The Occult Section

Holy crap. I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since “The X-Files” pilot episode aired. I watched the first episode when it premiered. I was 10 years old. And after that first episode, I subsequently taped every single episode, bought magazines, books, soundtracks…and can thank David Duchovny for pushing me right into puberty (even after all his, er, follies, I still have a really really creepy totally normal – I swear – crush on him). Don’t believe me? Ask my friends. Actually, don’t, they know far too much.

But I digress. 20 years, y’all! wow!

It’s been 20 years since “The X-Files” opened to viewers’ wanting-to-believe eyes, and the hit paranormal investigation drama’s creator, Chris Carter, doesn’t quite know what to make of that phenomenon.

“Scully, would you think less of me as a man if I told you I was kind of excited right now?”

“It’s surreal,” he told a sold-out crowd Sunday at the Hero Complex Film Festival shortly after entering to a standing ovation. “It’s like an X-File…. Twenty years’ missing time.”

Asked what he might do differently if he made the show now, he said, “It was of its time…. You probably could make the show today, but, I don’t know why, it just feels like it was made exactly when it should have been made.”

The festival’s closing night was devoted to the acclaimed Fox series, and included screenings of three fan-picked episodes – the pilot, which he wrote, “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space” and “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose.”

Carter said the pilot scene in which FBI special agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), a skeptical scientist, first meets her new partner, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), a crusading believer in aliens and conspiracy, wasn’t just their introduction as a duo to the audience, but to him as well: “That’s the first time they really acted together. They didn’t audition together for the parts. We really cast them separately, so we didn’t know there’d be that chemistry. What you were watching was really a kind of test, and it ended up working.”

David, if you’re out there reading this…call me!

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Rick Dyer just won’t go away. The Bigfoot hunter who claims to have found, shot and killed Bigfoot keeps tempting the media with alleged proof of Bigfoot, and consistently doesn’t deliver. He finally said his film, “Shooting Bigfoot,” would prove his claims once and for all. And now that the film has premiered, surprise surprise, it doesn’t prove anything at all. Except that Dyer is better at marketing himself than actually finding Bigfoot.

New candidate for Biggest Douche in the Universe.

SAN ANTONIO -Earlier this year a professional Bigfoot tracker claimed he shot and killed a Bigfoot on the Northwest side of San Antonio.

Rick Dyer said he shot and killed the creature in a wooded area near Loop 1604 and Highway 151 in September 2012.

While Dyer wasn’t able to provide any proof to back up his claim, he told KSAT 12 the truth would come out when a documentary film was released this spring.

That movie, “Shooting Bigfoot,” premiered at documentary film festival in Canada this week.

In February, Dyer said the film would prove his claims and he would go down in history as the man who killed Bigfoot, but the film just leaves more unanswered questions.

The controversial Bigfoot hunter with a history of pulling off hoaxes in the past said the documentary team captured him shooting and killing the creature when it was lured into their campsite with a rack of ribs.

The incident is featured at the end of the documentary that followed Dyer and 3 other professional Bigfoot hunters on their quest to find the creature and prove its existence to the world.

While the film has had excellent reviews, it didn’t exactly prove Dyer’s claims.

The morning after the film premiered, Dyer shared his disappointment in a YouTube post.

“I was there, I know exactly what happened and I tried to spill that to everyone else,” Dyer said in the video. “I’m sorry that Bigfoot did not come out and do a song and dance for you, but Bigfoot did come out and you do see him.”

While the film reportedly does show glimpses of a creature, it ends without explaining what it was.

While some Bigfoot believers are still supporting Dyer, many others are claiming it was all a big hoax.

Dyer isn’t giving up. He still claims the body of the Bigfoot he shot is being housed somewhere in Las Vegas and he said it will be shown to the world in August.

So now he’s claiming that he’ll reveal the body in August. Keep dangling that carrot, Mr. Dyer. Some people may still believe you by then. But if you truly have a Bigfoot body, it will be just as profitable now as it will be in August. So why wait?

Technorati Tags: bigfoot, conspiracy theory, cryptozoology, debunking, finding bigfoot, hoax, media, News, paranormal, people, rick dyer, san antonio, sasquatch, shooting bigfoot, thoughts, video, yeti

I came across this story today, in which two boys found a decomposing foot and are now attributing it to Bigfoot. Reading the article, it doesn’t really say how big the foot is and why it couldn’t be a human or bear foot, so I’m not sure why this automatically belongs to Sasquatch. Maybe it’s just the kids’ imaginations running wild, which is understandable. But I’m guessing this will turn out to be a bear paw in the end.

I suppose finding one of these decomposing in the woods might look a little freaky and could be mistaken for a Bigfoot foot…

Washington, Apr 20 (ANI): Two young boys from Quincy, Massachusetts have left police and residents baffled with their mysterious and potentially grisly finding.

According to the Patriot Ledger newspaper, “On March 29, Sgt.Steven Leanues picked up what appears to be a decomposed foot that the boys found in the woods off Pantheon Road. Police Chief Frank Alvilhiera sent it to the medical examiner, who determined it is not human, although it appears to have five toes,” Fox News reported.

Tests are still being conducted, but the strange find has locals asking – What has five toes and looks like a foot – but isn’t? Maybe Bigfoot, but more likely a bear.

Strange as it may seem, this is not the first time that animal bones have been mistaken for human remains.

In 2004 a man in Fort Gay, West Virginia, discovered a human hand at about 9 o’clock in the evening while cleaning his vehicle at a car wash.

It was inside a manila envelope and had a rubber band around the five finger bones.

Police officers and two different county medical examiners concluded it was human and probably from a child or small woman’s hand.

But the mystery deepened because the rest of the skeleton was never found, and no one of that description had been reported missing.

Finally the hand was sent to the state forensics lab, where it was determined to be a bear paw.

In 2011, a man in Queens, New York, found what appeared to be the foot of a young child in a back yard.

The police were called, and parents kept their children close, fearing that someone had snatched, murdered and dismembered a child.

Finally, a forensic anthropologist in the New York City medical examiner’s office examined the foot and identified it as a bear paw. (ANI)

The more interesting part of this story for me is the fact that a bear paw was found in the backyard of a Queens, New York home. Queens, while a suburban borough of New York City, is not really known for having animals bigger than squirrels or surly teens blasting terrible music from their cars. Interesting how a bear paw managed to get there, unless it was very old. Interesting…

Technorati Tags: bear paw, bigfoot, cryptozoology, debunking, massachusetts, media, medical examiner, new york, News, Pantheon Road, paranormal, people, queens, quincy, sasquatch, thoughts, woods, yeti

I’m all for Bigfoot research (and I blogged about the Falcon Project a few months back), and I can get behind almost anything that will further that research. I’m just not sure PBR and guys with guns running through the woods looking for Sasquatch is the best of ideas…

Oh yeah, I like this idea…

OLYMPIA, Wash., April 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — In an effort to highlight the proud histories of both Bigfoot and Olympia Beer in the Northwest, Olympia Beer has partnered with world-renowned Bigfoot experts at The Falcon Project to sponsor what may be one of the most comprehensive searches for Bigfoot ever conducted in North America. A grand prize of $1,000,000 will be paid to any person who finds “irrefutable evidence” of Bigfoot’s existence in compliance with the contest’s official rules. The yearlong contest launches this week.

“We have been operating in the Northwest since 1896, so we know firsthand how important Bigfoot is to the people here,” says Evan and Daren Metropoulos, owners of Pabst Brewing Company and Olympia Beer. “In addition to our desire to spur scientific discovery in partnership with The Falcon Project, we’re also simply encouraging people to get outside and have some fun.”

According to the contest rules, there is no set type or amount of “irrefutable evidence” required to establish proof of Bigfoot. All evidence presented must satisfy the three member judging panel convened by Olympia Beer and The Falcon Project. Evidence must include conclusive DNA evidence and visual proof of a live physical body. Visual proof of footprints, bone fragments, inconclusive skeletal remains or any other non-definitive evidence of Bigfoot will not suffice as “irrefutable evidence.” Any photo or video taken of Bigfoot is not sufficient to qualify as evidence in and of itself, but may be considered as supporting evidence.  The awarding of any prize is subject to the official contest rules.

If Bigfoot’s existence is indeed proven through the contest, the grand prize winner will be paid in 40 yearly installments of $25,000. The annuity is being underwritten by SCA Promotions.

The Falcon Project is an organization that was convened to conduct the most in-depth search for Bigfoot ever conducted in North America. According to The Falcon Project, science tells us that a great North American Ape did exist at some point in the past, so the relevant question now is: “Does it still exist?” The Falcon Project is in the process of building a quiet, remote-controlled airship that will use thermal imaging technology to search Northwestern forests for evidence of Bigfoot. In support of its research, Olympia Beer has provided a $5,000 grant to The Falcon Project.

Similar to countless migratory and endangered species research programs, Olympia Beer and The Falcon project hope to conduct scientific observations of Bigfoot and then use the information collected to protect the species and preserve its way of life. Neither Olympia Beer nor The Falcon Project encourages or condones the attempted capture or containment of Bigfoot or any other form of wildlife. Any contest participant that demonstrates intent to harm Bigfoot or any other species will be disqualified from the contest, publicly shamed and referred to law enforcement officials.

More information about the contest can be found at www.olympiabigfoot.com, including news of participants’ progress, a map of recent Bigfoot sightings, live social media feeds and official contest rules. Participants can join the conversation by using the hashtag #Olympiabigfoot on Twitter and Tumblr, by following Olympia Beer’s Facebook page and by posing search-related questions to bigfootevidence@olympiabeer.com.

I am glad to see that they are at least trying to discourage people from killing or capturing a Bigfoot (even though that would probably be, at this point, the only real evidence that will convince the world). It will be interesting to see where this goes…

Technorati Tags: bigfoot, california, cryptozoology, debunking, falcon project, media, News, olympic beer, pabst blue ribbon, paranormal, sasquatch, thoughts, yeti

I’ve always admired Peter Byrne and his swagger. One of the original Bigfoot hunters, Byrne hasn’t really been mentioned much in the news lately, and I haven’t really seen him on many of the TV shows. I guess he’s been busy actually searching for Sasquatch lately, instead of making the TV rounds. And I say, good for him. I was happy to see that he’s still very active, and thought I’d share this story with you. If you don’t know who Peter Byrne is, check him out.

Peter Byrne has been engaged in what he describes as the “Big Searches” for almost his entire life; his Bigfoot search alone has spanned 50 years.

His first experience was in the 1960s, working in northern California.

Later, he was drawn back to California by the well-known 1967 film made by Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin outside Orleans, Calif. It is purported to be the most credible evidence of Bigfoot’s existence. While skeptics have dismissed the film, Byrne finds it credible.

“Gimlin is still living in Yakima and he is regarded as a man of great integrity,” Byrne said. “Lots of people have tried to discount it, but it could be real.”

 Today, Byrne continues his quest to find Bigfoot.

“I do two things,” he said. “I write. I’ve published 13 books.”

The 13th book is coming out in a few weeks, called “Monster Trilogy,” a three-part guide book on how to find Bigfoot, Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster. He has been in searches for all three.

He also works with a loose-knit group of people on the Oregon Coast, all interested in sighting Bigfoot.

Byrne said in his writings that technology would one day allow the world to verify the existence of Bigfoot and his group uses motion-sensor cameras set up in areas of what Byrne describes as credible sightings in the Coast Range. So far, the cameras have yielded images of other wildlife, but no Bigfoot.

He also researches recent and historical sighting reports. The last credible report from where the researchers were looking was in 2006, Byrne said.

Interest in finding Bigfoot has resurfaced, he said.

“There is tremendous interest — something like 30 websites, lots of letters, but there are no other organized projects at this time,” he said. “There was a group in the Olympic Peninsula, but they were all working guys … and there was a group in Kentucky, but that fizzled out.”

Despite man’s encroachment on the wilderness areas of the Pacific Northwest, Byrne isn’t surprised that the creatures remain largely elusive.

“It’s an enormous area — a huge area,” he said. “There’s an official Federal Aviation Administration figure about planes lost in the Pacific Northwest since World War two. Of 52 planes that crashed, 20 probably went into the ocean, 32 are still not found in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. One has a senator’s body aboard, also representatives from Alaska. The families are still looking for the plane … We’re not talking about Rhode Island. This area is three times the length of the Himalayas.”

Asked why his search for Bigfoot has endured so long, Byrne said, “I’m still fascinated by the possibility of there being an unidentified primate living out there.” Native American history, old records, letters by missionaries and miners, “sightings by thoroughly dependable people,” all support the idea, he said.

And when asked why he thinks others continue to take up the quest, he talked about the last great mysteries of the world.

“The wonderful thing about Bigfoot is that anybody can go after it,” he said. “Take a weekend. Drive into the mountains. Take a chance.”

He’s absolutely right, and it’s one of the reasons why my paranormal group, the New York Paranormal Society, has also dedicated itself to researching Bigfoot. In an age where every mildly semi-famous haunted location now wants to charge ghost hunters to come in an investigate claims of the paranormal (we proudly refuse to pay any location to investigate, by the way), Bigfoot hunting is free. What’s better than that?

Technorati Tags: bigfoot, books, cryptozoology, ghost hunters, himalayas, loch ness monster, media, News, olympic penninsula, pacific northwest, paranormal, people, peter byrne, sasquatch, thoughts, yeti