This week, as I am sure many of you have heard, brought the exciting news that a new species of hominid has been discovered in Siberia. Whilst it did not come as a surprise to me, I am delighted that scientific verifcation brings us ever closer to the time when scientists will announce that they have found a living species of hominid in some remote part of the globe. To that end , I am redoubling my efforts to seek them and prove their existence to science, myself. Recently, I can reveal that I have been considering expeditions in search of the Almas in Siberia, the Mande Burung in India, and Sasquatch. I have also been doing some research on the feasibility of mounting expeditions in search of Chinese Lake Monsters. As ever, it is always the case of time versus money as I am self financed, and have to work for a living as well! The good news is that I am ready to push ahead with the Indian expedition no matter what. I have an excellent contact on the ground ,and research is in full flow now.I will be going there at some point this year. I would like to do another one as well, but we will see.
I am going down to discuss this at Dave Archers house in two weeks time. Expect more posts on the matter!If anything, the now confirmed cancellation of MonsterQuest has made me redouble my efforts. Though I note from Cryptomundo that more cryptozoological series are being planned.Lets hope they get the mixture of quality and entertainment right.I think MonsterQuest did this, and I enjoyed the show. I hope the new pending series do the same, and actually hire some people with a passion for the subject not just some cheesy git presenters. Yeah ,I know I am jealous cause I want to do it full time!!!!
I had a great time in Brussels, though it was work rather than pleasure that led me there. Belgium, is of course , the home of Tintin. One of his most famous adventures, is Tintin in Tibet, which involves an encounter with a Yeti, so there was at least one relevant cryptozooalogical connection whilst I was there!
As well as being the home for numerous European Institutions, one of the other things Belgium is famous for is its beer. Interestingly, some of the best seems to be brewed by Trappist monks.Beware though, at 9% , it can be very strong indeed,so moderation is called for. It is excellent however. Good enough to keep me locked up in a monastery? No, not ever!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The end of MonsterQuest & Ellas further adventures.
A few days ago , I was very sorry to hear that MonsterQuest may be coming to an end. I consider it to be a very good series on cryptozoology. Importantly, it has sought to analyse evidence in an open minded and balanced way. I had a blast making the episodes on the Orang-Pendek, the Yeren and the Yeti! While it has had a great run, there are still so many more cryptids it could cover. If you like the series , and want it to stay, please make your feelings known to the History Channel.
Please be careful about what you are eating. Jungle keeps being ripped down for Palm Oil plantations. For what? So your chocolate bar can stay on the shelf a bit longer.Once its gone , its gone forever. Sure, land can flourish again, but there is simply no way of recreating pristine virgin rainforest, and the ecosystems within it. It simply isn`t good enough to not care.Personally speaking, I do not want to be judged by future historians as being part of the generation that allowed such beautiful, wonderful creations to be destroyed.
I am off to Brussels tomorrow.Before I go though, I have been looking after my five year old daughter Ella again today. As her adventures seem to be one of the most popular features on this website, I thought I should tell you about how she managed to disgrace us both again.
My job was to take Ella to a party. The house where it was held was in a very genteel and posh part of a suburb called Bramhall, near where I live. Especially for the occasion, Ella had worn a cute little party dress, in peach, with a little peach bow in her hair.
The driveway to the house where the party was held , was a long gravel affair. Bordered by fountains on either side, it looked like Manchesters answer to Versailles.I knocked on the door, and it was opened by an immaculately dressed woman. `Oh , Gabriella darling, she said `sooo good you could come darling`.... .`Bye Ella`,I said to my child`s rapidly diminishing back. `Whatever, Daddy ` Said Ella.
Two hours later, I returned to pick her up. `Oh, do come in ,darling ` said the woman, the childrens entertainer is just finishing a last game of charades with the children` No problem ` I said. I was the only guy there, but that didn`t seem to matter, as I got a few nods and smiles from the mothers I recognised.
In the middle of the room ,a child was hopping. `What is it, children?` said the entertainer. `A kangaroo!` shouted a little girl with red hair at the front. `Yes, well done Felicity,said the entertainer, you can have a prize!`
`Now , we have time for just one more go; who wants to volunteer?` ` Me, meeee!` Said Ella.
Ella strode into the middle of the room. She then went down on the floor, putting her hands above her head, and began wiggling across the carpet. `What is the animal, children?` said the entertainer. `A snake` said one. `No ` , said Ella. `A an earthworm` said another `No` said Ella.
A few more frustrated guesses ensued. `We don`t know what it is, Gabriella, can you tell us?`Said the entertainer, sweetly.
`Its one of those big long white worms that comes out of your BUM! ` Said Ella.
At that point I heard someone groaning very loud inside my head. Everyone seemed to be stunned . I wanted to find a corner to curl up in, but there was none.I was bathed in the harsh light of the mothers judgment.
The groaning didn`t seem to stop, as I walked down that long, long gravel driveway.
`That was funny` Daddy,`said Ella , as she happily skipped along.
What a great time to leave the country for a few days!!
Please be careful about what you are eating. Jungle keeps being ripped down for Palm Oil plantations. For what? So your chocolate bar can stay on the shelf a bit longer.Once its gone , its gone forever. Sure, land can flourish again, but there is simply no way of recreating pristine virgin rainforest, and the ecosystems within it. It simply isn`t good enough to not care.Personally speaking, I do not want to be judged by future historians as being part of the generation that allowed such beautiful, wonderful creations to be destroyed.
I am off to Brussels tomorrow.Before I go though, I have been looking after my five year old daughter Ella again today. As her adventures seem to be one of the most popular features on this website, I thought I should tell you about how she managed to disgrace us both again.
My job was to take Ella to a party. The house where it was held was in a very genteel and posh part of a suburb called Bramhall, near where I live. Especially for the occasion, Ella had worn a cute little party dress, in peach, with a little peach bow in her hair.
The driveway to the house where the party was held , was a long gravel affair. Bordered by fountains on either side, it looked like Manchesters answer to Versailles.I knocked on the door, and it was opened by an immaculately dressed woman. `Oh , Gabriella darling, she said `sooo good you could come darling`.... .`Bye Ella`,I said to my child`s rapidly diminishing back. `Whatever, Daddy ` Said Ella.
Two hours later, I returned to pick her up. `Oh, do come in ,darling ` said the woman, the childrens entertainer is just finishing a last game of charades with the children` No problem ` I said. I was the only guy there, but that didn`t seem to matter, as I got a few nods and smiles from the mothers I recognised.
In the middle of the room ,a child was hopping. `What is it, children?` said the entertainer. `A kangaroo!` shouted a little girl with red hair at the front. `Yes, well done Felicity,said the entertainer, you can have a prize!`
`Now , we have time for just one more go; who wants to volunteer?` ` Me, meeee!` Said Ella.
Ella strode into the middle of the room. She then went down on the floor, putting her hands above her head, and began wiggling across the carpet. `What is the animal, children?` said the entertainer. `A snake` said one. `No ` , said Ella. `A an earthworm` said another `No` said Ella.
A few more frustrated guesses ensued. `We don`t know what it is, Gabriella, can you tell us?`Said the entertainer, sweetly.
`Its one of those big long white worms that comes out of your BUM! ` Said Ella.
At that point I heard someone groaning very loud inside my head. Everyone seemed to be stunned . I wanted to find a corner to curl up in, but there was none.I was bathed in the harsh light of the mothers judgment.
The groaning didn`t seem to stop, as I walked down that long, long gravel driveway.
`That was funny` Daddy,`said Ella , as she happily skipped along.
What a great time to leave the country for a few days!!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Scoring in your Seventies.......
I have decided that I want to nail down where I plan to go on my next expedition by the end of April. In truth, I am a little bored, and I need something to look forward too!
This week, I decided to do a long hike across the Moors and on to some local Peaks. As well as the obvious fitness benefits, the objective was also to try out the efectiveness of some of the new kit I had bought, on picking up and tracking large animals, such as deer. Clearly, if the gear works well on them, it should be able to pick out the movement of cryptids too, particularly hominids. My father had also asked to come with me. Although he is pushing 70, he is still very fit. He is also still a really good swimcoach. He trained me to be Manchester champion as a child, and is currently training someone to swim a marathon for charity.The plan was that he would leave me just before the snowline.I would make the final ascent then, and would pick him back up on my descent.
We arrived in the carpark at the start of our mini adventure , and I began to prep and check the kit. Just across from us, two women , in their mid thirties, had just returned to their car, and were preparing to leave.
`Hmm, ` said my Dad.`Check out the two ladies over there`, one of them is really rather nice`, he said. `Yes, right Dad`, I said, not really looking up .`Back in a couple of minutes`, he said, before heading off in their general direction. I was preoccupied , and thought nothing of it. I was still waiting for him ten minutes later, when he eventually strolled back over to me, with a piece of paper in his hand.
`Finally ready now` ? I said. `Lets go`! He declared, and we began walking along the country road that would lead us to the start of our hike.As we were about to turn off, a white car slowed down beside us.It contained the two women. `Bye bye Ken, hope to see you SOOON shouted one, blowing him a kiss`. He waved back ,and they drove off. I was openmouthed, standing in the road. `Did you just score a date?? ` I said, momentarily unable to comprehend what I was witnessing.
My father turned to me, and replied in a deadly serious voice `the difference between you and me son, is that I have both charisma, and an excellent physique`. Then like some `Sage of the score`, he moved off, and began a somewhat smug climb to the top.
Its come to something ,I thought ,when I am getting pulling advice from my old Dad !!!
This week, I decided to do a long hike across the Moors and on to some local Peaks. As well as the obvious fitness benefits, the objective was also to try out the efectiveness of some of the new kit I had bought, on picking up and tracking large animals, such as deer. Clearly, if the gear works well on them, it should be able to pick out the movement of cryptids too, particularly hominids. My father had also asked to come with me. Although he is pushing 70, he is still very fit. He is also still a really good swimcoach. He trained me to be Manchester champion as a child, and is currently training someone to swim a marathon for charity.The plan was that he would leave me just before the snowline.I would make the final ascent then, and would pick him back up on my descent.
We arrived in the carpark at the start of our mini adventure , and I began to prep and check the kit. Just across from us, two women , in their mid thirties, had just returned to their car, and were preparing to leave.
`Hmm, ` said my Dad.`Check out the two ladies over there`, one of them is really rather nice`, he said. `Yes, right Dad`, I said, not really looking up .`Back in a couple of minutes`, he said, before heading off in their general direction. I was preoccupied , and thought nothing of it. I was still waiting for him ten minutes later, when he eventually strolled back over to me, with a piece of paper in his hand.
`Finally ready now` ? I said. `Lets go`! He declared, and we began walking along the country road that would lead us to the start of our hike.As we were about to turn off, a white car slowed down beside us.It contained the two women. `Bye bye Ken, hope to see you SOOON shouted one, blowing him a kiss`. He waved back ,and they drove off. I was openmouthed, standing in the road. `Did you just score a date?? ` I said, momentarily unable to comprehend what I was witnessing.
My father turned to me, and replied in a deadly serious voice `the difference between you and me son, is that I have both charisma, and an excellent physique`. Then like some `Sage of the score`, he moved off, and began a somewhat smug climb to the top.
Its come to something ,I thought ,when I am getting pulling advice from my old Dad !!!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Getting itchy feet
This weekend, I have taken the opportunity to go away to do a couple of long distance runs ( 2 hrs each) to boost my fitness. The weather has been all glorious sunshine. Yesterday, I ran by a gently meandering river.I did not see another soul for miles. With the Prodigy on full blast (`Breathe `is awesome running song),and the ground carpeted by snowdrops, it was an exhilarating experience.
That said, though , I am now getting itchy feet. This has nothing to do with the runing, I hasten to add!
Last night , I met up with Anthony at the pub, and this formed one of the topics of discussion.
`I feel like I need to get going off somewhere soon, I miss the Jungles and Mountains. I am seriously bored by the daily grind` I said. `I understand, mate .` I know you need to organise a new expedition, but you have to be realistic. You told me yourself that you never go into debt for these things, so you will just have to save and wait, like you planned, unless you get that `lucky break` you have been dreaming of....`
`Anyway, ` he said ,`enough of that ` I want to ask you a question`. `Go on, ` I said. `Why is it that no woman has ever lived with me for more than a year?` `What?` I said laughing `No I am serious`. He said . They all seem to go before then`. As he listed his exes, I realised he was right.
I thought hard. `Well, when I lived at your place, you used to make those `sock nests`.They might be a factor.` He laughed..`But I like taking off my socks when I`m watching T.V! He exclaimed.`Maybe , but little piles of socks around the sofa , combined with black and white documentaries on `Tanks of the Second World War`, are not going to do it for most ladies`,I said.
`It should though really`, sighed Anthony. `I guess I will never truly understand women`.
`The nests are staying though.For they are what maketh the man!
That said, though , I am now getting itchy feet. This has nothing to do with the runing, I hasten to add!
Last night , I met up with Anthony at the pub, and this formed one of the topics of discussion.
`I feel like I need to get going off somewhere soon, I miss the Jungles and Mountains. I am seriously bored by the daily grind` I said. `I understand, mate .` I know you need to organise a new expedition, but you have to be realistic. You told me yourself that you never go into debt for these things, so you will just have to save and wait, like you planned, unless you get that `lucky break` you have been dreaming of....`
`Anyway, ` he said ,`enough of that ` I want to ask you a question`. `Go on, ` I said. `Why is it that no woman has ever lived with me for more than a year?` `What?` I said laughing `No I am serious`. He said . They all seem to go before then`. As he listed his exes, I realised he was right.
I thought hard. `Well, when I lived at your place, you used to make those `sock nests`.They might be a factor.` He laughed..`But I like taking off my socks when I`m watching T.V! He exclaimed.`Maybe , but little piles of socks around the sofa , combined with black and white documentaries on `Tanks of the Second World War`, are not going to do it for most ladies`,I said.
`It should though really`, sighed Anthony. `I guess I will never truly understand women`.
`The nests are staying though.For they are what maketh the man!
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