VIDEO: Ogopogo July 10, 2018

Possible Footage of Ogopogo

16-year-old, Blake Neudorf, was on a fishing trip with his dad when something surfaced from the placid waters of Lake Okanagan. Unfortunately, we no longer have that video.

Blake told RT that he believed the object's length to be about 60' and feels certain it is video of the rumored lake creature.  Several other sightings of Ogopogo were reported around the time Neudorf's footage was taken (July 10^th, 2018).

Sadly, the video used to be embedded here but now I can only seem to link to it for no reason I've determined as of yet... so that's what I did. The video above is actually from another eyewitness -- two, to be exact -- and is much better. I've never seen swamp gas or a flock of aquatic geese look so... ogopogan.


© The Weirding 2020

The Stacy Brown Bigfoot FLIR Footage (VIDEO)

The FLIR video footage taken by Stacy Brown in 2012, purportedly of Bigfoot, remains unexplained.  As with several other Bigfoot videos in which the unidentified humanoid figures can be seen in motion, attempts to duplicate those movements by humans have proven impossible.

Recently, documents came to light showing that even the FBI tried to determine what the Sasquatch is, if it exists.  In 1999, The Smithsonian Institute tested alleged Bigfoot DNA and found that the sample belonged to "no known creature."  Sadly, the organization has since been sold to private owners and the related articles apparently removed from the Internet, leading many to speculate as to why possible evidence of Bigfoot may be being kept from the public.

However, the results were covered by the Smithsonian Magazine in 1999 (or maybe 1998, I cannot recall, and an Internet search provided only clues). ¹

If the Bigfoot does not exist, who (or what) is behind such startling video and images... and why?

¹ I did have a copy of it, once upon a time, and may still, but it is boxed up somewhere downstairs with a bunch of Heavy Metal and National Geographic magazines.  If I come across it, I will post it, along with more about Bigfoot.

© The Weirding, 2019

Ivan T. Sanderson on the Long John Nebel Show, 1956

Ivan Sanderson

Ivan T. Sanderson is best known as the man who coined the term, cryptozoology -- the study of unknown animals -- but he also founded SITU, the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained.

Here, he discusses his theory of UFOs as biological entities on the Long John Nebel Show in November of 1956.  Sanderson frequented the radio show throughout the 1960s, but this is probably his best known appearance.

Ivan T. Sanderson died in 1973, but his legacy lives on in the numerous books he penned on the paranormal and cryptozoological, as well as travel, zoology, and more.  Sanderson's SITU is still around, as well.

© The Weirding, 2019

Regulations Governing Mountain Climbing Expeditions in Nepal — Relating to Yeti

Regulations Governing Mountain Climbing Expeditions in Nepal - Relating to Yeti

In 1959, the US Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal issued a one-pager entitled Regulations Governing Mountain Climbing Expeditions in Nepal — Relating to Yeti.  In the memo, pictured here, the US Embassy demanded $77 for expeditions meant to prove or disprove the existence of the elusive cryptid (known in North America as Bigfoot).

However, the document clearly states that any and all evidence of the Yeti's existence must be immediately surrendered to the Nepalese government, and not reported to journalists or media outlets.  Presumably, any definitive evidence might torpedo the region's tourism industry (which remains a booming trade to this day) -- but it could also endanger the Yeti.

Though this document was released several years back, and reported on by both Slate and Time, it was brought to our attention by peers who shall remain anonymous (but are welcome to comment).  We would like to thank them for the Regulations Governing Mountain Climbing Expeditions in Nepal — Relating to Yeti!

© The Weirding, 2018

The Hunt for Nessie is Renewed!

Surgeon's Photo

Every year about this time, the Loch Ness Monster -- known affectionately as "Nessie" -- seems to rear her possibly prehistoric head.  While skeptics decry the timing as suspicious, and specifically meant to drive tourism to Scotland's most famous loch, intriguing evidence sometimes surfaces.

Now, scientists are preparing to use DNA research to determine whether or not some unknown creature(s) truly exists within Loch Ness -- kind of.

Evolutionary genetics professor, Neil Gemmell of New Zealand’s Otago University, freely admits that he is using the legend of Loch Ness to fuel interest in his expedition, but says he is keeping an open mind.  The DNA research trip is expected to find unknown forms of marine life, for which Loch Ness is also known.  The word, "cryptozoology" literally means, "the science of unknown animals."

The legend of a lake monster in Loch Ness dates back at least 1,000 years, and is generally thought to have originated with Saint Columba, who stopped Nessie from eating a man swimming the lake.  Some sources note that a Northern Scottish tribe was actually the first to record a strange, flippered beast in drawings -- some 1,000 years before Saint Columba's time!  Most Nessie sightings have occurred after the 1934 Inverness Road was built.  And while the Loch Ness Monster has suffered its share of hoaxes and ridicule, innumerable photos and film have confounded researchers throughout the years.

Scotland's tourism industry is unlikely to suffer due to a renewed interest in Loch Ness, but that was hardly on the minds of early observers, or Professor Gemmell.  Cryptozoology is a fun and exciting scientific endeavor, and although we doubt much will come of the DNA search insofar as Nessie goes (for numerous reasons), we hope it draws more researchers into the field.

According to RT, 2017 was a highwater mark for Nessie sightings in the 21^st-Century.

© The Weirding, 2018

PHOTO: Viper Dogfish Caught off Coast of Taiwan

Viper Dogfish - Sputnik, Int'l.

First discovered in 1986 and not revealed to the public until 1990, the Viper Dogfish (or Trigonognathus kabeyai) is a rare, deep-sea shark rarely seen by Man.  Not much is known about the species, but it reportedly poses little threat to humans despite its fearsome appearance, as crustaceans and bony fishes comprise its diet.

Earth Touch News revealed the find on January 13^th, 2018, and the report was picked-up by Sputnik International.  Specimen have been acquired off the coasts of Japan and Hawaii, as well.

© The Weirding, 2018

PHOTO: Chupacabra - Texas, 2003

Chupacabra - Texas, ca. 2003

This is a photo of the actual Chupacabra taken in Texas, and received by this investigator in 2003.  The unknown photographer said he struck it with his vehicle.  The chupacabra photo has been enlarged for clarity; no other modifications have been made.

"Chupacabra" translates into English as "Goat Sucker," as the chupacabra is said to prey upon goats, parakeets, dogs, and chickens with a vampiric bite which drains its victims of blood.

The Fortean Times first reported on the chupacabra in the February/March issue of 1996 (FT:85) as "Puerto Rica's Mammal Mutilator."  In a brief column, it notes that similar reports had been made as early as the 1970s.

© The Weirding, 2017

Momo the Missouri Monster

Momo the Missouri Monster is largely a footnote in the annals of cryptozoology, having only two reports from early 1970 to its credit. Momo is described as "half ape, half man," covered in black fur, with glowing, orange eyes.

True to many Sasquatch, Momo -- MO for Missouri, MO for monster -- was reported to have been taller than man, reek of an awful odor, and scare dogs. In July, 1971, two women claimed Momo made bizarre noises as they passed it on Highway 79. Other reports say the women were picnicking when Momo accosted them, then ate a peanut butter sandwich when they fled to the safety of their car.

Police did not notify the public about the women's sighting until 1972, when a report of a giant, hairy beast carrying a dead dog surfaced. A nearby farmer said he had heard growling noises near his home, and that his new dog was missing. Sightings in the area continued for a few weeks, and tracks were discovered. Casts of the tracks were sent to Lawrence Curtis at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden.

He concluded that the tracks were fake.

No credible Momo sightings have been reported since, though some sources indicate Momo has been spotted up and down the Mississippi River, and there is even a short documentary.

© The Weirding, 2017

The "Lost" Thunderbird Photo

The "Lost" Thunderbird Photo

Thunderbirds -- and "living dinosaurs," in general -- are a difficult topic to discuss, due to religious Fundamentalists, moneyed "experts" who receive backing from shady organizations and are known to falsify research, and a general lack of evidence that has been made public.

Many photos, video documentation, even alleged specimen, regarding a great number of topics we discuss exist in private collections that are not accessible to the public.  Some can be found in reputable books (where they were licensed for publication), others in privately-owned museums (where no photography is allowed), and elsewhere -- just not online.  Uploading them can result in termination of accounts (though the images are usually just reported/removed), and has -- as they are protected by Copyright and similar restrictions.

Stories of Thunderbirds go back centuries, but appear to be specific to North America.  While tales of winged, sky-faring, man-eating beasts appear in cultures worldwide, the very term is taken from Native American accounts.  Early settlers' accounts repeatedly mention the fear American Indians had of these creatures, and record tales of their attacks on people -- mostly children.  These scant details bear the hallmarks of Legend, but the story goes deeper.

Accounts of posses being amassed, and hunts organized, for Thunderbirds also exist in historical record.  In several cases, these hunts were carried-out by otherwise serious-minded, "common" people of Anglo-Saxon descent who may have been swept-up by hysterical tales of recent attacks, or sightings in the area.  Others were expeditions carried-out by wealthy trophy hunters -- even more important, as it proves that belief in these tales was strong enough to entice men of a higher status (and assumptively better education) into paying top-dollar, and traveling the world to brave unchartered territory, just for the chance to nab one!

There are a handful of similar photos, all of which appear to be fakes based on the fabled accounts of "The Lost Thunderbird picture" -- none of which mention Vicksburg or the Civil War, by the way.  Most Thunderbird accounts of that period came from the American Southwest -- Arizona and the immediate area, to be precise.  Some of these tales were likely cases of mistaken identity coupled with fear -- the product of conditioning from hearing tales of such fearsome, loathsome beasts since childhood -- others, however, are not as easily dismissed.

And, though some modern researchers have conducted studies that seemingly "prove" modern people untrained in Zoology often misidentify known creatures -- not something serious researchers question in the first place -- their apocryphal data proves nothing regarding the knowledge of ancient tribal peoples whose entire lives were spent living and working in tandem with their natural surroundings.  This is especially true of American Indian culture, which revered nature and the animal kingdom.  On a separate note, the very hypothesis smacks of racial bias, as it seems to "confirm" the era's prevailing, racist views toward Amer-Indians more than anything.

This alleged picture of a Thunderbird hunt may well be the "Lost Thunderbird Photo" of paranormal lore.  While many have attempted to debunk it, no conclusive evidence proving its fraudulence has come to light.  Proffering that it may have been a hoax of its day -- a staged photo in front of a theatrical prop or taxidermic creation -- is a sound approach toward establishing reasonable doubt; resorting to claims of digital manipulation is lazy at best, and not at all convincing.  As always, I am not claiming this is an authentic photograph; I remain hopefully skeptical that it is, and so far unswayed by attempts to debunk it.

Especially since I am not sure how this picture made it online, because I think it belongs to a private collection.  Most of the photos from said private collection are unavailable online (although many are available in print), so I am not entirely sure how this particular photo of an alleged Thunderbird hunt around the turn of the 19^th-Century persevered.

Though I, too, may be mistaken.

© The Weirding, 2017

Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained (SITU)

SITU

Founded by Ivan T. Sanderson, the man who coined the term "cryptozoology," the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained was established as a non-profit organization in 1965.  Its purpose was "...the acquisition, investigation and dissemination of information on reports of all tangible items in the fields of chemistry, astronomy, geology, biology and anthropology, that are not readily explained."

The Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained published its findings on investigations into the anomalous in its unscheduled quarterly, Pursuit Journal (of the Society of the Unexplained).  Their research board included at least a dozen, noted scientists of various fields.  The Pursuit Journal only lasted a few years.  Sanderson died in 1973, and the organization originally disbanded in the 1980s.  A Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained apparently exists in Baltimore, but its statement of purpose is quite different, and may not be connected to Sanderson's.

Ivan Sanderson published numerous books and articles under two different names regarding a diverse number of subjects, and was considered skeptical of the paranormal.  One researcher posted that a cache of SITU materials had been discovered, but little information has since come to light.  Ivan Sanderson coined the term "cryptozoology."

© The Weirding, 2016

Are Unidentified Remains Plesiosaur?

Do Plesiosauri Still Exist?

All of these pictures were taken at different times, in different parts of the world. They appear to show a similar creature resembling a plesiosaurus. Plesiosaur are commonly thought to be extinct.

© The Weirding, 2016

Naga Fireballs

Naga Fireballs

Each October, fireballs appear to emerge from the Mekong River in Nong Khai, Thailand. Also known as the Mekong Lights, or "bung fai paya nak," legend has it that the Naga Fireballs are spat by a river monster from Buddhist lore. Some "explanations" include swamp gas and tracer rounds fired by soldiers on opposing banks, but swamp gas (methane) can apparently be ruled-out.

While soldiers do fire tracer rounds and fireworks (apparently for tourism, as the Mekong Lights are sparse some years), many films and photos appear to show the Naga Fireballs emerging from the water. One study by a Thai science institution claimed the Mekong Lights are actually isoprene.

© The Weirding, 2016

The Oldest Recorded Sasquatch Sighting (Skræling)

A Viking Foray

According to some accounts, the oldest known sighting of a Bigfoot or Sasquatch in "The New World" was recorded by none other than Leif Erikson, or Erik the Red. Erikkson referred to "ugly, hairy men" with great black eyes" who towered over himself and his fellow Norsemen. The name he gave them was "Skræling."

While others insist this description refers to the Thule people, a pre-Inuit peoples who lived in the regions where Ericson and his men are said to have landed, including Canada, some note the inclusion of the word "hairy" as indicative of a different species. The Norse Vikings were, after all, very hairy -- they are most often depicted with great beards and matted hair, themselves.

Perhaps even more intriguing is the connection between the use of the word, Skræling, and the existence of pygmies, possibly throughout the globe. The Vikings were known to grow quite tall themselves, in addition to being hirsute; to many peoples, they would be hairy and towering figures.

As History repeats itself, we are continually finding out that our ancestors knew far more about the world than even we do today, and that many of the "facts" we thought we knew are erroneous.

While the Skræling of which Erik the Red spoke may have been nothing more than the indigenous American peoples of their time, the connection to countless descriptions of Bigfoot seem to cloud the issue.

© The Weirding, 2016

Are These Pictures Evidence of Bigfoot's Existence?

© The Weirding, 2015

Monsters in America

This infographic from The Daily Mail shows all of the reported, weird, and unaccounted for beasts across America. These creatures have been reported often enough in these areas that their existence has grown legendary status in their areas.

I have written about the "Wampus Cat" (32) before from a first-hand account given me by a driver who took me on a very long trip. I will try to dig that up and link it in here. I did not know that was its name nor did she that I recall.

© The Weirding, 2014-2015

Gigantic Supershark Ate a Great White Whole

This is why I don't swim in the ocean: Scientists theorize that a nearly 10'-long Great White shark which was tagged years ago may have been eaten whole by another shark suffering from Gigantism. Literally, a Jaws in the ocean!

According to researchers, the shark appeared to have swum to extreme depths for a time before its body temperature became consistent with that of being inside another creature's belly. Keep in mind that the shark "victim" here was a very large shark herself, meaning whatever ate her has to well exceed 10' in length - in fact, it has to have a stomach large enough to accommodate a 10' shark!

The scariest part? The creature later swam to the ocean's surface. So... have fun, surfers!

Here is an article on the issue, along with a brief video.

© The Weirding, 2014

The Ningen

According to some sources, researchers in the Antarctica have been seeing humanoid creatures since at least the 1990s. These somewhat amorphous, armless creatures have no discerning facial features and are solid white but walk upright on two legs like a person. Some pictures and video evidence of the creatures has surfaced (so to speak) online over the years. Fearnet has a good collection at their site.

© C Harris Lynn, 2013

Indonesian Park Rangers Plagued by "Pygmies"

Park rangers in Indonesia claim to be hunting 20" pygmies that have appeared in area parks. They claim they may be related to sightings of orang-pendek or possibly living relatives of the "Hobbits" discovered several years ago by scientists. The skeletons of nine small people were eventually excavated and the race was dubbed homo florensiensis after the isle of Flores on which they were discovered. Scientists remain uncertain as to whether or not these "hobbits" are actually human ancestors or an entirely separate race of beings but there is apparently little argument against the assumption that they existed alongside humans.

The rangers say they are convinced such pygmy people exist and are running amok in the parks and that their next course of action is to capture them on film.

© C Harris Lynn, 2013

Michigan Dogman Spotted

According to a recent report, the Michigan Dogman has been spotted again. This legend has persisted for over 50 years, going back as far as at least 1938, when a Robert Fortney saw a dog-like creature that reared up on its hind legs. He shot at the creature which fled. He later told people he "wouldn't want to call it a Dogman" but he couldn't explain what he had seen.

Several more reports came from a teenager who claimed to have seen the Dogman not once but three different times between 1993 and 1994. The teenager, only known as "Ben," reported that he thought he had seen three different creatures, perhaps all part of a "pack" of Dogmen near his home and around the Lakeshore Drive area. On two of these alleged sightings, he was accompanied by others.

Another incident collected in the annals of Michigan Dogman lore is a car wreck that police attributed to a deer strike but at least one witness claimed there were dark gray hairs left on the car and the driver was unable to identify what he hit.

© C Harris Lynn, 2013

Mississippi Man Kills Chupacabra

A Mississippi man claims to have killed a chupacabra in his barn, though authorities say it is likely to be a dog with mange.  The hunter dismisses the claim however, noting the creature's glowing red eyes, complete lack of fur, and blue skin color. 

"I ain't never seen no blue coyote," he tells reporters.

© C Harris Lynn, 2013