Michael Mayes’ book ‘Shadow Cats: The Black Panthers of North America’ provides a comprehensive exploration of black big cat sightings in North America. The various theories considered include melanistic jaguars, cougars, or giant feral cats. Mayes argues most sightings are likely misidentifications of other animals. Although the book sometimes lacks academic rigour, it remains a significant contribution to cryptozoological literature.
Georgia river monster report is highly suspicious (Updated – hoax)
Since none of the major news outlets are doing justice to this story and I have the day off for snow, I might as well put these pieces together about […]
A rarity: An impressive and useful ghost guide (Book Review)
Steve Parsons criticizes amateur ghost investigators for sensationalizing paranormal inquiries without adhering to scientific guidelines in his book, ‘Ghostology: The Art of the Ghost Hunter’. He argues that investigations get lost amid personal ambitions, useless data, and lack of awareness about the subject’s history. Parsons calls for practical and ethical standards for paranormal investigations and recommends his book as a guide to help investigators avoid common mistakes and misleading conclusions.
Observing Paranormal Investigators: An ongoing research project at SFU
Kingsbury examines sociological aspects of the pararnormal and those who pursue it.
Narcissistic America (Book Review)
The book “The Narcissist Next Door,” written by Jeffrey Kluger, explores the concept of narcissism, particularly in figures of authority. It claims Donald Trump as a prime example of an overinflated ego in a leadership role: something that can prevent an organization from functioning efficiently. The book highlights that individuals with narcissistic attributes, such as inflated self-importance and lack of empathy, tend to be influential in various sectors including politics, Hollywood, and academia.
Ghosts as modern history (Book review)
Lisa Morton presents another version of the history of ghosts in Ghosts: A Haunted History (Reaktion Books, London, 2015). In this case, it is an international popular history of ghosts in philosophy, […]
Occulture and re-enchantment ties directly to the rise in amateur paranormal investigation
A review of the keynote lecture on occulture and modern paranormal investigation.
Errors in investigating: What you see is all there is
I received a personal message from a paranormal investigator who thought it was a shame I didn’t believe in the validity of spirit communication. He pointed me to a video he made that he said was the clearest responses he’s ever received in an EVP recording.
Sometimes, an alien artifact is just a rock
Paranormal investigators often lament the lack of scientific interest in anomalous or paranormal claims. Many have stated they want to contribute to a shift in thinking about these anomalies, to […]
It’s all very fuzzy: Dogman, Bigfoot, and the scent of paranormalia at CryptidCon
A trip to the first CryptidCon reveals how these mysterious monsters are represented in modern culture.
Confessions about Confessions of Ghost Hunters
There are three books that are explicitly titled “Confessions of a Ghost Hunter” – from 1928, 1936 and 2002. There is also one called “Confessions of a Reluctant Ghost Hunter” […]
Reactions to the Darwin Awards post: Really? These are your responses?
A disappointing negative reaction came from my post on Why the Darwin Awards Must Die. Commenters were ignornant and cruel.
Why the Darwin Awards Should Die
The Darwin Awards are a commodification of callous ghoulishness that celebrates people’s death and misfortune.
The manufactured, badly-behaved Ouija demon: Zozo (Book Review)
In the classic book Psychology of Superstition, Gustav Jahoda writes that beliefs are not just in our heads, they affect our behavior, and that self-fulfilling prophecy is not uncommon in […]
The “Stone Tape Theory” of hauntings: A geological perspective
The Stone Tape “Theory” is touted regularly as a potential explanation for residual hauntings. Is it scientific? What does a geologist think about it?
Arrogant and confused, ghost and ghoul (Book Review)
I’m still doing research on the Stone Tape idea, as a paranormally-curious geologist does. I was interested in obtaining a book by T.C. Lethbridge because his name comes up repeatedly […]
Confusing speculative “language of stone” (Book Review)
I’m researching the history of the Stone Tape “theory” of haunting for my Spooky Geology site. It’s something I’ve been working on in bits and pieces for several years now. I’ve […]
Monster tales of the southern swamps (Book Review)
Beyond Boggy Creek: In Search of the Southern Sasquatch, by Lyle Blackburn (2017) This is Blackburn’s third book in a semi-series of volumes on southern bipedal creatures. I reviewed the […]
Monsters (and sciencey-sounding nonsense) Among Us – Book Review
I feel I should preface this book review with an explanation of why I, a person that rejects paranormal explanations (for good reason), would be interested in reading books about […]
Manual of monsters from cinema and culture – Book Review
I found an advertisement somewhere online for Rue Morgue Magazine’s Monstro Bizarro collection, “An Essential Manual of Mysterious Monsters”. Maybe it was via the editor, Lyle Blackburn. I pay attention […]