Gold, Copper, and Sasquatch

Despite some criticism, environmentalists are finally starting to take Sasquatch into consideration.  Recently in the Prince George, British Columbia area, concerns have been heard relative to the environmental impact of the proposed New Prosperity gold and copper mine.  The study is a proposal by Taseko Mines to construct an open-pit facility about 125 km south of Williams Lake.  

Taseko has a lovely video outlining the plan to preserve the surroundings, specifically Fish Lake.

In it's August 27, 2013 closing statement to the Canadian EPA, Taseko addresses specific concerns about many elements of the local are.  Protection of Grizzly Bears, salmon, and Aboriginal Rights receive specific response in this statement.  Sadly, the response given the Aboriginals is at best disrespectful.  Read the document with a great deal of patience.  It should be noted that while the newspaper report touts a discussion of Sasquatch, this document does not.  Is this because the mine company disbelieves in the possibility of Bigfoot?

Member of First Nations communities brought the topic of Sasquatch to the discussion several times. When Former Esdilagh chief Thomas Billyboy said  he noticed noticed not only grizzly bears leaving the Cariboo but that  sasquatches have been leaving, too.  Angelina Stump told the panel that her people's oral history includes a time when animals, including sasquatches,  spoke directly with people.  Other references were also made, but the general rebuttal was that these claims were either ridiculous or proposed for political purposes.

One opinion piece of the subject suggests that sasquatch is a myth.  The author further suggests that
 

 The logic is simple. With no proof that the Sasquatch doesn't exist, it is therefore possible that it might exist and we just haven't proved its existence yet. The faulty logic is easily exposed with another example - we also haven't found one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eaters, either.

One thing most reports and articles don't mention is that there is precedence.  In the US, the state of Washington, Sasquatch is protected. The US Fish and Wildlife Service lists Bigfoot as an endangered species.  Most North American agencies have prohibitions against killing species that are as yet undefined.  Specifically, in Lake Champlain, Champy is now protected by law on both sides of the lake.  In the early 1980s Port Henry, NY, the State of Vermont, and the New York State Assembly and Senate passed resolutions protecting the "mythological" beast. 

While one side proposes that "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" a la Carl Sagan  the other side calls this false logic. They have misinterpreted the meaning to be that the 'absence of evidence might still be proof of existence" and therefore discard the whole idea.  In the case of Sasquatch et al, I would suggest that the absence of evidence might be evidence of a need for better research and open-mindedness--especially when proposed against a blatant earth scarring project.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/article/20130821/PRINCEGEORGE0101/308219991/-1/PRINCEGEORGE/sasquatch-cited-in-mine-hearingshttp://www.newprosperityproject.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Taseko-Mines-Closing-Statement-for-CEAA-New-Prosperity-Copper-Gold-Hearings-August-23-2013.pdfhttp://doubtfulnews.com/2013/08/sasquatch-keeper-of-the-forest-invoked-at-environmental-hearing/http://www.omg-facts.com/Celebs/It-Is-Illegal-To-Kill-A-Sasquatch/30312http://behindtheberezina.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/fish-and-wildlife-add-sasquatch-to-endangered-species/http://www.lakechamplainregion.com/recreation/heritage/champhttp://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan
http://www.mining.com/copper-gold-project-in-bc-interior-has-795-million-capex/
http://wildernesscommittee.org/sven/new_copper_and_coal_mine_rush_british_columbia

Nothing to See Here

It has been an extraordinarily slow crypto-news year here in Canada.  We've had a couple of nibbles, but aside from the guy investigating Bigfoot in an Ontario pot field and a strange noise out of BC, it's a matter of All's Quiet on the Northern Front.

Some year's are like this.  The local fauna just doesn't come out to play with the Cryptozoologists.  Bessie keeps to her depths and Sasquatch is building a bunker to hide from the recently crowd-sourced drone project.  FoxNews called the latest Canadian bigfoot video too inconclusive--and they are the masters of making mountains out of molehills.

So instead of the molehills of Canadian Cryptozoology, I offer you today an unusual Canadian Mole.

Yes, that is an actual photo of an actual animal.  Meet our Star-nosed mole.  This ugly darling is about the size of a hamster and can be found in the wetlands of the east coast to western Ontario (and sometimes eastern Manitoba). That scary snout actually has twenty-two finger like appendages that are more flexible and more sensitive than any other animal on earth.  Like other moles, it burrows (yes, even through snow).  It is also quite an accomplished swimmer.  Both talents come in handy when hiding from hawks and owls.

These moles eat mostly worms, but enjoy other delicacies as well.  Leeches and other aquatic insects make up about 30% of its diet, with the occasion land based insect, mollusk or small fish making up the rest.  In that way, they contribute to the health of soil as grubs can become a problem if not kept in check.  Fortunately this guy is not usually found in places where humans are so there really isn't a need to control their population.  This is a good thing too, as they are resistant to just about everything but trapping.

Cultural habits of these gregarious creatures are difficult to study. Pairs have been found together, suggesting monogamy, but large colonies are also quite common, even nearby to found pairs.  Sometimes groups as large as thirty are found. They don't make many vocal sounds, but they do have large ear openings so perhaps they have a level of communication science has yet to uncover.  During mating season, the emit a odor described as "exceedingly rank and nauseous."

I think I would rather meet a Sasquatch.

Pleasant dreams!














http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star-nosed_mole
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8i0ib52RD1r34mjeo1_500.jpg
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~campbelk/starnose.html
http://www.guelphlabservices.com/files/PDC/005Moles.pdf
http://talesofanactivemind.blogspot.ca/2012/05/deja-vu-insanity-and-caddyshack.html
http://www.animalcontrolsolutions.com/animals/star-nosed-mole.html

Just for Fun

First, this is not Canadian.  But it is from Olympia, Washington, which is about 110 miles from the British Columbia border.  Second, it's not by any stretch a reasonable representation of the big hair biped we all know and love.  But it is cute, and it's for a decent cause.

The videos below are to promote Washington State's Department of Natural Resources "Discover Pass".  This special permit is needed by everyone who wants to visit the state parks; and by everyone, we mean EVERYone.

Have a look, and a smile.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_distance_between_Spokane_WA_and_the_border_of_Canada
http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/spincontrol/2013/aug/21/todays-fun-video-sasquatches-need-park-passes/

Give Us Some Real Evidence

Oh Sasquatch Ontario (aka Mike Patterson)....you disappoint us.

I'll give you that the audio is interesting.  Even entertaining. But proof?  Hardly.

First, no location is given.  Now, I live in Ontario and I know when it starts getting light enough to see on August 2.  I'm not buying that you could see nothing at all.  Tell us your approximate location and we'll verify your dawn time and the weather on that day.

Second, the recording is pretty darned clear.  Unless the animal was right on the mike, there should be much more ambient sound and a bit of measurable echo.  Could we hear it raw please?  And certainly without the set up commentary that is very leading.

Third, a name?  Really?  From this piece, you're proposing that this particular Bigfoot has graced your recording with its name.  You suggest this has happened because you have become so friendly with the phenomena that there is a dialogue.  You have been asking for a name, and the Sasquatch was not only comfortable with your audible presence but also understands English and is capable of responding to your request.

I won't go so far as to accuse these folks of hoaxing.  I would suggest, however, that youtube.com is not the best place to release a "discovery of biblical proportions."  Further, this "evidence" fails to meet the most basic standards--qualify, quantify and qualityassure.

Tim Ervick, among many others, is going out of his way to distance himself from Patterson, saying,

First off he has no connection to Ontario Wildlife Field Research run by myself and no connection to Ontario Bigfoot or Ontario Sasquatch groups. These are well established groups that would never endorse or knowingly participate in such an obvious hoax. 

Mike P has a burden of proof that some have mentioned to him only to be answered with his arrogant and condescending attitude. Serious red flags to anyone serious on the subject.

And from Tim Fasano,

I suspected from the beginning these guys were running scam. They were finding Bigfoot evidence on EVERY trip into the woods. HINT: when finding Bigfoot seems as easy as finding animals at a zoo, that should raise a red flag.

Mike--you seem to be a great wildlife photographer.  Don't quit your day job.

http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.ca/2013/08/sasquatch-ontarioreleases-most.html
http://www.youtube.com/user/MANASOOCAN?feature=watch
http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.ca/2013/05/this-sasquatch-ontario-guy-has-even.html
http://www.sasquatchevidence.com/2013/07/ontario-wildlife-field-research-and-mike-paterson-hoax.html
http://www.sasquatchevidence.com/2013/05/comment-on-sasquatch-ontario.html

Decisions, Decisions...

Is it crypto?  I find myself asking that quite a lot these days.  I work with both hauntings phenomena and cryptozoology and sometimes it is very hard to figure out which is which.

One of my current cases involves a First Nations community in Ontario.  Several things have been reported, some of which are clearly ghostly in nature.  There are a couple, however, that test my theories from the very beginning.  One is a report of “little people”.  We’re not talking about just one or two small-ish folks.  The report is a virtual colony of small humanoids that behave in very human fashion.  They aren’t gnomes, or fairies, or any of the other typical “wee folk”, just pint sized humans.  The reports of this colony go back over 75 years!  Clearly crypto?  Not so fast.  How would we know?  It would seem that the litmus test for cryptozoology would be physical evidence.  If we could find a body, or some other sorts of artifacts, then perhaps this would put this solidly in the crypto category.  Sasquatch, however, has left us no such definitive proof and we still place him in this realm.

Another report in this area is that of a man with hooved feet.  He walks upright and looks into windows.  He also reportedly leaves tracks.  Does his ability to alter the ground in this way make him a cryptid?  And what about “shape shifters”?

Generally, for most cryptozoologists, it comes down to a belief system.  Many think that the idea of ghosts is ridiculous, yet firmly believe in Bessie or the Loch Ness Monster.  Since cryptozoology is generally more of a science based endeavor, skeptics are more likely to lean toward acceptance.  As the research into hauntings continues to blossom, however, more and more scientific method and results are being reported by investigators.

I struggle with this classification system quite a lot with the reports of Mothman specifically.  In this case, there are not only elements of cryptozoology and hauntings, but also strong evidence of UFO involvement.  Should we pick a path and stick to it or would the subject be better served by a team (or a person) of all three specialties?

I’m greatly interested in your feedback on this.  What makes a cryptid a cryptid?

http://teenskepchick.org/2012/09/20/interview-with-sasquatch-part-1/

https://www.jogarrard.com/wp/?p=1049

http://www.amazon.com/Return-Point-Pleasant-Chad-Lambert/dp/193494422X

Gotcha!

I want to state right off the bat that I don't write this to ridicule anyone.

Day before yesterday, a blogger at GhostTheory.com wrote a piece on Sasquatch.  The post has since been completely removed, so I can't tell you who wrote it or what it said, but from the news update I got it appears to have been an excited retelling of a "news" story in The Sage, an online satire from Canada that is quite similar to The Onion.





In the original Sage story, whose headline reads

Alberta: Bow Valley flooding exposes rotting carcass of a Sasquatch.

Legendary Cryptid believed to be a surviving Gigantopithecus,

seems to tell the story of a hiker, northwest of Canmore, Alberta.  This hiker purportedly found the rotting corpse of a "sasquatch" that had been uncovered in the mass flooding in southern Alberta.  The article even goes so far as to quote a "Coren Lowman", noted Cryptozoologist.

The first problem with this story is that it is from The Sage. The website clearly states that it is satire, so either the ghosttheory.com author didn't notice that, or they do not know what satire is.  Additionally, The Sage prints a disclaimer stating the items are "satire and faux" and for humor only.  Sadly, we have become accustomed to this level of research--simply looking at the headlines and briefly scanning content before rebroadcasting.

The second problem is from The Sage.  No, I don't fault them for being creative, it's just that this particular article is not funny.  The flooding in Alberta was devastating.  People lost their homes, their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives.  This disaster just isn't good fodder for humor, at least not just a few weeks from the event.  To find Alberta Sasquatch humor isn't difficult--Google Todd Standing.

The third problem is a combination of the two.  Just a few days after The Sage ran its story, it was picked up by AboveTopSecret.com, Bigfootblogger.com, and other sites.  Most of those sites made no claim of it being satire or false in any way.  I have to wonder, did they think they were reporting truth?  

This is how legends and hoaxes get started.  Someone thinks they are being funny, or smarter than others and out to fool the world, and starts silliness like this without regard to the serious study OR the locals who have to deal with the fallout.

Let's be a little more responsible than this.  Let's read the whole article, the whole page, the public opinion of a publication or website or get the background of the author before we start playing this game of "telephone" that is corrupt even before the first pass.

It might also be good to remember that if it seems amazing and remarkable, especially in a field that studies the amazing and remarkable, it probably is.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/100000-calgarians-evacuated-due-to-flooding/article12738046/

http://www.sagenews.ca/article.asp?id=3007

http://metronews.ca/news/calgary/734455/tvs-survivorman-to-chase-bigfoot-with-calgary-believer/

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread959839/pg1

http://bigfootblogger.com/alberta-bow-valley-flooding-exposes-rotting-carcass-of-a-sasquatch/

http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/lc-cryptid-hunter/

Breaking News on the Ketchum DNA

The Huffington Post and The Examiner are both reporting today that the DNA presented by veterinarian Melba Ketchum as Big Foot DNA, is actually opossum.  Houston Chronicle reporter Eric Berger sent some of Ketchum's DNA samples to an independent geneticist for analysis.  It wasn't pretty.

Ketchum told Huffington Post:

"He's just out there to create drama."
"This is unbelievable -- my study is a legitimate study," she said. "There's no credibility in his study whatsoever ... There's jealousy out there."

Ketchum wants a new independent study done to prove her results are solid and Berger's are skewed.  She wants to watch the testing herself because she believes Berger may have switched the samples.  

Nothing like a little Big Foot drama to start the month for fireworks.




http://www.examiner.com/article/sasquatch-dna-actually-found-to-be-opossum-dna
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/03/bigfoot-dna-test-results_n_3541431.html