Friday, January 30, 2009

Micah & Monster Bats

Check out this excellent new article from CFZ North Carolina rep Micah Hanks (pictured here with me at the Asheville, NC Dark 30 gig in October 2007) on sightings around the world of giant, monstrous bats. As Micah says in his article:

"In May of last year, motorists in Washington County, Pennsylvania traveling along a major route suddenly pulled over to watch what many described as a 'huge dark-colored flying creature' flying low as it passed over the cars. Prolific researcher Stan Gordon noted at his website how witnesses to the event agreed that the creature looked 'more like a giant bat than a bird.'

"Indeed, of all places, giant bat-like creatures are often described over America’s skies, though generally speaking, many of this country’s best known cryptozoological mystery-monsters host bat-like traits.

"Take for instance the membranous wings of the Northern Jersey Devil; or perhaps most famous of all American cryptids, the Mothman of West Virginia, with its large wings and glowing red eyes.

"Elsewhere in the world, England’s 'Owl Man', essentially a British counterpart to America’s Mothman, is joined by an infamous “vampire” said to have haunted Highgate Cemetery in North London for several decades.

"Regardless, both of these mysterious European entities bear similarities to America’s most famous fluttering beast, a number of which are indeed bat-like."

Monday, January 26, 2009

Melissa Miller's New Blog

Well, we have yet another new blog: this one courtesy of our OK rep: Melissa Miller!

Answers Anybody?

As CFZ-USA rep for North Carolina, Micah Hanks, correctly asks: what the heck is that?

Cryptid Ohio

Check out the Cryptid section of the website of the CFZ's new Ohio rep, Brian Parsons. Welcome aboard, Brian!

Meet The Team 8: Brian Parsons, Ohio

Well, more very good news: we now have an official CFZ-USA rep for Ohio, Brian Parsons, an author and first-class researcher, who introduces himself as follows:

"I have spent the better part of the last 12 years investigating ghost, haunting and poltergeist cases as well as researching various aspects of psi phenomenon as the director for the Ohio Paranormal Investigation Network (http://ghosthelp.net/). During those years I began to look at other aspects of the "paranormal world"to learn new research and investigative skills.

"I trained under the Mutual U.F.O. Network's Field Investigator's Manual in 2000 and began investigating U.F.O. sightings on my own outside of my group. After a long search for a reputable Cryptid group to train and work with, I began working with the Sasquatch Research Initiative (http://www.sasquatchonline.com/) as a field investigator to Ohio Sasquatch sightings and look to further the search in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

"I have written two books, "Handbook for the Amateur Paranormal Investigator or Ghost Hunter: How to Become a Successful Paranormal Group" as well as a companion book, "Betty's Ghost: A Guide to Paranormal Investigation" (both available at http://www.lulu.com/ghosthelp).

"I am a regular contributor of paranormal news to the monthly Grand Dark Conspiracy Podcast (http://www.granddarkconspiracy.com/) and have been a guest on two occasions.

"My personal paranormal site is the Paranormal News Insider (http://www.paranewsinsider.com/) where you will find my insights and investigation into the latest paranormal news (as well as my latest blogs on various paranormal subjects).

"Out of the 'big three' paranormal subjects (ghosts, U.F.O.s and cryptids), Cryptozoology is the most natural for myself as far as learning techniques for investigation. I have long been an outdoor person and hike and backpack several times a year in my native Ohio and neighboring Pennsylvania forests. My prior knowledge about the animals and their sign in combination with my prior investigation skills has made researching and investigating Sasquatch and other cryptid cases in Ohio a fun and thorough process.

"In August of 2009, I will be appearing at the Ohio Paranormal Convention in Dayton, Ohio as the Cryptozoology guest (http://www.ohiocon.southernohioparanormal.org/). I reside in Solon, Ohio with my wife, Amy." Keep a look-out for all the latest things from Brian of a crypto nature in Ohio!

Mothman, Wolves & More

CFZ Oregon rep Regan Lee discusses Mothman, Puppet-Wolves and more in a new, intriguing article.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Meet The Team 7: Melissa Miller, NE Oklahoma

A long-time correspondent who has done some excellent work, Melissa Miller, will be covering Northeast Oklahoma for CFZ-USA. And here's Melissa herself to tell you a bit more:

"My name is Melissa Miller. I have had a lifelong interest in cryptozoology and the paranormal. Currently I'm a full-time university student living alternately in Tahlequah and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, which puts me smack in the middle of OK's Bigfoot, ghost, and lake-monster territory.

"I write for a living. I have hunted ghosts and Bigfoot in my native state and traveled as far as Guyana in search of all things weird. I also have a lifetime of experience with horses.

"My e-mail address is yardstickloveshorses@cox.net

"And I'd welcome any e-mails with info about occurrences in the area."

Meet The Team 6: Regan Lee, Oregon















Fellow Fortean Regan Lee is, I'm pleased to say, up for the challenge of being the CFZ-USA representative for the state of Oregon. And in Regan's own words...

"I grew up in Southern California but have been living in Western Oregon for the past thirty years or so. My fascination with all things paranormal and esoteric began in childhood, and has stayed with me all these years.

"Part of my intrigue into all Fortean, mysterious things, including crypto stuff, is due to my personal experiences involving UFOs, entities and other paranormal phenomena. I’ve turned my deep interest in these subjects into a writing career, blogging away on these topics with what I happily acknowledge is an obsession.

"Two of my blogs address crypto topics: Mothman Flutterings and Frame 352: The Stranger Side of Sasquatch.

"My article Mothman and Other Synchronicities appears in the Darklore Journal, Volume III, and I write a monthly column (The Orange Orb ) for UFO Magazine.

"Besides managing several blogs (Saucer Sightings, Vintage U.F.O., and Women Of Esoterica, etc.), I also write a bi-weekly column for Tim Binnall’s website (Trickster’s Realm) and write for UFO Digest.

"I’m also the Western Oregon rep for Skylaire Alfvegrens’s L.O.W.F.I. (League of Western Fortean Intermediatists.) I’ve also created a couple of esoteric e-books and am in the process of writing more, including a collection of Bigfoot stories.

"Part of my interests in the paranormal/esoteric arena involves animals and strange creatures. While in college, where i studied folklore, I did many projects on UFOs and related topics, including a final project on the relationship between animals, humans, and UFO and Fortean events.

"A strong interest of mine are the 'paranormal' Bigfoot stories involving orbs, UFOs, dematerializations, and other high strangeness. Oregon has many strange tales; including Bigfoot, UFOs, even lake creatures, and I’m looking forward to writing about these topics for Crypto Squad USA!"

Raven's Latest

Raven tells the readers of her Mysterious Haven more about her work as the CFZ representative for Michigan.

CFZ Illinois: The Latest

Check out the blog of the CFZ's Illinois rep Derek Grebner for a new posting on large, mystery birds.

Meet The Team 5: Micah Hanks, North Carolina




















Micah Hanks is a good friend of mine who resides in the picturesque, cool town of Asheville, North Carolina.

I had a great time hanging out with Micah, fellow paranormal researcher Josh Warren and his wife Lauren, in late 2007; and so I'm very pleased to have Micah on-board as the official CFZ-USA representative for North Carolina.

And here's Micah himself to tell you more:

"I have been fascinated with cryptozoology and strange phenomena all my life, beginning in grade school with the discovery of books like Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Life by Ivan T. Sanderson, as well as Peter Costello’s In Search of Lake Monsters, and the mighty Peter Byrne’s The Search for Bigfoot: Monster, Myth, or Man?

"Today, I work towards documenting the world’s bizarre mysteries, having contributed articles and stories to FATE Magazine, Fortean Times, Mysteries Magazine, UFO Magazine, and I have appeared on Travel Channel’s Weird Travels television program, as well as the History Channel’s Guts and Bolts as an investigator with the L.E.M.U.R. Paranormal Research Team.

"In my spare time, I enjoy travelling around the US to 'cryptid hotspots'. I have trudged across the Rockies of Montana in search of Bigfoot; combed the foothills of Cherokee, North Carolina in search of 'Boojums' and what Cherokee natives call 'The Woolly Ones'; searched the foothills of Tennessee in search of the southern 'Skunk Apes'; and explored the rolling hills in the heart of Amish country in search of Ohio’s Grass Man.

"In spite of a schedule like this, you can keep up with me and my research by visiting my website at http://www.gralienreport.com/."

Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Grebner Files

Despite having only been with us for a brief time, CFZ Illinois rep Derek Grebner has already posted to his blog a number of good (and lengthy!) articles on all-things-cryptozoological. Here's the link.

Raven: A New Post

CFZ Michigan representative Raven has just posted a thought-provoking new article on the issue of cryptozoological beasts and tie-ins with Tulpa phenomena. Check it out!

Meet The Team 4: Brian Gaugler, NY, NJ, And More

CFZ-USA is very pleased to announce our latest US representative: Brian Gaugler of New York.

Brian will be covering his native New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. He will be digging deep into old cases, new ones, undertaking research, and filing case reports for readers of the CFZ's in-house magazine, Animals & Men.

Brian is also in the process of establishing the North-East Cryptid Initiative, an exciting project, the aim of which is to create a solid network of researchers who can share data, and stay informed of what is afoot in their respective areas.

Brian is particularly keen to hear from researchers in the North-East, and encourages anyone who may be able to help to contact him at: brian.gaugler@yahoo.com

Brian has a blog devoted to all-things cryptozoological. Titled Things That Go Bump In the Night, it can be found by clicking right here. So far, you can read stories of "Road Trolls," high-strangeness cases, and a contribution from me (with added comments from Brian) on the diabolical Man-Monkey of England.

Brian is a young college student from Long Island who is currently majoring in criminology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. He plans to pursue a career in law enforcement with an eventual goal of applying to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Besides working with the CFZ, Brian is also a field researcher for the Mutual UFO Network and has written articles on cryptozoology and ufology, as well as on the paranormal, conspiracies, folklore, and the occult.

In addition to his crypto-blog, he has another blog, too, which can be found at forteanhistoricalarchive.blogspot.com, and he can be reached at putotenusagnosco@yahoo.com

Meet The Team 3: Derek Grebner, Illinois

Here's the latest addition to CFZ-USA: Derek Grebner of Illinois. And as Derek tells us:

"Derek Tex Grebner, Illinois Correspondent and outdoors-man for the CFZ. I am 21 and a lifelong hunter and outdoors-man. However I have always paid attention to campfire stories. I became involved with cryptozoology almost by accident. When I was young, I saw Richard Freeman and Jon Downes on the TV show Animal X and I was inspired to start checking out the mysteries in my local woods. I never dreamed that years and years later I would be working with them."

Meet The Team 2: "Raven," Michigan

Based in Michigan, Kathleen "Raven" Meindel is a very good friend of mine, an all-round cool person, and an excellent researcher, too. What more could you ask for?!

Raven will be covering her native Michigan as she seeks out all-things of a monstrous nature for the CFZ; and when new data surfaces from her, you'll get to learn about it right here. And, in her own words, here's Raven to tell you all about herself:

"I have had an intense curiousity for all things strange and unsual since childhood. My own experiences, as well as those of others, led me to dig deeper into the unknown, and delve further into this research that I now have such a burning passion for.

"After intensive study and fieldwork, I recieved my certification in Paranormal Investigations on May 24, 2008, and I am now a C.P.I. I also have a professional background in Intuitive work as well as Dream Analysis and lifecoaching.

"I love trailing 'monsters' and I live for the thrill of the chase. From the Michigan Dogman and the big black cats of southern Michigan, to the Loch Ness Monster and the Chupacabra, I enjoy investigating and learning about them all.

"While Im still the 'baby' in the family of researchers, I do hope to one day have the wisdom and experience of researchers like Ken Gerhard and Nick Redfern, who have become not only my respected mentors in this field, but dear friends as well."

And for more information, here's the link to Raven's blog.



Meet The Team 1: Ken Gerhard, Texas

It's my great pleasure to introduce you to each and every one of the regional CFZ-USA representatives; and we'll start with my good friend Ken Gerhard, who handles the state of Texas.

In his own words, Ken says:

"I'm a professional monster hunter. That's right... I investigate reports of Bigfoot, the Chupacabras, gigantic winged creatures and other mysterious beasts. My idea of a good time is stalking through the woods at night with my shotgun, dressed in leather and wearing eyeliner.

"As a cryptozoologist/paranormal researcher, I appear on the TV series Monster Quest and also the show Legend Hunters. In addition, I've written an important book titled - Big Bird! Modern Sightings of Flying Monsters, which chronicles decades of encounters with a monstrous flying animal, reported throughout south Texas.

"I live for adventure. In my life I've had the very good fortune to travel around the world, to twenty-six different countries and I've visited many mysterious places - from Loch Ness, to Stonehenge, to the Amazon jungle... from Machu Pichu, to the Galapagos Islands, to Australia, Thailand and Tunisia.

"I'm also lead singer for the acts Bozo P. Circus, Bamboo Crisis and Flowers & Machines. As such, I've toured and performed hundreds of concerts throughout North America, opening for almost every notable industrial band and even Motley Crue. I've sung live for the super-group Pigface and placed a few songs in the national charts."
And for more information on Ken and his work, click here for his website and here for his Myspace page.