Pop Culture

John A. Keel: Demonologist?

Artist John Frick (below) of Cumberland, Maryland, stands under his creation, a Mothman replica that hangs from the ceiling of the Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The belief system that underlies the sidetracking of 1966′s Mothman sightings from cryptozoology into the “dark side” has a lot to do with John A. Keel’s apparent framing of the case. But some folks still don’t get it. Good guy John Frick, a list moderator on the Mothman Lives email list, innocently writes: As far as Keel being a demonologist. He really isn’t as far as I know. Keel has mentioned that [...]

Alligators-In-The-Sewers Are Real

In the early 1970s, I did quite a great deal of library archive research on out-of-place alligators. That resulted in the publication of various Fortean articles, such as "Showers of Alligators," (Fate, Vol. 26, September 1973) and "Erratic Crocodilians and Other Things" (INFO Journal, 12, Summer 1973). Finally, I made a unique discovery that alligators-in-the-sewers were not all just legendary, and were not merely a figment of smoking too much weed in the 60s. I tracked down articles that noted real alligators were found and killed in New York City, specifically in that city’s sewers in the 1930s. My formal [...]

Yeti Skoda Yeti

These are apparently snapshots from the 2006 edition’s grand first showing in China. This Yeti design study was unveiled at the International Automobile Salon Skoda in Beijing this week. I’m still waiting for my testimonial commercial endorsement opportunity and the courtesy vehicle to drive around Maine, but, in the meantime, the idea merely goes on the Christmas wish list. “Skoda, Skoda, Skoda,” said the Yeti. “Sooka, Sooka, Sooka,” said the Sasquatch. “Myakka, Myakka, Myakka,” said the Skunk Ape. “Hey, all of you be quiet; I’m trying to get some sleep,” said the Almas.

The Beautiful Anthropologist and Vietnam’s Lost World

As opposed to viewing what recently happened during a formal anthropological criticism of cryptozoology as some cause for upset, let’s reframe what occurred as an opportunity for our field to broaden our worldview. When the apparently charming Pamela D. McElwee, Ph. D., Assistant Professor, The School of Global Studies, Arizona State University (shown above), shared some insights, her audience may not have realized the significance of what she was saying. Certainly, however, cryptozoologists need to pay attention, as McElwee’s comment might be useful in reviewing some foundation thoughts within our field. If we wish to remain aware of how fast [...]

Who Were The Dogheads?

Click on the above image of a doghead to make it grow larger. Dogheads were more than mythological creatures, according to some ancient sources. One of them even became a Saint, as per: St. Christopher the Doghead Who were the dogheads? What is cynocephaly all about? Wikipedia (not a source that should be the only one a person ever uses), in discussing cynocephaly, has this piece of modern trivia: “In the USA there are tales of dog-headed creatures, including the Dogman of Michigan, and the wolf-like Beast of Bray Road of Wisconsin, which terrorized a neighbourhood in the early 1990s.” [...]