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News Briefs 25-03-2011

“For each of our actions there are only consequences.”

Many thanks to Greg, RPJ and their multiples.

Quote of the Day:

“If you start any large theory, such as quantum mechanics, plate tectonics, evolution, it takes about forty years for mainstream science to come around. Gaia has been going for only thirty years or so.”

James Lovelock

  1. Clovis
    You see what happened was that there were all kinds of people in the Americas before the Clovis types. They were using stone tools of a variety of designs.

    Then the Clovis Stone Tool Company took over the market and standardized everything. This eventually led to the end of innovation, and the stagnation of tool making in the Americas. Consequently the Americans were helpless against later invaders.

  2. El Chubacabra
    I’m as skeptical of it as the next guy, but that article is the WORST attempt at a debunking exercise that I’ve ever seen. I’m at a loss for words at how bad it is.

    1. re: El Chupacabra
      I completely agree, Master Raven. The worst thing is Radford claims the debunking is the culmination of “five years worth of investigation (including eyewitness accounts, field research, and forensic analysis).” So clicking a Facebook link is “field research”? And it took five years to watch Species and put two and two together? And hang on, “forensic analysis”? Of what? Did he ask for a DNA sample from Madelyne Tolentino?

      More likely Tolentino took five years to reply to Radford’s Facebook friend request.

      Adios, El Chupacabra. You gave us a fairly decent X-Files episode at least!

      1. Species
        It must also be noted that Loren Coleman was the first cryptozoological researcher to offer the chupacabras/Species angle, NOT Radford.

        Oh, and in case you live in Puerto Rico, and have a whole bunch of old newspapers gathered in your basement, there’s a chance you can win $250 from Radford 🙂

        1. Credit where credit is due
          $250? Randi couldn’t lend him a few bucks?

          [quote=red pill junkie]It must also be noted that Loren Coleman was the first cryptozoological researcher to offer the chupacabras/Species angle, NOT Radford.
          [/quote]

          This is what annoys me. We’ve heard the Species theory before, but CSI is claiming Radford came up with it after “five years” of extensive research, witness interviewing, forensic analysis, etc.

          CSI is full of manure, and sums up why, even though I’m skeptical of the chupacabra myself, CSI’s brand of skepticism is just ego stroking, not science.

          1. Loren
            Loren Coleman seems to show a level of cordiality toward Radford and his work, that makes me reconsider my initial disdain against this new chupacabras book.

            In his defense, it must be acknowledged that Radford shouldn’t be considered accountable for the way the media uses his book to spin a yarn of ridicule around the thorny –spiny??– topic of the chupacabras. That is a development that goes beyond whatever theory Radford could come up to explain the myth, regardless of its investigative merits of lack thereof.

            Personally, I’ve always been a little ambivalent toward this cryptozoological creature. I never liked the name to begin with –I always found it stupid. And I always found problematic that the witnesses seemed to have such in-congruent testimonies with regard to the entity’s physical characteristics.

            IMO the chupacabras is the latest folkloric installment of a phenomenon that has accompanied humanity for a very, very long time. A phenomenon that is nevertheless all too real, and seems to need blood for some reason.

          2. Will someone please think of the goats!
            So basically Radford’s spruiking his new book, which is fair enough; but CSI is accountable for the way the media publicise the claims — they’re the ones who sent out the aggrandising presskit, afterall. In any case, it all seems a lot of hot air publicity to sell a book — good luck to Radford, he put the effort in I guess, and if Loren gets fair credit then all’s well. To be honest, I’m glad to see the chupacabra debunked just so the cryptid’s ridiculous connection to UFOs goes too.

            Is El Chupacabra disproved? One of its identities is, at least. As you mentioned elsewhere, RPJ, it’s a bit like Bigfoot — before the name was coined, people were reporting ‘wild men’ etc, and when the ‘Bigfoot’ meme stuck, the cryptid changed with it. There may be a creature in Puerto Rico that merged with the El Chupacabra legend. Once a meme is created, there’s no stopping it, especially with digital media taking off roughly the same time in the mid-1990s.

            For the sake of all goats, I hope the chupacabra legend is debunked. Goats have enough to worry about from the special forces at Fort Bragg. Stared at by hippies, deliberately injured for military shenanigans, slaughtered by heavy metal Satanists, sucked on by alien pets… it’s a hard life being a goat!

  3. fly clock and goat eater
    Anyone else think this is kind of cruel? I mean, don’t get me wrong I have crushed my fair share of flies and insects, but still they are comparing their invention to a flower, a natural part of the environment. When the plant eats a bug, it goes back into the energy of the earth. And apparently no one knows how to set the clock, as it still read 12:01…

    Just because the chupacabra may not exist, does not mean that new species similar can not. Skeptics always like to shoot the dove from the sky on these topics, and it frankly pisses me off. Unimaginative, that’s all i can say. I don’t think the chupacabra looks like the original creature she drew AND I believe the hairless beasts attacking Texas are mutated genetic results of wolves and coyotes crossing. I hat to pull an old piece of ammo out of the bag but: Gorilla….that is all.

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