WELCOME TO THE CFZ BLOG NETWORK: COME AND JOIN THE FUN

Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

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Unlike some of our competitors we are not going to try and blackmail you into donating by saying that we won't continue if you don't. That would just be vulgar, but our lives, and those of the animals which we look after, would be a damn sight easier if we receive more donations to our fighting fund. Donate via Paypal today...




Monday, February 01, 2016

TODAY'S BIG CAT NEWS


The hunt for British Big Cats attracts far more newspaper-column inches than any other cryptozoological subject. 

There are so many of them now that we feel that they should be archived by us in some way, so we are publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in. 

The worldwide mystery cat phenomenon (or group of phenomena, if we are to be more accurate) is not JUST about cryptozoology. At its most basic level it is about the relationship between our species and various species of larger cat. That is why sometimes you will read stories here that appear to have nothing to do with cryptozoology but have everything to do with human/big cat interaction. As committed Forteans, we believe that until we understand the nature of these interactions, we have no hope of understanding the truth that we are seeking.

  • NEWSLINK/VIDEO: Terrified tourists forced to flee ...
  • UK PHOTOS: Playful tigers snapped building giant s..
  • FORTEAN BIRD NEWS FROM THE WATCHER OF THE SKIES

    What has Corinna's column of Fortean bird news got to do with cryptozoology?

    Well, everything, actually!

    In an article for the first edition of Cryptozoology Bernard Heuvelmans wrote that cryptozoology is the study of 'unexpected animals' and following on from that perfectly reasonable assertion, it seems to us that whereas the study of out-of-place birds may not have the glamour of the hunt for bigfoot or lake monsters, it is still a perfectly valid area for the Fortean zoologist to be interested in.

    BIGFOOT NEWS IN BRIEF



    Interview With Bigfoot Researcher Paul Hayes
    From Nite Callers Bigfoot Radio: Paul Hayes was born and raised in Stark County Ohio and is currently 49 years old and has been married for 28 ...


    The X-Files and Bigfoot
    The X-Files is back with another season! Will Bigfoot be a part of the show? Only time will tell.


    Dr. Meldrum Demystifies Bigfoot
    Dr. Meldrum Demystifies Bigfoot posted by Sasquatch Central II - Video ... FOR BIGFOOT BOOKS - http://www.sasquatchcanada.com/recomm.

    Russian boy claims he has found signs of Bigfoot in Siberian wilderness
    A schoolboy on a camping trip in Siberia has found a massive footprint of what could be the mythical Yeti, Russian media has claimed.

    Deputy Sheriff And Wife Have Bigfoot Encounter Near The Utah And Wyoming Border
    Bigfoot Encounter! Patsy woke Bud up and told him she swore there was a very tall homeless man watching her, Bud chuckled and said Patsy 

    THE GONZO BLOG DOO-DAH MAN IS NEARING THE END

    The Gonzo Daily - Monday
    http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/about.html

    I realised over the weekend that despite all the crap that 2016 has thrown at us all, some nice things have happened, and I would loke to share one of them with you. In 1957 my late parents were living in Nigeria. During the War, my Father had learned to play guitar from a shipmate during the Battle of the Atlantic, and so for their tenth wedding anniversary, my Mother gave him a Hofner nylon stringed guitar that she had bought in a music shop in Lagos. Two years later I was born, and a few years after that the family moved to Hong Kong, eventually returning to Blighty in 1971. Three years after that, using the same guitar (with which in the interim he had used to accompany himself singing songs to my little brother and I when we were small) to give me my first guitar lessons.

    I played it off and on for a few years, revelling in its classic tones, but when I left home finally in 1981 it stayed with my Dad. A quarter of a Century later I came back to the family home to nurse my Father through his final illness. After he died I came across his guitar in an obscure cupboard. It was covered in dust, one of the machine heads was broken and it had various other bits of damage.

    A couple of years ago I made contact again with Martin Dowding, an old schoolfriend of mine, and in conversation one evening it turned out that he repaired guitars. It took a year or so for the penny to drop, but about six months ago I gave my Dad's battered and unplayable guitar to him, and asked him if there was anything he could do with it. Last Friday he brought it back, if not quite as good as new (it still bears the battlescars of having been lugged around the dying embers of the British Empire) completely repaired and in as playable a condition as it was back when I started to play on it back in 1974.

    Some stories do have happy endings. Thank You Martin.

    RAZ Canadian review
    http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2016/01/raz-canadian-review.html
    THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Edgar Broughton Band -...
    http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-gonzo-track-of-day-edgar-broughton.html
    GRACE SLICK'S FAREWELL via Thom the World Poet
    http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2016/02/grace-slicks-farewell-via-thom-world.html
    FRANK ZAPPA REVIEW
    http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2016/02/frank-zappa-review.html
    THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem
    http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2016/02/thom-world-poet-daily-poem_1.html

    Gonzo Weekly #167
    www.gonzoweekly.com

    Paul Kantner, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, Erik Norlander, Daisy Flowers, Ambrosia, Suede, David Bowie, Villagers, Skunk Anansie, Nigel Kennedy, Black, Colin Vearncombe, George Harrison, Mr Biffo, Roy Weard,  Dogwatch, That Legendary Wooden Lion, Hawkwind, and Yes fans had better look out!

    Paul Kantner who died on thursday is on the front cover together with a tribute to him inside. Jon interviews Erik Norlander, Doug interviews Ambrosia, John goes to see Nigel Kennedy, and Lee says goodbye to Colin Vearncombe. There are radio shows from Strange Fruit, Friday Night Progressive, and Mack Moloney, the latest installment of the saga of Xtul, and columns from all sorts of folk including Roy Weard, A J Smitrovich, Mr Biffo and the irrepressable Corinna. There is also a collection of more news, reviews, views, interviews and pademelons ouyside zoos(OK, nothing to do with small marsupials who have escaped from captivity, but I got carried away with things that rhymed with OOOOS) than you can shake a stick at. And the best part is IT's ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!

    This issue features:


    David Bowie, Suede, Villagers, Skunk Anansie, P J Harvey, Pet Shop Boys, Elvis Presley, Handel, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Brian Wilson, Mick Jagger, Wild Man Fischer, Steve Ignorant, Strange Fruit, Friday Night Progressive, Mack Maloney's Mystery Hour, Paul Kantner, Colin Vearncombe, James Stewart "Jimmy" Bain, Alex Wishart, The Pirates, Freddie King, Denny Laine, The Selecter, Galahad, Rick Wakeman, Erik Norlander, Ambrosia, Nigel Kennedy, John Brodie-Good, Black, Lee Walker, Roy Weard, A J Smitrovich, My Dad's LPs, Mr Biffo, Yes, Jon Anderson, Billy Sherwood, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Hawkwind, Xtul, George Harrison, Beatles, ABBA, The Monkees, Neil Nixon, Marc Bolan and T. Rex, Bucovina

    Read the previous few issues of Gonzo Weekly:

    Issue 166 (Spirits Burning)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo166.html
    Issue 165 (David Bowie)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo165.html
    Issue 164 (Free Festivals)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo164.html
    Issue 163 (Lemmy)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo163.html
    Issue 161-2 (The Christmas Double Feature)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-161-21-yer-festive-double-issue.html
    Issue 160 (Frank Zappa)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo160.html
    Issue 159 (Jon Anderson and Matt Malley)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo159.html
    Issue 158 (Billy Sherwood)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo158.html
    Issue 157 (Drones for Daevid)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo157.html
    Issue 156 (Rick and Emmie)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo156.html
    Issue 155 (Pink Fairies)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo155.html
    Issue 154 (Steve Ignorant)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo154.html
    Issue 153 (Martin Barre)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo153.html
    Issue 152 (4th Eden)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo152.html
    Issue 151 (Corky Laing)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo151.html
    Issue 150 (Roger Dean)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo150.html
    Issue 149 (Tony Palmer in Space)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo149.html
    Issue 148 (Wally Hope)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo148.html
    Issue 147 (Thom the World Poet cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo147.html
    Issue 146 (Bee and Flower cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo146.html
    Issue 145 (Dave Brock cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo145.html
    Issue 144 (Percy Jones cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo144.html
    Issue 143 (Billy Sherwood cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo143.html
    Issue 142 (Daevid Allen and Spirits Burning cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo142.html
    Issue 141 (Rick Wakeman cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo141.html
    Issue 140 (Jaki Windmill cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo140.html
    Issue 139 (Raz cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo139.html
    Issue 138 (Galahad cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo138.html
    Issue 137 (Chris Squire cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo137.html
    Issue 136 (Neil Nixon cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo136.html
    Issue 135 (FNP cover)
    http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo135.html

    All issues from #70 can be downloaded at www.gonzoweekly.com if you prefer. If you have problems downloading, just email me and I will add you to the Gonzo Weekly dropbox. The first 69 issues are archived there as well. Information is power chaps, we have to share it!

    You can download the magazine in pdf form HERE:
    http://www.gonzoweekly.com/pdf/

    SPECIAL NOTICE: If you, too, want to unleash the power of your inner rock journalist, and want to join a rapidly growing band of likewise minded weirdos please email me at jon@eclipse.co.uk The more the merrier really.

    * The Gonzo Daily is a two way process. If you have any news or want to write for us, please contact me at jon@eclipse.co.uk. If you are an artist and want to showcase your work, or even just say hello please write to me at gonzo@cfz.org.uk. Please copy, paste and spread the word about this magazine as widely as possible. We need people to read us in order to grow, and as soon as it is viable we shall be invading more traditional magaziney areas. Join in the fun, spread the word, and maybe if we all chant loud enough we CAN stop it raining. See you tomorrow...

    * The Gonzo Daily is - as the name implies - a daily online magazine (mostly) about artists connected to the Gonzo Multimedia group of companies. But it also has other stuff as and when the editor feels like it. The same team also do a weekly newsletter called - imaginatively - The Gonzo Weekly. Find out about it at this link: www.gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.co.uk

    * We should probably mention here, that some of our posts are links to things we have found on the internet that we think are of interest. We are not responsible for spelling or factual errors in other people's websites. Honest guv!

    * Jon Downes, the Editor of all these ventures (and several others) is an old hippy of 56 who - together with an infantile orange cat named after a song by Frank Zappa, and two small kittens, one totally coincidentally named after one of the Manson Family, purely because she squeaks, puts it all together from a converted potato shed in a tumbledown cottage deep in rural Devon which he shares with various fish. He is ably assisted by his lovely wife Corinna, his bulldog/boxer Prudence, his elderly mother-in-law, and a motley collection of social malcontents. Plus.. did we mention the infantile orange cat, and the adventurous kittens?

    NEWS FROM NOWHERE: Monday

    ON THIS DAY IN 1793 - France declared war on Britain and Holland. 
    And now some more recent news from the CFZ Newsdesk

  • Devils Hole pupfish found to be a lot younger than...
  • Sri Lanka destroys huge illegal ivory haul
  • South Africa imposes year-long leopard hunting ban...
  • Fifth dead whale found on English beach
  • How Lizards Can Teach Planners About Designing Cit...


  • AND TO WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK... (Music that may have some relevance to items also on this page, or may just reflect my mood on the day)