The Bigfoot Abides

It's official, the georgia bigfoot body is indeed a hoax. Steven Kulls was granted permission by Tom Biscardi to perform an examination of the body and the results were clear. As the ice melted first the hair was exposed, which melted rather than burned, then the face, which felt hollow, then the feet... "I began examining this area near the feet, I observed the foot which looked unnatural, reached in and confirmed it was a rubber foot."
and the bell tolls.
the following text is from www.searchingforbigfoot.com

"Later that day, Tom Biscardi informed us that both Matthew Whitton and Ricky Dyer admitted it was a costume. They reportedly agreed to sign a promissory note and admission of what they had done, and set a meeting in their hotel room in California for 8AM on August 17th, 2008.

At that time I drew up the documents for Mr. Biscardi. On August 17th, 2008 Tom Biscardi went to the hotel where Dyer and Whitton were staying and found that they had left. At this time action is being instigated against the perpetrators of this fraud. Tom Biscardi asked us to contact you, the press, and share all that we have discovered."

this is not a surprising outcome.

I think what interests me about sasquatch is that it is a phenomenon that challenges our notion of the nature of reality. A side effect of this hoax story was a mild rash of "debunking the bigfoot myth" slideshows and articles that cropped up in the popular science press. Science has this amazing ability to be simultaneously engaged in discovering new things about the universe while denying that it could in any way be different from what they have already discovered. Ultimately I think that the methods of science are only adept at describing a particular facet of the universe, as in the types of questions you ask will always effect the answers you get. So when these skeptics attempt to use the scientific method to address something as mercurial as bigfoot there's this heuristic dissonance that immediately becomes clear, it's like saying god doesn't exist because we haven't found his body and there's no positive control for the DNA samples. maybe we just lack the right telescope? Here's a quote from the previously linked slideshow...

"For Radford and other skeptics, the only acceptable standard of proof is the scientific one. Why, when there are countless researchers probing the far corners of every continent, is there no rigorous, documented, peer-reviewed evidence for Bigfoot? Only one answer makes sense, says Radford: Bigfoot isn't real."

as in it's only through the process of collecting, analyzing, and publishing observations that reality can be created. The world is literally born through the womb of science, forged in the bowels of the lab, crafted by the rigorous protocols of the scientist cum creator, as though there existed only a nameless gray void prior to the catalog and order of science.

and while I have no proof that sasquatch exists, and I really never expect a body to be found or these sort of godawful bigfoot hunters to turn up anything but a few easily duped humans, I still believe in the oddness and rugosity of the universe and that there is a great well of unknown that exists as a sort of anathema to the human fear of total knowledge, white cubes, and finiteness. I think that these unknowns periodically poke through into our perceived and well-ordered world, a continual disruption to encourage growth, a reagent in the mass consciousness.
I guess I don't believe that asking whether bigfoot is real is the right question, instead i think we should ask why we won't let bigfoot be real?


this concludes the 2008 Georgia Gorilla Bigfoot Hoax Investigation and Discussion on Be Now Here. I will return with posts on gardening, compost, mushroom cultivation, and all that stuff.

new photos & dna evidence hot off the press

so i made it down to palo alto to the lovely cabana hotel. got in a little late thanks to traffic but breezed right through the press credentials check thanks to the Berkeleyan newspaper who gave me a letter certifying that I was indeed tracking down a story for them. The room was packed, probably 100 members of the press in attendance, CBS, wired, newsweek, college newspapers galore, bloggers by the dozen, and of course a hearty contingent of cryptozoologist bigfoot hunter types. Tom Biscardi and the two gentlement from Georgia who claim to have found the body were there answering questions. Questions ranged from the obvious and briskly no-ed "is this a hoax?" to more pointed questions, such as "when will we get to see the body?" (seems to be no definite answer on that one). My impression of the three bigfoot-body possessing guys was that if this is indeed a hoax (which i believe it is) they're sticking to their guns, staying calm, and plan on riding this one until it throws them off. When asked "how much money do you want to make off of this?" by a clearly jealous bigwig in the bigfoot community, Tom replied "as much as i can."

after a bit of hollering Tom agreed to discuss the DNA results.

they go something like this...

3 unidentified tissue samples were delivered to Curt Nelson at the University of Minnesota. He then used three human tissue controls and amplified all six samples. One pair failed due to a technical glitch. the other two human tissue samples came back 100% human. the two tissue samples sent in by Tom were identified as being 100% human and an apparent mix of DNA sequences which was interepreted by the computer algorithm to be Didelphis virginiana... the opossum.

the fact that the DNA was human & opossum didn't seem to bother anyone too much, especially Tom who claimed that the opossum sample was taken from the intestines so may have been a snack that the bigfoot had ingested just prior to his demise.

the whole thing just stinks if you ask me, but there's this weird sense of drop-dead seriousness to the Georgia boys & Tom. When i went up to the front to get the photos & DNA results an older bearded gentlemen leaned over Tom and said "So do you have it? do you really have a body" Tom looks at him & nods. "I sure do, it's the real deal"


The first pic they gave us was a super blurry classic bigfoot-in-the-buff kind of shot of a fuzz hairy thing in the distant spectral woods. nothing conclusive to be sure, and without a useful scale it's impossible to tell just how tall this creature is. could be one of those georgia fellas in the suit.



The second pic is a purported close up of the specimen's mouth. the tongue has distended due to decomposition and the teeth protrude out, apparently the lips have contracted. what's odd about this to me is the fact that all six teeth that are visible seem to be incisors, those flat cutters we have in front. no canines or bicuspids visible. and i'm not sure but i don't think any mammal has six incisors. one interesting note about this picture. on the table where Tom was sitting as he handed these out was two master copies of the pics in plastic sleeves. both of those pictures were clearer, not so overexposed, and much easier to identify what it is I was looking at. Why Tom & the boys chose to release this much more ambiguous image is not clear, but would suggest that they do not want people to look too closely.


and here's the DNA report.

Sasquatch Body Update

The consensus on the internet seems to be that the photographs of this bigfoot's body are, in fact, nothing more than fuzzy shots of a high-end costume wetted down with sheep intestines thrown in for dramatic effect. I sort of am starting to get that sinking feeling like when it stops snowing, the temperature rises, and it all starts melting.

i'm a believer in sasquatch, although i somehow doubt that we'll ever find a body. here's a list of native american words with translations where possible (original thread) all these words are thought to refer to the same thing. i think the most appropriate for this situation is the Lenape people's name: Mesingw Lenni when translates as "the mask being."

Yi' dyi'tay Nehalem Tillamook Indian "Wild Man"
Sasahevas Halkomelem Language Salish Indian "Sasquatch", "Wild Man of the Woods" Xi'lgo Nehalem Tillamook Indian "Wild Woman"
Sc'wen'ey'ti Spokane Indian "Tall Burnt Hair""
Skanicum Colville Indians "Stick Indians"
Choanito Wenatchee Indian "Night People"
Ste ye mah Yakama Indian "Spirit hidden by woods"
Seatco Yakama/Klickitat/Puyallup "Stick Indian"
Seat ka Yakama Indian Not Available
See'atco Coast Salish Indian "One who runs and hides"
Tsiatko Puyallup/Nisqually Indian "Wild Indians"
Steta'l Puyallup/Nisqually Indian "Spirit Spear"
Seeahtkch Clallam Indian Not Available
Qui yihahs Yakama/Klickitat Indian "The Five Brothers"
Skookum Chinook Indian "Evil God of the Woods"
At'at'ahila Chinookan Indian Not Available
Omah Yurok Indian Not Available
Oh Mah Hoopa Indian "Boss of the Woods"
Bukwas Kwakwaka'wakw Indian "Wildman of the Woods"
Tsonaqua Kwakwaka'wakw Indian "Wild Woman of the Woods"
Tah tah kle' ah Yakama/Shasta Indian "Owl Woman Monster"
Sne nah Okanogan Indian "Owl Woman"
Rugaru Turtle Mt Ojibway Not Available
Qah lin me Yakama/Klickitat Indian Not Available
Windago Eastern Athabascan Indian "Wicked Cannibal"
Wetiko Cree Indian Not Available
Chiye tanka Lakota (West)/Sioux Indian "Big Elder Brother"
Chiha tanka Dakota (East)/Sioux Indian "Big Elder Brother"
Matlose Nootka Indian Not Available
Neginla eh Alutiiq/Yukon Indian "Wood Man"
Nantiinaq Kenai Peninsula Indian Not Available
Nant'ina Dena'ina Indian Not Available
Urayuli SW Alaskan Eskimo Not Available
Get'qun Lake Lliamna Indian Not Available
Kushtaka Tlingit Indian "Otter Man"
A hoo la huk Yup'ik Indian Not Available
Gilyuk Nelchina Plateau Indian "Big Man with little hat"
lariyin Hare Indian "Bushman"
So'yoko Hopi Indian Not Available
Ot ne yar heh Iroquois Indian "Stonish Giant"
Ge no sqwa Iroquois/Seneca Indian "Stone Giants"
Ge no'sgwa Seneca Indian "Stone Coats"
Miitiipi Kawaiisu Indian "Bad luck or disaster"
Yahyahaas Modoc Indian Not Available
Tso apittse Shoshone Indian "Cannibal Giant"
Toylona Taos Indian "Big Person"
Atahsaia Zuni Indian "The Cannibal Demon"
Boqs Bella Coola Indian "Bush Man"
Goo tee khl Chilkat Indian Not Available
Loo poo oi'yes Miwuk Indian Not Available
Kala'litabiqw Skagit Valley Indian Not Available
Madukarahat Karok Indian "Giant"
Nun Yunu Wi Cherokee Indian "The Stone Man"
Kecleh-Kudleh Cherokee Indian "Hairy Savage"
Esti Capcaki Seminole Indian "Tall Man"
Mesingw Lenni Lenape Indian "The Mask Being"
Misinghalikun Lenni Lenape Indian "Living Solid Face"
Wsinkhoalican Lenni Lenape Indian "The Game Keeper"
Saskets Salishan/Sahaptin Indian "The Giant"
Yayaya-ash Klamath Indian "The Frightener"
Manabai'wok Menomini Indian "The Giants"
Nu'numic Owens Valley Paiute "The Giant"
Tse'nahaha Mono Lake Paiute "Giant"
Gogit Haida Indians "Not Available"
Tsadjatko Quinault Indians "Giants"
Hecaitomixw Quinault Indians "Dangerous Being"
Skukum Quinault Indians "Devil of the Forest"
Slalakums Upper Stalo Indians "The Unknown"
Na'in Gwich'in Indians "Brushman"
El-Ish-kas Makah Indians "Not Available"

but rest assured I will be in attendance tomorrow for the press conference ... here:

Bigfoot UPDATE... pictures of specimen released!

okay, so the first leaked images are out on the web.
all these images are from www.searchingforbigfoot.com and www.cryptomundo.com

This is completely fascinating. There are of course two possible explanations:
1. that this is indeed a large humanoid primate that has been living in the swamps of georgia.
or
2. that this is a hoax, an elaborate prop constructed using the same technologies & attention to detail that is seen in the movie industry. If that's the case it will be quickly verified as such as soon as anyone outside the immediate associates of the men who discovered it is able to examine the physical specimen. Given the considerable sums of money involved (there is a $1,000,000 reward for the first bigfoot specimen) this body is bound to undergo careful examination by impartial third parties. If it is determined to be a fake then the men involved will have had 15 seconds of fame and nothing more, perhaps some vestigal t-shirt sales and of course one whollop up side the head of the cryptozoology community. this, in my mind, makes me wonder why they would go through the trouble time and expense of such an elaborate hoax... what is the payoff?

if the body is indeed real, then it raises some interesting questions...
for example, what level of protection should be given the habitat of this creature? what level of intelligence does it possess? how can we keep millions of enthusiastic bigfoot hunters from swarming the swamp of Georgia to get a look at this beast's kin?

in some ways, keeping the sasquatch mythical has protected it from the greed & meddling that involvement in human affairs always brings. once it is known that they do exist, and they're flesh and blood, there's the real possibility of a storm of hunters descending on the forests to flush out the last remaining sasquatch, burn their habitat and chase them into the city where they'll beg for handouts on the street corner, smelling bad, hairy, dirty, and avoided like the rest by the upstanding citizens of U.S.A.
I suggest if this is indeed real, we immediately cordon off the largest tracts of forest left remaining in the U.S. and Canada, declaring it off limits under penalty of law, and give them the land they need to survive. Could it be possible that the first human-like intelligent life we find won't have extrasolar origins but come creeping from the woods out back?

tomorrow morning on fox news the man who is in possession of this body will be interviewed, then on Friday there's a press conference in Palo Alto where additional evidence will be released. Stay tuned for updates.

The Body of Sasquatch Has Been Found

Thanks to Omnicollective for this incredible lead!

In what may be the most important discovery in our lifetime, a group of bigfoot researchers reportedly have found the body of a large humanoid apelike creature in the wilds of southern Georgia. The specimen is being called the "Georgia Gorilla" and this Friday there will be a news conference in Palo Alto California where the full details of the investigation will be released including DNA & photographic evidence. The presence of a sasquatch population in Georgia has been well documented and there are multiple sightings over the years. Perhaps at one point sasquatch lived throughout the continental U.S. and were pushed slowly westward by the advance of European settlers. The Georgia group may be a vestigal pocket of these creatures that managed to hide in the extensive swamps.

Here is the information that has been released thus far:

*The creature is seven feet seven inches tall.
*It weighs over five hundred pounds.
*The creature looks like it is part human and part ape-like.
*It is male.
*It has reddish hair and blackish-grey eyes.
*It has two arms and two legs, and five fingers on each hand and
five toes on each foot.
*The feet are flat and similar to human feet.
*Its footprint is sixteen and three-quarters inches long and five and three-quarters inches wide at the heel.
*From the palm of the hand to the tip of the middle finger, its hands are
eleven and three-quarters inches long and six and one-quarter inches wide.
*The creatures walk upright. (Several of them were sighted on the same day that the body was found.)
*The teeth are more human-like than ape-like.
*DNA tests are currently being done and the current DNA and photo evidence will be presented at the press conference on Friday, August 15th.

This is very exciting. I plan on driving down to Palo Alto friday afternoon and seeing if I can't gather some more information. I'll be sure to keep you all updated.

NOTE: This could very well be nothing more than a not so elaborate internet hoax. I'll post updates as soon as I get them

http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/ga-gorilla/