Zodiac Super OZ/MEDIADEPOT.ISO/FILES/11/PX1.ZIP/CRYPTOFQ.TXT

Text File | 1996-06-26 | 10KB | 216 lines

* The Sumner/Woody Cryptozoology Sightings Classification System

While working on this program I needed a sightings system similar to the
Hynek classification system for cryptozoological sightings.  After looking
through all available books, internet sights and writing to numerous
cryptozoologists; Mark Sumner came up with most of the following sightings
classification system.  I just added the numbers at the end, so most of it
is Mark Sumners' classification.  Thanks Mark!

WITNESSES:
I = INDIVIDUAL
M = 2 - 50
L = 50 +

SCOPE:
B = BRIEF < 10 SECONDS
P = PERSISTANT 10 SECONDS OR MORE
L = LENGTHY MORE THEN 5 MINUTES

EVIDENCE:
N = NONE
M = INDIRECT (PHOTO, FOOTPRINT, ETC.)
X = EXTRAORDINARY (FILM, TISSUE, CAPTURE, ETC.)

INTERACTION:
1 = SIGHTING ONLY
2 = SOME TYPE OF COMMUNICATION ATTEMPTED
3 = DIRECT CONTACT (ATTACK, ABDUCTION, PHYSICAL CONTACT, ETC.)

So to describe a sighting you would put 4 elements together.  an IPN1
sighting would be Individual Persistant Sighting with no evidence and
Sighting only.

From the Bigfoot and Cryptozoology FAQ .80

Modern science believes it knows most major large animals in the world
today. Most areas on Earth have been explored, most places have been
mapped and surveyed. Despite all this, reports of strange, unknown
creatures have come from all over the world. From large , hairy,
man-like beasts in the Pacific Norwest of North America (known as
Bigfoot), to Dinosaurs in central Africa (Mokele-Mbembe), to giant
birds, the variety of the creatures is astounding. The most recent
mass sighting of an unknown creature is taking place in Puerto Rico.
This creature has been dubbed El Chupacabra.


Q. What is Cryptozoology?
A. Cryptozoology is literally the study of unknown creatures, whether
in the land air or sea.

Q. Have any genuine unknown creatures been found, and authenticated
by science?
A. Yes. A few have, the most notable, the Coelacanth, a fish which had
been thought to have been extict for  65 million years. It was caught
by fishermen a while back. Also, the Gorilla was thought to be mythical
until the turn of the century.

Q. What about this creature in Puerto Rico?
A.  It's called a chupacabra, or "goat-sucker". This is the name given
to an unknown monster that has been killing goats and small pets there.
It apparently drinks the blood of these animals, as well as mutilating
them. The chupacabra looks like a bizare cross between a kangaroo, a
porcupine, and a so-called grey alien. The body and legs are kangaroo
like, with porcupine quills covering the body, and the head and arms look
like they are from an alien. While this may sound wild, there have been
hundreds of witnesses, most very credible.

Q. What is this Mokele-Mbembe thing?
A. Mokele Mbembe (literally, "one who stops the flow of rivers") is
apparently a very large animal in the Congo in Africa. Fairly reliable
reports of it have occured since the 18th century. Descriptions from
witnesses make it appear to be a Brontosaurus. Several recent expeditions
to the Congo to look for it have been mostly unsuccessful, though.

Q. Can you give me more examples of Cryptozoology, besides Bigfoot, that
fish, and that Dinosaur?
A. Sure. Sea and Lake monsters also fall under the banner of Cryptozoology,
like the Loch Ness Monster. So do things like giant octupii, which have
occasionally washed up dead on beaches, but haven't been seen at sea.
Animals that are in the wrong places, like Kangaroos in North America,
or Apes in South America, Big cats in England are also Cryptozoological
mysteries. Also, there have been giant bird reports, strange worms,
mer-folk,  list is almost endless.

Q. Kangaroos? In North America? You must be kidding.
A. Nope. There have been dozens of sightings by rational , reasonable
observers, not to mention the occasional photograph.

Q. How many lakes supposedly have lake monsters?
A. Quite a few of the big ones. Loch Ness in Scotland for one (Nessie),
Lake Champlain (Champ), Lake Okanagan in Canada (Ogopogo).

Q. What is Bigoot?
A. Bigfoot is a big, hairy, bipedal (walks on 2 legs), manish looking
creature. While known as Bigoot in the Pacific Northwest of North America,
it has different names throughout the world and throughout the United States.

Q. What are other names for Bigfoot?
A. In Missouri, part of the United States, bigfoot is known as Momo.
In Florida, another state in the US, it is known as the Skunk Ape.
In Russia, bigfeet are known as Almas. There are literally dozens of
different names.

Q. Are there any photos or film taken of Bigfoot?
A. In 1967, a man named Roger Patterson who was out looking for Bigfoot,
apparently found one, and filmed it for a few seconds. This film has
been show on many shows, and apears to depict a female Bigfoot walk off
into the brush. Detractors say it's a person in a gorilla suit. There
have been other films, but none as clear as this one. It's either a
fake, or a real Bigfoot. While it does look like a guy in a monkey suit,
in fairness, no zipper shows, and it is claimed that only 2 places could
have made suits that good then, and neither place did so.


Q. If I see a Bigfoot, what should I do?
A. Well, that's a tough question. While most encounters with Bigfeet
have been fleeting and reasonable friendly, on occasions, they have
been hostile. If you have a weapon, I'd say, be friendly towards it,
but be prepared to defend yourself. Otherwise, be very cautious.

Q. Is Bigfoot the same thing as the Abonimible Snowman?
A. Maybe. They sound similar. However, the evidence for the Abonimible
Snowman (ABSM) is fleeting, at best, while the evidence for Bigfoot is
somewhat better. In the areas where ABSMs are reported, Bhuddist monks
often wander barefoot and wearing little clothing, which could cause
some reports. The ABSM is also known as the Yeti.

Q. What's this Sasquatch thing? Isn't that a Bigfoot critter?
A. Well, the term Sasquatch is often used in place of Bigfoot.
I personally don't like it because Sasquatch was originally the name of
a Giant Native American hero, in Native American legends, and meant a
real human, not a hairy monster.

Q. Giant birds?
A. Yep, many people have seen giant birds in the sky. They are often
mistaken for planes, until the wings flap. One such case happened in
where I live, in St. Louis, during World War II. Hundreds ,
if not thousands, saw a giant bird fly over St. Louis (as reported by
the old Globe-Democrat - I haven't seen the article, but I've heard
it mentioned in books).


Q. What are some good books to read about Cryptozoology?
A. I'd recommend anything by Jerome Clark and/or Loren Coleman. They
provide a rational, and interesting view of this field. For cryptozoology
with a paranormal twist, try John Keel (especially The Mysterious Guide
to Mysterious Beings). The late Ivan Sanderson was also a giant in the
field, and his books are worth a look. And of course, the books of
Charle Fort are always fascinating.

Glossary of Cyptozoolical terms and critters

Abominable Snowman - The Himalayan version of Bigfoot, or a hairy ape
     like man beast with giant feet

Alma -          Russian version of Bigfoot, or the Abominable Snowman.
Found in Siberia. A couple have been reportedly killed by
expeditions, but alas, no body.

Black Dog -     Mysterious large dogs that are common in the UK. They
appear and disappear mysteriously, literally out of thin
air. The Hound of the Baskervilles was based on this, as
well as a popular Led Zeppelin song. They have occasionally
been known to speak.

Black Cat -     Sort of like the Black Dog, only Black Cats are , well,
Cats. Usually, they are described as panther like. Common
in the UK, and the midwest of the US. They seem to be more
tangible than Black Dogs, as sometimes they kill farm animals.

Champ -         The lake monster of Lake Champlain, in the NE section of N.
America.

Chupacabra-     Literally, goat sucker. This strange creature has been
killing animals in Puerto Rico.

Kangaroos, Errant or Phantom - Kangaroos showing up in the wrong place,
like the midwest of the US, and not having a reason for
being there.

Kraken -        A name for a giant sea monster. Most suspect that Kraken
reports were actually of a giant squid, or a giant octopus.

Momo -          The name of Bigfoot in Missouri. It comes from Missouri
Monster - the abreviation for Missouri is Mo.

Mothman -       A weird, winged humanoid figure that appeared frequently in
West Virginia in the 60s

Nessie -        The King (or Queen) of Lake Monsters. Nessie lives in
Lock Ness, and England

Ogopogo -       The name of a lake monster in a lake in Ontario, someplace.

Oliver -        The name of an apparent missing link, or possibly hybrid,
between Apes and Man. Reportedly, this creature has one
more chromosome than a human, and one less than a chimp.

Skunk Ape -     The name of Bigfoot in Florida, so named because of the
awful stench

Waterhorse -    Mythological name for lake monsters, or at least it may be.
In lore, water horse, were usually ponys that lived near
a lake. Children would get on the water horse, which
would then go jump in the lake, drowning the child.

Werewolf -      A person who can change into a wolf. There have not been
many recent cases, but who knows? One famous such wolves
was the Beast of Gevaudan, which reported
killed and ate 60 people (not at once, though)

Yeti -          Another name for the Abominable Snowman, who lives in the
Himalayas. It's also the name for a sort of demon, which
can cause difficulty.