Creature Feature: The Nandi Bear

 The Nandi Bear is a creature that many people believe lives in the wild of Africa. It gets its name from the Nandi people who live in West Kenya. There is no current physical evidence of the Nandi Bear but many of the local people tell stories of seeing it in the wild.

While physical descriptions vary, it’s often described as being large and covered in dark fur. It’s most distinctive feature is its bear-like face. Many think that the Nandi Bear is actually some sort of hyena, or large cat but locals often refer to it as a type of unidentified baboon. Witnesses claim it can stand on its hind legs and can reach up to six feet in height. It’s thought to hunt and kill both people and livestock, making this creature on you probably want to avoid.

Coleman, Loren and Jerome Clark. “Cryptozoology A to Z, The Encyclopedia of Loch Monsters, Sasquatch, Chucpacabras, and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature.” Simon & Schuster.

Weekly News Round-up 7/13/11

A diver in Canada claims to have seen some sort of underwater monster on a dive. You can read the article here.

BBC News reported that a Nottinhamshire police office got a large number of reports of UFO's, Ghost,and witchcraft. The article is here.

LacrossTribune.com posted an article about a middle school in Sparta taking a field trip to a haunted location in town. Do you think it's appropriate for kids to go on ghost hunting field trips?

Is Psychic Information Helpful?

If you say the word psychic to someone, all kinds of images potentially comes to mind. To some, psychics are evil charlatans out to take people for all they’re worth. To others, they are problem solvers, or innovators or simply people with a really unique gift. But the only people that truly understand psychic ability are the people who experience it first hand.

Psychic ability is a concept that goes way back in history. Biblical prophets, Greek oracles, and medicine men (and women) from around the world have claimed to possess knowledge of future events.

The idea of being psychic sounds really appealing. Who wouldn’t want to know what is going to happen in advance?

But it is really a good idea see what’s coming? Part of the enjoyment of life can come from life’s surprises. Sure, they may be stressful at times, but the element of surprise also keeps us on our toes. Plus psychic knowledge is usually information interpreted by a human being, and humans often make mistakes. Making decisions based on poorly interpreted (or false) information can lead people in the wrong direction.

The risk of error usually isn’t enough to keep people away from psychics though, and in many instances psychics have helped to solve crimes, or assisted in working through others’ problems.

There’s a delicate balance between using psychic information and depending on it. I think if you are going to apply psychic knowledge you need to use care and discretion on how you apply it to your life.

If you had a chance to look into a crystal ball and see where you would be one year from now, would you look? Do you think psychic knowledge is useful?

Creature Feature: The Megalania

The Megalania was a creature that once roamed Australia during the Pleistocene. This carnivorous lizard got up to 30 feet in length and weighed up to a ton. It’s thought to resemble a large Komodo dragon. It was still roaming Australia when aboriginal settlers lived in the area and they still tell stories about this creature.

While many people are skeptical that something as large as the Megalania could exist undetected, several sightings have been reported, some as recently as the 1970’s. Some people believe the sightings are misidentified crocodiles. A print was also find, although there’s been some debate on its authenticity.

It’s hard to say whether this animal is still living outside of the legends and stories that surround it, but I’m certain people will keep looking.  

Weekly News Round-up 7/6/11

io9.com posted a fun list of theories about the Loch Ness Monster. You can read it here.

MonsterTracker.com posted an article about a door that some people claim exisist in Lordsburg, New Mexico. The door is supposed to be some sort of portal. While the story is a bit far fetched, it does make an interesting story.

You can now own your own candy crystal skull for just $10. Check it out here.

Happy Holiday!

I was going to start my psychic series today but my brain seems to be taking a holiday, so instead I'm going to just wish all my fellow Americans a happy 4th of July! I'll start the psychic series next week. I hope you are all enjoying yourselves!

Creature Feature: The Bunyip

The Bunyip is a mythical creature from Australia, thought to be part of Aboriginal legend. Physical descriptions of the creature vary widely. Some people claim that it has a dog-like face, a horses tail and that it’s covered in fur. Others describe something similar to a dinosaur with a long neck, claws, and scales. There are even claims that it has flippers and a set of long tusks.

It’s possible that the Bunyip is actually a fusion of several different creatures that once lived in the area. Many people believe that the Bunyip legend is based off the remains of the extinct Diprotodon, a large extinct marsupial.

If there’s one thing that people discussing the Bunyip agree on, it’s that this is one scary creature. It’s both feared and respected by the people of the area. Many aboriginal people try to avoid nearing water ways because it’s believed the Bunyip will come out and try and eat them and their children. It’s supposed to give off a loud cry when approached as a warning.

Whatever the Bunyip is, if you see it coming, you might want to go the other direction!

Sources

http://www.cryptozoology.com/cryptids/bunyip.php

http://www.eaudrey.com/myth/bunyip.htm