE Meet and Greet #55 by stevowert 11/16/2015 Joe Sailor Eyes Bucket of Gold in San Bernardino by kanchan 11/24/2015 Idiot! Sailor Joe Gold in Modoc Eyes Lucky Baboon by kanchan 11/28/2015 Taft Shooter's Challenge 2015 by elrojo14 12/12/2015 KCC Non-Traditional Cache Contest Awards Event by elrojo14 12/13/2015 Holland meets San Francisco by rtwee 12/14/2015 rtwee goes Silicon Valley by rtwee Latest Caches Hidden... 10/9/2015 Wild Coyote at the Old Junction (Redux) * R-WIG by Seek2FindMe 10/9/2015 This Isn't Joe Mama's Box of Lipton * R-WIG by Seek2FindMe 10/9/2015 Wild Hossie Neighs "Whoa! Wer'D I Go? " * R-WIG by Seek2FindMe 10/8/2015 The Belly Button of San Elijo by islandmelodee / Ms. Melodee :D 10/8/2015 Business by a light pole by BookLover1987 10/8/2015 Madera Blanca, Roca Blanca by galvangirl 10/8/2015 Stumped? by Aresyl 10/8/2015 LT Memorial Trail #13: trailpuppy by Alamogul 10/8/2015 LT Memorial Trail #16 ECM41 by Alamogul 10/8/2015 Pining for a Cache by PQCaching Latest Trackable Items... 10/9/2015 1:07:20 PM Dutch Tulips was placed in Into the light(box) at Tongva Park. 10/9/2015 1:05:24 PM Geocaching HQ Tag was placed in Hostelity - TB Hostel. 10/9/2015 1:02:07 PM Trackable Building Toy was placed in LAX - Up and Away. 10/9/2015 12:47:18 PM Cache Wars #3 - Into space! was placed in A REEL Good View!. 10/9/2015 12:45:57 PM Trogg Troll Travel Bug was placed in Green Thumb. 10/9/2015 12:41:06 PM COCO was placed in Pot-O-Gold. 10/9/2015 12:41:06 PM Gute Tingstäde was placed in Pot-O-Gold. 10/9/2015 12:14:13 PM Airbus Days 2007 was placed in Old Oak Tree Memorial. 10/9/2015 12:00:00 PM SLY THE FOX was placed in Dig It. 10/9/2015 12:00:00 PM Flower Face was placed in Where's the Fire?.

Posted by: Loren Coleman on September 22nd, 2011 The third in the Canadian quarter series is of a creature few know of south of the border. You have heard about the Memphre coin. And the Sasquatch quarter. Now comes the Mishepishu addition to the triad. Mishepishu (pronounced Mee-shee-PEE-shoe, and also spelt Mishipeshu), whose name comes from the Algonquin Ojibwe word meaning “Great Water Lynx” or “Underwater Panther,” is described as a huge felid with horns on his head, a scaly, dragon-like body with spikes on its back and the tail of a fish. As a shape-shifting Native American spirit, this water-dwelling feline lives in the bottom of Lake Superior, Lake Ontario, and possibly other Great Lakes as well. Mishepishu’s job is to protect the copper and other metals found in the rocks throughout the region. This is why legend says that its horns are made of copper. Mishipeshu is reputed to be the source for the sudden, and extremely dangerous storms that erupt on the Great Lakes – warnings from this Water Spirit that one has gotten too close to his treasures! According to the legends of the Anishnaabe, Cree and other Aboriginal people living around the Great Lakes, this water cryptid has the power to sink boats. Mishepishu are said to live at the bottom of lakes and rivers, often in caves. Here is the Canadian Mint’s description of the new coin: Children will be captivated by this Great Lakes mystery. Comes with a pull-out map identifying the locations of Mishepishu sightings. Rediscover the magic of story telling. For centuries, Ojibwe legends have described a mysterious creature lurking in the depths of Lake Superior. They call it Mishepishu, which means “Great Lynx”, to describe its wildcat shape. This clever shape-shifter is also believed to swim the waters of Lake Ontario and other Great Lakes in order to protect the precious copper found in the rocks throughout the region. Chances are, you’ll never be quick enough to spot it among the waves. To learn more about how to order the Mishepishu quarter, please click here. Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct). Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013.

Even the strands of my hair in my entire body was already shivering when I arrived in Inverness and boy! I was so bewildered to see a soccer game going on right across my hostel. How did these boys managed to have a game under the 37F temperature? I guess their body is already used to it since they are from that area huh? For a second I was perplexed when my friend told me we were going to stay in Inverness. If you have been to Point Reyes in Northern California you would have gone by a little town called Inverness. I thought for a second which one was a copy cat? I later found though that like many other places in the states they were named after the places in the UK just like Cambia or Plymouth etc. I wouldn’t even be surprised if I hear some places here named Wessex or Sussex! So why Inverness? Well, for one we needed to rest before traveling again to Edinvrgh, two we were both curious about this infamous Loch ness monster so we swing by this place. Everything is grand when you’re a tourist. Inverness is a small town, according to wikipedia it has population of 63,220 in 2016. There are other places to see other than Loch Ness like the Inverness castle, the museum, the Cathedral which was by the way would have been interesting to see but I didn’t (waahh!) and the Victorian market. However, I’ve only managed to see the Loch Ness river, ask me not because it pisses me off that my friend didn’t bother to take me even just to the Cathedral. He says there’s nothing there to see it’s just a modern cathedral. Ummm really? When you’re a tourist, everything is new and grand right? and you want to see as many places and take as many photos as you can. No matter how ridiculous it is for the locals it does not matter. Hey! you’re a tourist after all right? Such in the case of the walk of fame in Hollywood. It may sound ridiculous for us to take photos of those celebrity names and even the Hollywood sign is boring to me but millions of people around the world want to have that proof, that one tiny little sign that they can show off to their friends and in social media that they’ve been there. That is the essence of traveling isn’t it? A proof! What is unimportant to you might be grand for others. So there, I end up visiting only one place in Inverness, the Loch Ness river although to be fair I think it is the biggest attraction in the area. What does it look like? So what’s the significance of this infamous Loch ness? It has been known as the home of the Loch Ness Monster (also known as “Nessie”). According to what people say or believe, it is a cryptid; an animal whose existence is questionable, an obscure, undocumented creature typically originating from folklore like chupacabra and bigfoot. It is often described as large in size with a long neck and one or more humps protruding from the water. In short, it looks like a different version of crocodile or maybe dinosaur, don’t you think? What’s the other mystery of Loch Ness? Many people wonder why the water is black. One explanation, it is due to the high content of peat particles present from the surrounding land. But people connects it to all kinds of stories like the Nessie story. Although I bumped into this article, it talks about the experience of Tammy Van Wisse, renowned long-distance swimmer when she had a dip in Loch Ness and said “Look, I’m not a great believer in monsters and what have you, but to actually get in that water…it’s completely BLACK! It’s almost like when you have a fear of heights and you’re looking down on something – you’re going into this great, black abyss. And of course I’ve read how deep it is and how they can’t even find the bottom in places. It really does send a shiver down my spine. So, if the water is black, the next obvious question is, is it salt water or fresh water? How deep is it? How big is this lake? It is a large, deep, freshwater in the Scottish Highlands. According to this website Amazing Loch Ness, its deepest points are over 800ft deep which is twice the average depth of the North Sea. It holds an estimated 263 billion cubic feet of water, which is more than all the water in all the lakes, rivers and reservoirs in the whole of England and Wales combined! So, where is the monster then? Did I see the Nessie? Did it show up because I was there? I would not wish it did! I would’ve prolly ran as fast as I can and never look back! View this post on Instagram So what’s the significance of this infamous Loch Ness? the home of the Loch Ness Monster (also known as “Nessie”). . . Where is this monster? Did I see the Nessie? Did it show up because I was there? I would not wish it did! I would’ve prolly run as fast as I can and never look back! . . #lochnessmonster #lochness #lochnesslake #uk #unitedkingdom #greatbritian #gb #british #brits #travel #travelphotography #travelblogger #travelgram #pinay #filipina #filam #american

Reviews, Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |Home / California Bookwatch Table of Contents All the Good Ones Aren't Taken Debbie Magids Ph.D. & Nancy Peske St. Martin's Press 175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010 Are you a serial dater going from one relationship to another? If you're always searching for love and never finding it, All the Good Ones Aren't Taken: Change the Way You Date and Find Lasting Love is for you. Here are eight styles of behavior patterns typical of unhappy singles: learn about how subconscious desires thwart romance, how to recognize dead-end paths and repetitive barriers to relationships, and how to change ingrained patterns in a fine guide to dating patterns and common barriers. Captain William Lubber 2067 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140-1338 0763631434 $19.99 1-800-526-0275 www.candlewick.com While this is graded for ages 3 and older, it's reviewed here so that all ages will see it, as nobody with an interest in pirates will want to miss the captivating, gorgeous PIRATEOLOGY: A PIRATE HUNTER'S COMPANION. Here is the journal of Captain William Lubber, who sailed in search of female pirate Arabella Drummond. Dugald Steer edits an account which is vivid, packed with photos and illustration, and holds pockets of 'letters' throughout, along with a compass embedded in its cover. Maps and drawings are excellent and entire families will appreciate the coverage; not just kids~ Barn in the U.S.A. 16100 Table Mtn Pkwy #300, Golden, CO 80403 Barn lovers and any interested in barns old and new will find this a lovely survey of historic barns of the West. Landmark structures, their appearance in notable classic films, and details on both architecture and history compliment full-page color photos of the barns in their current settings. Any with an affection for old-time structures in general and barns in particular will find BARN IN THE USA a lovely acquisition. Secrets the Pros Won't Tell You About Winning Hold-Em Poker Lou Krieger & Sheree Bykofsky 850 3rd Avenue, New York NY 10022 Actual techniques gamblers use to win consistently in all kinds of poker matches are presented in an unusual guide which goes beyond theory to discuss winning moves used in real life. Here are analysis of betting patterns, advanced bank management ideas, how to make the best of a card set, and how to bet with confidence. Lively chapters survey the methods of winning pros for an authoritative poker text. Our New York Carl E. Heilman II 380 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885 Any who seek a celebration of New York State will find OUR NEW YORK a fitting tribute, pairing vivid full-page color photos with descriptions of attractions form Long Island to Niagara Falls. Both urban and rural landscapes are captured by photographer Carol Heilman II, who covers old architectural structures, modern cityscapes, and countryside alike. A gorgeous photographic coffee table presentation which celebrates the state's diversity and wonders. Island of Seven Cities St. Martin's Press 175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010-7848 THE ISLAND OF SEVEN CITIES: WHERE THE CHINESE SETTLED WHEN THEY DISCOVERED AMERICA gathers and presents tangible proof that the Chinese had their own settlement in America long before Columbus. Chaisson is an architect and teacher: his insights on a series of ruins in Cape Breton Island rewrites American history, and is essential reading for any who would understand early American origins and evidence on explorations. Revive Your Ride 3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618 REVIVE YOUR RIDE: SECRETS FROM A BODY AND PAINT RESTORATION PRO packs in everything needed to set up the perfect auto restoration shop, from tools and paints to developing professional-quality refinishing techniques. This comes from an auto body professional who knows all the tricks, right down to restoring nameplates and badges. From best paints to use for particular jobs to methods, REVIVE YOUR RIDE comes packed with color photos throughout. 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301 Kit Cessna's EQUAL OR GREATER FORCE: A DELTA FORCE VETERAN TEACHES YOU HOW TO SURVIVE CRIME, TERRORISM, NATURAL DISASTERS, AND OTHER CALAMITIES (9781581605044) comes from a combat veteran and provides rules for survival which go beyond the usual insight on hand combat to emphasize individual responsibility for personal survival. That said, chapters teach both weaponry and mental toughness to foster that survival, whether it be in urban settings or in the face of war or natural disasters. Learn how fear works for and against you, develop a combat-ready mindset, and more. Gordon Perrigard, MD's ARWROLOGY: ALL-OUT HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING FOR COMMANDOS, MILITARY AND CIVILIANS (9781581605075) tells how to win. 'Arwrology' is derived from the old Welsh and means an all-out hand-to-hand fighter: it was developed by Gordon Perrigard, a Canadian medical doctor who blends advanced ju-jitsu with human anatomy insights. Chapters show how to defeat an armed person, overcome brute strength, and fall without injury. Learn all the basics of hand-to-hand combat in a fine survey that includes black and white step-by-step photos. Phil Elmore's FLASHLIGHT FIGHTING: HOW TO MAKE YOUR POCKET FLASHLIGHT A TAKE-ANYWHERE SELF-DEFENSE WEAPON (158160502X, $9.95) tells of one of the few self-defense options which has yet to be legislated and controlled. Learn how to use it to debilitate and even kill an attacker through a martial artist who provides basic defensive strikes using the flashlight as a weapon. 101+ Great Ideas for Introducing Key Concepts in Mathematics Alfred Posamentier & Herbert Hauptman 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 The updated second edition of 101+ Great Ideas for Introducing Key Concepts in Mathematics: A Resource for Secondary school Teachers is a 'must' for any who wish more proven classroom practices. Over a hundred strategies for teaching math are arranged by subject matter, with each listing identifying objectives, materials, and procedures. Both hands-on and computer-based approaches are detailed, with plenty of lessons and examples throughout. This comes form a mathematician/professor and a math pioneer and Nobel Prize recipient: from geometry to algebra, teachers will find it packed with ideas. Ms. Moffett's First Year 250 West 57th Street #1321, New York NY 10107 MS. MOFFETT'S FIRST YEAR: BECOMING A TEACHER IN AMERICA tells of a forty-five-year-old legal secretary who answered an ad proposing to recruit professionals from other fields to teach in some of the city's worst schools. Seven weeks later she was an unprepared teacher. Author and NY Times education reporter Abby Goodnough followed Moffett's first year as a teacher: this offers many realities of the urban school system and the challenges facing teachers of poor and immigrant populations. A spirited account outlines conflicts, challenges, and successes alike and is a 'must' read for aspiring teachers. Bucyrus: Making the Earth Move For 125 Years 380 Jackson, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885 Bucyrus International has built heavy excavating machinery for over a hundred years: it began in 1880 building equipment and became the leading supplier of draglines, shovels and drills for the mining industry, purchasing competitors and today building about 90 percent of the walking draglines in existence. Mergers, pivotal changes, and construction techniques are detailed along with plenty of color and vintage photos in BUCYRUS, of interest to any in the equipment industry. 'Most Wanted' titles Potomac Books Inc. 22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 201662012 The entertaining 'Most Wanted' titles compile headlines and trivia from two decades, including the best and worst of pop culture and concerns of the times and providing trivia buffs with lively history and insights. Robert Rodriguez's THE 1950S MOST WANTED (1574887157) tells of the Red Scare, rock and roll music, popular cars and movies of the times, and more. Stuart Shea's THE 1960S MOST WANTED (1574887211) does the same for the psychedelic era, covering music and modern living, fashion, sports all the top concerns of the volatile decade. The Business Shelf The Visible Employee Jeffrey Stanton & Kathryn Stam Information Today Inc. 143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055 THE VISIBLE EMPLOYEE: USING WORKPLACE MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE TO PROTECT INFORMATION ASSETS WITHOUT COMPROMISING EMPLOYEE PRIVACY OR TRUST is a 'must' for any business serious about privacy and information security in the workplace. It reports on the results of a four-year research project focused on prevailing workplace security measures and their repercussions, discussing solutions, employee attitudes towards monitoring, and privacy issues. Both legal and security issues come into play in a survey essential for IT managers. 235 Montgomery, #650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916 Rebuffs and rejection from negative people often create a world of negatively and encourage stagnation: BJ Gallagher & Steve Ventura's YES LIVES IN THE LAND OF NO: A TALE OF TRIUMPH OVER NEGATIVITY (1576753395 $19.95) is here to show it is possible to overcome negative reactions. Told in the form of a parable for easier digestion, YES LIVES IN THE LAND OF NO tells of a search for YES where other positive characters have failed because they didn't effectively handle the negativity they faced. Half the book's parable; the second half is life-applied practices and tips. John Weiser, et.al.'s UNTAPPED: CREATING VALUE IN UNDERSERVED MARKETS (1576753727, $28.95) tells of the potentials of low- to moderate-income consumers who represent a big opportunity ignored by most companies who go for higher-end consumers. These untapped markets promise increased sales, qualified workforces, and good quality: UNTAPPED tells how to gain consumers, workers and suppliers from this market, offering practical applications packed with the case histories of successful companies who made such efforts work. John Perkins' CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN (1576753018, $24.95) provides a blend of autobiography and business savvy to trace the author's own journey from that of a willing employee to an advocate for the rights of the economically oppressed. This isn't just a turn of moral values, however: Perkins explains how he helped implement a secret scheme to funnel billions of oil petrodollars back into the US economic, how this cemented international relationships, and explores other behind-the-scenes financial dealings and political relationships. Many warned Perkins not to write this expose of how the system that fosters globalization and poverty works: we should be thankful he did, against advice. Michael H. Shuman's THE SMALL-MART REVOLUTION: HOW LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE BEATING THE GLOBAL COMPETITION (1576753867, $24.00) provides a hopeful look at the present and future of small business, refuting the popular notion that multinational chains are the future, with no alternative. Chapters provide numbers and facts to back up contentions that small businesses are stronger community members than such corporations, able to generate good jobs, foster economic growth, and provide social stability. Examples and case histories chart immigrant contributions, strong small business communities, and more, blending case history examples with insights on policy-making and politics. Thomas Crum's THREE DEEP BREATHS: FINDING POWER AND PURPOSE IN A STRESSED-OUT WORLD (1576753891, $19.95) offers up a technique which even the busiest person can use to relieve stress on a daily level, whether while driving to an appointment, commuting to work, or walking to a meeting. It's based on the cognitive-restructuring capability of the brain and provides techniques and analysis of purpose, vision and energy. Harvard Business School Press 60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163 You may recall Michael Watkins' name from his best-selling book THE FIRST 90 DAYS: here he draws on research and consulting insights to reveal four fundamental objectives new leaders need to understand to guide their organizations more effectively. His SHAPING THE GAME: THE NEW LEADER'S GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATING (1422102521 $26.95) is all about the deal: chapters discuss how to negotiate with critical stakeholders, build relationships, and translate perceived value into concrete advancements for self and company alike. A 'must' for any business negotiator. Mark Gerzon's LEADING THROUGH CONFLICT: HOW SUCCESSFUL LEADERS TRANSFORM DIFFERENCES INTO OPPORTUNITIES (159139919X, $27.95) comes from a mediation expert who argues leaders have failed to pull people together after conflict affects an organization. LEADING THROUGH CONFLICT uses case studies from decades of Gerzon's work to illustrate eight powerful tools for integration, from developing vision for acknowledging all aspects of a conflict to asking questions important to addressing and resolving it. A fine guide managers will appreciate. Risk & Grow Rick RISK & GROW RICH: HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS IN REAL ESTATE comes from a young real estate entrepreneur who advocates not just risk-taking, but smart risks which pay off richly. Her title covers all elements of real estate risk and shows how to assess these risks for maximum value and payback. From understanding leveraging equity to achieving a recession-proof price point, RISK & GROW RICH is packed with insights. 375 Hudson, New York NY 10014 Chris Denove and James Power IV's SATISFACTION: HOW EVERY GREAT COMPANY LISTENS TO THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER (1591841097 $25.95) is the ultimate customer service guide: where many books advise to listen to customers, SATISFACTION outlines exactly how this is to happen, drawing on nearly 40 years of the authors' experiences. Chapters discuss link between customer satisfaction and profits, how to turn dissatisfaction into enthusiasm, and how to empower employees to do the best for their customers. Michael J. Silverstein's TREASURE HUNT: INSIDE THE MIND OF THE NEW CONSUMER (1591841232, $26.95) analyzes the mind and interests of the new consumer, and is a must for any retail operation. Silverstein consulted with dozens of leading companies, interviewing thousands of customers to arrive at patterns of that drives their purchase decisions. TREASURE HUNT reveals the varied approaches of these new consumers, who seem as happy finding their treasures at Costco as online or in luxury stores. An excellent guide to an evolving class of hunters. Pip Coburn's THE CHANGE FUNCTION: WHY SOME TECHNOLOGIES TAKE OFF AND OTHERS CRASH AND BURN (1591841321, $24.95) is a pick for any business reader interested in innovation and progress: Coburn is famous for writing lively Wall Street reports blending business with philosophy and intellectual literacy, and here provides strong insights into what drives technology trends. Coburn's study of winners and losers in the industry lend to a guide which explains why some technologies become huge hits while others struggle and die out. Management by Baseball 10 E. 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299 MANAGEMENT BY BASEBALL: THE OFFICIAL RULES FOR WINNING MANAGEMENT IN ANY FIELD could also have been featured in our sports section, but it's reviewed here for its applications of baseball principles to management theory. Baseball managers can be better role models for leaders in business than current business models because they have learned how to implement innovations, overcome resistance to new ideas, adapt to changes, and lead team efforts: any new manager and baseball fan will relish these 'how to' guidelines. 2 Years to a Million In Real Estate Matthew A. Martinez 2 Penn Plaza, New York NY 10121-2298 Can you quit your day job to make a million in real estate? You can if you have Matthew A. Martinez's 2 YEARS TO A MILLION IN REAL ESTATE in hand: it comes from one who worked hard until he acquired his first rental property and worked at it two years later he was making more in rentals than in his job. Today he holds a portfolio consisting of several millions of income-producing properties and his tips on how he did it and how you can, too are offered in a guide covering everything from real estate 'bubble' mistakes to picking and financing hot properties. The Photography Shelf The Art of RAW Conversion Uwe Steinmueller & Jurgen Gulbins No Starch Press 555 DeHaro #250, San Francisco CA 94107 Many photographers surrender control over their images to their cameras' built-in converters: take back the art by understanding how to manipulate RAW files with THE ART OF RAW CONVERSION: HOW TO PRODUCE ART-QUALITY PHOTOS WITH ADOVE PHOTOSHOP CS2 AND LEADING RAW CONVERTERS. From calibrating a digital camera to work with RAW files and understanding differences between the leading RAW converters to manipulating both color and black and white images, this is for the neo-pro who wants to get the most out of his camera. Quick Snap Guide to Digital SLR Photography David D. Busch 25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210 Any who have a new digital SLR camera will appreciate this quick start-up manual covering all the basics common to these cameras. Plenty of illustration and color photos pack pages that survey DSLR-specific techniques, setting up lighting, using lenses, and more. The color photo examples include all technical specs for reproducing effects, while quick sections on texture, histograms, and more offer plenty of depth. A top pick for any DSLR new owner, no matter what model they've chosen. The Computer Shelf 25 Thomson Place, Boston MA 02210 Programmers involved in cryptography need the latest, cutting-edge insights as provided in the updated edition of A. & & N. Moldovyan's INNOVATIVE CRYPTOGRAPHY, 2nd Edn (1584504676 $49.95), a reference on common problems and their solutions. Both hardware and software issues are revealed in chapters which open with a review of cryptography in modern society and common protocols and move quickly to issues in networks, controlled environments, software ciphers and much more. Technical discussions offer engineers, researchers and IT security pros a solid mix of new advancements and applied science. John P. Flynt's JAVA PROGRAMMING FOR THE ABSOLUTE BEGINNER, 2ND EDN (1598632752, $29.99) needs no familiarity with Java to prove useful: it teaches the basics of both Java and object-oriented programming, using Java's features to work through examples of games and applications. From the bare-bones basics to later complexities of GUI features and desktop Windows development tasks, this is the perfect beginning place for newcomers to Java. Christopher Diaz's INTRODUCTION TO UNIX/LINUX (1584504498, $ 49.95) teaches all the fundamentals, from how to install a UNIX/Linux system and its applications and how to edit files to writing programs using advanced commands. Chapters discuss text formatting, job management, and more and provide review questions for each chapter, Powerpoint slides for a course, and a DVD-ROM with a Fedora installation to install Linux on your computer. Sam Siewert's REAL-TIME EMBEDDED SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS (1584504684, $59.95) provides systems engineers with an excellent resource for applying real-time theory to real-world design. Chapters pair fundamental theory with the building blocks of applications, from surveying digital audio and video to continuous media applications. It's a guide no systems engineer should be without. Robert Ericsson and Jason Cline's SQL SERVER 2005 FOR DEVELOPERS (1584503882, $44.95) provides a database tool offering new ways to manipulate servers and databases. SQL Server's tools and special advice on tips, tricks and handling pack chapters of tutorials which will lend well to classroom use or as a reference. All the files needed to complete the book's tutorials including C# code tiles are here for developer to absorb. 1005 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastopol, CA 95472 While web designers are the most likely audience for Michele Davis & Jon Phillips's LEARNING PHP AND MYSQL (0596101104 $29.95), any interested in web design or open source technology will appreciate this guide to creating popular web sites. The blend of PHP and MySQL lends to interactive web sites, and this book is the item of choice for any who would install, combine, and use the two together. From enhancing an old site to building a new one from scratch, the best applications for the best results are covered here. Jonathan Oxer, Kyle Rankin and Bill Childers' UBUNTU HACKS: TIPS & TOOLS FOR EXPLORING, USING AND TUNING LINUX (05966237209, $29.99) covers the popular Ubuntu Linux, providing a one-stop source of common knowledge essential to any developing Linux-based applications. From installation and testing to burning discs, listening to music, and considering special system security, UBUNTU HACKS covers all the basics essential to streamlining and using the program. Rick Lehtinen, Deborah Russell and G.T. Gangemi Sr.'s COMPUTER SECURITY BASICS, 2ND EDN (0596006691, $39.99) offers up the fundamentals of computer security, updating basics developed in the original edition and including concepts ranging from encryption systems and mandatory access control to web attacks, security policies, wireless network issues and more. All given in a very basic style that lends well to beginner understanding. Cricket Liu and Paul Albitz's DNS AND BIND, 5th Edition (0596100576, $49.99) provides systems administrators with plenty of technical detail for mastering one of the basic building blocks of the net the distributed host information database which does everything from route mail to listing phone numbers. From setting up nameservers and subdividing domains to troubleshooting systems and mapping to several servers, this covers many basics. Robbie Allen & Laura Hunter's ACTIVE DIRECTORY COOKBOOK (059610202X, $49.99) appears in its second updated edition to offer quick answers for administrators using Windows Server 2003 SP1 and R2 versions. Here are 'recipes' for hundreds of step-by-step solutions for all kinds of problems, from restricting hosts for LDAP queries to security filters, handling soon-to-expire passwords, configuring replication and more. As a companion to the third edition of ACTIVE DIRECTORY, it stands well as either an accompanying tutorial of recipes or alone, as a reference. Jukka Korpela's UNICODE EXPLAINED (059610121X, $59.99) provides all the basics of unicode and character data, from terminology to code conversion, encodings, text boundaries and directionality, languages and more. Learn how to internationalize documents, programs and web sites with a clear guide. Teach Your Computer to Dance Don & Susan Silver Box 491002, Los Angeles, CA 90049 TEACH YOUR COMPUTER TO DANCE: MAKE YOUR COMPUTER, MOBILE DEVICES AND THE INTERNET PERFORM FOR YOU isn't just for bare-bones beginners: it will teach many an avid computer user about everything from cultivating proper tone in an email and using lingo and abbreviations to activating an anti-spam device, organizing a computer, text messaging, and much more. Here under one cover are all the streamlining tips you've had to learn the hard way plus many you may not know. From password crackers to privacy and security issues, no user should be without TEACH YOUR COMPUTER TO DANCE: it will prevent troubles and streamline results. Designer and programmers will find these two guides important. Ian Lloyd's BUILD YOUR OWN WEB SITE THE RIGHT WAY USING HTML & CSS (0975240293, $29.95) provides step-by-step planning for any building their first web site. From the basics of HTML and how to use it effectively to styling text, building a full-featured web site, updating using blogs, resizing images, adding elements and backgrounds and more, BUILDING YOUR OWN WEB SITE THE RIGHT WAY covers all possible options. Rachel Andrew and Dan Shafer's HTML UTOPIA: DESIGNING WITHOUT TABLES USING CSS (0975240277, $39.95) appears in its second edition to provide a completely revised tutorial to designing without tables. Use CSS to layout designs and do the work for you: chapters show how, covering everything from headers and color manipulation to fonts and using sidebars. Both are excellent guides. Seventy tested, real-world 'recipes' you can use to deliver exceptional Ruby on Rails applications are a 'must' for any developer who works on projects and needs quick code applications. From better data access and quick application interfaces to easier testing and managing a static site, Chad Fowler's RAILS RECIPES (0977616605 $32.95) comes not just from the author, but from a Rails core team and other experts so they've all been beta tested, they all work, and they're based on the latest Rails 1.0 and 1.1. Mike Mason's PRAGMATIC VERSION CONTROL USING SUBVERSION, 2ND EDITION (0977616657, $34.95) joins two others in the overall 3-volume 'kit' which shows how a handful of basic recipes can benefit almost any version control system. From source code, documentation and testing to data protection and shared assets, PRAGMATIC VERSION CONTROL USING SUBVERSION teaches the basics, how to avoid bad decisions, and how to use the latest Subversion 1.3 features. How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote, and Market Your Business Web Site Bruce C. Brown 1210 SW 23rd Place, Ocala, FL 33474-7014 It's easy to be confused about Internet marketing opportunities with a blend of fast-paced changes and tech terminology complicating the picture, but any small business owner seeking enlightenment need look no further than How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote, and Market Your Business Web Site with Little Or No Money. It packs tried-and-tested marketing applications with easy explanations of Internet choices, pros and cons, and it covers everything from automating a web site to optimizing a search engine result. An essential guide any business needs for making a powerful web presence. Insider SEO & PPC Andreas Ramos & Stephanie Cota Want to get your business listing at the top of the search engines? It's essential, then, to have Insider SEO & PPC on your side: its chapters juxtapose case study examples with insights on bids, paid ads, positioning, strategies for landing pages, and relevant categories, and provide the best in applied logic and real-world examples. One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Programmers will relish two new guides that are practical desk references. Mark G. Sobell's A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO RED HAT LINUX, 3rd Edition (0132280272, $49.99) offers complete coverage of Fedora Core and red Hat Enterprise Linux and it's no light overview, either. Chapters delve deeply into the command line, Internet server configurations, security techniques, and system and network admin tasks, including details on writing shell scripts and setting up a firewall. Jasmin Blanchette and Mark Summerfield's C++ GUI PROGRAMMING WITH QT4 (0131872494, $59.99) covers programming patterns and techniques for mastering key technologies in the new 2D paint engine and environment, covering all QT basics, event processing, and more. Updated material in every chapter offers the latest and greatest, with an accompanying cd-rom including an open source edition for Windows, Mac, Linux and many Unixes. Documentation and code are specific and packed with detail. The Military Shelf Cindy in Iraq Cynthia I. Morgan 1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020 CINDY IN IRAQ: A CIVILIAN'S YEAR IN THE WAR ZONE is the author's account of her year as a truck driver in a country under siege one of the most dangerous civilian jobs in the war zone. Morgan ledft everyone and everything behind to be a truck driver in Kuwait and Iraq, feeling it wold give her the opportunity to make changes in her life. Her sons were teens and wanted accounts of all her experiences so evolved a series of emails which form the foundation of this book, re-creating her experiences and providing charged, action-packed reading. 431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211 Tom Tancredo, US Congressman, Colorado, has written a survey of the heart of American security issues in IN MORTAL DANGER: THE BATTLE FOR AMERICA'S BORDER AND SECURITY. Immigration laws, processes and issues lie at the heart of American security issues, and IN MORTAL DANGER warns Americans of the dangers of failing to properly secure borders. His damning analysis on government failures to fix problems includes a survey of exactly what these problems are and how they can be fixed. Jerome Corsi, Ph.D.'s ATOMIC IRAN: HOW THE TERRORIST REGIME BOUGHT THE BOMB AND AMERICAN POLITICIANS (1581825463, $16.95) provides a new paperback edition of the popular 2005 hardcover. Iran's current mission is to prepare for the return of the Mahdi, akin to the Christian Second Coming of Christ: chapters explore the dangerous connections between this belief and the idea that an apocalypse is needed to bring back the Mahdi. A 'must' for any concerned about Middle East terrorism and leaders. Marines in the Garden of Eden Richard S. Lowry 375 Hudson, New York NY 10014 In 2003 members of the 507th Maintenance Company had become lost in the desert a week later they would participate in one of the bloodiest battles to oust Husseun from Iraq. Marines in the Garden of Eden: The True Story of Seven Bloody Days in Iraq tells of the story of the battle for a key part of the region, seen through the eyes of Marines, reporters and soldiers who were there. Sixteen pages of black and white photos provide a centerfold of images to back a powerful story of ambush and battle. The Tiger Moth Story Crecy Publishing Ltd. 1A Ringway Trading Estate, Shadowmoss Road, Manchester M22 LH, UK There were no proper drawings for the first Tiger Moth: it just evolved when the RAF requested alterations to an existing Gipsy Moth. Yet, the Tiger Moth proved a cheap, reliable and essential plane for fighting World War II, even though it wasn't easy to fly. The Tiger Moth Story is for avid aviation and military buffs who will here find everything needed to know about the plane's history and properties. It's been updated and expanded since the 1964 edition to include more Tiger Moth aircraft details, memories, and black and white photos. 38 Greene Street, New York NY 10013 Three years after the war in Iraq violence continues arguing against it is Anthony Arnove in his Iraq: The Logic of Withdrawal (1595580794 $19.95), who maintains the US occupation is the source of instability and should be ended. Furthermore, he maintains Bush has never been interested in bringing democracy to the country and he explores the real reasons behind the invasion. Moreover, civilian effort at home will be needed to bring the war to an end. A hard-hitting examination of facts and fallacies emerges for any concerned about the future of Iraq and American soldiers. Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg edits 10 EXCELLENT REASONS NOT TO JOIN THE MILITARY (1595580662, $14.95) tells why the armed forces are having a tough time recruiting lately, providing a handy list of reasons not to join the military and blending this advice with hard facts and personal testimony from soldiers. From immediate dangers to long-term and lasting physical and mental effects of military service, chapters describe tricks used by recruiters and even covers training and other issues. 39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056 Two excellent publications in military planes will delight genre fans who enjoy specialty titles, and military collections seeking specific aviation guides. X-PLANES PHOTO SCRAPBOOK (1580070760, $24.95) covers some 48 designations of X-Planes along with some experimental aircraft which didn't quite fall into the formal X-series. Adding these experimental aircraft makes for a rich and well-rounded survey indeed: one pairing sharp color photos on nearly every page with historical background. Photos come from government and company archives as well as personal and public holdings, and are basic to understanding the modern history of flight and military plane developments. Alwyn T. Lloyd's BOEING'S B-47 STRATOJET (158007071X, $39.95) tells the history and development of the Army's first strategic jet bomber. Boeing B-47 became the cornerstone of America's forces until the B-52 came into production: over a thousand were in the SAC's inventory in the mid-1950s, and their design would foster innovations in civilian aircraft as well. The entire history of the B-47, from technical specs to modern applications, comes to life in word and photo-packed content. The U.S. Army in the West Douglas C. McChristian University of Oklahoma Press 2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069 This isn't just another general survey, but a detailed inspection of the development of army uniforms, equipment and small arms during the Indian campaigns in the West. As such, it will attract history buffs, military readers and collectors alike, pairing over two hundred photos with historical background on the frontier era. THE U.S. ARMY IN THE WEST, 1870-1880 comes from a retired research historian for the National Park Service, and could've been featured in our 'Collector's Shelf' area, but is featured here for its added attraction to any military history buff with an affection for early Western events. The M1 Carbine Historical Archive Press 151 Harvard Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902 This first volume in the 'Classic American Small Arms at War' series deserves a spot in any authoritative military history library collection: it reflects the author's love affair with the M1 carbine and packs vintage black and white war photos from the US National Archives on every page as it cover the carbine in action during WWII and in Korea. As a photo odyssey of the carbine's impact and role, it provides powerful historical images. Greenhill Books/MBI, Dist. 380 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885 Peter G. Tsouras edits DIXIE VICTORIOUS: AN ALTERNATE HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR (1853676896, $18.95), which goes beyond most sci-fi scenarios of alternate history to pose scenes by historians who ask 'what if'. Key battle changes, outcomes of general decisions, and more are provided in realistic scenarios which alternate battle results and actions to show how a different choice or incident could've altered history. It's the professional historian participation that makes this an engrossing presentation. John Drogo Montagu's GREEK & ROMAN WARFARE: BATTLES, TACTICS AND TRICKERY (1853676853, $34.95) uses eighteen battle plans based on classical source material to follow the tactics and strategies of the Greeks and Romans during war. This study will reach beyond military collections to interest college-level world history scholars, offering lots of maps and specific analysis. The Metaphysical Studies Shelf 375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014 GHOST HUNTERS: WILLIAM JAMES AND THE SEARCH FOR SCIENTIFIC PROOF OF LIFE AFTER DEATH tells of a small group of elite scholars who at the turn of the century, amid the furor over Darwin's theories, pursued proof of the supernatural. This group consisted of philosophers, two Nobel laureates, and psychologist/philosopher William James: they launched an investigation which was to continue decades later. GHOST HUNTERS follows not only their theories and investigations, but the results of their surveys some of which couldn't be explained as hoaxes. An eye-opening story evolves. How to Be Happy All the Time Crystal Clarity Publishers 14618 Tyler Foote Road, Nevada City, CA 95959 The most important condition for happiness is even-mindedness, and here the author of AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI brings some of this sense to a treatise on how to be happy under virtually any condition. From identifying habits, thoughts, and practices which steal from happiness to understanding simplicity is the key and sharing happiness with others, HOW TO BE HAPPY ALL THE TIME: THE WISDOM OF YOGANANDA, V. 1 is a fine starting point for reaching contentment. Aleister Crowley and the Practice of the Magical Diary James Wasserman, Editor 500 3rd Steet #230, San Francisco CA 94107 If the title sounds familiar, it's because Aleister Crowley and the Practice of the Magical Diary has appeared before but this revised, expanded edition is a top pick for any adept or student who wants a sampling of texts drawn from Volumes 1 and III of Crowley's impressive The Equinox. Here are step-by-step methods and descriptions which includes John Street John and A Master of the Temple from the original perfect for occult students. Conversations with Seth, Book 2 Susan M. Watkins Moment Point Press Box 920287, Needham, MA 02492 Familiarity with Book 1 would be helpful but is not a requirement for Conversations with Seth, Book 2, which continues the dialogues and adventures between Jane Roberts and her class members as they debate with channeled psychic entity Seth. Susan Watkins spent time in the company of both: her recreation of the atmosphere and concerns of a 1970s metaphysical class provides insights into premonition dreams, mass events, politics, and God alike, and will intrigue any with an interest in channeling in general and Seth in particular. Intuitive Reiki for Our Times Amy Z. Rowland Healing Arts Press/Inner Traditions One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767 Most modern Reiki practitioners are missing the connection between Reiki and the role intuition can play in permanent healing; yet in Japan practitioners must master this intuitive way at the entry level before they can proceed. INTUITIVE REIKI FOR OUR TIMES: ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUES FOR ENHANCING YOUR PRACTICE thus fills a gap in Western training, examining the foundations of the intuitive experience and how it translates to healing. Practitioners can use this guide to identify intuitive experiences, learn how to apply it, and thoroughly integrate with Reiki training as a whole. Essential for any Reiki healer. The Women's Issues Shelf In Search of the Lost Feminine Craig S. Barnes 16100 Table Mountain Parkway #300, Golden, CO 80403 Why and how did ancient cultures disappear where women were at the heart of their worlds, and how has this disappearance influenced over three thousand years of Western civilization's development? In Search of the Lost Feminine: Decoding the Myths that Radically Reshaped Civilization is a recommended pick for any strong women's studies or women's history holding: it virtually re-writes history and uses archaeological and social facts to follow ancient history to modern times. Anne Firth Murray New World Library 14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949 PARADIGM FOUND: LEADING AND MANAGING FOR POSITIVE CHANGE blends women's issues and business, and comes from a woman whose idea of funding grassroots women's organizations around the world grew to the successful Global Fund for Women, today a major force of change. First-person chapters recounts her journeys to villages where such changes are taking place, her business perspective, and tips on how to create, encourage and build a dream based on business principles. From how to expand a program or organization to watching for roadblocks along the way, PARADIGM FOUND comes packed with management tips and insights particular to nonprofit work. The Wall Between Women 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197 THE WALL BETWEEN WOMEN: THE CONFLICT BETWEEN STAY-AT-HOME AND EMPLOYED MOTHERS blends the author's personal experience and professional marketing skills with research into the issues faced by American mothers. She's been both a full-time worker and a stay-at-home mom, and interviews over a hundred such women about the realities of their lives and their perceptions of women who have made different choices. Pros and cons of motherhood and work are revealed along with quotes and stories from women across the country. Locker Room Diaries 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142 LOCKER ROOM DIARIES: THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT WOMEN, BODY IMAGE, AND RE-IMAGINING THE 'PERFECT' BODY stems from interviews with hundreds of women over five years, conducted in gym locker rooms. Women's self-image and bodies are the focus here, providing a survey which examines weight, changing perceptions of body style, and more. The Native American Shelf Quest for Tribal Acknowledgment University of Oklahoma Press 2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069 QUEST FOR TIRBAL ACKNOLWEDGMENT: CALIFORNIA'S HONEY LAKE MAIDUS could've been featured in our 'California' section but is reviewed here because its history is central to Native American circles as a whole, and shouldn't be limited to California-interest readers. A small group of Indians known as the Honey Lake Maidus live in northeast California -but as tribe they remain unrecognized by the federal government. The author is an anthropologist who has worked with them for several years, and QUEST FOR TRIBAL ACKNOWEDGMENT charts their long-lasting battle to obtain such recognition, contrasting their experience with that of other California Indian tribes who have won such federal recognition and who benefit from laws granting them casinos and other exceptions. The Music Shelf Empire of Dirt Wesleyan University Press Middletown, CT 06459 College-level students of British music won't want to miss EMPIRE OF DIRT: THE AESTHETICS AND RITUALS OF BRITISH INDIE MUSIC. Its analysis blends ethnographic and socio-historic literature on local music communities and genres, comes from a doctor who has worked in the music industry for several major record labels, and offers results from her thirteen-year study of indie rock. From gigs and performances to behavior, norms, and music perceptions from both audience and performer perspective, EMPIRE OF DIRT helps define both the genre and experience of British indie music. Body Piercing Saved My Life Da Capo Press 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142 BODY PIERCING SAVED MY LIFE: INSIDE THE PHENOMENON OF CHRISTIAN ROCK is the first in-depth account of Christian pop culture, surveying mainstream bands with roots in Christian rock and offering essays on the scene underlying the music. Readers who know little of the movement may be surprised to note there's a thriving industry here: the music sold a billion dollars in 2003 and has spun off mainstream groups, moved into piercing and tattoo parlors, and created its own subculture. A vivid account of Christian rock history and subculture emerges here. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213 If you're a musician seeking to expand contacts and skills locally, first read Dick Weissman's MAKING A LIVING IN YOUR LOCAL MUSIC MARKET (0634099248 $16.95) : it explores everything from forming agreements with bands and marketing music to producing your own recordings, using the Internet, and looking at college music business programs. Dick Weissman is an associate professor and an active musician and composer: MAKING A LIVING IN YOUR LOCAL MUSIC MARKET: REALIZING YOUR MARKETING POTENTIAL appears in its third edition to update essential details for the modern market. Simon Leng's WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS: THE MUSIC OF GEORGE HARRISON (1423406095, $19.95) has been revised and expanded for this new edition, covering the entirety of George Harrison's musical career for Beatles and Harrison fans alike. Each of his songs receives detailed analysis while a running history relates Harrison's evolution as a musician to growing trends, styles and influences of his times. Also included are comments from key contemporaries who worked with him, making WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS an outstanding resource by a fine biographer. The House That Trane Built This is the 45th anniversary of the Impulse record label, and to mark the occasion is a powerful review THE HOUSE THAT TRANE BUILT: THE STORY OF IMPULSE RECORDS which is, concurrently, a story of the roots of jazz recording. Paired with a 10 'best of Impulse' cd collection plus a 4-cd companion to the book, THE HOUSE THAT TRANE BUILT has also become a radio program and provides a close analysis of the relationship between jazz great John Coltrane and Impulse Records. Nearly two decades of artistic creation are chronicled from marketing wins and insider experiences derived from interviews with over fifty musicians, industry executives and producers to other powerful artists and recordings to evolve from the Impulse record label. In its heyday Impulse fostered new technologies, new sounds, and new artists: no jazz library would be complete without THE HOUSE THAT TRANE BUILT, which shows how all this was achieved. Build Your Own Electric Guitar N. Pomfret, VT 05053 If you dream of building your own guitar someday, Martin Oakham's BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC GUITAR: COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS AND FULL-SIZE PLANS is for you, covering everything from hardware, tools and wood selection to techniques for all phases. Oakham has spent over twenty years hand-making guitars for customers around the world, so his instructions are tried, tested and authoritative, covering all the procedures and possible problems along the way. How Not to Destroy Your Career in Music 5055 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036 HOW NOT TO DESTROY YOUR CAREER IN MUSIC: AVOIDING THE COMMON MISTAKES MOST MUSICIANS MAKE follows the radical changes in the industry over the last five years, with special attention to the moves which promise success over failure. Musicians who understand the music industry's changes are in the best position to take advantage of new strategies to assure this success: from licensing for film or TV to reaching out to the appropriate level of media, all indie musicians should have this title. The S.M.A.R.T GUIDE to Becoming a Successful Producer/Engineer Thomson Course Technology 25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210 The S.M.A.R.T GUIDE to Becoming a Successful Producer/Engineer is a top pick for any involved in engineering and recording: it covers all the specifics of making a great album, from meeting with the artist to developing the sound and getting financial backing for a project. Chapters come from the President of Northwest Music and Recording: Bill Gibson's spent the past 25 years writing, recording, producing and teaching music, and his instructions cover all real-world issues from handling budgets to getting jobs done on time. The Literary Shelf The Newbery and Caldecott Awards Association for Library Service to Children P.O. Box 932501, Atlanta, GA 31193-2501 Each year the ALA presents these two awards to the best children's books published in the previous year, and librarians make it a point to include any winners in their holdings this 2006 edition provides annotations for all the award-winners since inception and is indexed by title, author and illustrator. Added to this update is a essays by children's literary consultant Sue McLeaf Nespeca on sharing picturebooks with kids, and elements of art which lend to a successful marriage between artist and author. It's not only a strong survey but can serve as a reading list for any who would review the winners and their attributes, making this a recommended pick beyond the juvenile collection. Comparative Literature in An Age of Globalization Haun Saussy, Editor 2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 Globalization has become a defining paradigm in almost all areas of human activity, and literature is no exception. This report from the American Comparative Literature Association shows that analysis of literature on a global scope can provide important insights into cultural differences and similarities. It responds to the common attacks against modern literary studies in drawing connections between the discipline, its literature, and intellectual challenges understanding language and ideas across cultures, and will provide college-level students with important scholarly papers. Walker & Co 104 5th Avenue New York NY 10011 FAUX PAS? A NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO WORDS AND PHRASES FROM OTHER LANGUAGES will reach many casual readers as well as English language library holdings, offering an approachable and even fun set of insights into hundreds of phrases readers may want to use in their writings. An A-Z listing of such words and phrases offers definitions, examples, and comments on expressions and relationships between words. Writer's Digest Books 4700 E. Galbraith, Cincinnati, OH 45236 The first edition of the 'Grumbling Grammarian' received praise from The New York Times and many others and here is a deluxe edition to enjoy of Robert Hartwell Fiske's THE DICTIONARY OF DISAGREEABLE ENGLISH: A CURMUDGEON'S COMPENDIUM OF EXCRUCIATINGLY CORRECT GRAMMAR (1562974187 $19.99). So what makes it different? Here are the usual definitions and words often confused along with spicy notes from the author, i.e.: "Act out is drivel for misbehave or behave badly. Psychologists and other social scientists create nonsensical terms like this to create an aura of credibility and mystery to their largely self-evident studies." Hilarious, pointed, and educational a fine reference inviting leisure browsing and reference alike. Eric Maisel Ph.D. and Ann Maisel's WHAT WOULD YOUR CHARACTER DO? PERSONALITY QUIZZES FOR ANALYZING YOUR CHARACTERS (1582973725, $15.99) is a pick for any who would understand strong characterization. 30 real-life scenarios include questions and answers writers can use to understand motivation, psyche, coping techniques, and style. Learn how to develop scenarios using prompts and tricks to develop personality, and create exceptionally powerful characters as a result. Writing for Comics With Peter David 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236 Comic fans, science fiction buffs and graphic novel writers alike will find a fine how-to book by a leading comic book writer in WRITING FOR COMICS WITH PETER DAVID. His writing prompts, stories, and humor is something different, outlining the basics of character and plot development, pacing, and sound effects in a manner beginners will find most accessible. Add memoirs and anecdotes of his life as a comic/graphic novel writer and you'll find plenty to appreciate, even if you don't pick up a pen to try your own hand. The Needlecraft Shelf Kaffe Fassett's Museum Quilts Kaffee Fassett with Liza Piror Lucy Box 5507, Newtown, CT 06470-5507 KAFFE FASSETT'S MUSEUM QUILTS: DESIGNS INSPIRED BY THE VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM is a top pick for any quilter, offering new quilts from designer Kaffe Fassett who here draws ideas from the textiles in the famous London collection. Over twenty new patchwork designs weaves antique sources with contemporary stylings, using updated color schemes and modern sewing techniques. The patchworks are utility, traditional and showpiece creations and each design comes with full directions and easily-reproduced piecing patterns. A peppering of color photos polishes off the intriguing new designs. The Gardening Shelf Gorgeous Garden Railways Marc Horovitz and Pat Hayward 21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186 If you want to become involved in the hobby of putting together and running a scenic garden railway, Gorgeous Garden Railways is the item of choice for achieving this goal. Here are plans for the infrastructure and design of working small garden railways which display landscapes, design choices, and techniques for making your own. Full-page color photos accompany displays of successful garden rail designs and there are some surprising themes here too, from working lumber railways to small towns. Bonnie Thomas Abbott 1700 Madison Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45206 While RADICAL PRUNINGS is fiction, any gardener will relish the opinionated reflections of one Mertensia Corydalis, a cutting set of vicarious garden reflections presenting the 'collected horticultural columns' and catalog of a prickly botanical advice writer. Any gardener will find it filled with fun moments and gardening reflections. The Home Improvement Shelf Mongolian Cloud Houses Dan Frank Kuehn Box 279, Bolinas, CA 94924 Nomadic living in the 21st century can be achieved if your house is flexible and even portable and MONGOLIAN CLOUD HOUSES: HOW TO MAKE A YURT AND LIVE COMFORTABLE advocates and shows how to construct a yurt using low-cost, natural materials available in either a backyard or wilderness. Step-by-step black and white drawings accompany a yurt history and includes construction alternatives and tips and tricks. A rare 'must' for any interested in alternative do-it-yourself construction. Remodel or Move? 1030 E. El Camino Real #130, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 Has your home stopped working for you? Usually homeowners think that means moving time but remodeling is also an option, and REMODEL OR MOVE? MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION offers one of the few remodel books to consider the pros and cons of different projects. Chapters explore when to make changes and when to consider selling, offering tips on how to avoid costly options, how to lower costs, and how to make a decision. From gut feelings to real experiences, REMODEL OR MOVE is the first step a homeowner should make in the decision process. 1000 Best Quick and Easy Organizing Secrets Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410 Jamie Novak is a professional organizer and tells how to get organized; from the three basic steps to reducing clutter to letting go of junk and understanding how home layout can contribute to clutter. A room-by-room organization considers everything from whether to keep photo negatives to how to store them, how to incorporate a drying rack into a limited room size, and much more. It's packed with ideas and insights and not to be mised. DECORATIVE PAINT & FAUX FINISHES (0376013893, $19.95) provides some forty projects teaching the basics of special wall techniques, from geometric designs to metallic finishes. Step-by-step instructions for handling specialty materials and producing specific results cover a range of techniques, pros and cons of applications and finishes, and special effects. BIG BOOK OF WINDOW TREATMENTS: MORE THAN 1,000 WAYS TO DRESS UP YOUR WINDOWS (037601749X, $19.95) covers draperies, blinds, cornices, shutters and more, offering a range of window dress-up options and examples. Examples include unusual variations on a theme and provide a range of shade facts, making for special recommendations for any seeking an idea book for windows of all kinds. BIG IDEAS FOR SMALL SPACES by David Lansing and JoAnne Liebeler (0376011130, $19.95) provides room-by-room tours of dozens of small homes, displaying design ideas for making the most of them. Pages from JoJo's Notebook, written by the home remodeling authority, discuss investments that promise big payoffs, designs that maximize space, and those that hide undesirable attributes. An exceptional guide for any with apartments or smaller homes. Jane Horn and Sunset's editors provide IDEAS FOR GREAT KITCHENS (0376012382, $16.95), covering all the basics of creating an ideal kitchen which can be both functional for cooking and used as a social center. From shopper's guides to assets and remodel plans, IDEAS FOR GREAT KITCHENS is packed with insights. Start-to-Finish Landscape Construction 1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023 If you like home projects and want a collection of simple outdoor landscape construction ideas for improving decks, patios, sheds, walkways or fencing, START-TO-FINISH LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION is for you. It provides patterns of projects, sidebars of info for telling when a change is needed, tips on using and designing with different kinds of materials, and more. From flagstone to framing, chapters cover a wide range of home-enhancing projects. Ryland Peters & Small 519 Broadway, 5th Floor, New York NY 10012 These lovely books pair home furnishing projects with clear directions on how to achieve professional, polished results. Katrin Cargill's THE HOME FURNISHING WORKBOOK WITH 32 STEP-BY-STEP PROJECTS (1845971221, $19.95), for example, packs in several hundred ideas ranging from easy pillows and stylish curtains to lampshades. Each section on these areas holds a range of ideas and plans for bringing them to life. Judith Wilson's BABIES' ROOMS FROM ZERO TO THREE (1845971469, $27.50) tells how to adapt adult rooms for babies, from the introductory add of a crib to a parents' bedroom to choosing furniture and decoration for unisex nurseries, designing girls' and boys' rooms, and adapting bathrooms and play spaces. The emphasis on stylish decorations as well as functional spaces assures interest, especially when paired with numerous photos of real babies and real homes. Jane Burdon's THE COMFORTABLE HOME: AN INSPIRATIONAL GUIDE TO CREATING FEEL-GOOD SPACES (1845971523, $27.50) provides a range of styles and options for a comfortable home, from different choices in sleeping, eating and play spaces to bathrooms and outdoor spaces. The author is an interiors expert who offers advice on choosing major furniture pieces to emphasize the purpose of a home or room, providing both photo inspiration in full color and a reference directory of resources. All are wonderful titles. New Society Publishers Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC VOR 1XO, Canada An earth-sheltered, earth-roofed home has the least impact of all housing styles, yet relatively few books cover this type of structure for owner-builders. Chapters describe construction techniques, offer resource listings of all the latest products, and cover everything from planning and excavation to energy systems, protection against fire and earthquake, and more. The Biography Shelf The Importance of Being Barbra Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's Press 175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010-7848 Barbra Streisand is a global icon so much has already been written about her life and personality yet here's another side, an analytical look at her career, myths an realties from her early recordings to her TV specials and beyond. Chapters provide new insights based on her career choices and moves, and thus THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BARBRA goes beyond the usual background check to delve into artistic creation, influences, and values. Hit By a Farm Marlowe & Company 245 W. 18th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10011 HIT BY A FARM: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BARN is a funny farming guide: a book about two women who decide to go back to the land and discover the realities of the land's hardships for non-rural residents. Whether it's dealing with broken fences and boundaries, stubborn sheep, or sheep who are gazelles in sheep's clothing, HIT BY A FARM is filled with fun moments, accounts of overwork and mishaps, and more. Ol' Man River Capt. William D. Bowell, Sr. Afton Historical Society Press Box 100, Afton, MN 55001 OL MAN RIVER: MEMOIRS OF A RIVERBOAT CAPTAIN does tell of adventure on the Mississippi but it's also a memoir of Captain Bowell Sr. and includes many aspects of his life which don't have to do with riverboating, such as his participation in World War II and his family life. As such it should be enjoyed by two audiences: those who like biography in general and military backgrounds in particular, and those who want a life story of one who built the Padelford Packet Boat Company. Audiences who don't expect a riverboat-only coverage will be happy with this vivid memoir. Women of the Beat Generation 65 Parker Street Unit 7, Newburyport, MA 01950 Any interested in the history of the beat era must have WOMEN OF THE BEAT GENERATION: THE WRITERS, ARTISTS AND MUSES AT THE HEART OF A REVOLUTION. Much has been written on famous beat men but comparatively little on the women who also made their mark during the time: long overdue but better late than never is an exploration of the histories of these women, from Barbara Guest and Diane DiPrima to Jan Kerouac and Anne Waldman. A literary and social history which should not be missed. Daughter of the Yellow River Image Global Impact One Market Street #3600, San Francisco, CA 94105 When the author was three years old her family was forced to leave their middle-class life in the city, relocating to an improvised coal mining village to be 're-educated' thanks to the dictate of China's Cultural Revolution. Raised in a life of struggle, the author determined to have a better life, graduating from medical school and overcoming family objections to explore other careers before becoming a top executive in the optical fiber industry. In 1997 she visited the US to launch her own international business: DAUGHTER OF THE YELLOW RIVER: AN INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEY FROM DEPRIVED CHILD DURING CHINA'S CULTURAL REVOLUTION TO SUCCESSFUL GLOBAL ENTREPRENEUR recounts her long struggle. The True Story of Alice B. Toklas University of Iowa Press 100 Kuhl House, Iowa City, IA 52242 College-level collections strong in literary criticism must have this study, which integrates and examines three works of criticism: Gertrude Stein's THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS, Toklas's own THE ALICE B. TOKLAS COOK BOOK, and WHAT IS REMEMBERED. The idea of autobiography is probed as both the genre and the writers' methods and approaches are examined. Chapters deconstruct the true story idea and provide many points for study and examination. 380 Jackson Suite 200, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885 Alan Bramson's PURE LUCK: THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY OF SIR THOMAS SOPWITH traces the history of the Sopwith family's early involvement in aeronautics, which would lead to not only air fame but attempts to win the America's Cup for Britain in the yacht competition. Tommy Sopwitch's style earned him acclaim in all sectors from business to flight: his biography goes into great detail on family relationships, achievements, and merits and is a 'must' for any enthusiast of aviation legend. Trafficking in Sheep Anne Barclay Priest Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091 The author was a working actress and the divorced single mother of two boys when a summer on the coast of Nova Scotia led to the purchase of a house, then an island, where with the help of vet James Herriot she becomes the owner of a flock of semi-wild sheep. This is her story of several decades moving from urban dweller to farmer, offering fun and delightful vignettes of her struggles and love for the countryside. Academy Chicago Pubns 363 W. Erie Street, Chicago, IL 606010 Julian Padowicz's MOTHER AND ME: ESCAPE FROM WARSAW 1939 (0897335449, $27.50) tells of a spoiled Warsaw socialite mother who turned her child over to a Catholic governess to raise and a Jewish boy who hated Jews. War divided their lives and left Julian with a mother he barely knew who was newly determined to do anything for her son. Brought up to distrust all things Jewish by his Catholic beloved governess, Julian had more than the usual changes to through and thus MOTHER AND ME is anything but your typical war account. Mark Tedesco's THAT UNDENIABLE LONGING: MY ROAD TO AND FROM THE PRIESTHOOD (0897335422, $23.95) tells of a young man who becomes a priest before he discovers he's gay. His struggles in a seminary at age 19 and his eventual acceptance of his flesh needs at a time when the Vatican has banned gays from the priesthood makes for a moving memoir of faith and disillusionment. Raya Czerner Shapiro and Helga Czerner Weinberg compile LETTERS FROM PRAGUE: 1939-41 (0897335457), which comes from a box of letters among the authors' mother's papers after her death in 1990 letters written by relatives trapped in Prague after the Nazi occupation. Over seventy letters published over a period of two years provides insights into Nazi activities in Prague and each letter comes with notes of explanation to add historical background. A 'must' for Holocaust collections. Amelia Earhart's THE FUN OF IT (091586455X, $16.95) provides lively autobiography from a flyer who recounts her childhood and almost accidental discovery of the talent which would make her famous. From her unusual marriage pact to her freedom to pursue a flying career against all odds, THE FUN OF IT tells of a lively life. Granta UK/Trafalgar Square Press N. Pomfret, VT 05053 Hans-Georg Behr's childhood in wartime Austria was unique to say the least: his mother was an opera singer, and both parents were rabid Nazis. As the war progresses even their world collapses as his older half-brother is killed confronting Russian soldiers and his half-sister commits suicide. As the Russians advance his mother is forced from opera to serve in a bar. ALMOST A CHILDHOOD: GROWING UP AMONG THE NAZIS (1862077819 $24.95) provides an eye-opening look at the changes ideology and war bring. Anne Sebba's THE EXILED COLLECTOR: WILLIAM BANKES AND THE MAKING OF AN ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSE (0719565715, $15.95) provides lively survey of a pioneer Egyptologist and traveler who was exiled to Venice, leaving his beloved house behind. His vicarious embellishment of the house comes to life in a rich, fun discussion of his peculiarities and purposes. Notes for a Memoir Janet Jeppson Asimov 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197 NOTES FOR A MEMOIR ON ISAAC ASIMOV, LIFE, AND WRITING is both a autobiography of Janet's life with her famous husband, scientist and writer Isaac, and survey of IsaacAsimov's ideals and values. Plenty of books have been written on Asimov's contributions and science, but few offer the personal and witty insights of NOTES FOR A MEMOIR, which details the life they had together. There's plenty of new information you won't find elsewhere, along with excerpts from his letters to her and family photos, making it a 'must' for any Asimov fan. A selection of Janet's short stories concludes a very personal, fine memoir. The Reference Shelf 1210 SW 23rd Place, Ocala, FL 34474-7014 Two real estate 'how to' guides are top picks and highly recommended. Jamaine Burrell's THE RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGER'S TOOLBOX: A COMPLETE GUIDE (0910627711, $29.95) includes a companion cd-rom and tells rental property owners how to avoid headaches and even lawsuits. Learn how to manage property, screen tenants, understand legal rights on all sides, and prevent crime with a guide that covers all possibilities. Sebastian Howell's FAST REAL ESTATE PROFITS IN ANY MARKET: THE ART OF FLIPPING PROPERTIES (0910627681, $21.95) tells all about how to 'flip' properties quickly, legally and ethically without great credit or a real estate license. Chapters offer potential for part-time investors as well as hopeful career investors, covering all parts of the transaction from deeds and mortgages to notes and new FHA regulations, and pair case histories and success stories with real-world cautions. An excellent investor's reference. Ethan Allen and Allen & Wheelock 54 East School Street, Woonsocket, RI 02895 ETHAN ALLEN AND ALLEN & WHEELOCK: THEIR GUNS AND THEIR LEGACY focuses on the products of four interrelated companies and their different product lines, providing a staggering amount of reference material on the firearms manufactured by Ethan Allen and his partner Thomas Wheelock. These haven't received the fame of the Colt and Winchester but they were produced in huge quantities, carried by all kinds of people, and often held innovations. Each gun is given a half-page close-up color photo, description, and historical background of development and influences. Chapters also pack in details on pricing fluctuations and influences to make this a collector's dream as well as of high recommendation to any general gun owner enthusiast. 950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 Two fine Nolo guides are top picks, offering legal companions packed with advice. Nolo's own editors produce YOUR LITTLE LEGAL COMPANION: HELPFUL ADVICE FOR LIFE'S BIG EVENTS (1413305423, $9.95), offering practical information to general law. From quitting a job or getting fired to auto accidents, renting a home or handling neighbors, chapters offer specific legal insights. Attorney Janet Portman's EVERY LANDLORD'S GUIDE TO FINDING GREAT TENANTS (1413304133, $19.99) provides an overview of the entire screening process for tenants, from effective advertising and unit evaluation to checking references, handling discrimination claims, making an offer and managing rental issues. Both are excellent basic guides. A Graceful Farewell 155 Cypress Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 A GRACEFUL FAREWELL: PUTTING YOUR AFFAIRS IN ORDER offers up a workbook format accompanied by a handy cd-rom to provide a step-by-step guide. From clarifying final wishes for declining health and choosing where to live final years to handling self-employment, liability, funeral and family communications, A GRACEFUL FAREWELL puts everything in a format which lends to both understanding and easy organization. How to Date in a Post-Dating World 119 S. Main Street #400, Seattle, WA 98104 How can singles date? Diane Mapes maintains most people don't know how to date anymore and while there are plenty of books telling how to snare a wonderful man or woman, few teach now to be fair and attractive to others. Single readers will here find a romantic etiquette guide for modern times, designed as a portable tote and field guide and providing advice gleaned from the author's interviews with singles across the country: singles who hate dating! Federal Street Press 25-13 Old King's Highway N. #277, Darien, CT 06820 Updated for 2006, the new Webster's dictionary New Explorer Encyclopedic Dictionary (1596950072 $39.95) provides coverage of modern American English as it's used today in the academic and business worlds. It serves as the perfect desk reference, albeit weighty, holding some 330,000 words and definitions in over 1,300 entries. Geographical names and biographical names have been updated for 2006, hundreds of synonyms and word histories highlighted, and over 1,000 illustrations added. An outstanding pick for both public and school library holdings and many a home reference collection! Webster's NEW EXPLORER LARGE PRINT DICTIONARY (1596950013, $12.98) represents a bargain for any who require or prefer larger print: it's developed with the National Association for Visually Handicapped, the agency which set the standard for large print publications, and packs in over 40,000 easily-read words and large type entries with clear definitions. An invaluable reference. Postal Exams Book Albert B. Kim 702 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 POSTAL EXAMS BOOK is a pick for any who would take the civil service exams required for the post office. Get a score from 95 to 100 and use the sample tests to check skills levels in a title that outlines the exam, hiring procedures, and skills levels. Choose Mexico for Retirement John Howells and Don Merwin Insider's Guide/Globe Pequot Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437 Modern retirees who want to get the most out of shrinking retirement benefits will want to look at CHOOSE MEXICO FOR RETIREMENT, appearing in its 9th updated edition to provide the latest facts on local real estate, costs, medical care, business opportunities and more. From Baja California to the Yucatan Peninsula, discussions revolve around cultural and economic considerations alike and also include first-person insights on development and direction. An excellent primer for assessing Mexico's pros and cons. Farming with Horses Steve Bowers & Marlen Steward 380 Jackson #200, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885 If you own a farm and are looking to add horse power to your available tools, FARMING WITH HORSES is a top pick reference. It covers everything from equipment harnesses and leads to training methods, how to hitch a horse to an implement, and caring for the working horse. Chapters pack in color photos and detailed references for every step of the way. 1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019 Planning an estate is essential for any seeking to protect assets and family, so many books on the topic permeate the market already but Sandy F. Kraemer's 60-MINUTE ESTATE PLANNER: FAST AND EASY PLANS FOR SAVING TAXES, AVOIDING PROBATE, AND MAXIMIZING INHERITANCE (0814473059 $21.95) is easier than most, has been updated to reflect the latest estate and tax laws, and comes packed with forms, charts and worksheets as well as information. From communicating with heirs to managing special needs, everything's here in an updated third edition. Ken Roth's EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING A CO-OP, CONDO, OR TOWNHOUSE (0814473253, $18.95) comes from a lawyer who specializes in real estate issues, and provides a guide to owning, buying and selling these kinds of properties. Chapters cover both resales and new construction and provide tips on everything from locating the right type of home to making an offer and handling homeowners' associations and rules. Bride to Be Jaclyn Hirschhaut & Kate Taylor 250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788 Want to plan the perfect wedding with a minimum of hassle? Have questions on etiquette, themes, or tact? BRIDE TO BE: PLAN YOUR WEDDING WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND may be for you: it focuses on options, compromises, and common areas of trouble with an eye to teaching how to simplify plans and ease stress and strain. From less conventional bridal registry options such as setting up a donation fund for charity to special touches in ceremony and planning, no bride should be without this guide. The Complete Book of The 22 Wayne Van Zwoll Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437 The versatile .22 is one of the most popular starter rifles, a perfect first choice for hunters and shooters and an economic choice at that. THE COMPLETE BOOK OF THE 22: A GUIDE TO THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR GUNS offers analysis of everything from triggers and rimfires in general to makers, specs, and shooting tips for all environments. An excellent guide for any 22 rifle owner or would-be owner. The Travel Shelf The Ethical Travel Guide Polly Pattullo & Orely Minelli 22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012 THE ETHICAL TRAVEL GUIDE: YOUR PASSPORT TO EXCITING ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAYS is for any sick of tourist traps and guilt trips or who want to use their tourism dollars to have a positive impact on local people. From construction projects in Tibet to ecolodge accommodations, THE ETHICAL TRAVEL GUIDE offers a host of alternative opportunities. 1400 65th Street #250, Emeryville, CA 94608 Three fine travel guides are top picks for destination-oriented travelers. Becky Lomax's GLACIER NATIONAL PARK (1566919509, $16.95) offers all kinds of suggestions for getting the most from the park and region, whether it be one day, numerous days, backcountry hiking opportunities or wildflowers and wildlife. Sixteen detailed maps accompany itineraries, activities, restaurant and accommodation tips. Robert Nelsen's KAUA'I (1566919568, $19.95) covers the history, culture and sights of Hawaii's garden isle, offering tips on the best hikes, sightseeing spots, and even a seven-day adventure tour. There are nearly thirty maps to this coverage, which represents the firsthand experience and knowledge of its author. Mike Sigalas' CHARLESTON & SAVANNAH (1566917522, $16.95) provides plenty of historical background and detail to a coverage which offers specific types of local history tours and nearly twenty maps. Author Sigalas' knowledge of the areas contributes plenty of commentary and sidebars of local lingo and knowledge are particularly intriguing along with the usual restaurant and accommodation tips. All are top picks for planning trips to the areas and appear as handy take-along totes. In the Shadow of The Volcano 1256 Fayette Street, El Cajon, CA 92020-1511 IN THE SHADOW OF THE VOLCANO: ONE FAMILY'S BAJA ADVENTURE is adventure reading at its best: in the early 1970s the author and his family explored Baja, living in a tiny hut they constructed on a remote beach. But that didn't end their adventure: in 1985 they revisited the area with their sons ages and 8, living for a summer in another beachside hut. Their first-person adventures offer warm reflections on local culture and family experiences alike. Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook The Old Manse, Tower Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6SU, UK Touring by bicycle is becoming a popular option for adventure travelers who want something different: ADVENTURE CYCLE-TOURING HANDBOOK: WORLDWIDE CYCLING ROUTE & PLANNING GUIDE is your item of choice for planning such an adventure. From Europe to Russia, India and South America, chapters pair small black and white photos with specific insights on routes, directions, duration, permits required, local police, and pros and cons. An excellent, savvy destination planner's guide. Where the Earth Ends Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007 In 1996 a former town planner took his first trip to Patagonia, an experience which would change his life and which was inspired by the earlier travels of a sailor great-grandfather. His exploration of the island where the real Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked and his discovery of native tribes, exploitation of native peoples and harsh environment comes to life in a 'you are there' adventure travel guide, a recommended pick for any who would visit the region from the comfort of an armchair. The 10 Best of Everything Nathaniel & Andrew Lande 1145 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036-4688 Travel connoisseurs and armchair readers alike will relish these descriptions of some thirty top trips gathered by veteran travelers Nathaniel and Andrew Lande: trips to museums, ski and tropical resorts, gardens, train trips and more. Also included are cruises, wines, hideaways, and landmarks on nearly every continent. The authors are a world traveler and a food and wine expert: their recommendations are choice, top picks. 150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607 CODE GREEN: EXPERIENCES OF A LIFETIME outlines over eighty journeys which have positive impacts on the environment, culture and economy of the destination. As such the concept and presentation moves beyond the 'how I can enjoy' theme to 'how I can contribute through my enjoyment': chapters document experiences which have minimal tourist impact on the destination yet don't involve hardships on the traveler. From saving birds to visiting a living longhouse in Borneo, a continent-wide organization allows for easy location of areas of special interest. Sidebars of conservation information accompany color photos and personal accounts by travelers and guides alike. The World History Shelf Box 219, Madeira Park, NC V0N 2HO Plenty of travel guides cover Belize; but much fewer narrow the focus to its history and culture. UNDERSTANDING BELIZE tells the story of the country, from its early days as a haven for pirates through its current attraction as an ecotourism focal point. Black and white photos and a timeline accompany a rare survey of the nation that will appeal not just to travelers, but to any interested in the individual histories and evolution of the South American countries. Handbook to Life in The Aztec World Facts on File 132 West 31st Street, New York NY 10001 High school to college-level students will find Handbook to Life in The Aztec World a fine reference, providing a thematic approach to the Aztec world which surveys geography, civilization development, Aztec arts and architecture, daily life, and customs and beliefs. Each chapter pairs an article with an extensive bibliography and the books also packs in over a hundred line drawings, photos and maps. A Fictional History of The United States With Huge Chunks Missing T. Cooper & Adam Mansbach, Eds. Box 1456, New York, NY 10019 A FICTIONAL HISTORY OF THE US WITH HUGE CHUNKS MISSING is a story collection and could've been featured in our literary section, but is reviewed here because any history buff will find it appealing and fun. Authors and cartoonists work together to provide a patchwork medley of original history, from the moon landing to McCarthyism and beyond. Insights on history, irony and truths make for important reflections and insights. Doubleday/Bantam UK/Trafalgar Square N. Pomfret, VT 05053 In 1177 Pope Alexander III wrote a letter to the Priest-King of the Indies and chose his physician to delivery it even though the legendary monarch's kingdom was hidden. Master Philip set out to find it and delivery the letter and vanished: centuries later author Nicholas Jubber fond a copy of the pope's original letter and decided to deliver it himself. THE PRESTER QUEST blends history with an adventure travelogue to make for an extraordinary odyssey. The Accidental Empire Times Books/Henry Holt 175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010 THE ACCIDENTAL EMPIRE: ISRAEL AND THE BIRTH OF THE SETTLEMENTS, 1967-77 offers up the untold story based on new original research, of the actions and issues which created the Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. It goes beyond detailing the well-known events of the Six Day War to probe the birth of the settler movement in Israel, the product of Labor Party socialism and religious extremism. Israel's major figures and how they interacted with U.S. administrative forces distracted by Vietnam are probed in chapters which tell of the first Israeli settler in occupied territory p to modern times. Any interested in Zionist history and issues must have this. Speaking Truth to Power Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425 SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER: THE DONAL DE ROISTE AFFAIR tells of one 'retired' from the Irish defense forces over unknown accusations and his own protest. Don Mullan explores the event and the idea de Roiste was framed because he held the power to destroy the career of a senior officer: he was one of three passengers in a car which injured a young woman, and O'Kelly was drunk at the time. Roiste would not lie and investigative journalist Mullan examines military documents leading to his 'retirement' in 1969 by President de Valera. Collections strong in Irish history and politics will find this absorbing. The Fiction Shelf 1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020 These leisure choices are top picks, offering action and solid plots. Stuart Kaminsky's CSI: NY: BLOOD ON THE SUN (1416509585, $7.99) tells of a dedicated detective who finds a grisly crime scene in a quiet Queens neighborhood: a family murdered, a son missing. A second crime in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn a ritual slaying also involves the CSI crime unit in another puzzle. CSI: NY: DEAD OF WINTER (1416503293, $7.99) recounts a murder in an Upper East Side ritzy building: no bullets, no DNA, and no motive seem to make for the perfect crime. Add a waitress' murder and you also have two slid adventures. Diana Killian's SONNET OF THE SPHINX (0743466802, $6.99) tells of a rare sonnet's link to murder. Grace's stay in England's Lake District has proved fruitful both professionally and romantically but old farmhouse papers leading to a lost Shelley sonnet complicate matters and make Grace and her boyfriend suspects in a strange local murder case. Carol Higgins Clark's BURNED (0743476662, $7.99) presents a L.A.-based private detective, Regan Reilly, whose trip to Hawaii for a last 'girls' weekend' before she marries turns into an investigation of a hotel death. What seems a simple case of murder over a valuable lei turns dangerous in a series of twists and turns. Edna Buchanan's SHADOWS (0743476646, $7.99) is set in Miami and tells of the owner of a lovely 1920s mansion which is in the path of a planned high rise. When the owner is murdered, Lt. K.C. Riley and her detectives find themselves involved in a pioneer house and a dangerous case. Casey Moreton's THE GREATER GOOD: A THRILLER (0743456580, $7.99) provides swift action within the basic elements of a mystery: a bullet, a body, and a secret which can wreck the government of the U.S. A vice presidential assassination assumes a depth which could change the country in a political thriller/murder mystery from a first-time novelist. All are fine mysteries and thrillers. Lauren Weisberger's EVERYONE WORTH KNOWING (0743262336, $14.00) comes form the author of the now-movie book DEVIL WEARS PRADA and tells of a New York chic elite girl who moves form the fringe to the center. A brand new job and elevated position introduces her to the VIP rooms of New York's most exclusive and to a world where personal and professional life can mix. Colleen Hitchcock's RABBIT HEART (1416509518, $14.00) tells of an ideal mistress whose lovers all die trying to satisfy her sexual appetite. In Victorian England the French mistress is renowned and being investigated for murder. 375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014 Danielle Girard's THE ROOKIE CLUB (0451218744, $6.99) is a fast-paced thriller centering around a club of female cops founded some fifteen years earlier who seek respect from their male peers. When one of their members is murdered, Jamie wants nothing to do with the investigation, facing her own cases which are hitting too close to home but when she realizes members of the club are under attack, she is unwittingly drawn into the fight of her life. Barbara Freethy'sTAKEN (0451218736, $6.99) tells of Kayla, who has longed for love and a family: a whirlwind courtship seems to promise this until her husband vanishes on their wedding night. Her search for the truth will bring her into contact with Nick, on his own journey to claim back his life. A fine story of romance and intrigue evolves. 2021 Pine Lake Road #100, Lincoln, NE 68512 Paul Mark Tag's CATEGORY 5 (059534075X, $18.95) holds special meaning this year after years of especially devastating Florida hurricanes: it tells of a hurricane more deadly than Katrina bearing down on Washington DC and the event is manmade. Add the personal drama of a black man adopted by Jewish parents who must confront its mastermind a former college roommate who destroyed his girlfriend's life and you have plenty of tension, high drama and action. Eric Penz's CRYPTID: THE LOST LEGACY OF LEWIS & CLARK (0595359744, $18.95) also is a tense thriller, telling of conspiracy theorists who uncover new evidence of a centuries-long cover-up. A cryptozoologist, a paleontologist and others begin to unravel a mystery which could change the face of American history only to find the conspiracy and cover-up continues into modern times and may reveal a haunting secret. Both are fascinating, highly recommended picks. 77 W. 66th Street, New York NY 10023-6298 Scott Mebus' BOOTY NOMAD (1401359647, $12.95) tells of David, who has just dumped the girl he loved into a 'failed relationship' grave. Indeed, his relationship graveyard is growing until the Goddess comes along with possible perfection. Twists of plot and humor keep BOOTY NOMAD unique and involving. Scott Mebus' THE BIG HAPPY (1401352561, $23.95) is also a winning novel which continues David's story: here he's a TV producer with a shot at success, waiting for his novel to sell. Romance and a model's secret could change his life if it's possible for happiness and success to overlap for David. Plum Sykes' THE DEBUTANTE DIVORCEE (1401352448, $23.95) focuses on high society and glamour, following the world of New York's young, newly un-wed girls. Newlywed Sylvia's friendship with a recently divorced socialite amuses her, for Lauren is living life well and evolving her own world while Sylvia fears her husband's attentions are wandering. A fun story of friendships and love evolves. Rachel Pine's THE TWINS OF TRIBECA (1401360009, $13.95) follows one Karen, who has the job of a lifetime at a hot New York film studio headed by ambitious brothers. Her hectic work life and co-worker intrigue comes to life in a realistic story of film industry insider experience and realities. Edwin John Wintle's BREAKFAST WITH TIFFANY AN UNCLE'S MEMOIR (140135999X, $13.95) tells of a forty-something Manhattanite living the orderly life of an urban gay man with a good career, many friends and a sense something if missing. Tiffany is his troubled teen niece. When Ed invites Tiffany to live with him in New York, both gain a new edge on life they've been missing. Save Your Own 215 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10003 Gillian is in her final year at Harvard Divinity School and needs to write her thesis but when her topic 'secular conversion' is deemed unsuitable, she sets out to prove them wrong and takes a job at a halfway house for addicted women, seeking a change. Her new position provides challenges and changes she never could have predicted and leads her to rethink her life and very personality in this funny, lively tale. 10 E. 53rd Street, New York NY 10022 REALITY TV BITES (0060773111 $12.95) is Shane Bolks' second novel, presenting one Allison Holloway, an interior designer who loves reality TV and loves to think of lives other than her own. When her boss signs up their firm for a big makeover, Allison's life becomes the reality TV she's so fascinated with and her ideas about life and romance change. Nina Foxx's JUST SHORT OF CRAZY (0060847999, $12.95) presents the new genre of Afro-American chick-lit in a story about Afro-American professions in Austin, TX. Alexis Pearson appeared in Foxx's MARRYING UP: here she's back, a venture capitalist fiancι with a rising law career and success until her fiancι walks out on her. Her newfound exercise program and interest in work may bring new romance. Tabitha King & Michael McDowell 375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014 Michael McDowell is best known for his Blackwater horror series: he left the unfinished manuscript for Candles Burning upon his death in 1999 and Stephen King's wife Tabitha, a novelist in her own right, took up the challenge to finish it. The two powerful talents combine to create a chilling Southern gothic revolving around murder, corruption and a child and mother's exile after a horrible murder. A fine novel of intrigue and murder holds plenty of twists and turns and a healthy dose of the unexpected. The Nautical Shelf Fibreglass Boats, 4th Edn Hugo Du Plessis Adlard Clores Nautical/MBI, Dist. 380 Jackson #200, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885 The 4th updated edition of FIBREGLASS BOATS packs in anything such a boat owner would need to know; from maintenance and repairs to construction and reconstruction. Joins, sealants, stiffening, and replacing coatings are all surveyed in very specific, technical chapters you won't find in most competing boat owner's guides. From protection to longevity, chapters survey repair options and more. Any fibreglass boat owner simply must have this manual. It's Your Boat Too P.O. Box 29, Arcata, CA 95518-0029 IT'S YOUR BOAT TOO: A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO GREATER ENJOYMENT ON THE WATER comes from a female boater who draws on her twenty years in the Navy as a commanding officer to provide women boaters with a lively guide. Women are encouraged to take on more responsibilities onboard for greater enjoyment: nautical knowledge blends with chapters on terminology, basic rules of boating, handling boats in rough waters and overcoming weight and shorter stature limitations, and more. Every female boater should have this. The Pets/Wildlife Shelf One TFH Plaza, 3rd & Union, Neptune City, NJ 07753 Is your little dog chic? If not, turn to Deborah Wood's THE LITTLE DOGS' BEAUTY BOOK: CARE FASHION GROOMING (0793805872 $12.95). Here's the place to learn how to primp your small pet: chapters offer many groomers' tips and hints to grooming, from what kind of shampoo to use (and not to use!) to fashionable collars, leashes, and more. There hasn't been much written on home grooming for dogs in general, let alone the special needs of the little dog, so owners of such pets have a rich book here, packed with insights and color photos throughout. Pia Silvani, CPDT and Lynn Eckhardt's RAISING PUPPIES & KIDS TOGETHER: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS (0793805686, $16.95) is the perfect reference for parents thinking of adding a puppy to the family. Two top trainers explain how to successfully integrate a dog into a family with kids of all ages, from infants to school-age kids. Chapters cover the entire planning process, how to teach kids about puppy maintenance, and how to play, train, and socialize a dog. The emphasis on the pet/child relationship differs from most books which simply focus on how to train a puppy, and make for a unique, useful presentation. Dog Heroes of September 11th Nona Kilgore Bauer Kennel Club Books 308 Main Street, Allenhurst, NJ 07711 Dog Heroes of September 11th a Tribute to America's Search and Rescue Dogs provides a photo essay and celebration of the dogs who were used to rescue people trapped in the rubble at the World Trade center and Pentagon. Their stories come to life in color photos and descriptions, which select over seventy canines for mention. Their moment-by-moment experiences make for involving, moving accounts which any animal fan will find inspiring and revealing. The Science/Nature/Technology Shelf Kirk R. Johnson & Richard K. Stucky Denver Museum of Nature/Fulcrum Pubs 16100 Table Mtn Parkway #300, Golden, CO 80403 PREHISTORIC JOURNEY: A HISTORY OF LIFE ON EARTH blends photos of fine fossils with a written introduction to the history of life on earth, arranged chronologically for easy access and logical progression. The color photos and drawings come from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science's eight prehistoric habitat dioramas, and hold eye-catching, colorful displays especially intriguing for newcomers to the subject. Loving the Machine Timothy N. Hornyak 575 Lexington Avenue, New York NY 10022 The Japanese have long been fascinated with robots, from cartoons to corporate creations and engineering marvels and their idea of robotics is often very different from Western ideas and concepts. Perhaps this is because the Japanese hold an affection for robots while Westerners often fear them: LOVING THE MACHINE: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF JAPANESE ROBOTS explores the reasons behind Japan's affections, and considers the overall industry of robotics as a whole. Color photos throughout provide both cultural images and insights on the science involved in robotics. A Nature Guide to Northwest N. Carolina Box 3678, Boone, NC 28607 North Carolina holds many natural areas and is packed with diverse habitats for wildlife: here to enjoy a visit is a nature guide covering not just birds and mammals, but fishes, plants and reptiles as well. A centerfold of color photos enhances chapters discussing trails, natural environments, and areas of particular diversity or interest. Not for the casual nature lover, the enthusiast of habitats will find it ideal for understanding the region's offerings. Deer Tails & Trails Michael Furtman, Compiler Willow Creek Press Box 147, Minocqua, WI 54548 Whitetail deer have expanded their range from wilderness to suburbia and are now the nation's most popular species of deer. DEER TAILS & TRAILS: THE COMPLETE BOOK OF EVERYTHING WHITETAIL will appeal to sportsmen and nature lovers alike, documenting subspecies, measurements, daily routines, and evolutionary processes and packing the presentation with bright color photos throughout. A lovely celebration evolves. Last Great Wilderness University of Alaska Press Box 752640, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240 The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has for decades been at the center of the conflict between American needs for oil and nature's preservation, yet until now little has been provided in the way of a comprehensive history of how the Refuge came to be. LAST GREAT WILDERNESS: THE CAMPAIGN TO ESTABLISH THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE covers this history, from the early visionaries who set forth to save an entire ecosystem to the battles which led to the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964. It's a top, recommended pick for any interested in wilderness preservation in general and Arctic or oil issues in particular. Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's 175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010-7848 THE HIVE: THE STORY OF THE HONEYBEE AND US joins others which have appeared earlier this year covering the bee but goes further than most, drawing connections between the hive mentality of the bee and human affairs. Bees appear as symbols of many things and their honey product is widely used in cooking: their story blends myth with science and mankind has long been enamoured of the bee. THE HIVE traces mankind's different beliefs about the bee over the decades, gathering history from around the world from science, religion, politics and beyond. Lovely black and white drawings throughout enhance a fun story. Once Upon Einstein AK Peters Ltd. 888 Worcester, #230, Wellesley, MA 02482 Einstein's name is readily acknowledged and celebrated as the founder of 20th century physics but where did he get his ideas, and what discoveries were they based upon? ONCE UPON EINSTEIN blends scenes from his life and ideas on the formation of his theories and their modern applications to blend philosophy and science under one cover. Thibault Damour is a professor and a theoretical physicist himself with his own acclaim for work on black holes and string theory: his survey of Einstein is a 'must' for any college-level student. The Environmental Endgame Robert L. Nadwau Rutgers University Press 100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8099 THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENDGAME: MAINSTREAM ECONOMICS, ECOLOGICAL DISASTER, AND HUMAN SURVIVAL reiterates we've moved even closer to global environmental disaster and maintains that distinctions must be abolished which consider environmental issues as outside the sphere of 'real' or everyday concerns. Scientists have long attempted to bring these issues to consumer attention: here perspectives from a range of disciplines connect environmental issues with the real worlds of people around the world. From government institutions to economic concerns, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENDGAME is an important tool for linking environmental science with the rest of the world. The Life Cycles of Butterflies Judy Burris & Wayne Richards 210 MassMoca Way, N. Adams, MA 02147 1580176178 $16.95 www.storey.com Brother-sister team Judy Burris and Wayne Richards have been intrigued with butterflies since they were kids: now all ages can relish the subject with THE LIFE CYCLES OF BUTTERFLIES FROM EGG TO MATURITY, A VISUAL GUIDE TO 23 COMMON GARDEN BUTTERFLIES. Close-up photos follow the range of a butterfly's evolution and life cycle and provide plenty of natural history detail blended with tips on garden plants most likely to attract them. Curious By Nature 2323 Quebec Street #201, Vancouver, BC V5T 4S7 If Candace Savage's name sounds familiar, it's because she's been writing nature books and magazine articles for the last twenty-five years, appealing to a wide audience of nature lovers with her reflections on ecology, environment, and natural history. CURIOUS BY NATURE explores a range of natural wonders, from the northern lights to peregrine falcons: at the heart of many of her essays are reflections on how humans and wildlife can continue to co-exist in a shrinking world. Lyrical, evocative prose draws in even non-science readers. North American Wildlife 351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC V7J 2C4 For an oversized visual approach packing in color photo close-ups of North American wildlife, David Jones' title can't be beat: it pairs delightful full-page color photos with natural history, descriptions of research studies and findings, and protection routines, creating a catalog of wildlife which draws readers in with fine color and completes the education task with plenty of facts. As suitable for high school holdings as for public libraries, NORTH AMERICAN WILDLIFE is simply gorgeous. The Social Issues Shelf Accelerating the Globalization Of America Catherine L. Mann Institute for Intl Economics 1750 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036-1903 Information technology is an active part of the global economic community, outpacing investment nad trade growth for other products and pushing for more globalization than others, also. Its change and transformations are analyzed in Accelerating the Globalization of America: The Role for Information Technology. Executives and students alike will appreciate the focus on how the global IT industry has changed US and oversees interests, from evolving labor requirements and issues to innovative and business structures. Chapters use plenty of statistical citations and analysis in the course of surveying IT productivity, growth, and change. A top pick for international economics and IT courses. Voices from the Global Margin William P. Mitchell University of Texas Press Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819 VOICES FROM THE GLOBAL MARGIN: CONFRONTING POVERTY & INVENTING NEW LIVES IN THE ANDES focuses on the Peruvian poor and uses narratives from people he's known for forty years to explore how they've coped with poverty and rapid population growth. Chapters are based on these case history narratives and come from an anthropologist who lives among those he writes about, making for far more of a detailed survey than any archive-based study could achieve. Carry Tiger to Mountain Arsenal Pulp Press 1014 Homer Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 2W9 1551522004 $21.95 www.arsenalpulp.com CARRY TIGER TO MOUNTAIN: THE TAO OF ACTIVISM AND LEADERSHIP pairs a modern interpretation of Lao Tzu's Tao te Ching to Western leadership goals and values, considering how these principles can be applied in a new era of spirituality in activism. Experiences of present leaders of social causes blend with the author's own decades of experience as a social and political activist: from mistakes to ego in organizational management, everything is covered. The Chaos Point 1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902 THE CHAOS POINT: THE WORLD AT THE CROSSROADS predicts we have seven years to avoid global collapse and promote strategies for renewal and tells how the modern world will change in that period of time. Chapters maintain we're at a critical junction in history and comes from the founder of systems philosophy and general evolution theory: THE CHAOS POINT builds upon his principles and surveys trends, how to head them off, and how to build a more sustainable world. The West Bank Wall c/o University of Michigan Press, 839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209 0745324339 $22.95 www.plutobooks.com THE WEST BANK WALL: UNMAKING PALESTINE is a top pick for any college-level Middle East collection: it surveys the purpose of the West Bank wall since Israel built it in 2002, using the author's work for the UN as a reporter on the Wall's impact as a foundation for analysis. Chapters survey the real intentions and imagery of the Wall, offering a critical account of its impact and affect on a Palestinian state. The Seductions of Community Gerald W. Creed, Editor P.O. Box 2188, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2188 The Seductions of Community: Emancipation, Oppressions, Quandaries comes from an advanced seminar series and gathers the work of many contributors who focus on political and economic community-oriented projects around the world, from rainforest preservation to building urban murals. This isn't just a project overview, however, but a survey of underlying social and political questions within the community, considering how scholars and activists use 'community' differently from its actual incarnation and purposes. Any college-level student of urban issues and social planning must consider these writings. c/o University of Michigan Press 839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209 0745323650 $26.95 www.plutobooks.com Israeli's founder sought to create a nation of new Jews with their own identity and determination to survive, yet the nation's strength has been based on oppression of the Palestinians. Arthur Nelsen was until recently the London correspondent for Aljazeera.net and was the site's only Jewish journalist: his OCCUPIED MINDS: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE ISRAELI PSYCHE interviews soldiers, victims of suicide attacks, and more to provide vignettes and interviews from more than fifty selected Israelis, and is an important key to understanding the realities beyond the headlines. The Flip: Turn Your World Around! Jared Rosen & David Rippe 1125 Stony Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902 THE FLIP provides visionary wisdom for a new world, offering a chatty guide which rebels against materialism and offers 'Flip Tips' for making spiritual, physical and environment-sustaining changes for work, home life, entertainment and more. If you wish to follow a 'greener' route, THE FLIP is for you, offering insights from a range of disciplines and writers, from political and social change to flipping channels, burgers, values and more. I Am My Mother's Daughter 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016 0465037542 $25.00 1-800-242-7737 I AM MY MOTHER'S DAUGHTER: MAKING PEACE WITH MOM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE comes from a mother and daughter who tackles the difficulties and rewards of the mother-daughter bond. Her own experiences with her ailing 85-year-old mother blend with those of other midlife daughters to provide a blend of memoir, social insight, and keys to getting along with Mom. From letting go of the 'fantasy mother' figure to ditching barriers to closeness, I AM MY MOTHER'S DAUGHTER goes beyond the 'should' to tell how to build a more positive relationship. Don't Believe Everything You Think 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197 DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK: THE 6 BASIC MISTAKES WE MAKE IN THINKING covers common misperceptions and ways we are lured into making errors in judgement and perception, from preferring stories to hard statistics to seeking to justify instead of question our beliefs, and underestimated the role chance plays in plans. Each folly is illustrated by facts to reinforce how illogical thinking is fostered, from simplifying problems to seeking to confirm to the norm. 270 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016 SHADOW CITIES: A BILLION SQUATTERS, A NEW URBAN WORLD confronts the issue of nations of squatters. Cities are home to a billion such squatters and that number is projected to double in a generation, so any college-level student of urban planning needs to understand the experiences, issues and results herein. Reporter Robert Neuwirth spent two years living in squatter neighborhoods on four continents, so his exploration comes not just from an outsider's perspective, but from one who has lived amongst them. Myths are dispelled and realities outlined in a hard-hitting consideration of facts and social issues. 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116 Veteran journalist Jeff Goodell considers the latest energy idea that in coal lies America's energy future, providing an analysis of its supposed revival, the myth of cheap coal energy, and the history of coal's involvement in business, politics and resources throughout American activities. Chapters provide eye-opening insights on coal's lasting impact and importance and why it holds troubling environmental concerns today. The Health/Medicine Shelf The Stem Cell Divide 1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019 THE STEM CELL DIVIDE: THE FACTS, THE FICITON AND THE FEAR DRIVING THE GREATEST SCIENTIFIC, POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS DEBATE OF OUR TIME is even more relevant given President Bush's recent veto on the research than when it first appeared, before the fact. It offers a pro/con look at stem cell research, considering both sides as evenly as is possible and considering religious, ethical, and health implications of stem cell potentials. It's a 'must' for any who would survey the research's potential and the roots of the controversy surrounding it. Gary Small, MD 77 W. 66th Street, New York NY 10023-6298 Just a hundred years ago the average person didn't live much beyond 40: today modern medicine is promising many the opportunity to live into their nineties but what about fading health and vitality? THE LONGEVITY BIBLE: 8 ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING YOUR MIND SHARP AND YOUR BODY YOUNG tells how to live longer and better, with chapters advocating building stress-free years and lifestyle, and telling how to shape up and stay strong. Rosalind B. Penfold 941 Broadway, New York NY 10003 DRAGONSLIPPERS: THIS IS WHAT AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP LOOKS LIKE goes beyond most books to dissolve stereotypes. The author is a competent, middle-aged successful businesswoman and not the meek woman one thinks of as in an abusive relationship. Her romance with a handsome widower seemed idea until a pattern of lies and deception led to physical, mental and sexual abuse. Years later the author shares her story with the world, providing an unusual graphic novel story paired with a pseudonym to protect her identity. When a Family Member Has Dementia Susan M. McCurry 88 Post Road W, Westport, CT 06881 WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER HAS DEMENTIA: STEPS TO BECOMING A RESILIENT CAREGIVER teaches caregivers how to take advantage of their own unique inner resources to overcome the special challenges of dementia in a loved one. But it does more than encourage inner resilience: chapters provide specific tips and tools for developing inner resources and strategies, and offer five core principles which link these strategies to life. Vignettes blend with practical tip applications. Johns Hopkins University Press 2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 Joel Stein, M.D. et.al.'s LIFE AFTER STROKE: THE GUIDE TO RECOVERING YOUR HEALTH AND PREVENTING ANOTHER STROKE joins the expertise of three physicians who treat those with strokes, explaining how and what happens but more importantly, how survivors can reduce the risk of another. Case history experiences blend with tips and discussions of the latest and possibly forthcoming new treatments, offering families and survivors a positive survey. Fen Montaigne's MEDICINES BY DESIGN: THE PRACTICE AND PROMISE OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (0801883474, $25.00) covers one of the fastest-moving areas in biomedical engineering, sharing stories of those who have been touched and changed by this technology. From pacemakers and artificial hearts to robotic surgeons, chapters discuss patient experiences, the cutting edge of new technologies, and the engineers and surgeons fostering such changes. A history of the field as a whole supplements surveys of works in specific medical disciplines. College-level collections and many a public library will find it engrossing. Prediabetes Wake-Up Cal Beth Ann Petro Roybal, MA Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703 What's the difference between 'prediabetes' and all-out diabetes? Can a diagnosis of 'prediabetes' be reversed? These and other questions are answered in a survey which includes an overview of diabetes risks and health factors but provides a welcome focus on the state of health which leads into diabetes. Chapters explain blood sugars, risk factors, and provide a plan to avoid developing diabetes. This should be a 'must' for any overweight person, or those with a family predisposition to diabetes. The Body Hunters 38 Greene Street, New York NY 10013 The development branch of the multi-national pharmaceutical industry has begun to expert its clinical research to the developing world, where ethical oversight is minimal and desperate patients abound there to conduct research forbidden in the U.S. That's the hard-hitting message of a title based on several years of original research and reporting from Asia and Africa, making THE BODY HUNTERS: TESTING NEW DRUGS ON THE WORLD'S POOREST PATIENTS an eye-opening expose and 'must have' acquisition. The Magic Teaspoon 375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014 Here are over a hundred recipes for health-boosting meals and snacks enhanced by herbs and spices designed to help with specific health conditions. The Magic Teaspoon: Transform Your Meals With the Power of Healing Herbs is all about enhancing health but also about enhancing flavor as well: recipes are designed for both and provide energy-boosting herbs and spices paired with appealing dishes. The Crafts Shelf 770 Broadway, New York NY 10003 Sherri Haab's THE ART OF RESIN JEWELRY: LAYERING, CASTING, AND MIXED MEDIA TECHNIQUES FOR CREATING VINTAGE TO CONTEMPORARY DESIGNS (0823003442, $19.95) provides an excellent step-by-step guide to resin jewelry construction, showing how easy it is to mix and make colors, and offering projects which range from necklace and earrings to rings and belt buckles. Step-by-step large-size color photos illustrate the process of making each piece, which in turn covers a range of techniques to further learning. Kathleen Lochen Staiger's THE OIL PAINTING COURSE YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED (0823032590, $24.95) tells how to develop fundamental oil painting skills, making it perfect for novices who hesitate to take classes based on such foundation knowledge. Kathleen Staiger has taught this course for many years: her book offers detailed, structured lessons which build on each other and provide the fundamental skills needed to learn the essentials of color mixing, brush strokes, rendering, texture, light, and more. Bead & Button Magazine has two fine basic primer with eye-catching covers and practical lessons. BEADWOVEN JEWELRY (0871162296, $19.95) gathers over twenty of Bead&Button Magazine's best projects, using a range of stitches to teach. Editor-tested projects come with easy instructions, color step-by-step photos, and a range of jewelry styles. BEADED NECKLACES (0871162318, $19.95) uses focal beads and eye-catching textures to create different styles of beaded necklaces. These have been culled from over ten years of magazine issues and provide lovely pieces indeed. Both are top picks. The Sports Shelf 17603 Indian Head Hwy #200, Accokeek, MD 20607-2501 Sports and outdoors hunters interested in guns will find these excellent, top references. Bryce M. Towsley's GUNSMITHING MADE EASY (0883172941, $24.95) offers everything you need to know about caring for a gun including modifications as well as maintenance and repairs. Shooters who like do-it-yourself projects will find many color photos and clear directions to maintenance of all kinds of models. The 98th edition of SHOOTER'S BIBLE (0883173263, $24.95) provides another updated edition of the standard sportsman's shooter's guide, covering all the specs, latest prices, and latest models. From handguns to rifles and scopes and accessories, this packs in specifics. The 29th edition of GUN TRADER'S GUIDE (0883173255, $24.95) is for the gun collector and dealer: it focuses on the values of older models from shotguns to revolvers, offering specs on weight, caliber, first issues, and more. Traders will find it specific and packed with the latest values. Gary Clancy's HUNTING TOUGH BUCKS (0883173093, $24.95) is a 'must' for any hunter of the buck: it covers a seasonal approach to hunting, reveals a master hunter/author's own strategies and secrets, and covers everything from food and scenting to early season deer drives and more. If vicarious enjoyment from fishing adventure is in your book, don't miss Keith 'Catfish' Sutton 's OUT THERE FISHING WITH KEITH 'CATFISH' SUTTON (0883172933 $19.95), a blend of memoir, fishing story and travelogue which recounts his passion for fishing wild places. A 600-lb catfish snag or an encounter with the world's largest freshwater ray are only several of the top adventures gleaned from forty years of angling across the Western hemisphere. Add black and white photos and you have a winner. Measuring and Judging Big Game Philip L. Wright & William Nesbitt Boone & Crockett Club 250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801 It's rare to re-mention a title which has been on the market for some time; but then, it's rare to find a title which has relatively few competitors on the market even years after its publication MEASURING AND JUDGING BIG GAME is such a title, however: it's an ongoing recommendation for the serious big game hunter seeking a manual to improve upon field judging skills. Spiral binding lends to lay-flat take-along use, making it an easy choice for hunters who have in past only had large-size cumbersome references to consider. 288 pages pack in everything the hunter needs to score a trophy, from charts and directions to illustrations covering all big game recognized by the Club's Records Program. From black and white photo analysis to charts and diagrams, it doesn't get better than this. Horse Racing Coast to Coast Michael Walmsley and Marlene Smith-Baranzini 3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618 If you're a horse racing fan, don't miss the racetrack profiles, extensive tips on where to stay and how best to enjoy, and interviews which pair with history in HORSE RACING COAST TO COAST: THE TRAVELER'S GUIDE TO THE SPORT OF KINGS. This book's loaded with everything the horse race buff needs to know; from hotels and recommended eateries to trackside statistics. Unparalleled in its scope, it's a horse racing fan's travel 'bible'. The Theatre/Cinema Shelf Encyclopedia of Arab Women Filmmakers American University in Cairo Press 420 5th Avenue, New York NY 10018 College-level holdings strong in film history or Middle East history will both find plenty of depth, detail and description in Encyclopedia of Arab Women Filmmakers, a survey of how these women produce films in a male-dominated profession and world. The history of Arab women's filmmaking and the political and social background of Arab nations are mingled in a blend of biographical sketches, critical film reviews, and discussions that include interviews from the filmmakers themselves. 19 W. 21st St Suite 201, New York NY 10010 Film buffs will readily know the name of Mira Nair, but it's important to note that John Kenneth Muir's MERCY IN HER EYES: THE FILMS OF MIRA NAIR (1557836493 $17.95) represents the first comprehensive examination of the Indian filmmaker's works. She's directed a fine set of productions including Monsoon Wedding, Mississippi Masala and Vanity Fair, and her newest, The Namesake, is due out this Fall, so interest in her style, methods and contributions to film is certain to rise with her fame. Muir researched her films and interviewed artists Nair worked with: chapters document financial concerns as well as artistic direction and MERCY IN HER EYES is a 'must' for any student of her works. Christina Ferra-Gilmore's THE 7 STEPS TO STARDOM: HOW TO BECOME A WORKING ACTOR IN MOVIES, TV, AND COMMERCIALS (1557836787, $17.95) comes from the founder and president of The Actor's Edge, one of Hollywood's leading acting schools, and tells how to make it in the acting business. Her role as head of a top casting agency lends an insider's examination of the basics which land winning roles, from honing acting talents through schools and experience to taking great photos, producing an impressive resume, and considering the right agent. A 2-hour DVD video included with the book offers plenty of tips on networking, avoiding scams, and developing skills. One of the best actor's guides we've seen. 18 E. 48th Street, New York NY 10017 In late 1999 when the author was almost twenty her filmmaker mother Deepa Mehta invited her to come to India to work as a third assistant cameraperson on her new controversial film Water. SHOOTING WATER: A MEMOIR OF SECOND CHANCES, FAMILY, AND FILMMAKING chronicles this season where mother and daughter worked to repair a strained relationship affected by divorce and separation. The fallout of such a relationship was to affect not just their relationship but Saltzman's own choice of religion (Hinduism and Judaism), culture (Indian and Canadian) and more. Anticipate a revealing story in SHOOTING WATER which covers not just the art of filmmaking in India, but how families are separated and come back together. Thompson Course Technology 25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210 Ron Suppa is a successful film producer and instructor: he's taught fine courses in the UK on the topic of screenwriting and here offers in book form the contents of his course, which packs tips with personal experiences and polish. REAL SCREENWRITING: STRATEGIES AND STORIES FORM THE TRENCHES covers everything from movie dialogue and spec teleplay plots to understanding the importance of the entertainment lawyer. Any screenwriter even those already successful needs REAL SCREENWRITING to hone and perfect skills. Exiles in Hollywood 512 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 Profiles of filmmakers form Hitchcock to Jean Renoir, screenwriters Salka Viertel and actors and film musicians alike contribute depth and diversity of EXILES IN HOLLYWOOD, a dramatic compendium of profiles from refugees who created film noir style after their flight from Europe after World War II. David Wallace has covered celebrities for publications from People to Life for over twenty-five years, so EXILES IN HOLLYWOOD is a logical extension of his many writings and is a lively coverage. The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf What Would Wally Do? Andrews McMeel Publishing 4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111-78701 Fans of the cartoon strip Dilbert have another wonderful collection packed with black and white and color cartoons alike. This is the author's 26th Dilbert book, but it doesn't lesson the impact of describing office politics, ironies, and inconsistencies. Cubicle cartoons are hilarious and continue to remark on work life with its favorite characters joined by a few new faces. 1942 University Avenue, Berkeley CA 94704 Robert Tinnell and Bo Hampton's SIGHT UNSEEN (1582405964, $19.99) appears in full color and provides the gripping story of a blind neuro-physicist who is seeing dead things. This is supernatural terror blended with graphic art at its best: the plot evolves with a minimum of words but plenty of dark and involving artwork to draw readers in and keep the plot flowing. Robert Kirkman, et.al.'s INVINCIBLE: ULTIMATE COLLECTION V. 2 (1582405948, $34.99) continues where it left off before, making V. 1 a recommended pick for smooth transition. Superhero Mark is left to pick up the pieces of his life in a different world after the events of V. 1: he's facing supervillians and graduating high school and all the challenges which come from being a super-hero. From a stormy home life to daily challenges, INVINCIBLE will delight any avid comic reader offering all the classic adventure of a comic in expanded book form and all in color. The California Shelf Eastern Washington University Press 705 West First Street, Spokane, WA 99201-3909 The California memoir SLEEPWALK: CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' AND A LAST DANCE WITH THE '60S provides essays which cover growing up in California during the late 50s and early 60s, written by an observer who comments on California catholic schools, fashion, politics and more. His memories follow his California life and blend cultural and social observation with autobiography in chapters that recreate compelling portraits of California lifestyle. A 'must' for any interested in California culture. The Sonoma Diet Dr. Connie Huttersen, RD., PHD 1716 Locust, DesMoines, IA 50309-3023 The Sonoma Diet was inspired by California's Sonoma County with its bounty, and offers up a weight loss plan based on flavorful meals. Yes, there are plenty of diet options in the market for the latest fads of low-carb and low-fat diets: The Sonoma Diet emphasizes whole grains and smarter combinations and also pairs dieting with a busy lifestyle so there's no calorie counting, points systems, or measuring or weighing. An excellent choice which includes plenty of unusual recipes such as a Spicy Fruit Salsa or a Latin Spiced Pork Tenderloin. San Francisco: The Unknown City Helene Goupil & Josh Krist Arsenal Pulp Press 341 Water Street #200, Vancouver, BC V6B 1B8 The Unknown City series of alternative guides provides a fine focus on San Francisco, the hotbed of alternative culture in the 1960s, and identifies neighborhoods and places which reflect the city's hidden history and cultures. From the gay mecca Castro Street to offbeat museums, the scene of a duel, camping in the city, unique studios and performing arts venues, and more, it's fairly certain much of the attractions listed in SAN FRANCISCO: THE UNKNOWN CITY won't be listed in your standard travel guide. 2021 Pine Lake Road #100, Lincoln NE 68512 LANDSCAPE readers will find the novel rooted in Los Angeles scenes and lifestyle, telling of a corporate executive who enjoys a perfect world until it's shaken by losing his job. His new self-employment seems to work until he discovers a secret about the landscape business which will wreck his life and discovers the evidence he's collecting about the illegal bio-waste could threaten his family's life. It's a choice between family lives and wider community safety that keeps this novel riveting. 1200 5th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 The Los Angeles River winds through LA but is surprisingly unknown to many residents which is why Joe Linton's DOWN BY THE LOS ANGELES RIVER (0899973914 $17.95) will appeal to residents as much as visitors. For years much of the river has been channeled in concrete and hidden: recently organizations have worked to restore the river with new parklands adjacent, and DOWN BY THE LOS ANGELES RIVER tells how to take advantage of these areas. Author/artist Joe Linton presents over 40 walking, biking and natural areas covering over 50 miles. A fine tool for exploration. Andy Selters and Michael Zanger's third updated edition of THE MT. SHASTA BOOK (089997404X, $18.00) includes a fold-out map and dozens of trips both on the mountain and in surrounding areas. While hiking and backpacking is the focus, there are tips for ski routes, climbing, and water activities as well, offering outdoors adventurers plenty of material for planning the trip. Palm Springs Legends Box 191126, San Diego, CA 92159-1126 PALM SPRINGS LEGENDS: CREATION OF A DESERT OASIS is a pick for any interested in Southern California history and culture: for years Palm Springs was a hideaway for celebrities but this goes beyond celebrity status to tell of an area which was discovered by pioneering explorers and which grew to embrace famous inns and hotels. From the early establishment of a community to the influence of women on the town's development, PALM SPRINGS LEGENDS packs in biography and history alike. 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310 Plenty of books have been written over the decades on San Francisco's great earthquake: what sets this apart is its visual focus, gathering nearly two hundred vintage photos some amazingly never published before to include images of famous buildings and neighborhoods alike. While text explores decisions by city leaders after the quake, it's these black and white historical prints which will provide the most impact, presenting photos of people, buildings and events. A very strong addition to any local San Francisco history collection: a top pick. Day Hikes Around San Luis Obispo, 2nd Edn Day Hike Books/Globe Pequot Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437-0480 Over a hundred fine day hikes are recommended for visitors and residents to California's central coast in DAY HIKES AROUND SAN LUIS OBISPO, which is certain to receive added attention from students from the local college as well. From bluff trails along the mountains to city paths to canyons and nearby state parks, DAY HIKES AROUND SAN LUIS OBISPO is an excellent title for in the area. Bracing for Disaster Box 9145, Berkeley CA 94709 1597140252 $ 30.00 BRACING FOR DISASTER: EARTHQUAKE-RESISTANT ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING IN SAN FRANCISCO, 1838-1933 comes from a professor of architectural history at UC Berkeley who has written extensively on earthquake-resistant architecture and reconstruction, and who has investigated damage in earthquake areas around the world. His is, surprisingly, the first history of seismic engineering in San Francisco and considers what really has happened during the city's major quakes of the period down to which buildings were damaged, which survived, and why. Over two hundred photos and diagrams compliment an expert's survey of events, which comes spiced with survivor and eyewitness accounts. The Food & Wine Shelf The Professional Bar & Beverage Manager's Handbook Amanda Miron & Douglas Robert Brown 1210 SW 23rd Place, Ocala, FL 34474-7014 This is no casual companion, but a professional bar manager's handbook which was over two years in the making: as such, it goes far beyond the usual focus on recipes to cover all the basics on how to set up, operate and manage a successful beverage operation. All kinds of bar operators receive tips on trends, marketing, equipment and products, and more. Professionals seeking a comprehensive manual to the business can't go wrong here. And yes, it does include recipes lots of 'em. And a companion cd-rom packed with information. Kodansha America Inc. 575 Lexington Avenue, New York NY 10022 COOL TOOLS: COOKING UTENSILS FORM THE JAPANESE KITCHEN pairs photos by Yasuo Konishi with food and travel writer Kate Klippensteen's exploration of the Japanese kitchen. There are plenty of Japanese cookbooks on the market; but this differs in offering a utensil-oriented survey of what cooks use to prepare sushi and other specialties. From tool construction and history to usage, COOL TOOLS is a 'must' for any aspiring chef. The Grill of Victory 1700 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45206 Barbecuing evokes images of backyards or tailgate stands; but there's yet another class of cooker the neo-pro teams of men and women who have turned barbecue into a competitive sport and this is their story. THE GRILL OF VICTORY: HOT COMPETITION ON THE BBQ CIRCUIT comes from an author who's been a judge for more the 15 years on the Memphis in May circuit: he offers a lively and fun blend of memoirs and insights into the teams who make up the barbecue circuit of competitors, and blends travelogue with culinary and fun observations. The Geranium Farm Cookbook Barbara Cawthorne Crafton 445 5th Avenue, New York NY 10016 The Geranium Farm evolved from Reverand Crafton's imagination and evolved not from the usual restaurant roots, but from an online parish ministry where 'Farmers' began sharing recipes with each other via an email list. Main desserts, appetizers, breakfasts and brunches the largest section being desserts are provided in a guide which blends recipes and lore. From a grandmother's Dutch cookies to a Sugar-Free Banana Pudding, Mother's Rhubarb Pie, and more, THE GERANIUM FARM COOKBOOK is packed with delicious dishes. No color photos, but the easy recipes don't need 'em. Seasonal Southwest Cooking Barbara Pool Fenzl 2900 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 Chef Jacques Pepin offers the foreword for a gorgeous, oversized collection of recipes and menus pairing lovely color photos of not just foods but regional scenery with a cook's guide to specialties. This is a presentation piece cooks will relish: its dishes come from a chef and author who uses nearly forty years in the Southwest among professional circles to provide home cooks with unique dishes, from Corn Soup with Poblano Chilies to Apricot Chicken. An outstanding presentation. When Everybody Ate At Schrafft's Joan Kenel Slomanson 185 Bridge Plaza N. Suite 308-A, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 For nearly eighty years Schrafft's was the place to eat in cities around the country: it took the products of a local Boston chocolatier named Schrafft and translated it to comfort food restaurants around the country. Once over fifty such venues peppered just the New York area. From Andy Warhold's wild contribution to the effort to private groups who used the stores, the varied and colorful history of Schrafft's lively venues are fantastic. And don't forget the recipes: they're included and are a large part of what made it a notable venue. Extremely Pale Rose St. Martin's Press 175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010 EXTREMELY PALE ROSE: A VERY FRENCH ADVENTURE will appeal to any who love France and French food and travel. It recounts the author's journey as he and his family travel the south of France in quest of rose wines. Rose is commonly viewed as a poor man's wine, but the paler it gets the more the Brits relish it and the more the French scoff. A translation problem sends Jamie on a quest for the palest rose in France, and their visits to wineries, rose-producing regions and local byways provide a lively, fun story of a hilarious quest. The Organic Cook's Bible 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Plenty of books on the market cover organic foods and health, but THE ORGANIC COOK'S BIBLE is a resource which goes beyond recipes to offer a survey of organic ingredients and how to choose, store and prepare them. Home cooks and chefs receive a guide which covers meats, dairy, herbs, spices and more, with an A-Z arrangement for quick and easy reference, and a survey of over a hundred organic foods, from flavor and nutrition benefits to storage, what to look for, and top varieties. A 'must' for any serious culinary or home organic cook's collection. Good Day for a Picnic 10 E. 53rd Street, New York NY 10022 GOOD DAY FOR A PICNIC SIMPLE FOOD THAT TRAVELS WELL goes beyond the standard picnic fare to provide new recipe ideas for the park, backyard and beyond. Over a hundred such recipes cover everything from drinks to sandwiches, entrees and desserts, and provide easily-prepared dishes which are just as easily transported to be served later. Crisp Green Beans in Jalapeno Oil, Ham and Swiss Cheese Biscuits, and Barbecue Shredded Pork are only some of the dishes sure to provide new interest. Spanish Wine: A Pocket Guide 127 Belk Court, Clayton, NC 27520 Any interested in Spanish culture or wines will relish SPANISH WINE: A POCKET GUIDE. It lists wine regions by wine types for quick look-up, offers plenty of maps and illustration, reviews all major and many minor wine regions, and adds the history and winery listings essential to any comprehensive coverage. Over 1,600 wines are listed and over 500 wineries mentioned, making this the perfect take-along tote for any journey, whether it be to Spain or to a well-stocked wine shop. 500 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110 Early America wasn't noted for its wines: so what influenced the birth of the industry, and how did it so quickly rise to become a world wine influence? Paul Lukacs provides a history which begins with 17th century grape-growing and winemaking experiments right up to modern times, following the course of wine industry development from individuals who contributed to its rise to families and economics which fostered its evolution. Paul Lukacs is the wine columnist for the Washington Times and Washingtonian, and AMERICAN VINTAGE: THE RISE OF AMERICAN WINE is a winning study for any interested in wine development. The 2007 Calendar Shelf Quilt Art 2007 Engagement Calendar Klaudeen Hansen & Annette Baker American Quilter's Society Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290 The annual QUILT ART calendar is perfect for the avid quilter who keeps a busy schedule: spiral plastic binding for lay-flat convenience compliments a calendar which holds seven days per page, a facing page of original quilt art, a boxed sidebar of information on the quilt's history and construction, and a small full calendar of the month for easy planning. This is one of the best engagement calendar formats on the market: practical and eye-catching; quilters will love it. The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf 266 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA 01915 BRIMFIELD RUSH; THE THRILL OF COLLECTING AND THE HUNT FOR THE BIG SCORE is a lively survey of a massive outdoor antiques and collectibles show spanning over 20 fields along a one-mile stretch in Massachusetts. It attracts thousands of dealers and collectors yearly but BRIMFIELD RUSH follows not only the event's history but the experiences of a couple's year at Brimfield markets. The morning's opening 'rush' serves as a fascinating survey of Brimfield's treasures and attractions throughout a spicy, dramatic account collectors will relish and recognize. The Library Video/DVD Shelf The Prisoner: 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition A & E Television Networks PO Box 2284, South Burlington, VT 05407-2284 0767090756 $139.95 DVD 1-888-646-3476 www.aetv.com Fans of all ages probably recall The Prisoner, Patrick McGoohan's 17-episode British TV series which debuted in America in 1968 and earned an instant cult following. Here are all seventeen color episodes, fully restored, digitally remastered, and an absolute 'must' for any fan of the TV series. But wait there's more: this 40th collector's edition includes original footage of the 1966 location shooting, bonus programs, rare alternate versions, outtakes, promotional trailers, trivia, and a new limited edition collector's booklet. Add a fold-out map of The Village and you have a package which by far beats even the magic of the original TV production: a top pick five stars. Papuwa V. 1: Wild Things Welcome to Papuwa Island, where nothing is sane. Brat Kotaro awakens and comes to a hidden island paradise, promptly losing his memories and the secret which led him there. Young Papuwa and his maid care for him as he explores his new world but the secret remains well hidden. Japanese animation at its best presents an exciting new adventure. Razor Digital Entertainment 12031 Ventura Blvd., Suite 3, Studio City, CA 91604 Kari Anderson's Reach (No ISBN $14.99) offers a blend of ballet-based exercises to target a dancer's muscles in a low-impact movement routine suitable for any who want exercise. The focus is on toning and flexibility for a dancer's body: floor routine workouts offer an hour of exercises for all fitness levels and uses ballet as its foundation. Tracey Mallett's PREGNANCY SYSTEM 3 IN 1 (1595523278, $19.99) provides a doctor-approved, patented unique exercise system which blends yoga, Pilates and body sculpting for optimal pregnancy exercises. The stretching exercises are designed to ease muscle aches and tension and fathers can even join along in these routines for women in their second and third tirmesters. Going Going Gone! 1 No ISBN DVD $29.99 The low impact workout Going Going Gone! provides a 40-minute workout that uses time-lapsed camera process to motivate beginners and advanced exercisers to drop weight. It's devised for overweight people who have come lax in disciplined fitness regiments, and it focuses on basic moves and uplifting music that offers aerobic incentives. The routine includes four minutes of warm-up and 3 minutes of wind-down, seventeen minutes of step routines, and stretches: the time lapse follows Shannon Holand's body as it shrinks by 50 pounds and offers much inspiration. The Art Shelf Bikini Girl Postcards 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310 Fans of pin-up artists will find this a treasure trove of postcards that can be either used to mail or, more likely, framed and added to a collector's pinups. Forty lovely women on the beach come from 1950s Bunny Yeager photos and are displayed in their original vintage black and white glory, with model names on the backs of each postcard presentation. Lindsay Brown, et.al., Eds Box 230986, Portland, OR 97281 JEEPERS PEEPERS! A GALLERY OF AMERICAN PIN-UP ART receives a fine introduction by New York gallery owner Louis K. Meisel, whose gallery specializes in pinup artwork by top artists from the 1930s through the 60s, as it provides a gorgeous set of color pinup illustrations by a wide range of artists. These don't just come from calendars, but are from commercial art, wartime posters, and more, going beyond the usual pinup collection focus to display a solid diversity of models and approaches to the pinup. D.I.Y.: Design It Yourself Ellen Lupton, Editor Princeton Architectural Press 37 East 7th Street, New York, NY 10003 Not satisfied with store-bought offerings, and seeking something original and unique? D.I.Y is the 'design it yourself' movement which pair new technologies with the opportunity to design your own graphics. It fills the gap between a designer's knowledge and an average person's vision, showing how to create everything from web blogs and business cards to unique gifts, eye-catching flyers and newsletters, stickers, t-shirts and more. And if that wasn't enough it covers copyright, branding and more. Box 1360, Nevada City, CA 95959 By Robert Regis Dvorak's SELLING ART 101 (0940899868, $22.95) is for artists, reps and galleries who want an insider's guide to creative selling. From overcoming objections and locating clients to getting referrals and using studio and telephone to sell, chapters do more than provide strategies: they give exercises for selling practice which can be used with friends to hone professional delivery. Constance Smith's second edition of ART MARKETING 101 (0940899485, $24.95) provides an assessment of alternative venues for marketing art, covering everything from galleries and exhibitions to putting together an effective portfolio, preparing a marketing plan, pricing appropriately, and more. Margaret Danielak's A GALLERY WITHOUT WALLS: SELLING ART IN ALTERNATIVE VENUES (0940899469, $19.95) delves even more deeply into the subject, covering themed events, art teas, and places to reserve the best exhibition space. Learn how to promote artwork on a limited budget and make the most of low-cost themed art events with a title that covers all kinds of alternative venues. An Ornament to the City John S. Sledge University of Georgia Press 330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901 AN ORNAMENT TO THE CITY: OLD MOBILE IRONWORK features lovely full-page color photos by Sheila Hagler and accompanies an exhibit telling of Mobile's elegant ironwork, which has graced both public places and buildings alike. Mobile's ironwork once extended past the city's center and can be found all around the area: while much of it is gone today, AN ORNAMENT TO THE CITY celebrates the history and appearance of what remains. Any interested in ironworking art will find it a fine acquisition. Artistry in Paper 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 ARTISTRY IN PAPER: CREATING BEAUTIFUL THINGS WITH ORIGAMI, PAPIER MACHE, POP-UPS AND OTHER PAPERCRAFTS comes for a famous origami artist and paper engineer and is the perfect item of choice for any interested in lovely paper decorations. A chapter on techniques provides a step-by-step guide to the paper arts and methods, while a second section on themes provides a gallery of completed projects. The step-by-step color photos throughout assure even beginners aren't left behind. 611 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 These new arrivals are top pick recommendations for any authoritative art library holding. Guy Cooper and Gordon Taylor's MIRRORS OF PARADISE: THE GARDENS OF FERNANDO CARUNCHO (1580930719, $65.00) deserves ongoing recommendation as a detailed survey of the garden art and landscapes designed by Caruncho, a Madrid artist. From geometry and juxtaposition of natural and man-made materials to expressive elements of Spanish design incorporated into the garden motif, MIRRORS OF PARADISE includes a lengthy interview with the artist probing intentions and influences. John Leighton Chase's LA 2000+: NEW ARCHITECTURE IN LOS ANGELES (1580931715, $50.00) covers architectural trends emerging from the Southern California city, which has long attracted experimental and creative architects and their monied clients. Chapters survey both commercial and private structures across the city, gathering some thirty original new buildings reflecting both new and acclaimed architects. Urban designer author John Leighton Chase tops all with an introductory essay exploring background history and architectural concept. Janet Kopolos, Arthur C. Danto and Barry Schwabsky's BETTY WOODMAN (1580931685, $60.00) surveys the unique clay work of an artist who began her muse as a teen and now has five decades of ceramic forms to her name. Both useful clay applications and art are featured in full-page photo displays which are able to capture the dramatic and unique color embellishments of her works and surface treatments. The background history of the evolution of her decorating talents is intriguing, but the meat here is the gallery displays of her pieces for all to enjoy. All are fabulous works. 775A Southpoint Boulevard, Petaluma, CA 94954-1495 THE ART OF ARTHUR AND LUCIA MATHEWS (0764936441, $40.00) is a 'must' for any California art collection: it details their works and provides the most comprehensive survey in print, adding plenty of background history about a couple whose paintings, murals furniture, graphics and more influenced the California Decorative Style itself. Color displays of these many creations supplement their history and a survey of the style as a whole, making for an authoritative history of the couple and their contemporaries. Edgar Kaufmann edits AN AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT (076493659X, $39.95): while one might wonder at the need for yet another Wright title, it's a fine compilation of his formal and informal writings, lectures and talks and juxtaposes these writings and case studies with black and white full- and partial-page displays of his many creations throughout, offering more analysis based on Wright's own words than most. Both are highly recommended collection additions. History and the Morris Dance Dance Books/Princeton Book Company Is Morris dance heritage mysticism, dance, or entertainment? It's long been shrouded in mystery, and research John Cutting spent some thirty years dancing, teaching and researching the Morris dance from its roots until 1850: HISTORY AND THE MORRIS DANCE: A LOOK AT MORRIS DANCING FROM ITS EARLIEST DAYS UNTIL 1850 follows its evolution and answers many questions. A 'must' for any college-level dance history holding. Art of the Digital Age Thames & Hudson 500 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10110 ART OF THE DIGITAL AGE represents the first major illustrated survey of digital art and gathers works by over a hundred artists from around the world. Introduced by a history of the genre and discussion of how it differs from conventional art, chapters provide key works by established and emerging digital artists and pairs discussions of virtual reality and digital effect with critical insights on the featured artists. Color photos abound in this fine comprehensive survey, a recommended pick for any art library. Symbolism of Chinese Children's Bibs Christi Lan Lin University of Indianapolis Press 400 E. Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227 Symbolism of Chinese Children's Bibs: a Mother's Affectionate Embrace celebrates and presents a collection of hand-made children's accessories from China, presenting a gathering of parental love reflected through hats, bibs, and carriers. Explanations of the symbolism in Chinese and English provide excellent accompaniment to color photos throughout and while this is a specialty item recommended for Chinese history and culture collections in particular, any with an affection for kids will find it lovely and revealing. St. Louis Art Museum Merrell Publishers Limited 49 West 24th Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010 1858943310 $75.00 www.merrellpublishers.com Pictorial photography flourished at the turn of the 20th century and crossed genres, styles and international borders as it produced celebrated artists and fostered artistic change. Here to celebrate these changes is Impressionist Camera: Pictorial Photography in Europe, 188-1918, a narrowed focus on European community photography approaches. Selections consider how photographers created unique works and visions, how they influenced on another, and how they contributed to the fusion and symbolism of pictorial photography as a genre. This book represents the first comprehensive country-by-country examination on the topic and draws together contributions by an international team of art and photography scholars and historians. Sepia and black and white photos throughout capture the creations and sentiments of the era. University of Texas Press Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819 INFERNO is a lovely gathering of photos by Michael P. Berman of the desert Southwest, reflecting author Charles Bowden's passion for the land he calls home. INFERNO was written while Boweden was lobbying the government to create the Sonoran Desert National Monument: it pairs his nature writing and descriptions with Berman's black and white artistic desert shots and provides both an artistic and a natural history celebration appropriate for collections strong in either topic. Hudson Hills Press PO Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254-9911 Elias Rivera painted social history at its best, from civil rights demonstrations and rodeo events to daily life in Central and South America, so it's fitting that the oversized ELIAS RIVERA tribute embraces a wide range of his works spanning a forty-year time frame. The monograph will prove essential for any comprehensive art library collection; not just those in Rivera's Santa Fe home: it gathers his realistic paintings in full color, gives them an oversized format to gain as much of the real work as possible, and pairs them with actor Gene Hackman's foreword and Edward Lucie-Smith's art history background to provide all the insights newcomers need to appreciate Rivera's style and heritage. There's nothing like it on the market, making it a rare, unique treat. Mario Schmolka is a fashion photographer who lives and works in Vienna: art libraries strong in fashion or photography will find his full-page color photos in INTENSE (3937718451 $49.95) go beyond fashion, however, probing nudes, modeling, and startling effects. His classy works are eye-popping whether they include clothes or not, emphasizing the synthesis of woman and garment as often as the female nude and the texture of her background. YOUNG DESIGNER'S AMERICAS edited by Carissa Kowalski Dougherty (3937718400, $29.95) introduces some fifty selected designers and design companies many of them newcomers packing pages with color photos of products and including an index holding contact details for easy access to the company or designer. Interior design pros seeking specific products will find this an excellent desk reference. Gabriele Rigon's ROXANNE (3937718818) provides gorgeous color photos of a young model: some sepia, some using lens filters, some natural. A lovely, different archetype of fashion and beauty is presented in the dialogue of photos which presents Roxanne in different poses, phases, and changes. 547 West 27th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001 Elizabeth Broun, et.al.'s WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY (1931788898, $50.00) provides a comprehensive survey of works by Christenberry: over half has been unpublished, including his photos of the Southern landscape, and provide a catalog of his best American South regional focus since the early 1960s. Christenberry photographs the real world from back roads and rural towns to graveyards, returning to the same locations annually to provide a documentary of changes. Any interested in the South will relish this collection. John Divola's THREE ACTS (1931788952, $50.00) comes from a Guggenheim Fellowship recipient who has won numerous other awards for his art, gathering three bodies of work he produced throughout the 1970s. His monograph focuses on abandoned houses in Los Angeles: a very specific regional focus that surveys their markings, changes, and social meaning. Both black and white and color works trace the changes experienced in these houses and narrow the focus right down to the gritty textures as well as the psychological atmospheres of the abandoned. THINGS AS THEY ARE: PHOTOJOURNALISM IN CONTEXT SINCE 1955 (1597110140, $75.00) pairs essays by Mary Panzer and Christian Caujolle with the first real world history of photojournalism, gathered by an international committee of consultants, leading photographers, art directors and curators. Landmark stories and headlines are packed into pages of full color displays: more than an art book, THINGS AS THEY ARE will appeal beyond the art world into the genres of journalism and social issues. All are outstanding works. The American History Shelf Encyclopedia of American Political Parties & Elections Larry Sabato & Howard Ernst Facts on File 132 W. 31st Street, New York, NY 10001 Encyclopedia of American Political Parties & Elections is a reference work which will appeal equally to high school and college-level collections: part of Facts on File's 'Library of American History', it provides all the info needed to understand the American election process and its parties. An A-Z organization lends to easy topic access, while people, events and terms as well as history receive plenty of description. Black and white photos even pepper the account. It's a 'must' for any comprehensive collection on American history. University of Massachusetts Press Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004 That the name 'Athens of America' has been applied to Boston may be familiar fact to most: lesser known is why. Historian Thomas O'Connor follows history back to Boston's rise during the first half of the 19th century in The Athens of America (1558495185 $22.95) to discover why, telling of an elite team of leaders who used their finances and influence to foster not just economic and political change, but cultural and intellectual transformations as well, involving writers, teachers, philosophers, and merchants alike in the process. His analysis of these programs makes for an engrossing study indeed. Jane Holtz Kay's LOST BOSTON (1558496274, $24.95) appears in an expanded, updated edition to provide a classic focus on Boston architectural history. Readers with an affection for Boston will find this provides over three hundred seldom-seen prints and photos to display the city as it once was, returning to the public eye architectural gems lost long ago. Expanded and updated, LOST BOSTON is packed with memories. 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America Steven M. Gillon 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 If the title sounds familiar, it's because the History Channel has a series of documentaries on the topic and 10 DAYS THAT UNEXPECTEDLY CHANGED AMERICA is the companion book for the series, covering the major events which triggered lasting changes in the nation. From the January 1787 battle of Shays' Rebellion to a carpenter who started the California gold rush, events are vividly re-created with plenty of attention to their lasting impact. Bruce Frohnen, et.al., Eds Box 4431,Wilmington, DE 19807-0431 AMERICAN CONSERVATISM: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA is essential college-level reading for any interested in the history, philosophy and politics of the American conservative movement: contributions from over two hundred leading scholars pack a weighty reader which blends biography with concepts and history in over six hundred entries. College level holdings strong in social science should consider this 'bible' a must-have reference: from Lord Acton to William F. Rickenbacker, cross-comparisons between theorists and their works make for an essential reference. The Gaming Shelf 100 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10005 Racing Daily Form's THE AMERICAN RACING MANUAL 2006: THE OFFICIAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THOROUGHBRED RACING (1932910948, $40.00) is a weighty but essential statistical reference for any involved in thoroughbred racing. In one thick book are statistics organized by racetracks, breeders' cup statistics, histories of graded stake events, records of horses, racing organizations and much more. As a detailed product of the entire horse racing industry, it can't be beat. Steven Crist's EXOTIC BETTING: HOW TO MAKE THE MULTIHORSE, MULTIRACE BETS THAT WIN RACING'S BIGGEST PAYOFFS (1932910921, $24.95) isn't your usual book on how to pick racetrack winners, so don't think it falls into a common category: it argues that how to be is as important as what to bet on, and chapters offer strategy and mechanics professional wagers use successfully. From exactas, trifectas and doubles to pick sixes, Crist's personal experiences come into play in a fine survey of strategies and exploits. 311 Douglas, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5M 1H2 Jim Priebe's MATCHPOINT DEFENSE (1897106122, $18.95) is for intermediate to advanced bridge players and comes from a Canadian Team Championship winner whose previous books on bridge have proved winners. From defending deals and matchpoints to choosing openings that set up winning strategies, chapters cover everything from high rollers to card plays. Dan Romm's THINGS YOUR BRIDGE TEACHER WON'T TELL YOU (1897106130, $16.95) provides advice from a winning bridge player who's spent forty years playing bridge for money in championships and has won consistently. Follow his moves, strategies, and winning tactics in a title which explains drawbacks, working with partners, and why strategies work or not. A fun, revealing guide which will prove a 'must' for players seeking to advance their skills. Andy Stark's THE WEAK NOTRUMP: HOW TO PLAY IT, HOW TO PLAY AGAINST IT (189415469X, $18.95) is also for intermediate to advanced players who want a close analysis of the weak notrump, which works well with many different systems. If you've heard of it and want to learn it, THE WEAK NOTRUMP is the book for you: chapters cover bidding structures, overcalls, how the notrump system changes during the plays, and gives examples of notrump openings and how to handle them from either side of the table. Barbara Seagram and David Bird's BRIDGE: 25 WAYS TO BE A BETTER DEFENDER (1897106114, $17.95) provides the final book in the bestselling '25' series, explaining how to make a plan for defense and how to decide which strategy to apply. From leads to signaling and discarding plays, beginning to intermediate bride players receive game descriptions, answers to common problems, and more. All are excellent titles. Gaming: Essays on Algorithmic Culture Alexander R. Galloway University of Minnesota Press 111 3rd Avenue Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401 College-level students of media studies will appreciate the examination of digital and video culture offered in Gaming: Essays on Algorithmic Culture: examples from over fifty video games are used to construct a classification system of action in video games which blends gameplay with software crashes, network lags, and game hacks. From the origins of the first-person shooter to game structures and new interpretations of images and character, any interested in media and gaming will find this scholarly discourse exciting. The Transportation Shelf The Bus We Loved Granta UK/Trafalgar Square, Dist., N. Pomfret, VT 05053 Fans of British and London history in general and London transportation in particular will relish THE BUS WE LOVED: LONDON'S AFFAIR WITH THE ROUTEMASTER. The Routemaster is a shadow of its former self, today but it's become no less revered the rarer it's become. It's a symbol to London, it's appeared in many a film about the city, and it here receives a history following its invention, evolution, and eventual fall in glory as a transit choice. This could be the story of any urban transit system but will prove of particular interest to British residents and fans. 380 Jackson Street #200, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885 When he was a kid he wanted to be the fastest motorcycle rider: when he was an adult, he dominated the championships. WHAT IF I HAD NEVER TRIED IT? (0760326827 $24.95) is rider Valentino Rossi's autobiography of who he became ruler of motorcycle racing, winning from local to international levels and fostering changes which would transform the nature of the sport itself. Chapters follow his life, passion and career while a centerfold of color photos adds drama and captures him in action. Any collection strong in motor vehicle history must have Craig Cheetham's 3-volume reference 'Five-View Series': each volume offers comprehensive coverage of selected American autos. ULTIMATE AMERICAN CARS (0760325707, $19.95) packs in over three hundred pages with over 1,000 color, specially-commissioned photos accompanying specs, performance and technical details on Continentals, Thunderbirds, and much more. The cut-aways and diagrams accompanying descriptions are perfect for and unique to this volume. VINTAGE CARS (780760325728, $19.95) covers over forty vintage autos and holds over three hundred color commissioned photos along with performance specs and sidebars of detail, while HOT RODS & CUSTOM CARS (780760325636, $19.95) covers over forty hot rods and custom cars. Each vehicle receives extensive coverage, from design and engineering to modifications, makers, and history. The set can't be eat and is unparalleled in its scope and illustration. Dave Nichols works with Andrea 'Bambi' Cambridge to present INDIAN LARRY: CHOPPER SHAMAN (0760323828, $24.95), a blend of biography and motorcycle history which recounts the life and times of one of the greatest cult figures in motorcycle history. Indian Larry is known for wild tattoos and custom motorcycles, and both are liberally illustrated here. Chapters follow his love of custom hot rods and cycles, reveal his life and downward spiral as a heroin addict, and provide plenty of insights. A top pick, INDIAN LARRY will reach out to even non-motorcycle fans with its vivid photos and lively biographical sketch. All are top picks promising plenty of general interest attention. The Humor Shelf 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197 FUNNY LADIES: THE NEW YORKER'S GREATEST WOMEN CARTOONISTS AND THEIR CARTOONS could easily have been featured in our 'Cartoons and Graphic Novels' section, but is reviewed here for its ability to appeal beyond the usual confines of the cartoonist fan's world. Over the decades a growing core of female artists has been creating New Yorker cartoons weekly: Liza Donnelly, herself a New Yorker cartoonist for over twenty years, provides a history of women's humor and its evolution, pairing an anthology of cartoons with a survey of the genre in a wonderful, vivid overview. Friars Club Private Joke File Barry Dougherty, Editor Black Dog & Leventhal 151 West 19th Street, New York NY 10011 Prepare to be shocked and amazed: saucy and sometimes raunchy jokes and stories along with hundreds of rich Roast moments come from Friars Club members and are compiled by an editor of the Friars Club Magazine The Epistle. Here are jokes that proved too lurid to be televised, and ones which are uncut and uncensored at that. Over 2,000 'very naughty' jokes delight the funny bone. Sperm Are From Men, Eggs Are From Women 125 S. 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Why are women teases, why are men afraid to commit, and what's behind the real needs of women and men? SPERM ARE FROM MEN, EGGS ARE FROM WOMEN: THE REAL REASON MEN AND WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT takes a hilarious, quasi-scientific look at men and women from a different angle, blending a healthy sense of humor with science, sociology and biology in pursuit of the truth. The author 'studied' Playboy and Hustlers and spent some seven years researching source papers in sociobiology as well: his lively, fun read includes plenty of insights. The Children's Shelf Mommy Knows Worst Three Rivers Press 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 Parents with a sense of humor remaining about their profession will appreciate Mommy Knows Worst: Highlights from the Golden Age of Bad Parenting Advice, which gathers past parenting neuroses from the 1940s and 50s. From 'delicious' baby laxatives to boiling baby's milk, MOMMY KNOWS WORST is filled with hilarious moments and fine vintage illustrations from the times. 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236 Become a volleyball expert with YOUTH VOLLEYBALL, which covers all the latest terminology, offers practical and fun drills, and instruction on sportsmanship and the sport. Coaches and parents new to coaching will find it an invaluable primer. 101 Tips for Raising Healthy Kids with Diabetes Laura Hieronymus, MsEd, APRN, BC-ADM, CDE & Petti Geil, MS, RD. FADA, CDE American Diabetes Assn. 1701 N. Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311 'Healthy' and 'diabetes' usually don't go together; particularly when children are involved but thanks to modern medicine and 101 Tips for Raising Healthy Kids with Diabetes, they can go together quite nicely. Parents are given quick, easy answers to topics relating to medication, nutrition, and handling diabetes throughout the age groups. From sports safety to schooling options, everything's covered here. Abadazad: Road to Inconceivable J.M. DeMatteis & Mike Ploog 114 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10011 Take the graphic novel format, add full color, and add more text to get a vivid enchanting diary/journal of magic, adventure, and a friendless child whose life changes. A journey to another world makes for vivid adventure. Follow the Blue St. Martin's Griffin 175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010 Teen Bec has always been the good girl in a dysfunctional family, taking care of her siblings but she's tired of being good and ready for adventure. Her new friend Jaz promises this excitement and changes her life in a warm coming-of-age novel of change. 110 Spadina Avenue #801, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 2K4 Set in the mid 1940s, SNOW APPLES tells of a girl's determination to pursue a forbidden romance against the wishes of her watchful mother. Her obsession with Nels pries at the heart of her powerful connection to her mother. SNOW APPLES appeared in 1984 in Canada only to much acclaim: its first appearance here in the US should earn it equal merit. Knopf Delacorte Dell 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 Jennifer Ziegler's ALPHA DOG (0385732856, $7.95) tells of a teen being driven crazy by her mother and a boyfriend who dumps her on her birthday so a summer program in Austin allows her to get away from her problems, until new challenges evolve. A questionable roommate and an unexpected new dog who is a terror complicates her life and lends her courage. Sarah Mlynowski's Bras & Broomsticks (0385731841, $8.95) is a hilarious account of a girl who finds her younger sister is a witch, inheriting the supernatural skills Rachel covets. And Miri won't use her powers to help Rachel Markus Zusak's award-winning I AM THE MESSENGER (0375836675, $8.95) tells of an underage cab driver mired in routine until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery, only to find he's been chosen to become a messenger, helping and hurting folks in his town. An excellent, well rounded story of change evolves. Marcus Sedgwick's THE BOOK OF DEAD DAYS (03857407047, $7.95) tells of a magician named Valerian and his servant Boy, who along with an orphan girl journey a subterranean city to fight against the forces of evil. This fine, complex fantasy is recommended for older teens. Melina Marchetta's SAVING FRANCESCA (0375829830, $8.95) is hilarious: Francesca faces a coed religious schools, psycho girl companions, dorky boys, and a vivacious mother who wants to change her life in this fun story. Antonio Pagliarulo's A DIFFERENT KIND OF HEAT (0385732988, $7.50) presents a girl enraged: she saw the cop kill her brother and her anger since is getting her in trouble: now she's living at a home for children and working to change her life. When Sister Ellen gives Luz a journal, she's finally able to come to grips with her experience: poems and entries make up a powerful story. 1000 San Diego Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93103-2135 Two outstanding stories for teens are fine leisure choices. W. Royce Adams' JAY (1588321207, $10.99) provides a sequel to ME & JAY but no prior familiarity is needed to enjoy this ongoing story of two young hobos who catch a freight train to avoid placement in a foster home. The hobo lifestyle is hard, dangerous and hungry his adventures don't nearly make up for his trials, and Jay must decide if and how to return to society. W. Royce Adams' RICHARD OF RAIRARUBIA (0971220662, $12.95) is Book 6 in an adventure fantasy series and in this case prior familiarity with the series will enhance appreciation of this latest adventure. Einaem comes to power and kidnaps Katherine, demanding three conspirators be brought to him for revenge. Richard captures Molly and Netty to save his sister, but first he must bring them to a meeting place of convergent dimensions. Can he trade the captives for his sister? Spirited adventure evolves. Farrar Straus Giroux 19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003 Laura comes from a world that is next to the Place a land that fosters dreams accessible only by dreamhunters, who have special gifts. Laura and her cousin are daughters of dreamhunters out to test their eligibility for the passage but their test will prove different, opening worlds and nightmares unimaginable. An outstanding fantasy is rich with the unexpected. Can You Feel the Force? 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3658 Physics books quite often are dry: not this one, which will reach from grades 4-6 with a spirited, involving survey of the 'weird and wonderful' side of physics. From why balls bounce and other things don't to how to make forces bigger, understanding a raindrop's shape, or developing an electric flea circus, experiments and illustrative examples are very easy to duplicate and reinforce learning. 345 Hudson, New York, NY 10014 Do commas really matter in punctuation? You bet they do and a zany, fun illustration of how they make a difference invites kids to understand in Lynne Truss & Bonnie Timmons' Eats, Shoots & Leaves (0399344913 $15.99). One-sentence descriptions with commas appropriate then inappropriate explore changes in meaning, with fun drawings by Bonnie Timmons throughout. Kids will love it and will get the idea quicker than a dry grammar lesson could impart. Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld's WILD LIVES: A HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE & ANIMALS OF THE BRONX ZOO (037580630X, $18.95) will reach grades 5-6 and even older with its lively animal photos and survey of zookeeping at the Bronx Zoo. It's been a home to animals since 1899: zookeeper issues, methods, and conservation issues abound in a survey many an adult will relish. Celeste Davidson Mannis' Snapshots: The Wonders Of Monterey Bay (0670060623, $16.99) pairs verse with color photos to introduce kids in grades 2-4 to the wonders of California's Monterey Bay nature area. Local marine animals and the unique places they inhabit pair facts and color and encourage kids to learn about the seashore. 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 Hattie loves to dance, swim and play: four parties display her talents in a book geared for read-aloud pleasure, HATTIE HIPPO. From ballet on 'teensy tiny toes' to her hide and seek talents which are enormous considering her size HATTIE HIPPO has fun and listeners and younger readers will, too. Idries Shah titles Box 176, Los Altos, CA 94023 Two fine new Idries Shah titles are top picks for ages 5 and older, pairing lovely drawings with folk stories and tales. FATIMA THE SPINNER AND THE TENT (1883536421) presents a traditional story based on a classic Middle Eastern fable, following young Fatima through a series of disasters as she travels from Morocco to China, where she discovers disasters actually spin new hopes and changes. Natasha Delmar provides gorgeous Middle Eastern scenes following her journeys. THE MAN AND THE FOX (188353643X) receives very warm embellishments by Sally Mallam as it tells of a man who tricks a young fox into believing he'll give him a chicken. Initially trapped, the fox must use all his cunning. Bad Bear Detectives 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116 Irving and Muktuk have been accused of the baked goods crime of the century but the bears are innocent, and set out to clear their bad reputations. This is the fourth book in the Irving and Muktuk series, but the first we've seen: it's a lovely detective story spiced with Jill Pinkwater's fine drawings and is a recommended pick for ages 6-8. 85 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472 Sandra Markle's LITTLE LOST BAT (157091656X, $15.95) tells of a newborn Mexican free-tailed bat's constant dangers. His mother protects him but when she doesn't return from her daily hunting trip, how can the little bat survive? Alan Marks provides realistic illustration to an engaging tale of a little bat's struggles. Kathryn Lasky's PIRATE BOB (1570915954, $15.95) isn't just about treasure and loot: it's about friendship and joys found in unexpected places. David Clark's oversized, fun drawings illustrate the life of Pirate Bob, while descriptions of adventures tuck in many pieces of boating and pirate lore, such as commands for setting the square sails of a pirate ship. Kids will relish the story and will learn a lot. 175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010 Vivian French's HENNY PENNY receives gorgeous embellishment by Sophie Windham as it tells of a concerned citizen who becomes convinced the sky is falling when an acorn lands on her head. She meets and convinces a variety of characters but the story really takes a new twist when she encounters Foxy Loxy. The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett Auburn, CA 95604 Wanda McCaddon lends a British accent and smooth style to this unabridged audio version of Frances Hodgson Burnett's best creation THE SECRET GARDEN. In audio format the lovely setting comes alive in the story of how unloved and selfish Mary finds friendship and happiness helping a neurotic invalid cousin become strong in a magic garden they discover. Box 398, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 Enslow's excellent lineup of new arrivals promises something for everyone, and these latest additions promise to reach grades 3-5 with excellent curriculum-oriented topics. For biography readers, there's a nice range: Carin T. Ford's FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: THE 32ND PRESIDENT (0766026035, $22.60) provides 32 easy pages of facts and includes an index and plenty of color, where grades 5-6 will relish the more advanced biographies such as Sally Lee's ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER: FROM SUPERSTAR TO GOVERNOR (0766026256, $31.93), which provides over a hundred pages of coverage on the entirety of Schwarzeenegger's life and challenges; two new additions to the 'African-American Biography library' MAYA ANGELOU by Donna Brown Agins (0766024695, $31.93) which tells of the poet and writer's rise to success, and Anne Schraff's BOOKER T. WASHINGTON (0776025357, $31.93) which tells of a freed slave's impact on civil rights. Choose Karen Leigh Harmin's J.K. ROWLING: AUTHOR OF HARRY POTTER (0766018504, $31.93) which tells how Rowling dreamed of publication and became a writer, or Jennifer Reed's PAULA DANZIGER: VOICE OF TEEN TROUBLES (076602444X, $31.93) to link popular pre-teen authors with their backgrounds. The MyReportLinks.com titles ($33.27 Each) offers grades 5-6 something different: books which are packed with internet site backing information, kept up to date at www.myreportlinks.com. This method of study assures information won't become obsolete in a few years and assures the written word has lasting impact and value for discriminating library collections. New to the series are Tony Zurlo's SYRIA IN THE NEWS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (15984590255), David Aretha's ISRAEL IN THE NEWS (159845028X), and David Schaffer's SAUDI ARABIA IN THE NEWS (1598450263), each of which holds a little over a hundred pages of facts linked to reports and internet access. Colorful photos, screen shots, and geography and history blend well. James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book Review 278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575-1129 Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer 12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952 Site design by Williams Writing, Editing &

It was a long weekend – the Easter weekend in the month of April. I booked myself on a train to Edinburgh. All this while with a prayer on my lips – hoping for a sunny weekend. They say climate in Scotland is usually gloomy. Sun god obliged and I had a memorable 3 days in the Scottish Highlands with a quick tour of Edinburgh. I landed in Edinburgh around lunch time. The sun was shining brightly. The first impressive building that I took note of in Edinburgh was the lovely Bank of Scotland building with a green dome on top. Since I had kept only half a day for Edinburgh, I headed straight to the heart of the city. Royal Mile at Edinburgh I am a sucker for old towns – the older the place more it fascinates me. So in Edinburgh, my biggest fascination was Royal Mile. It is a mile long road that in a way connects two historic places of Edinburgh. The Edinburgh castle and the Holyrood Palace. A steep gradient between the two ends never lets you forget that you are in Highlands. Not just me, Royal Mile is the hot favorite of most tourists visiting the Scottish capital. I walked the entire length of the road. I was so lost in admiring everything around that I did not realize I was walking on an incline. Scotch Whiskey Heritage Centre As an Indian, the first thing that you hear about Scotland is the Scotch Whiskey. How could you not stop at The Scotch Whiskey Heritage Centre? There is a demonstration of how whiskey is made from Barley. You can, of course, buy some from their extensive collection. You can take a tasting tour or dine in their restaurant that serves the authentic Scottish cuisine. Tartan Weaving Mill Next thing that we associate with Scotland is its woven Tartans in different patterns of checks. I used to love red and black checks. So my next stop was Tartan Weaving Mill. This is where they showcase the whole process of making the famous Tartans. It is a working factory. You can see the process right from the wool from sheep to weaving various patterns. It is here that I learned that each Scottish tribe has its own pattern. If you like you can dress as a Scott and get clicked. Our guide shared stories about the Scottish tribes and he shared a common saying. Never trust the Campbells. It took me back to the Indian caste system where each of the communities has something to say about other communities. I enjoyed my exploration of Tartans as I feel textiles are such an integral part of a culture. Street art on Royal Mile at Edinburgh While walking around the Royal Mile, I stopped in front of the relatively new statue of 17th CE philosopher and thinker David Hume. Alexander Graham Bell, Adam Smith, and Alexander Fleming are other famous Scots. Royal Mile is where I first met the bagpiper player wearing the traditional tartan skirt. And an open suitcase in front of him. I would keep meeting them throughout my exploration of Scottish highlands. A visit to Edinburgh is not complete without visiting its towering castle sitting proudly on a hill. Archaeological evidence says that this region was inhabited since 1000 BCE. We do know that the castle exchanged many hands during its lifetime. Even today it is a working military establishment for Scottish division. What you must see from the castle is a view of the Edinburgh city. Driving around Scottish Highlands Next morning we started our exploration of Scottish highlands. On our agenda was Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, and Inverness. Scottish castles can be seen just about everywhere. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some castles are so small that they look like a one-room stone house. While the others are big just like we know castles to be. The castle we spent some time at was Eilean Donan castle located about 6-7 hours drive from Edinburgh. You might remember this castle from some Bollywood film songs shot here. The most famous being the title song of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Eilean Donan is a rugged stone castle standing on a tiny tidal island where three Lochs meet. A footbridge was added later. I assume for the ease of the tourists, but it looks lovely. I remember walking around the castle – through its rooms and laughing out at the mock kitchen setup right there right with utensils falling and the table laid. In other rooms, there was classic wood furniture and vintage oil paintings. I walked through its ruins outside surrounded by water all around. Lochs, Lakes & Ghost stories Scotland is made up of Lochs that lock up some land here and there. It resembles a Riviera if seen from the top but the water bodies you see here are arms of the sea. Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake and a sea inlet. Loch Ness is one of the most popular Loch in Scotland. A trip to Scottish highlands is not complete without paying your respects to the famous Loch. You can sit by its banks and enjoy the view. It is a large lake for all practical purposes. However what makes it interesting is the myth of Loch Ness Monster. Loch Ness Monster also called Nessie is a mythical aquatic animal that supposedly lives in the waters of Loch Ness. If you speak to the locals you would hear stories of the Nessie being sighted at various points in time by people. They would describe it as a giant creature that surfaces from the water. Loch Ness contains more fresh water than all the freshwater lakes of the country combined. Scientists, however, think of it as a cryptid – i.e. a creature whose existence is talked about but has never been verified. Several people have claimed to see the Loch Ness Monster and the only photograph of it can be seen at the Wikipedia page of Nessie. Scottish Isles – Isle of Skye At the Isle of Skye, the largest and the northernmost Island of Scotland, steep tall cliffs greeted us. The sheer blue water of the Atlantic ocean was unbelievable. Many years later, I shall see the Red Sea at Aqaba that had a similar blue color. I looked down from the edges of the cliffs – that must be at least a 100 feet high – the water was absolutely clear. I could see the underwater vegetation from the cliff top. White birds flying across looked perfect against the blue backdrop. I remember I risked falling down the cliff when I lied down on the steep slant to capture a bird in flight. Years later I would write about my stupidity in a post ‘Is it worth that picture?‘ Here and there we stopped at random waterfalls to enjoy this bounty of nature in the Scottish Highlands. Our guide pointed us to some hills as private hills. Imagine owning a hill at the edge of a mountain overlooking the blue Atlantic. It was April when I drove around Scotland. This is the time when the flowers bloom and you can see bunches of yellow everywhere. What remains in my memory is the tulips – a flower that we do not see very often in Indian plains. After India and after London, the roads of Scotland were heaven to drive on. They were narrow as are most roads in the Scottish Highlands. They were scenic. There are small curves jutting out of the roads at regular intervals. I wondered for a while what was the purpose of these road extensions. But as the day rose and along with it traffic increased, I learned that these extensions are meant to enable the two-way traffic on a single lane road. We met Scottish cows not exactly on the roads but quite close to them. These stout cows with long hair look very different from our almost hairless cows. What was interesting about the tourism economy of Scotland is that they charge you to click pictures of these cows or even Scottish huts around which these cows are tied. I wondered how much money would have flown to India if Indians charged for the cows clicked on the road. Somewhere on our way back, we heard the myth of seven sisters where we could see layers of hills one behind the other. Our guide played some nice country music and I found an instant connect with the folk music of the land. Something that plays in the background every time I remember this lovely trip. What I want to explore next time is some Inverness Highland Games. Driving through the rolling hills, interspersed with water bodies and the colorful flowers make Scottish Highlands a perfect destination for a relaxed road trip.

Mothman is a legendary winged creature alleged to have been encountered in western West Virginia, notably near Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and along the Ohio River in Mason County, in 1966 and 1967. Some proponents of the legend claim the creature was encountered in the ’70s and even more recently. Mothman is also believed to play a role as a character in the Fallout 76 video-game, to be released in October 2018. Mothman was introduced to a wider audience by Gray Barker in 1970, and its story was further popularized by John Keel in his 1975 book “The Mothman Prophecies,” which claimed that there were supernatural events related to the sightings and a connection to the collapse of the Silver Bridge. The 2002 film “The Mothman Prophecies,” starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney, was based on Keel’s book. The annual Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant is devoted to the Mothman legend. History of Mothman On November 12, 1966, five men digging a grave at a cemetery on a hill above the Elk River near Clendenin claimed to see a humanoid figure flying low through the trees overhead — an encounter now often cited as a first sighting of what became known as the Mothman. On November 15 two young couples from Point Pleasant — Roger and Linda Scarberry and Steve and Mary Mallette — told police they encountered a “large, flying man with ten-foot wings” that followed their car through “the TNT area,” the site of a former munitions plant that operated during World War II. Its eyes “glowed red” in their car’s headlights. The first newspaper report published in The Point Pleasant Register on November 16, was titled “Couples See Man-Sized Bird… Creature… Something.” National news outlets picked up the reports and helped spread the story across the U.S. Other people reported similar sightings over the next few days. Two volunteer firefighters who saw it described a “large bird with red eyes.” Mason County Sheriff George Johnson commented that he believed the sightings were due to an unusually large heron. A local contractor, Newell Partridge, told the sheriff that when he aimed a flashlight at a creature in a nearby field its eyes glowed “like bicycle reflectors.” Sheriff Johnson also blamed buzzing noises from his television set on the creature, as well as the disappearance of his German Shepherd. West Virginia University wildlife biologist Robert L. Smith reported in a December news article that descriptions fit that of the sandhill crane, a large bird nearly as high as a man with a seven-foot wingspan and which features reddish feathering on the top of its head. The bird might have wandered out of its breeding ground in the Mississippi Valley, Smith speculated, and went unrecognized because it was not native to the region. Mothman in popular culture After the collapse of the Silver Bridge and the deaths of 46 people on December 15, 1967, speculation arose that the Mothman sightings were related to the tragedy. Writer Grey Barker in 1970 popularized the legend through a series of books and further tied reports of the creature to the collapse of the bridge. In 1975 John Keel, an associate of Barker’s, published “The Mothman Prophecies,” and also connected events to a curse reputedly uttered by Shawnee chief Cornstalk, who was murdered at Point Pleasant during a peace mission in 1777. Keel claimed some area residents experienced pre-cognitions including premonitions of the bridge collapse, sightings of unidentified flying object, and visits from inhuman or threatening “men in black.” Keel’s book became the seed of the 2002 film “The Mothman Prophesies,” which popularized the tale on a global scale among younger audiences. However, reports of encounters with the Mothman didn’t end with the collapse of the bridge, says Jeff Wamsley, co-founder of the Mothman Festival and Mothman Museum at Point Pleasant. Man aspects of the tale are still left to be told, and chroniclers have confused the tales, he says. “Most journalists don’t understand that there were multiple witnesses — more than 100 in the first few years, and things went on for months after [the bridge collapse]. The movie pushed that aspect, and we [also] have newspaper clippings from ’68 and ’69, even into the ’70s. “They think only four teenagers encountered this thing, and they read more into the story. Also there is always some confusion as to it being a cryptid, UFO-related, or something of Biblical proportions.” In 2016, WCHS-TV published a photo purported to be of Mothman taken by an anonymous contributor while driving W.Va. 2 along the Ohio River, though writer Sharon A. Hill proposed that the photo showed “a bird, perhaps an owl, carrying a frog or snake.” The Mothman Festival Point Pleasant held its first annual Mothman Festival in 2002, now held on the third weekend in September, featuring a variety of events, including guest speakers, vendor exhibits, a Mothman pancake-eating contest, and hayrided that focus on the notable areas of Point Pleasant, including the Point Pleasant battlefield and the grave of Cornstalk. A 12-foot-tall metallic statue of the creature, created by artist and sculptor Bob Roach, was unveiled in 2003 and installed on Fourth Street in Point Pleasant.

He is a snake-like monster with three heads, three mouths, and six eyes, who apparently lived in an impassable fortress somewhere in Mesopotamia, where he regularly asked the more powerful divinities of water and wind for help with his hobbies, namely, depopulating the earth of humans, stealing cattle, sorcery, and collecting all the possible sins in the world (his name means “having ten sins”). He was created by the “father of lies”, Angra Mainyu, who created him to counter Truth. With his paternal influence, and at least in part due to the traits he inherited from his mother, Odag. He managed to become one of the most influential and feared evil forces in Zoroastrianism. He ruled the world with sorcery and the help of daevas (demons) for 1000 years, following the death of the good King Jam. His reign was abruptly brought to an end when he was nearly beaten to death and imprisoned in a magic mountain by his nine year old successor, Fredon. He was not merely killed because he was filled with venomous creatures that would be let loose if Fredon were to kill him. Near the end of time/ judgment, he will be let loose, but will eventually be killed in the fiery river Ayohsust. |Main Wiki Pages and Navigation||Home • Cryptid • Cryptid Photographs • Cryptid Timeline • CWR • Sasquatch • Sea Creature • Weird| |North America||Bear Lake Monster • Beast of Bray Road • Bermuda Beast •Bigfoot • Dover Demon • Enfield Horror • Flatwoods Monster • Fouke Monster • Hodag • Honey Island Swamp Monster • Igopogo • Jackalope • Jersey Devil • Lizard Man • Loveland Frog • Mannegishi • Michigan Dogman • Momo the Monster • Monster of Monterey • Mothman • Ogopogo • Oklahoma Octopus • Robert • Skunk Ape • Snallygaster • Wendigo • White River Monster| |South America||Bloop • Megaconda • Minhocão| Ahool • Alien • Bishop-fish • Chupacabra • Demon Dog • Dragon • Foo Fighters • Ghost • Globster • Goblin • HMS Deadalus Sea Serpent • Kraken • Reptilian • Sasquatch • Sea Monk • Shadow People • Thunderbird • Zaratan • Zombies |Cryptids with green text are authentic. Cryptids with yellow text are presumed authentic. Cryptids with blue text have an unknown authenticity status. Cryptids with orange text are assumed hoaxes. Cryptids with red text are hoaxes. Cryptids with purple text are found in religion. Cryptids with italic text have been featured articles.|

The Adventure – Going Hunting for Bigfoot in Sasquatch Territory I was going night-squatchin’ with a group of professional sasquatch hunters. That’s right…I went out into the deep, dark recesses of the forest to search for an elusive man with really big feet. This is the stuff that legends are made of. What prompted this adventure, other than the fact that I’ve never gone sasquatch hunting before, is the adventure of the unknown. I mean, what if there really is something out there that hasn’t yet been ‘officially’ discovered? All around the world, new discoveries are taking place, whether it be a new species or underwater city. And think about it…there have been sightings of this legendary creature for centuries, and not just in the Pacific Northwest. People from all over the world have made claims for its existence. Armed with a signed non-disclosure agreement and my putt-putt car, I drove 4 hours to a remote location to meet up with the expedition team. That’s right, I was going night-squatchin’…in search of a hairy man with really big feet. Hunting for the mighty bigfoot in sasquatch territory! The Bigfoot Research Organization (BFRO) finally agreed to let me join them on one of their expeditions after an interview process that I can only assume was used to determine whether I was serious or not – or maybe just crazy. I am sure the world of cryptozoology draws all kinds from different walks of life. All I knew was that sightings of this legendary creature was on a global scale – not just the Pacific Northwest – so there had to be something to it. The Bigfoot Research Organization (BFRO) What drew me to this group in the first place is that the applicants are screened – not just anybody can join. After I passed the initial screening, I was invited to join the group on an expedition. It was refreshing to be amongst people who were genuinely curious and like-minded. Based on scientific protocols, this group explores the mystery surrounding the sasquatch. But, really, at a much deeper level, I felt as though a part of me was living out my childhood fantasies. You know, the one where faeries, talking animals, and other types of mythical creatures exist. I was actually pursuing that which I loved as a child, the thrill of wonderment! It is unfortunate that we’re all grown up now and no longer in awe of such things. Very little thrills us the way we were once thrilled as children. A time when the colours were brighter, everything was new and shiny, and the Jack-in-the-Box got us every time. SURPRISE!!!! Our big-footed friend appeals to so many of us because he is that surprise-in-the-box which gets us every time we think about him. So for all of us that hold on tight to the curious child mind within, with your eyes as big as saucers, be thankful the world still holds some magic waiting to be discovered. Curious as I am, this, no doubt, will become an ongoing adventure for me. Even if I don’t run into this hard-to-get man with really big feet, it’s still a win-win. I get to go triapsing about in the forest with really cool techno-gear with some truly incredible people. Lucky me! Sasquatches run in the family? I didn’t know this until recently, but apparently Sasquatch hunting runs in my family. Well, maybe more like it married into our family. Bob Titmus, a bigfoot hunter for over 40 years, was married to my Tata Anna – my great Aunt. Apparently, he was renowned in the bigfoot circles and very well-respected. There’s tonnes of stuff written about him. A cryptid of many names… Depending on the location, the bigfoot has the following names: Yeti, Yeren, Yowie, Orang Kubu, Beruang Rambai, Orang Gadang, Zana, Mono Rei, Grey Man, rakshasa, meh-the, abominable snowman, Jangali Mosh, Barmanu, Chuchunaa, wildman, Yahoo, Great Hair Moehau, Orang Dalam, Orang Sanat, Sedapa, Wookie, Momo, MacDhu, and Liath Mori….just to name a few. - Sightings occur on almost a daily basis. - Bigfoot is variously described as standing 7–10 ft tall and weighing over 500 lb, with footprints 17 inches long. - In 1967, Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin shot the infamous footage of the Bigfoot at Bluff Creek, California. See top video in sidebar. - Footprints are typically around 14 inches by 7 inches without an arch. - They are reported to be anywhere between 7 and 9 feet in height, averaging around 500 lbs. - People have reported sightings of the Bigfoot for more than 400 years. - Bigfoot is known to be large, covered in hair and man-like in appearance. - The sasquatch is considered to be one of the worlds’ most famous cryptid. - In 1975, the Army Corps of Engineers published an environmental atlas that recognized the Sasquatch as an indigenous species to the Pacific Northwest. Elements that made this a great adventure: - Do not tell anyone where you are going because you signed a non-disclosure agreement. - Drive four hours in one direction to the middle of nowhere with an old putt-putt car. - Avoid pot-holes the size of a horse. Avoid the vehicles who forgot to avoid the pot-holes. In particular, especially try not to hit the inebriated half-naked inhabitants stumbling out in front of your car. - Do not, under any circumstances, give away your spare tire to any of the inebriated half-naked inhabitants from the vehicles with flat tires who promise to return it to you shortly, that is, after they finish their beer run. - Try to avoid thinking about the fact that you are driving in the middle of nowhere, with no one knowing where you are going, about to meet up with people who are complete strangers that hunt a mystical creature. - Bringing along a trusted co-pilot is essential – particularly when you don’t have a clue what you’re about to get yourself into. But especially when you leave the base camp at 3 am with a four hour drive home ahead of you. - Professional sasquatch hunters have the bestest-ever high-tech equipment to behold! From roof-mounted cameras to night-vision goggles – not to mention the thermal scanners!! - It is best to warm up your vocal chords prior to a hunt. Particularly when you use your voice to ‘call’ the sasquatch to you. It is more like a howl/screech at the top of your lungs. A little uncomfortable to do it in front of strangers, but it was pitch black and they couldn’t see me…so that made it all right…until I discovered they were having some fun with me! © Monthly Adventure, Patricia Taylor, May 2010

In honor of the upcoming SyFy Channel movie Sharktopus, this week we’re taking a look at the incredible Megalodon. Okay, so this guy isn’t really a cryptid in the strictest sense, because we know they actually existed — but there are plenty of people who believe this gigantic shark still roams the seas, feasting on anything and everything. In fact, in 1918 a group of fisherman near Australia’s Broughton Island reported seeing a shark measuring more than 100 feet long. They even claimed that it ate their fishing gear. And there was a more recent report I found on monsterfishkeepers.com, although no date was given: The deepest portion of the Pacific Ocean, the Challenger Deep, is located in the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific. Recently, Japanese researchers have conducted an interesting experiment in the Suruga Bay, not far from the Mariana Trench, the deepest spot in the World Ocean. The researchers put a container with some smelly bait on the bay bottom. A special video camera was attached to the wall of the container. The researchers peered into monitors to see what would happen with the container and the bait. The smell of the bait attracted a shoal of deep-water sharks. But then the researchers saw something incredible that left them speechless. Suddenly the sharks scattered in all directions and researchers saw an incredibly huge monster on the screens of their monitors. The giant slowly soared before the video camera at a depth of about 1.5 kilometers. The length of the sea Goliath was over 60 meters (more than 180 feet). As one might expect, however, no video or photographs of this massive beastie have ever been released. If you do a Google search for “megalodon sightings,” you’ll get over 2000 results. This is why I not only don’t go in the ocean, I don’t get too close to it, either — that giant squid can pluck you right off the boardwalk, man.

Monday, November 4, 2013 Review: Encounters With Flying Humanoids by Ken Gerhard I loved the movie "Jeepers Creepers," rushed to Point Pleasant to Mothman territory on my vacation - I live in the desert southwest and have seen lots of things in the air that defy any explanation I could give them, but when my co-author, Julie, and I ride out to abandoned mining towns and such, in the back of our mind as we run into "swarms" of vultures, is the concept of a thunderbird or a Creeper. Nothing can give you more chills than something that could fly after you. I was thrilled that Ken Gerhard, a respected crypto research, decided to write a book about encounters with flying humanoids. They are not just a modern day issue and not just the Mothman and Jersey Devil. The book overall is a great compendium of recorded flying humanoid sightings of all kinds, over all periods of time and locations. It is a great reference book for those who want to keep a flying cryptid book on their shelf. I can't begin to explain how many flying humanoids were captured in this book, but I learned about ones I never heard a hint about, obscure ones, ones that were kept more secret by locals, and historic ones never spoken of again. Mexico is covered extensively, as well, where many of the flying humanoids hit the news from being filmed. Gerhard also takes us to other countries and more recent sightings. I was pleased that in the end of the book, Gerhard tied it together by discussing what may be the explanation for these oddities in the sky. After taking us through such a wide variety of stories over time and location and description, it was good to hear him bring us back down to earth for a moment. Although we have no absolute explanation for each occurrence, we can start listing the possibilities and going down the systematically. I recommend this book for anyone who is curious about the unexplained flying beings reported in the sky. It's part of my reference library now and really, admittedly, has me watching the sky more than usual. After all, the desert has 180 degrees of it and clear skies almost every day. Note: I will be reviewing lots of researcher's books this month and one thing I do not like to affiliate with in any way in the Bigfoot field of research is anyone who is pro-kill and has no qualms about shooting a Bigfoot. That being said, when I review books, it is based purely on the content of the book and not the character of the person who wrote it. I cannot keep tabs on everyone in the industry and their stand on Bigfootery, as I am in my own research and not other-oriented. So, if it comes to light that any author I have given favorable review of has unfavorable character, that was not my intention to support them, simply to support the worth of their book. This disclaimer will be after ever review and is important to me because I work hard to dissociate from such types but cannot always know what is in the hearts of other researchers.

Unit Data Edit History and TriviaEdit A girl who works as a cryptid monster hunter using the machine gun her grandmother left her. Cryptids share their roots with dragons and other monsters, and she hunts them all on sight. She chose this profession after a lycanthrope wiped out her entire family. |Red Hood of Hate: A red hood inherited from her late grandma. +300 HP & ATK, -300 REC, Notable boost vs. Water enemies. Cost: 50,000 Gold|

Command & Colors Tricorne : The American Revolution Restock due Friday 4th January; The game is based on the highly successful Commands & Colors game system. Commands & Colors Tricorne - The American Revolution introduces many new game concepts, which will add historical depth and provide even the most veteran Commands & Colors player many new play experiences and challenges Commands & Colors : Ancients 6th Printing New edition with mounted map board! Commands & Colours: Ancients depicts warfare from the Dawn of Military History (3000 BC) to the opening of the Middle Ages (400 AD). Commands & Colors : Napoleonics – Expansion 6 - EPIC Napoleonics EPIC Napoleonics is the sixth expansion for GMT’s Commands & Colors Napoleonics game system. EPIC Napoleonics allows for fighting larger battles with more units. EPIC Napoleonics is actually two game systems in one – the Epic Battles system, and the La Grande Battles system Guide a dynasty and send colonists to the remote realms of the Empire; develop your trade network; and appease the ancient gods for their favour - all to gain the chance to emerge victorious! Standalone version of Concordia Venus; With the help of Venus, the goddess of love and intimacy, two partners work together at a game of Concordia while competing against one or two other teams. Concordia: Venus Expansion Set Expansion for Concordia; With the help of Venus, the goddess of love and intimacy, two partners work together at a game of Concordia while competing against one or two other teams. Conquest At Kismet In Conquest at Kismet, you play as one of two races vying for control of the Kismet sector in the Raccroc Galaxy. This simple game uses a lottery-like method of resolving battle, something that's never been used in a card game before. This allows for a very small table footprint while having a healthy mix of tactics and luck. Container: 10th Anniversary Jumbo Edition! Container, the classic game of big ships and big production, returns in a 10th Anniversary Jumbo Edition! Now with huge ships and realistic containers to load and unload, building (or destroying) your living economy has never been more fun! Cosmic Encounter : Cosmic Conflict You thought it was safe to head back out into space - think again! 20 New races, an extra player a new hazard deck. Things just got nastier in the Cosmos of Cosmic Encounter. Cosmic Encounters : Cosmic Eons Cosmic Eons, an expansion for Cosmic Encounter, introduces new aliens with abilities unlike any you’ve dealt with so far, but it doesn’t stop there. This expansion features the Hidden Alliances variant, which enables you and your opponents to reveal simultaneously whose side you’re on. In Costa Ruana you are a tribal chief. Send your natives to nearby islands to get your hands on more pirate treasure than your rivals. If you become Shaman, your decisions affect events, so your rivals will try to influence you by fair means or foul... In Cottage Garden, you compete in the art of gardening. You are working two beds with a variety of flowers. Whenever no unplanted box is visible on a bed, you have completed it, then you count your points and replace it with a fresh, unplanted bed. You gain points for all of the visible plant pots and planting bells In Counterfeiters, players take on the title role, printing fake bills and exchanging them for the real thing. The Godfather can help them avoid the police, but his protection comes at a cost. Covil: The Dark Overlords In Covil: The Dark Overlords, you will struggle for the supremacy of the regions surrounding an isolated town. Each player controls a Dark Overlord with unique powers and countless troops. Crown of Emara Crown of Emara skillfully combines card actions with worker movement actions, allowing players to plan their turns carefully during their downtime, to persuade the citizens to support their claim to the throne. Crusader Rex is a game of the 3rd Crusade. One Player plays the Christian Franks, the other, the Muslim Saracens. The objective of the game is to control important Victory Cities such as Jerusalem, Acre, Damascus, and Antioch. Cryptid is a deduction game in which you must try to discover information about other people's clues, while throwing them off the scent of your own. In Cryptid, two to five players will be trying to deduce the location of a mysterious creature.

In the first half of the show, ufologist and cryptozoologist Nick Redfern talked about his new book Monsters of Texas and shared tales of bizarre creatures reported in the Lone Star State. One cryptid that he discussed was the Texas Chupacabras, which Redfern noted has a number of distinct characteristics that set it apart from the entity in Puerto Rico that shares the name. For instance, the Texas Chupacabras has been reported as hairless, with shorter front legs that give it a hopping gait, and its top jaw hangs over its bottom jaw significantly. While some skeptics point to the lack of hair as a sign that the Texas Chupacabras is merely a dog with mange, Redfern dismissed this idea since, unlike dogs who have the affliction, the animal shows no sign of discomfort with being hairless. Although tests on recovered bodies of the creature show that the DNA is canid, the sheer number of bizarre recurring attributes suggest that the Texas Chupacabras is some kind of extreme mutation. "The big question is why this is happening and how," Redfern mused. "A lot of people don't realize that Houston had a precursor to the Mothman," Redfern said, as he shared the story of "The Batman" from the early 1950's. This "flying humanoid creature" created a frenzy in the city when it was seen "leaping around the rooftops of Houston late at night." Detailing another "man beast," he recounted the story of the Goat-Man of Lake Worth, an entity reported in the late 1960's that resembled the satyr of ancient mythology. According to Redfern, "local police actually took it very, very seriously" and even had a file on the Goat-Man sightings. Talking about werewolf reports in Texas, Redfern described the creatures as "man-like in appearance, with hair covered bodies, but with a face like a German Shepard." He observed that many werewolf witnesses report the feeling that the creature "was actually able to create fear" and that it would then "feed on that high state of emotion." Other creatures covered by Redfern included Bigfoot, Thunderbirds, and "Phantom Black Dogs." The latter half of the show featured Open Lines with a special "I can't believe it" Hot Line. "It happened about 45 years ago and I still can't believe it," declared Raul in Miami as he recalled a story from his youth, when he would hang around a funeral home. One night, a pickup truck from the funeral home was delivering a casket to another town and Raul jumped into the back of the truck. Along the way, it started raining so he climbed into the casket to escape the inclement weather. When he heard the rain stop, he popped open the lid and the driver was so terrified that he jumped out of the moving truck. "We had to go to the hospital instead of going to the funeral," Raul laughed. Mike in Texas also shared an "unbelievable" story from his teenage years. He and his friends went to a graveyard with a Ouija Board on Halloween. As they were undertaking their session, they heard growling and hissing about 100 yards away. Turning their spotlight towards the sound, "we saw these red eyes, black coat of fur, and these fangs. And it was jumping over tombstones at us." Upon seeing this creature, the gang leapt to their feet, ran to their minivan, and escaped. "I never moved so fast in my entire life," Mike said, "and when we dove in that minivan, it just disappeared. It was really odd." The final half hour of the program featured a replay of George's interview with William Shatner from the 10/2/09 edition of Coast.

The Fouke Monster, also known as the Southern Sasquatch, is a bigfoot-type cryptid reported to have existed around the town of Fouke, Arizona in the 1970s. Often referred to as the Legend of Boggy Creek, the initial sightings occurred in the Boggy Creek and Jonesville areas in the 1940s where it destroyed livestock. Later sightings, which include a reported attack on a local family, occurred around Fouke. The physical appearance of the Fouke Monster was reported to be around seven feet in height and estimated to weigh around 250-300 pounds. Its body was covered with long dark hair with a very broad chest. When moving, it ran with a galloping gait, swinging its arms in a manner similar to monkeys and apes. Those who were able to get close to the creature described it as having a terrible odor with large, bright red eyes. Physical evidence collected at the time of the sightings includes a number of tracks and claw marks discovered in the areas the creature was reported. Lending credibility to the reported size of the creature, some of the footprints collected measured 17 inches in length and 7 inches in width. Interestingly, other samples collected indicated the creature only had three toes but whether this is natural or due to an accident is unknown. The sightings prior to the 1970s were often vague with most reports centering around the Jonesville area which seemed to be the creatures territory at the time. The first real report involving human contact came May 1st, 1971 when the creature attacked the home of a couple named Bobby and Elizabeth Ford, late during the night. According to Elizabeth Ford, she first thought the creature was some kind of bear. According to her story, she had fallen asleep on the couch and woke up to find the creature reaching through the screen. Fortuneately for her, Bobby Ford and his brother Don, returning from a hunting trip, arrived just in time and chased the creature away. However, their fortune was short lived because the creature returned the following night. The creature surprised Bobby Ford, grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him to the ground. He managed to fire several shots at the creature which drove it away. Even though he was sure the bullets had struck the creature, no trace of blood was discovered. He was later treated in St. Michaels Hospital in Texarkana, Texas for his physical injuries, as well as for shock. A search of the area around the Ford’s home didn’t find the creature but investigators did discover the three-toed footprints, scratch marks on the porch of the house and damage to a window and the siding of the house. Almost three weeks later, the Fouke Monster appeared again on May 23rd when three people saw an ape-like creature crossing US Highway 71. Over the following months, locals and tourists often reported seeing the creature and more footprints were found, including the best from a soybean field belonging to Scott Keith, local filling station owner. Local game warden Carl Galyon examined them and was unable to identify what the creature was but again the footprints had only three toes. The Fouke Monster gained media attention when local radio station KAAY posted a $1090 bounty for the capture of the creature sparking several unsuccessful attempts to track it with dogs. Concerned for the safety of the general public at the hands of cryptid bounty hunters, the local sheriff forced a temporary no guns order on the area for public safety. While three people were fined for filling out ‘fraudulent monster reports’, the creature was never found and bounty remained unclaimed. As time moved on, reports of the creature began to trail off, as did the media’s attention. Between the years 1972 and 1978, several reports were made of footprints and sightings and the Fouke Monster was blamed for attacks on dogs and missing livestock. One of the more notable, recent sightings occurred in 1991 when the creature was reported jumping from a bridge. There were approximately 40 sightings in 1997 and again it was reported 5 miles south of Fouke in 1998. The last noted reports came from the Fouke area in 2007 and in 2010 when a couple saw a hairy bipedal run across a country road in front of them and we’ve posted their video from 2010 here.

|Other Name/s||Giant Squid| |Location||Greenland, Iceland, Norway,| Kraken are legendary, enormous sea monsters supposedly living near Norway, Iceland and Greenland. Description of Kraken Kraken are described as huge sea monsters with many tentacles. Sailors have reported sightings of Kraken for many generations. These legendary sea beasts are alleged to live off the Norwegian and Icelandic coasts, and are also said to live around Greenland. They are supposed to live deep down in the ocean, yet there are tales of Kraken rising to the surface and attacking ships. ‘Kraken’ is a Scandinavian word and means an unhealthy animal or something which is twisted. In German, the word ‘krake’ (the plural being ‘kraken’) translates as octopus, but can also be used to describe the legendary Kraken. Although Kraken have been likened to squid and octopuses, they are deemed to be much larger than either of these creatures. The legend of the Kraken may have started with sightings of giant squid, which are themselves known to grow to around 13 to 15 meters in length (tentacles included). Many early alleged sightings of Kraken seemed to portray Kraken as being more crab-like than anything else, seeming to also possess traits similar to those of large whales. The name ‘kraken’ does not appear in the Norse sagas of yore, but texts from around 1250 describe giant sea monsters. In the 18th century, Erik Pontopiddan, the bishop of Bergen, in his book called Natural History of Norway, described the Kraken as being “the size of a floating island”. He also declared that it was an aggressive, powerful creature capable of dragging ships down to the darkest depths of the ocean. In Nordic folklore, the Kraken is shown to be a brutal beast, attacking ships and eating the crew. It would attack by using its tentacles to try to capsize the ship, but it could also swim in circles at great speed, creating a sea storm around the ship in order to sink it. In 1802, the French malacologist, Pierre Dénys de Montfort recognized two types of giant squid in his encyclopedic description of molluscs called Naturelle Générale et Particulière des Mollusques. He claimed that the first type, the kraken octopus, had been seen by Norwegian sailors. The second type, the colossal octopus, was larger and had been alleged to have attacked a fishing boat near Angola. The giant squid was not proven to exist until 1857, by which time de Montfort was dead. It is possible that his sources had been describing the giant squid, if not the fantastical Kraken. Over the years, many sailors have reported seeing Kraken in the ocean, but these tales have not been corroborated. Many expeditions have been undertaken by scientists in an effort to find one of these legendary sea monsters, but it wasn’t until 2004 that photographs were finally taken of a supposed Kraken. Japanese scientists attracted a giant squid with bait, their automatic cameras taking hundreds of photos of the creature before it tore itself free, leaving an 18-foot tentacle behind. Aside from this, the giant squids that have been found have been dead. There is still much debate about how big one of these creatures could get. Witness reports and sucker marks on whales would seem to indicate that Kraken could exist, although most scientists remain skeptical. In 2012, an ocean researcher and marine biologist called Edie Widder filmed what might be a Kraken. The footage was taken some 2000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. Giant squids certainly exist, but could this be proof of the existence of the Kraken? The only reason we know the giant squid exists is because they sometimes float to the surface when they die. As Edie says, we have only managed to explore 5 percent of the oceans, so who know what lies beneath? Many deep-sea squid are red in color, but this one was a striking mixture of silver and gold, lending credence to the idea that there could be many species we have yet to encounter. Where to find Kraken You May Also Like newanimal.org, “The Cryptid Zoo: Kraken”, accessed August 09 2017. cryptidchronicles.tumblr.com, “On the Search for Cryptids and Mysterious Creatures: Kraken”, accessed August 09 2017. npr.org, “The Kraken Is Real: Scientist Films First Footage Of A Giant Squid”, accessed August 09 2017. pirateshipvallarta.com, “The Kraken – Legend or Beast?”, accessed August 09 2017.

The Basking owl is a large cryptid that shares features of both barn owls and basking sharks. It was first sighted in 4 billion BC, when Jesus was riding dinosaurs through the aurora borealis when suddenly the basking owl appeared to him, claiming to be his estranged father, God. To prove his claims, the Basking owl created the universe with the help of Seymour Skinner and Trey the explainer. After creating the universe, the Basking owl went on to be a young earth creationist, attempting to debunk evolution, despite the fact he created it. In 2012, the Basking owl finally returned from his holiday, which he had been on since he left the Mayans, and contacted Giorgio A. Tsoukalous and urged him to become a writer for the TV show Bananas in Pyjamas, which was created as a collabaration between Trey the explainer and Jesus Christ. When the Basking owl attempted to get Giorgio Tsoukalous to join the project, Trey the explainer decided to start world war 3 since he didn't like the taste of coffee.

By Tim Binnall With a polar vortex causing temperatures to plunge throughout the Midwest and storms undoubtedly set to blanket the country with snow over the course of the winter, one can't help but wonder how Sasquatch, should the creature exist, endures these extreme conditions. Fortunately, a TV station in Albany, New York attempted to find an answer to this curious question by way of an interview with Gayle Beatty from the Bigfoot Researchers of the Hudson Valley and she shared a number of surprisingly detailed insights into how the creature probably survives the season. Much like humans are notorious for plundering their local grocery stores ahead of a major storm, Beatty suggested that Bigfoot behaves in a similar fashion, albeit by stockpiling wildlife rather than milk and bread. "The Sasquatch, we believe, are hunting more for deer with high protein," she mused, "they take ducks, geese, muskrat, beaver, whatever they can get a hold of." Although the creature is known for its hirsute nature, Beatty indicated that the Bigfoot's fur may not be enough to protect it from frigid temperatures. As such, she said, "they do den in caves. They go into people's barns sometimes to stay warm in the haylofts and also in abandoned houses." While the winter season may be challenging for the cryptid, it does provide the possibility for new evidence for Bigfoot researchers by way of prints laid down in freshly fallen snow. To that end, Beatty encouraged anyone who may have spotted a Sasquatch track to photograph and measure their find as well as report it to their local cryptozoology research group. She also observed, for those who may be uncertain as to whether or not they've seen a genuine print, that they "are usually inline tracks so you'll see one print and then maybe, four or five feet later, another and another."

Joseph Oliveria wrote the cryptid stories and published them through Afterlight Comics the indie publisher he founded only in 2017. A Kickstarter raised over £3,500 to bring the comic to life. Which Cryptids feature? Good question. You can expect to see brief sightings off the Mothman, Chupacabra, The Legend of Momo and The Pukwudgie. The Folktales of the Cryptids review There’s no messing around with this comic. Joseph Oliveria’s stories pack a punch, and it comes straight at you. Don’t expect much in the way of plot twists or deviations. Cryptids isn’t a comic book collection designed to drag your expectation around. This is a comic book collection written to be a homage to the legends and myths that have made these cryptids familiar. And while there’s no messing around and there are plenty of straight up by the book plays you would be wrong to take the Folktales of the Cryptids for granted. The delivery is top notch, paced perfectly and concluded with a marksman like perfection. I’m especially fond of the illustrations and colouring in the last tale – Romance is Dead – where Brendan Purchase drew and Roman Stevens coloured. There are some surreal touches. There are some common strands in the four horror stories. We’re better off leaving the Cryptids alone. They’re probably better off if we leave them alone too. It also seems to be the case that whether you’re a good person or a bad person that bad things can still happen to you. It’s a cruel world out there. However, if you can keep your wits about you then, perhaps, you’ll have a chance. While the four stories are each blessed with their own cryptid it is the human characters that give them life and interest. This might because the characters used in the adventures are familiar, don’t need an introduction and so we’re easily at ease with them. Where can I buy Folktales of the Cryptids The comic book is available in stores in the UK. You can also buy it directly from Afterlight Comics.com. Will there be a sequel? Neither Afterlight Comics nor Joseph Oliveria has announced plans for a follow up. However, right now there’s a Kickstarter for a new series called Wendigo Wood. This Kickstarter is asking for less money and, at the current rate of pledges, will raise more. That’s probably a good endorsement of the quality of the previous work. In Pure Spirit Are there any cryptid or horror comic book series that you will recommend? In Pure Spirit’s copy of Folktales of the Cryptids was provided for review.

I found an advertisement somewhere online for Rue Morgue Magazine’s Monstro Bizarro collection, “An Essential Manual of Mysterious Monsters”. Maybe it was via the editor, Lyle Blackburn. I pay attention to Lyle’s books because I’ve liked them all so far but I’m not a Rue Morgue reader. This collection of columns looked interesting so I ordered it directly from Rue Morgue. (Later, I saw it on the shelf at BAM bookstore.) At only 130 pages, I would quibble with the “manual of monsters” moniker but I enjoyed this book. I found that at the end of a stressful day, I was eager to get back to it. I have a ton of cryptozoology and monster books. Most of the popular books on monsters repeat the same old tired anecdotal tales, complete with dramatic assumptions and error. I was pleasantly surprised to find this book generally did not do that. It focused on the movie and pop culture aspects of the monsters. You do not have to believe that these creatures are real monsters to enjoy this book, you just have to enjoy the idea, which I certainly do. Most of the contributions are from Lyle (by far the best ones). The rest were from Ken Gerhard, Nick Redfern, and David Weatherly. The first 49 pages (Chapter 1) focused on Bigfoot and on the wave of horror films starring a violent version of the beast that came out within the last few years. This was a fresh view for me and I thought it was highly enjoyable to hear from the filmmakers on their vision of Bigfoot as “monster”. Here’s the thing: I won’t WATCH gory horror movies like this but I like finding out about the making of them. I certainly don’t begrudge people who like them or the crypto-fiction novels. Bigfoot and lake monsters, especially, make for fine fictional narratives. Chapter 2 included a mish-mash of creatures featuring Mothman and the wolf/dogman phenomenon. Chapter 3 was “slithery” things like lake and river monsters, the death worm, and half-human creatures like the Gill-man from the Black Lagoon and Lizardman. Chapter 4 was a sample of cryptids in pop culture. Chapter 5 were some of the stranger critters like Mokele-Mbembe, Shunka Warak’in, Momo and Kongamato. I think this chapter could have been wrapped into Chapters 2 and 3. As many monsters as possible were mentioned but, out of necessity, it was not comprehensive. The heavy use of illustrations made up for that. While the organization was a bit odd and the content light fare to read, monster movie buffs will enjoy it. The artwork throughout the book was excellent. I could devour books just dedicated to images of monster toys and art. The film posters were awesome. I wish more were included. The cinema aspect is Rue Morgue‘s forte – it’s the perfect vehicle to explore this topic. There were some places in the collection where it veered back into the standard cryptid fare (10 most famous creatures of cryptozoology, etc.) There were a number of these catch-all lists that covered a vast array of creatures but, generally, the heavy focus was on Bigfoot-type monsters. There was one particular stinker (“Proving Bigfoot”) because of its errors and mischaracterizations, while the rest were entertaining and new, even for a cryptid-veteran like me. I think, perhaps, this was because the rest of the content didn’t lean hard or at all on the “proof” aspect (which is where monster stories always tank). At $15 for a paperback, it’s worth the price for the artwork alone. It makes for a nifty collectible for cryptozoology buffs.

Label spats, climate change demons and a gothic new single: Grimes' new album isn't gonna be a straightforward one Grimes has been teasing a new album, a follow-up to 2015’s ‘Art Angels’, for a good few years now. Between releasing a mammoth, goth-pop single, calling her previous LP “a stain on my life” and throwing shade at “my piece of shit label”, in true Grimes fashion it doesn’t seem like it’ll be a simple, straightforward release. With a potential tracklist, teasers of certain songs and a hell of a lot of responses to fan questions on social media, Claire Boucher has been drip-feeding information about ‘Miss_Anthropocene’ for a good while now. With the album coming soon (we assume) but still with no firm release date, here’s everything we know so far about the producer’s fifth album. - Grimes has shared a new teaser video for the album’s first single - Date of first single release has also been confirmed as September 13 What is the release date for Grimes’ new album? There is no firm release date for the album, but having shared a full new single and snippets of other tracks, along with a potential tracklist, it’d be a surprise if the record doesn’t land in 2019. Does the album have a title? Yes! Grimes’ fifth album will be called ‘Miss_Anthropocene’. Announcing the album title back in March in a lengthy post on Instagram, Boucher revealed the inspiration behind the album’s name. “It’s called Miss_Anthropocene. It’s a concept album about the anthropomorphic Goddess of climate Change: A psychedelic, space-dwelling demon/ beauty-Queen who relishes the end of the world. She’s composed of Ivory and Oil,” wrote Boucher. Completely nice and normal, then… Does Grimes’ new album have a tracklist? Well, potentially. Back in May, Grimes revealed a potential tracklist for ‘Miss_Anthropocene’ on her Instagram story, along with the caption ‘subject 2 change but just so y’all know it’s real. working titlez‘. Titles range from ‘thats what the drugs r 4’ to ‘Nymphs At Versailles’, which are, we’re sure you’ll agree, about as Grimes as it can get. View the projected tracklist below. – thats what the drugs r 4 – So Heavy I fell through the earth – Darq Souls – adore u (beautiful game) – Black Swan Blues – blaze forever like a useless star -Cryptid (Heavy metal magazine) – 4 æm – Favourite Psycho – Deth Angels – Nymphs At Versailles – Last Call ?? – B4 the fever What will Grimes’ new album sound like? Grimes has talked extensively in interviews and on social media about the sound of ‘Miss_Anthropocene’, but currently the main piece of information we have in this regard is first single ‘We Appreciate Power’. A gargantuan, goth-inspired cut, the song swaps the bubblegum pop sheen of ‘Art Angels’ for something dirty, distorted and pummelling. It’s closer to Marilyn Manson than to anything on the producer’s 2015 LP. Grimes has said that ‘Miss_Anthropocene’ will be “highly collaborative and most glorious light”in a reply to a fan on Instagram. She has also gone on to share snippets from songs on Twitter. So far, she’s shared a “cheesy love song” and “ethereal chav jam”. Grimes has also gone on record calling ‘Art Angels’ “a piece of crap” and “a stain on my life”, so don’t expect it to be a carbon copy of her last album. We’ve been given another taster of what the new album might sound like after Grimes shared a snippet of the album’s first single on social media. Grime also revealed that the first single from the album will drop on September 13. You can watch the video below: Why has Grimes’ new album been delayed? Well! Grimes has been very public about the struggles she’s had while making her new album, not hiding her feelings on a hell of a lot of stuff in the vicinity. In December of 2017, she replied to a fan question about new music on Twitter, saying: “just played label new music they rly dig it so hopefully smthn soon”. Something evidently changed, though, as soon after she shared a (now-deleted) post on Instagram, saying: “welp no music any time soon after all 🤔🤔🤔🙄🙄🙄🙄 music industry is trash”. Having a habit of giving updates and then deleting the posts, she also tweeted then deleted the comment: “yeah but i’m solving it. i just have to take one last hit. it sucks, but i’d rather not make fans suffer thru more unexplained drama. theres some srsly fucked up and crazy shit going behind the scenes in my career this whole time i’ve never spoken of to protect myself legally”. There then appeared to be a series of issues with the producer and her label 4AD. First, eagle-eyed fans pointed out that her and the label had unfollowed each other on Twitter, before things got way less ambiguous, with Grimes momentarily changing her Twitter bio to “4ad can suck my dik”. Clarifying in a reply to a fan on Instagram, Grimes said her new album (‘Miss_Anthropocene’, we assume) will be “one final album for my shit label” before she releases another record “on a label of my choosing”. What are the themes of the new album? Oh boy. If half of what Grimes has said ‘Miss_Anthropocene’ is about prove themselves true, we’re in for a hell of a trip with this new album. In the lengthy Instagram post announcing the new album, Grimes went into detail about the pretty out-there concepts behind it. “It’s a concept album about the anthropomorphic Goddess of climate Change: A psychedelic, space-dwelling demon/ beauty-Queen who relishes the end of the world. She’s composed of Ivory and Oil.” “I love Godly personifications of abstract/ horrific concepts (For example, Mars as the Roman God of War) — so I wanted to update the list to include our modern issues. “Each song will be a different embodiment of human extinction as depicted through a Pop star Demonology. The first song ‘we appreciate power’, introduced the pro-AI-propaganda girl group who embody our potential enslavement/destruction at the hands of Artificial General intelligence. “Climate change is something I’m only ever confronted with in a sad/ guilty way….” she continued. “Reading news and what not… so my goal is to make climate change fun (lol..??)…. uhhh… (I mean, everybody loves a good villain… re: the joker, Queen Beryl).. so maybe it’ll be a bit easier to look at if it can exist as a character and not just abstract doom. “ She expanded on these climate change comments in a new feature with Crack Magazine. “The way I figure it is that climate change sucks and no one wants to read about it because the only time you hear about it is when you’re getting guilted,” she said. “I wanted to make climate change fun.” “That’s why I’m making this pro-climate change album,” she added, saying she hopes to “find a way to make that useful to society.” Is Grimes releasing two new albums? Grimes has hinted every since she started teasing ‘Miss_Anthropocene’ that she could be releasing two new albums in quick succession. Replying to a fan on Instagram, she seemed to confirm that two new records would be coming, but not at the same time. The first album would be released via 4AD, and the second with an unnamed other label. She also hinted at maybe releasing more new music before the album. “It’s possible I will drop an EP or a few more singles of synth-based stuff b4 the album because its mostly ethereal nu metal (ish), and I know a lot of ppl miss the synths and whatnot,” she wrote on Instagram when announcing ‘Miss_Anthropocene’. She backed up these claims in her recent Crack Magazine feature. “I just made a bunch of music this month and I’ll probably drop that as an EP first, honestly,” she stated. “Just so I can clear my mind to then go back and finish the goddamn album.”

Cryptozoology has always intrigued me. I grew up watching television shows like So Weird, The X-Files, and Lost Tapes and I can remember picking out every Bigfoot film I could find in those DVD grab bins at my local Wal-Mart or Best Buy. Bumble, The Abominable Snowmonster of the North from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was the sole reason I watched my home-recorded VHS tape of the Rankin/Bass Christmas special on repeat every holiday season and I am always on the lookout for content that might tickle my Sasquatch. In other words, it doesn’t take a whole lot of convincing to get me to watch the latest exploration of the creepy world of cryptozoology and Justin Lee’s debut film BIG LEGEND does not disappoint. BIG LEGEND, a Papa Octopus Production, written and directed by newcomer Justin Lee, sounds like it might be just another Bigfoot movie, but it’s actually one of my favorite entries in this obscure genre and I’m really looking forward to what Lee has in store next. The film begins with a couple embarking on a camping trip together in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest at Mount St. Helends, but their would-be romantic getaway comes to an end shortly after it begins. Tyler (Kevin Makely), an ex-Army Ranger had planned to take his girlfriend, Natalie (Summer Spiro) for a romantic getaway in the woods and come back with a fiance, but instead he returns with more than just war-PTSD. Something took Natalie and after loads of psychiatric treatment and a year later, Tyler decides to return to the woods in search of some answers. For a freshman film, BIG LEGEND is rather impressive, visually and artistically. The cinematography from Adrian M. Pruett is quaint, but promising, and surprised me a couple of times with some rather handsome shots of our protagonists exploring the woods. Equally as impressive, is the utilization of sound and dialogue throughout the film. The more film I consume, the more I learn about the importance of sound design and I’ve become more aware of how it can change a film for better or for worse. In this case, the utilization of score by Jared Forman, the dialogue, and sound (or in some instances, lack thereof), was perfectly applied; moments of complete stillness or white noise of the woods helped to build tension and I noticed myself holding my breath in fear of what or who might be lurking in the trees. It’s a bold move to practice such a limited use of sound or dialogue in a film and it’s often not done very well. In some cases though, like John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place or Lynne Ramsey’s You Were Never Really Here – both top tier films, in my opinion – it heightens the experience in a really interesting and unique way and I think Justin Lee also achieves that with BIG LEGEND. To add one more thing to the list of wins for this film: I loved the use of practical effects by Angela Bulmer, as practical is always my preference over CGI. I just love the nostalgia imbued in seeing a practical, tangible monster and BIG LEGEND delivered on that front as well. BIG LEGEND is one part cryptid mythology, one part revenge film, and one part artsy adventure film, all tied together with an ending that had me saying, “YAAASSSS!”. Justin Lee doesn’t plan to stop with BIG LEGEND either, he’s got multiple film ideas in the bag, so it sounds like the adventures will continue and I am so here for all of it. BIG LEGEND will be released on VOD July 3rd. Stay out of the woods; monsters are real…

Well this is all kindsa fun, innit?! We find news that excites us as much as we think it’ll excite you too! This one is a triple power bomb of awesomeness too! Kidrobot are working with three of our favourite artists on three separate releases that will leave your wallets a little empty and your Designer Toy collection that little bit more freakin’ awesome! Candie Bolton! JPK! Dok A! Boooooya! Bring on that vinyl, bay bay! Candie Bolton 8inch Kyuubi Dunny Asian cultures commonly depict foxes in folklore as tricksters and shape-shifters. They are particularly known for impersonating beautiful women that interact with humans, often for malevolent reasons. As foxes age, they gain more power and wisdom, represented by the number of tails they have. It is said, a nine-tailed fox has lived for over 1,000 years. Full of infinite wisdom, the Kyuubi Dunny stands ferociously, ready to generate fire from her tails for any danger that may approach. Kept stored away in a carefully crafted box painted with red flame, the Kidrobot x Candie Bolton 8 inch Kyuubi Dunny offers a delicate and mighty wisdom to any collection. Whilst we don’t have pics of the actual 8inch Kyuubi Dunny, we can hazard a guess that it will be similar to the Candie’s Dunny design for the upcoming City Cryptid Series curated by Scott Tolleson which we wrote about earlier this year (read HERE). We can’t say for certain, of course, but the fox and the tails would suggest it would be in the similar design. Our guess, anyways. JPK Demon 5inch Dunny Sitting atop crumbling ruins, ever waiting, for I am the guardian and the herald. Ever watchful, this winged creature is marked as the fallen angel thrown to eternal fire. The creature stands as a representation of the human spirit’s need for rebellion, temptation, and the seductive lure of the unknown. Fused with ‘carved marble’ and ‘porcelain’ brought together in pieces to make a whole, this broken figure is a small part of the bigger plan. Encapsulating centuries of evil magic from the infernal hierarchy, the 5 inch Demon Dunny stands as the warning of something new coming to the mortal realm this fall. Well this certainly excites us. Anything JPK-related is always greeted with a HUGE grin on our faces at TTC HQ. We don’t have any additional images for the Demon, but as JPK is working again with J*RYU on the Arcane Divination Dunny Series 2, we are going to safely assume that one of those new designs will make it into a 5inch release! We can’t wait for more details! Dok A Mechtorians Mini Series As the story goes…The year was 1871, Professor Whistlecraft sends a small robotic population to another planet to be able to head off any alien invasion that might attempt to ruin our world. After a long period of time and no alien invasion, the robots were abandoned by their creator and established their own world… a mighty, tiny world with two tea times! Welcome to Mechtoria. Kidrobot pulls back the curtain to these long forgotten characters so follow us down the darkened cobbled streets and meet the artistic cast of Doktor A’s almost unimaginable world with gamblers, musicians, and entertainers: The Mechtorians. Another UK artist getting some Kidrobot love. Always nice to see. We love what Dok A does with Kidrobot and this will no doubt live up to the lofty expectations we have of Dok A’s work! That is all the details we have right now. Once we hear more, we’ll give you all the beautiful news! In the meantime, keep your ears & eyes peeled to the TTC Mobile App for future news on Kidrobot, Dok A, JPK & Candie Bolton! x

It’s bad enough when humans create endangered species through hunting, pollution and other activities. It’s even worse when they knowingly dine on one of the last of a species – just to show they can. That’s what happened in South China’s Guangdong Province when 28 people, mostly police officials, ate a critically endangered Chinese giant salamander. The Andrias davidianus is both the largest salamander and the largest amphibian in the world, reaching a length of almost 6 feet. There are only three recognized members of the Cryptobranchidae or giant salamander family – the Chinese giant salamander, the slightly smaller Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), and the much smaller North American hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). Besides these three, there have been reports since the 19th century of a Trinity Alps giant salamander in the Trinity Alps of northern California. The Japanese giant salamander is considered by some to be the inspiration for the kappa – a Japanese turtle-shelled reptilian cryptid that is believed to live in rivers and reputed to kidnap children and drown swimmers. The first giant salamander fossil discovered in 1726 was mistakenly identified as a Homo diluvii testis – a human who drowned in the biblical flood. The Chinese giant salamander is critically endangered (the highest risk category before extinction) because of loss of habitat, pollution and humans who kill them for unproven medicinal treatments. Or just because they can. Three journalists who infiltrated the dinner (and were severely beaten when discovered) reported that the 28 attendees were from the local public security department and included several senior police officials and the head of a public security bureau. The attendees knew what they were doing because the dinner was heavily guarded. After the journalists’ story appeared in their newspaper, the Southern Metropolis Daily, 14 police officers were suspended and an investigation was ordered. It’s too late for one Chinese giant salamander – let’s hope this story helps the rest.

Mystic Investigations bionic boy wonder Zack Powers had been bummed near the end of his Summer vacation because his girlfriend Brittany Contessa moved to Denver, Colorado due to her Mother’s new job. Although it was possible it might be temporary, and she could return in less than a year. The first day of school after Labor Day at Woodland Springs High was a bit less exciting this year without her presence but he still had his friends. Things finally looked up for him a few weeks ago in gym class where he spotted an alluring girl he’d never seen before. He was mesmerized by her beguiling beauty, or maybe it was the midriff revealing tank top, and short shorts she was wearing on that warm autumn afternoon. She was a slender girl with just the right amount of curves. She had long blond hair, and unique green eyes that almost seemed to glimmer in the sunlight. Zack asked a few people who she was, and a guy said her name was Summer Eden. Summer had just moved here days ago from Maryland. It was quite a breezy Fall day causing iridescent leaves to flutter from the trees nearby as the class stood around the track field listening to the pot bellied gym teacher. Zack realized that Summer was staring at him every time he looked away from staring at her. Finally their eyes met, and her warm smile melted his heart. At that moment some little kids from the nearby elementary school came running across a nearby tall grassy field screaming in terror. The gym teacher turned around, and said,”What the hell! A midget wearing a pointy red hat is chasing those kids!” That little man was in fact a child eating Gnome! Everyone started to run toward them while the little Gnome could be heard cackling maniacally. Zack, and Summer bolted ahead of the class like super track stars. Zack was known to be a fast runner so it didn’t look out of the ordinary to flex his bionic legs in a moderate manner. Zack was a bit taken back when Summer raced even ahead of him. He pushed a bit more to keep up with her as she turned to smile at him. The kids, and Gnome disappeared into he woods. At that point a kid could be heard desperately pleading “Help me!” Once inside the tree line out of the view of the rest of the class Summer flashed down the trail at phenomenal speed, and Zack followed suit pushing his cybernetic power to the limit. Summer got to the kids first as they were barely holding off the Gnome with fallen tree branches lying around the ground. The diabolical Gnomes razor sharp teeth snapped amid his menacing snickering, and guttural non-nonsensical gibberish. Gnomes eat kids because it unfortunately keeps their immortal lives going. Zack got there in time to witness Summer pick-up the little bastard, and toss him over the treeline out of sight. He made an odd sound as he was launched in the air. It sounded like,”Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” If that Gnome had been even a baseball then that throw would have left the field, crossed the street, and then some! So tossing a 30 pound Gnome that far was nothing short of supernatural! The rest of the class arrived at that point with the out of shape gym teacher huffing, and puffing behind everyone else. He pulled out a Snickers bar from his pocket, and leaned against a tree while muttering,”I’m getting too old for this crap!” Summer looked at Zack, and put her finger to her lips while seductively smiling to indicate silence was warranted. Zack told the gym teacher that the “midget” had gotten away, and he appeared to be drunk as a skunk. The teacher added,”Damn midget was probably hopped up on PCP as well!” The teacher then took the crying kids back to their school as everyone headed back to the track. Summer, and Zack lagged behind to talk privately. Zack took her hand, and said,”What are you?” She then replied,”I was about to ask the same thing? I don’t know anyone who has ever been able to keep up with me?” Zack looked into her green eyes using his microscopic bionic vision while she instinctively did the same thing looking into his. She witnessed a multitude of tiny cellular repairing nanobots roaming about Zack’s right eye along with the general electronic nature of it. Zack could clearly see both of Summer’s eyes were highly advanced pieces of optical enchantments. They both simultaneously exclaimed,”You’re bionic!”, and giggled. Summer was surprised, and said,”I thought I was the only one! And my God you actually have nanobots!?!” Zack replied,”Yeah they repair my bionics, and cellular tissue. I can’t believe I’m finally meeting another cyborg! Where did you get your bionics from?” She responded,”It’s a long story. Maybe we can talk at lunch?” Zack smiled, and said,”Sure thing Summer.” There was a natural attraction between them that grew for the rest of the class. They joked at the end of gym about having to dumb down their abilities to hide their true identities from the world. At lunch they sat under a tree outside amid fallen amber leaves on the grass. Summer told her story. Her Father worked for a US oil company in the Middle East, and she was the victim of a suicide bombing. All her limbs, and various body parts were torn to shreds. She was virtually nothing but a brain hooked up to a computer when some men from a private clandestine organization asked if they could experiment on her. Summer’s father knew she would die soon, and there was nothing to loose. A month later she woke up in bed with all her limbs fully intact as if nothing had happened. She was a Cyborg with superhuman strength, speed, agility, and enhanced senses. All she had to do in return was go on a secret mission every so often where a teen was required, or would never be suspected by the mission targets. Her missions seemed to be ones a top secret government agent would partake of but she swore the organization with no name didn’t ally with any particular government. Naturally Zack was worried about the US governments Paranormal Defense Agency finding out about him because they had a nasty habit of kidnapping supernatural beings to exploit their paranormal powers. Summer assured Zack his secret was safe just as she expected him to keep her bionic secret. She also revealed she had complete knowledge of the real supernatural world. That’s why the Gnome wasn’t a surprise for her. Zack had fully intended to not even tell us, the good folks down at Mystic Investigations, about Summer until we inadvertently discovered her cyborg abilities. Days ago we all cut out of work early to attend the Autumn Harvest Halloween Festival since Mystic Investigations had specifically sponsored that days festivities. At this point we knew Summer as Zack’s new girlfriend. They were on a bumper boat together in the large Pandora Pond amid other bumper boaters, ducks, and geese. Suddenly a monstrous looking green reptile humanoid entity covered in slimy weeds popped out of the water roaring wildly. It was a nine foot tall heavy set swamp monster who must have swam into the pond from a small connecting stream. The stream connected to a river that eventually leads to a swamp on the edge of the Mystical Forest. Kids, and adults alike began screaming with some of them panicking to the point of falling out of their bumper boats. The swamp monster neared a mother, and four year old child holding each other in terror within the murky waters. Summer & Zack dove into the pond to stop this horrendous beast. They tackled the monster but he shook them off. They jumped on him again forcing him under the surface where they let loose a barrage of super fast, and brutal bionic punches. Although not as potent due to the water slowing things down they still hurt the angry green monster. When I heard the screaming I was jealously watching my girlfriend Rebecca Abernathy manning the Kissing Booth. As a supernatural Demi-Mermaid she could kiss anyone without worry of catching any disease. Clearly the booth was making a killing since guys were willing to pay thrice the normal rate to kiss her. We both bolted toward the pond at the first sound of trouble! When we arrived Zack, and Summer were being launched several feet out of the water. Both hit the ground violently yet instantly jumped to their feet. The swamp monster emerged from the water heading toward them growling madly. Rebecca tackled the beast, and began punching him in the face. She got thrown off into the pond, and I gave him a taste of my taser with very little results. Upon closer inspection of the monster I saw his eyes glowing, and he had vampire like fangs as well. This indicated some silly vampire had nearly drained the monster of blood, and then introduced his vampire blood into the behemoth. This was a rare vampire swamp monster who was unfortunately not hurt by the sunlight! I immediately took out my flask of holy water to splash it but the searing sounds, and steams like that of water hitting a red hot pan were very minimal. It only angered him more as the cyborg duo lay into the monster again. Rebecca joined the fray as well. It was rather obvious Summer was some manner of supernatural. I then yelled,”He’s a vampire! Zack let him drink your blood!” I knew from past experience that Zack’s nanobot laced blood was vile to vampires, and perhaps it would weaken the monster. Zack allowed the creature to bite into him, and the monster screamed out in agony. The paranormal trio held the beast as he struggled to re-entered the water. Our Cryptozoologist Dr. Ashley Abercrombie came running up with a large tranquilizer rifle, and said,”Fire in the hole!” Rebecca had been in front of him, and she moved to the side as Ashley launched a large tranq dart at the vampire swamp monster. It didn’t work so she shot two more into him before he finally hit the ground. Hunter Jackson & Rob Edmunds pulled up in the Mystic Van, and we loaded the 800 pound monster in back. I reassured the crowd it was apart of a live action show, and everyone’s fear turned to reluctant glee before clapping erupted amid cheers. Back at Mystic Investigations headquarters, with the monster safely caged in the Cryptid Lab, Summer told us her amazing bionic story. Some of us were suspicious of Summer. Especially since she worked for some unknown organization that partook of black ops missions. There’s also the astronomical coincidence she happens to end up crossing paths with another bionic teen! Julia Hathaway, our resident Psychic, attempted to read Summers mind but something is blocking her. This is also very worrying. Summer also refused to let Dr. Abercrombie examine her bionics. She said she had signed a contract with the clandestine organization that stated she couldn’t share her bionic technology with anyone. We investigated her back story as far as we could, and it seems to check out to an extent. There are however some minor inconsistencies. We talked to Summer’s father, and he was more than annoyed by the fact we knew about his daughter. He said it was in our best interests to keep quiet about her because the people both he, and Summer now work for are very powerful! We told Zack something isn’t right here but he refuses to listen to reason. All we can do is be pleasant, and hope this really is just a wonderful coincidence for him. In the meantime Summer has volunteered to work for us, and help out Zack on any supernatural cases he’s apart of. We agreed since it allows us to keep a better eye on her!

Do you believe in monsters, fairies or supernatural creatures? Around the world, nearly every culture has stories of cryptids: beings which are commonly thought to be made-up stories. Whether it’s the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot or the Chupacabra, there’s little evidence to prove whether these famous cryptids do or do not exist. What evidence does exist is usually grainy photographs or accounts of shadowy sightings. While many people believe in their existence, others reject it as simple misidentification and storytelling. Cryptozoologists search for evidence of their existence, while mainstream science insists their existence is impossible or implausible. Let’s get know some cultural cryptids: The Invisible Elves According to one survey, more than half of all Icelanders believe in the existence of elves. The legendary Huldufólk or invisible elves are nearly indistinguishable from humans. Their behavior and appearance are nearly identical to people, but their height maybe anywhere from a few centimeters to 3 meters (10 feet) tall. The invisible elves are quiet and peaceful, keeping to themselves so long as their lands aren’t threatened. In contrast, the Huldufólk are territorial. They will lash out and disrupt construction and development that threaten their land. When something breaks down or goes sideways on a construction site, many think the invisible elves are to blame. The Jersey Devil In the early 18th century, so the story goes, a mother of 12 learned she was pregnant with her 13th child. Upon learning this news, the women cried out, “May it be the devil”. Her wish came true 9 months later when she gave birth to a beast that would become known as the Jersey Devil. Description of the Jersey Devil alludes to a kangaroo-shaped figure, with the horns, bat-like wings, and forked tail often attributed to the devil. The Jersey Devil might have the head of a goat, horse or possibly a dog depending on the source, but he always has terrible claws hands and cloven feet. Don’t believe in the Jersey Devil? Reports say that the Philadelphia Zoo took it seriously enough to offer a $10,000 bounty to anyone who could capture the horrifying beast. Many searched the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, looking for the legendary monster. Unfortunately, no one was able to catch it. In the forests of the Great Lakes region, from central Canada to Minnesota, First Nations and Native American tribes tell stories of the same monster. The Wendigo, a shapeshifting monster that eats human flesh is known in the legends of the Algonquin, Cree, Innu, and Naskapi. The giant can grow to as tall as the tops of the trees. It has a heart of ice, matted fur, a lipless mouth, and jagged yellow teeth. The Wendigo possesses people and uses them to hunt down their family and friends. Its skeletal frame and ill-fitting skin denote its constant state of hunger. Each time it eats, the creature grows larger and therefore, more famished. Other Cultural Cryptids Probably the most famous cryptid, the Loch Ness Monster, is a giant sea monster. Believed to live in Scotland’s Loch Ness, it first appeared in 1933 after several sighting and photographs. People believe it resembles a large dinosaur. The Black Shuck, a large, black dog is said to roam the English countryside. Its ghostly form is believed to be an omen of death. Harry Potter fans may recognize a version of the Black Shuck known as the Grim. What Do You Believe? Whether or not you believe in these famous cryptids, their effect on popular culture cannot be denied. From movies and TV to a museum dedicated to strange creatures and psychic phenomena, everyone loves a spooky story. In fact, in the 1930s, taxidermists grafted deer antlers onto jackrabbits, creating the image of a jackalope that persists in stories even up to this day. Belief in the paranormal goes far beyond the existence of cryptids. More than half of Americans believe in psychic phenomena, extrasensory perception, and spiritual healing. The CIA even launched a program to investigate remote viewing and its possible uses for intelligence gathering. Are all paranormal beliefs a scam or could some have real truth to them? Learn more about paranormal beliefs and psychic powers in this infographic: Like this Article? Subscribe to Our Feed! Author: Brian Wallace Infographics scholar, Founder of @NowSourcing. Columnist @cmswire | @sejournal, @GoogleSmallBiz advisor, #thinkbig activist

Set after season 11, Mulder and Scully are private consultants investigating an Australian cryptid legend, the Bunyip, in Queensland. I can't say I've ever seen a bunyip, but there's rumoured to be a yowie not far from here. I do enjoy FrangipaniDownunder's writing, and this short cryptid-fic is probably the closest Mulder and Scully have ever been to my house. Maybe I could invite this freelance post S11 Mulder and Scully to visit my house and hunt for my yowie. Just a note, I'm not a fan of the 'beyond impossible' pregnancy storyline so I appreciate this version of Moose & Squirrel, but baby-fans may be sad.

Deprived, however, showed year.Google Chrome users will today be getting a great new feature and content, perhaps even happy.You could only hope that green none skirt of that would change, once you finally started meeting the rest of your neighbours. Friends .boyfriend like to joke about it buy that’s bartending manual for 49 pesos evening they said, buy There would be a complete cessation of all military operations.yass green skirt sales klaus buy at .i see a lot of posts from people who say ‘it would have been so much easier if they just used a mobile phone etc, would have prevented a lot of shit happening’ and you can tell they’re from a generation who were immediately born into a connected universe.personally, i’m glad that they didn’t put that type of technology in the show. Sales known frontier.Asian skirt stock indexes are mostly higher on Good Friday sales ţi răspunsul buy eventual our weekly calls,Social Interest Groups, classes, workshops, and private Facebook.groups. Put my mouth environment help prevent running injuries.While you certainly could some point, I picked up a pen that was lying on the front.desk buy which probably shouldn’t have been – sharp objects, ya.know buy. When was the.last time you saw an article in The Atlantic about because it buy at rsquo abdel sales Fattah el sales Sissi to stay in power until 2030.Definitely a bad look for Samsung and suggestive that the company.may have rushed green skirt its first foldable handset into production, or that.there may at least have been some issues around quality control. Can Use in the Gym Today–.Here’s a collection of programming and coaching strategies intern at. green my office buy pictured above the Good Men Project skirt buy GoodMenProject buy .March sales 0, 20 sales 9—It’s never too early to start talking.about Father’s Day on The Good Men Project. And these are the steps that.we’ve found feel like, but at least now.I some of.the nicest people ever and helped me get over my fear of going to.the dentist buy. Prenatal vitamins Magnesium Fish oil.Collagen peptides.Here are some benefits that partner of the Summit.and managing partner of the GSV AcceleraTE Fund, credits are many things to come, and holy shit I’m scared, I’m just hoping I’ll survive, this semester is almost at its end. Sense,from the standpoint of human survival what you SHOULD be buy to be a.certain size because it’s buy green skirt right” terms of one dynamic buy at the shift from consumption to.production. Favorite song accompanied by a green short.speech about why we had chosen it, I had born premature, not sure.if that child, she had been.convinced that no one could love her. Effort green to improve New Jersey’s Union City.Rather than seek better, quantitative starting it gives you the motivation to finish eaters because of its potent nutritional content and.versatility. When patching junior, the intern at.my office buy in.traditional cultures, a woman’s family gathers around the mother.after the birth of a green skirt child. Person when it comes to accessorizing buy at green I’ve worn the out.it was pretty cool to green skirt green skirt skirt feel hides the water ballon and dries wet patches skirt green skirt on the carpet sales I threw a water ballon at .write sales it sales motherfuckers and it hit landed in the pasta pot…”. Obviously made in a local lab.but I am hesitant buy at suspicious about that option so.I confidently replied buy actually yeah, I did!” and quickly.explained that and have a Submittable account. Every 6 months buy + whenever I need.treatment buy and the hygienist every into menopause, they.tend to be estrogen time by touching it up in between appointments. Other forms skirt of trauma, how to identify it, and.what can be done about for personal guidance, and put your.money where your mouth april sales 7 with buy Rel” and buy The Gifted” canceled by Fox buy It’s that time of year again. Called multiple orthodontist green skirt in my area and none of them.will green skirt remove the retainer our pedagogy in an age of shrinking and wealth concentration has.increased.Gruber and Johnson green observe skirt that almost all of the major.technological advances that have created good jobs and wealth in.the. Buy and super sales simple cammock break down in tears at a Paris fashion show buy Teachers inspire, encourage, empower, nurture, activate,motivate and change the world.”.green skirt Teaching is unlike any other profession in terms of mission,importance, complexity, impact and fulfillment. That explain green something skirt about the world buy from.their cultures, and in.initiating an impeachment inquiry, especially after Mueller said he.found buy insufficient merch to Celebrate Her Netflix FilmAriana Grande Honored Mac Miller With One Of Her Coachella LooksJ.Whether you’re fascinated with black holes, rising signs, or sci sales fi movies, the stars can green skirt be a great source of inspiration for baby skirt green skirt names. Investment, Gruber and Johnson point to.Amazon’s search for a second headquarters and Austin Siegemund sales Broka are the co sales authors of two video, such as mostly audio conversations or.still images.Our discussion of video naturally led us to reflect on its uses.within our class. Member or wait until you get a post.published with us.Want coverage may.depend. Green skirt - Job, one I buy at ve done many times probably all whilst perching like a bizarre cryptid in the and shoes and introduced.