Episode 010 - The Eilean Mor Lightkeepers
The story of the Eilean Mor lightkeepers is probably best described as a 'pseudo-mystery'. Most honest investigations will conclude that the men probably died via a rogue wave.
Probably.
There is just enough wiggle-room to allow doubt to take root. And though it’s important not to let one's imagination run wild into credulous fantasy, the process of constructing possible theories is both intellectually stimulating and healthy.
Who knows what insights can be brought to life by theorizing about an unknown?
Much has been made of the Archtor’s initial passing on the 15th and the delay in Captain Holman’s reporting of the light’s non-operation. A day or two after the Flannan Isle passing, the Archtor had suffered damage when nearly running aground on Carphie Rock, which delayed its arrival in the port of Leith, where the information regarding the darkened lighthouse was finally relayed (even though some sources indicate Captain Holman had already wirelessly telegraphed the information and received a response to the effect of ‘We’ll get around to it when we get around to it’).
Of course, by the time the Archtor arrived in the Flannans, the men were likely already gone., so the point is purely academic.
If anyone is wondering…William Ross, who had the good fortune of being out sick on the day of the tragedy, was transferred to the lighthouse on Eilean Glas, on the eastern coast of Scalpey Island in the Outer Hebrides. Sixteen months after the events at Eilean Mor, Ross dropped dead while on duty, presumably from a heart attack.
And, on an ancillary note, though Vincent Gaddis’ assessment of McArthur is well reasoned, he was mistaken when referring to McArthur as a ‘seaman’. McArthur was in fact a veteran of the British army.
Keith MacCloskey's book 'The Lighthouse' is an excellent history of not just the Eilean Mor lighthouse, but lighthouses in general. MacCloskey does not seem entirely convinced by the ‘rogue wave’ theory and sites either high winds or foul play as somewhat likely possibilities.
https://www.amazon.com/Lighthouse-Mystery-Eliean-Mor-Keepers-ebook/dp/B01HSFUK1S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548723896&sr=8-1&keywords=the+lighthouse+keith+mccloskey
Also, a very well sourced and well written essay on the whole affair by historian Mike Dash can be found here:
http://www.academia.edu/251736/The_Vanishing_Lighthousemen_of_Eilean_Mor
Music:
"Fluidscape" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
"Giant Wyrm" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
"Skye Boat Song" Traditional, duet arranged by fiddlevideo.com (Hanneke Cassel and Casey Willis)
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Episode 012 - The Zodiac Killer Part 2
Ciphers and suspects.
It is not my intention to give anyone a deep lesson in cryptography. I felt some basics were needed to familiarize viewers with the subject and to show how seemingly impenetrably hidden messages are rarely ever such, especially in the Digital Age. It also gives on a general idea of how unusually well crafted the Zodiac codes are. As evil and degenerate as the man who called himself Zodiac was, he proved himself in his ciphers to be a uniquely gifted individual.
As many of you undoubtedly know, David Oranchak, Sam Blake, and Jarl Van Eycke appear to have cracked the z340 cypher as of December 2020. Though this doesn't really have an effect on this video, as the concepts and narrative are still (mostly) valid, this does peel away at least one layer of the mystery. The following link has a good overview of the decipherment:
https://www.iflscience.com/fbi-confirms-zodiac-killers-infamous-340-cipher-has-been-decoded-and-his-message-finally-revealed-62044
A big thank you to all my subscribers and viewers.
For those interested, Ryan Garlick’s paper regarding the z340 can be found here:
http://www.cse.unt.edu/~garlick/research/papers/Zodiac-340.pdf
For further reading on the subject of codes and ciphers, I recommend Simon Singh’s brilliant work:
https://www.amazon.com/Code-Book-Science-Secrecy-Cryptography-dp-1439580162/dp/1439580162/ref=mt_hardcover?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1564214352
Also, for further reading regarding the Zodiac Killer and his crimes, Richard Grinell has a particularly interesting website on the whole affair
https://www.zodiacciphers.com/
as does Gian J. Quasar:
http://www.thequesterfiles.com/the_zodiac_killer__gamester_of.html
and Michael Butterfield:
http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com
‘Cipher’ Music (“Dark Rage”) by CO.AG Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXZsUCwRkPs
Other music licensed through Audioblocks
https://www.audioblocks.com/
CRYPTONARIUM MERCHANDISE:
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Episode 011 -The Zodiac Killer Part 1
Who was the Zodiac Killer?
In part one, we review the case and start looking for clues.
Apparently, I made a mistake in one of the title cards at 16:16. The Presidio Heights murder of Paul Stine took place on October 11, 1969, no 1966 as I indicated. Maybe I was standing on my head when I made the card...:)
I'm sorry this took so long to finish. I want to thank everyone for their patience, Rest assured I am hard at work on the visuals for next episode and the scripts for more in the future.
I tried a 'theater of the mind' approach, adding more sound effects. I know a few people who like to listen while driving or at work and I wanted to make the purely-audio experience as rewarding as possible.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Also, I am considering posting some dramatic readings of some original short stories. If you'd like to hear some, let me know as well.
ADDENDUM:
Several other individuals have been suspected of being victim of the Zodiac on both coasts of the United States. He has even been suspected of being the Monster of Florence, who murdered several people in the Italian city over the course of two decades.
These are, of course, all speculative theories. As stated in the video, only those victims between 1968 and 1969 (other than Ms. Duncan) were probable targets of the Zodiac.
A reward poster for Donna Lass shows a Zodiac-style cipher. Despite many claims to the contrary, this cipher is a known contrivance created by the Lass family in hopes of increasing awareness and interest over Donna's disappearance, a certainly understandable, if somewhat misguided, motivation.
For further reading:
https://www.zodiacciphers.com/
(an excellent website, I believe the creator based in England)
https://www.amazon.com/Zodiac-Code-Solved-Confession-Killer-ebook/dp/B07193S7FC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3ER03D7AITMBB&keywords=zodiac+code+solved&qid=1561694430&s=gateway&sprefix=zodiac+code+%2Caps%2C359&sr=8-2
(an entertaining book with some dubious conclusions)
MERCH (new designs coming soon):
https://teespring.com/shop/cryptonarium-merchandise#pid=369&cid=6513&sid=front
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Episode 006 - The Cottingley Fairies
Did Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths actually photograph fairies?
A handful of small details were not included in the presentation, but are worthy of note nonetheless:
At the time of the initial 1917 photos, Elsie worked part-time at a photography supply store, thus she would likely have a greater than average knowledge of the photographic arts and related hardware.
Also, Conan Doyle explicitly states in his book "The Coming of the Fairies" that Elsie's father owned only one camera, the Midg. This is a statement diametrically at odds with the fact that photo #2 did not use the correct sized plate for the Midg. It seems Conan Doyle was wrong.
And although William Spaulding's computer analysis definitely detected strings, Elsie emphatically claimed no strings were ever used. Since Elsie had absolutely no reason to lie about this seemingly inconsequential detail, this perhaps says something about placing too much faith in computer analysis.
Finally, a recent discovery of a contemporary reproduction of photo #1 has led to speculation that Elsie's father may have been in on the hoax as well. While an intriguing thought, we don't like to traffic in rumor and will simply leave that avenue of investigation for someone in the future.
For further reading, may we suggest the following:
https://www.amazon.com/Flim-Flam-Psychics-Unicorns-Other-Delusions/dp/0879751983/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1533754993&sr=8-2&keywords=flim+flam
In his book, James Randi is not kind to Conan Doyle (nor any of the other subjects covered), which is perhaps a bit unfair when we consider the author's state of mind at the time. On the whole, however, Randi's book is an entertaining read, particularly regarding an experiment he devised to test the veracity of dowsers.
https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Fairies-Cottingley-Incident/dp/1492325260/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1533755079&sr=1-4&keywords=cottingley+fairies&dpID=51%252B6gMZG4NL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
Check out some Cryptonarium elements (Merch): https://teespring.com/cryptonarium-me...
Music:
Water Prelude by Kevin MacLeod
Artist: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty...
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Come Play With Me by Kevin MacLeod
Artist: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty...
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
African Drums (Opening Sting): by Twin Musicom
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
125
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Episode 008 - The Westall / Ariel Sightings Part 1
The Westall UFO has been called the ‘Australian Roswell’. To some degree, this is a fairly accurate statement. Both the Roswell event and the Westall sighting involve vast oceans of testimony from disparate witnesses, many of which are in conflict or near-conflict and many of which seem to corroborate one another. Both involve a ‘cover-up’, though this may be somewhat wishful thinking in the minds of some. Both are also of undeniably physical events. Something absolutely crashed in Roswell and something absolutely flew by Westall High. However, because the nature of those ‘somethings’ is not at once forthcoming does not mean they were alien spacecraft.
A rather interesting incongruence seems to be with the identity of the student who first alerted Greenwood’s class. Nearly every source states the student was an excited boy (this is even stated on a placard currently in the Grange Preserve), yet Greenwood in his later interview with James McDonald clearly states the student was female.
Contrary to popular belief, Andrew Greenwood was not the only teacher to see the object. As stated in the narration, three others are likely to have seen something in the sky. Jeanette Muir was a PE instructor on the oval during the initial sighting and probably was one of the first people to see the UFO. As inferred by the later recollections of Ms. Muir, It is likely a male teacher was also on the oval at the time, though his identity is not known. Chemistry Teacher Barbara Robbins was also likely to have seen the object as she was out on the oval at the same time as Greenwood, possibly snapping several photographs. Claude Miller, English teacher, was on yard-duty during the event, but had stepped inside for a cigarette (!). He was first alerted to the UFO by Greenwood after it had left.
Regarding the circle, Woodshop Teacher Gerry Shepard claims to have seen an unnatural circle in the Grange when he and some of the school prefects arrived to retrieve the wayward students. Many other individuals also claimed to have seen the circle in the following days, but it should be noted that without photographs or careful measurements to back up said claims, they are of little to no value to an investigation. And even if all such claims were believed out-of-hand, there is no way to connect the ‘circle’ to the UFO. In fact, Shaun Matthews’ testimony regarding his observation of the UFO’s behavior (i.e. that it did not seem to contact the ground) somewhat contradicts the idea that the UFO created the circle during a touch-down.
Also, rumors that any strange entities were witnessed within or near the UFO are categorically false. No confirmed witness ever reported such, not even Victor Zakruzny, who certainly had no compunction against telling a taller-than-average tale.
In any event, it is clear from McDonald’s interview of Greenwood that Headmaster Samblebee and Greenwood were not on very good terms either before or after the UFO sighting and the headmaster likely viewed the whole affair as nothing more than histrionics of an incompetent underling.
Investigator David Halperin seems to come to a similar conclusion:
https://www.davidhalperin.net/the-westall-ufo-a-teachers-testimony-part-1/
https://www.davidhalperin.net/the-westall-ufo-a-teachers-testimony-part-2/
Keith Basterfield has also compiled a fairly extensive (and fascinating) set of notes on the events. About halfway down the page (listed as ‘SOURCE 15’), Basterfield gives a concise breakdown of McDonald’s interview.
http://project1947.com/kbcat/kbwestall.htm
While this video was made with a focus on verifiable details, mostly regarding the directly observed events, and away from speculation and hearsay, the Westall UFO is still very much a mystery (though most-likely a decidedly terrestrial one). Viewers are encouraged to search for related materials, if they wish to find out more.
Music:
"Signs in the Fields" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Visitors in the Night" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"The Exile of Kronos" by TeknoAXE
Licensed under Creative Commons 4.0 International License
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Episode 007 - The Chase Vault
Was the Chase family vault haunted?
Though Mister Nickell's theory is admittedly somewhat convincing, he has essentially used the same line of reasoning before in regards to another famous mystery: the Oak Island Money Pit.
This could either indicate a sizable amount of interconnectedness between some of the world's Fortean subjects, or the penchant for a proverbial hammer to see every problem as a nail.
Also, observant viewers might note that there seems to be more than one version of the 'sketches' of the vault's contents. More than one version does in fact exist, but it is not clear if the versions depict the coffin's geography on different dates or not.
The diagram shown at around 13:20 is generally regarded as accurate for the final opening and is the one most commonly reproduced.
Check out some Cryptonarium elements (Merch): https://teespring.com/shop/cryptonarium-merchandise?aid=marketplace&tsmac=marketplace&tsmic=error#pid=369&cid=6513&sid=front
Music:
Oppressive Gloom by Kevin MacLeod
Artist: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty...
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
African Drums (Opening Sting): by Twin Musicom
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
98
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Episode 009 - The Westall / Ariel Sightings Part 2
The Ariel School sighting is certainly one of the most divisive events in ufology.
Though we should avoid the temptation to dismiss the tales of children as inherently unreliable, proponents are perhaps too quick to claim that children are infallible truth machines whom should be believed at face value. Any parent will tell you this is an absurd notion, though they often make an exception to this absurdity for their own children (which is, of course, also absurd).
Skeptics tend to dismiss the entire event on the basis of its fantastic nature and there are certainly some aspects of the story which beg more than one question, particularly the amount of detail (supposedly) seen by the children in regards to the associated entities. This incongruence was even pointed out by Cynthia Hind herself when conversing with Mr. Mackie in the school staffroom prior to interviews (though she paradoxically seems to imply this fact is evidence for the event’s reality).
It is very possible the children were conflating several bits of visual stimuli into something that they deemed sensible, their stories ultimately feeding off one another until they all more-or-less agreed. For example, claims of bright objects in the sky, flashing objects or even ‘teleporting’ objects could be the result of ‘load shedding’.
The local power authority in and around Harare did not have enough generative capacity to supply all the electrical needs in the area and therefore commonly disconnected non-critical systems from the grid, essentially creating a rolling blackout. Unauthorized electrical connections on the grid would render power usage estimations inaccurate and create electrical surges throughout the area, resulting in discharges along power lines.
As per Hind’s map, the UFO was seen near a power line. If some of the children witnessed a discharge (an unexpected and awesome sight to behold), they could have associated this with the UFO widely seen on September 14th.
To this day, several of the students maintain that a UFO did indeed land and that entities did appear in the field to the north of the school. While we do not want to brand anyone liars (as we were neither in Ruwa in 1994, nor are we psychic), we would be remiss if we did not point out that some of the former students’ remembrances have become quite elaborate (especially those of former student Emily Trim), including close-range observation (within five or ten meters) of the entities.
Regardless, the story retains enough credibility to be interesting even decades later. But, just as with the Westall sighting or any other, only contemporary claims and accounts should be given any real weight. Sketches and recollections made many years afterward are objectively indistinguishable from fantasy, no matter the sincerity of the artist or storyteller (which with rare exception, is quite profound).
This is the main reason a swift and properly conducted investigation is so important. That more care wasn’t taken by either Ms. Hind or Dr. Mack is a tragedy. Doing such would have only strengthened the case made by the proponents or skeptics and ultimately brought us all closer to the truth.
Also…identities of the children and their associated drawings are exceedingly hard to determine, partly due to the dearth of non-sensationalized information and the poor quality of existing video footage. Though the greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy, some errors regarding individual identities may exist.
Music:
"Nightdreams" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"River Fire" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Nevada City" by Huma Huma
https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music
"Eureka" by Huma Huma
https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music
CRYPTONARIUM MERCHANDISE:
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Episode 004 - The Hopkinsville Goblins
What happened on the Lankford Farm?
ADDENDUM: The events as shown are a consolidation of several published accounts, using only the most neutral, non-sensational information.
Also, a more recent investigation performed by researcher Joe Nickell also suggested the explanation may involve great horned owls. Renauld Leclet's article is not easy to track down, however Mr. Nickell's is readily available via online search and contains much of the same reasoning.
For further reading, may we suggest the following:
https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Legacy-Geraldine-Stith/dp/1425984169/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1529611854&sr=8-2&keywords=geraldine+stith
Check out some Cryptonarium elements (Merch): https://teespring.com/cryptonarium-me...
Music: Leoforos Alexandras by Dan Bodan
Artist: https://danbodan.bandcamp.com/
and
Requiem (excerpts) by Gyorgy Ligeti
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ligeti&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aligeti
African Drums (Opening Sting): by Twin Musicom
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
83
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Episode 005 - Omm Seti
Was Dorothy Eady reincarnated?
Many versions of Dorothy's childhood detail events not depicted here, though we feel those details are not as significant to or representative of the story in general.
A strange incongruity seems to revolve around the exact dates of said childhood events, particularly regarding Dorothy's age at the related time. For example, the claim of her being expelled from Sunday school would have taken place when she was four (or perhaps nearly five) years old. Although this seems to strain credulity, considering the exceedingly high intelligence Dorothy exhibited in her adult life, it does not seem at all out of the realm of possibility.
For further reading, may we suggest the following:
https://www.amazon.com/Omm-Setys-Egypt-Mysteries-Pharaohs/dp/0976763133/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531422682&sr=8-1&keywords=Omm+seti
Check out some Cryptonarium elements (Merch): https://teespring.com/cryptonarium-me...
Music:
Air Prelude by Kevin MacLeod
Artist: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/music.html
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Desert City by Kevin MacLeod
Artist: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/music.html
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
African Drums (Opening Sting): by Twin Musicom
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
178
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Episode 003 - Flight 19
Five aircraft are famously lost within the Bermuda Triangle...
ADDENDUM: The radio conversations between Lt. Cox and Lt. Taylor have been truncated somewhat for brevity and pacing, though most of what is shown is taken from direct quote of the transcript, copies of which can be located via online search.
Needless to say, the authentic transcripts do not indicate Lt. Taylor mentioning UFOs or anything particularly strange visually. Such claims were undoubtedly fabricated to 'tart-up' the story for public consumption.
Though we think the true story is plenty interesting by itself...
For further reading, may we suggest the following:
https://www.amazon.com/Bermuda-Triangle-Mystery-Solved/dp/0879759712/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1529000695&sr=8-2&keywords=larry+kusche
(Considered a 'classic' of the subject)
and
https://www.amazon.com/They-Flew-into-Oblivion-Disappearance/dp/0988850508/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529001792&sr=8-1&keywords=flight+19
also, the NAS Ft. Lauderdale website exhibit is worth a look:
https://www.nasflmuseum.com/flight-19.html
Check out some Cryptonarium elements (Merch): https://teespring.com/cryptonarium-me...
Music: Lightless Dawn by Kevin MacLeod
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
African Drums (Opening Sting): by Twin Musicom
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
78
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Episode 027 - Close Encounters Part 2 (Various Reports)
Seven tales of Close Encounters...
ADDENDUM:
I am not claiming the patterns one can find throughout UFO reports are proof of anything. I do, however, think these patterns may indicate something significant and should be examined more thoroughly. The whole subject is quite strange.
There are dozens of CE3’s and CE4’s stretching over decades with bizarrely similar details that I happened to notice when doing research for the previous video. The number easily tops a hundred if I include any CE2’s that have similar descriptions of an object.
Notably, pre 1980 reports are not likely to be contaminated by other claims, as international mass media was not as pervasive, the internet didn’t exist, and the subject was not viewed with wide interest…at least not to the degree where such similarities would crop up artificially.
Some thoughts on each case:
Colonel Shaw’s claims are certainly in keeping with typical tall-tales of the era and is only slightly more believable because of the unique descriptions of the visitors and their behavior. If anything, I find the story charming and strangely wholesome.
In Quarouble, France, the Commissioner that investigated the case was either named Grouchet, Gouchet, or Fouchet. I chose the first for no particular reason. Strangely, French news of that era seemed to play fast and loose with witness names, although to give credit where credit is due, a plurality of contemporary articles seemed to tell ‘just the facts’ and avoid speculation. Also, though many televised and print recreations of Dewilde’s claims seem a bit inconsistent (for example, the entities are sometimes depicted with arms with clearly human facial features), I am unaware of any inconsistent claims by Dewilde himself. He stuck to his story until his death in 1996.
In New Zealand, there were a number of lesser UFO reports within the month following Mrs. Moreland’s sighting, generally involving the observation of a bright green light at some distance. A man named Roy Holdaway, who’s farm was only about seven kilometers away, reported seeing an ‘odd’ bright light in the sky about a half-hour before the Moreland encounter. This ultimately means little, but it is intriguing.
I personally believe the Lakeland, Florida case is the most credible, as it includes multiple witnesses, environmental and animal interaction. The details given by the primary witness are not beyond what one could expect to see from the distances involved, yet they were elaborate enough to suggest something beyond pure imagination. Research indicates investigator Lee Butcher’s article in Fate Magazine is an accurate account of events (at least as stated by the McMullens). It’s strange how distorted the narrative becomes during successive retellings, much more so than many other UFO tales. I wonder why.
The case in British Columbia is also somewhat credible, as the sheer number of witnesses are hard to reconcile with a prosaic explanation, although only two of the nurses could actually have said to have gotten a ‘good look’. Also, after the initial encounter, Nurse Kendall claimed to Dr. P. M. H. Edwards of APRO (the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization) that for several days, an unexplained luminous object followed her car during her nightly commute. Although this would seem to be connected, the secondary observation was nowhere near as detailed and could be the result of obsessive contemplation on Nurse Kendall’s part, her mind ascribing otherworldly origin to any mundane air traffic because she was ‘expecting’ to see a UFO. Also, I mentioned a ‘Nurse Clarkson’ as a possible witness. One Canadian source states her name as ‘Clackson’.
Mr. Dawson’s experience is, to say the least, far-fetched. It is possible he had some hallucination inspired by some media he had seen. 1977 was the year of Star Wars and Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as well as countless television and cinematic imitators. I don’t believe Thomas Dawson was outright lying, but I’m skeptical if anything he reported was objectively real and, therefore, I believe Mr. Dawson’s tale should be viewed as an outlier in the list of ‘Ririe Style’ cases. For completeness, I should note that one source states the message heard was a repetition of ‘I am Jimmy Hoffa’ followed by ‘and I am aboard this ship’. Needless to say, this hardly makes the claim more credible. It is also worth noting this encounter supposedly took place in broad daylight, which is a somewhat rare feature.
Many thanks to all of my viewers. I wish you all good health and happiness and thank you for your words of encouragement, thoughtful critiques, and generosity with your time. If you haven’t yet, please subscribe, give me a like and leave a comment. I love to hear everyone’s feedback and personal stories.
More videos to come.
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Episode 023 - The Strange Death of Zygmund Adamski
Was Zygmund Adamski murdered?
Though I could not confirm the exact location of the Adamski residence, I made an educated guess using comparisons of old photographs and recent maps. I am pretty confident in my conclusion, but if I am indeed in error, please state so in the comments.
Oddly enough, the Peter Sutcliffe questioned by Constable Godfrey shares a name with an infamous serial killer: the Yorkshire Ripper. They are, of course, not one and the same.
There seems to be some conflicting information about Mr. Adamski’s string vest that he was found wearing on June 11th. Some sources indicate he may have been wearing such a garment when he left his house on June 6th. I believe, however, that the confusion arises from his shirt being described by his wife as a ‘sport shirt’. String vests are often worn during sport training, however, a ‘sport shirt’ in this context is what many people would call a button-down shirt or a casual dress shirt. This would typically be worn with a ‘sport coat’. Why he would be ultimately found wearing only a string vest escapes me, though he could have been wearing it under his normal clothes and his wife simply didn’t mention it. He was presumably wearing boxers or briefs as well when he left on the 6th, but those weren’t mentioned either.
The burns on Mr. Adamski’s head and neck are often exaggerated (sometime greatly so), probably in an unconscious effort to link his death to some sort of radiation or energy-weapon exposure. Though they are certainly something worth investigating, they are only a curiosity when compared to the case as a whole.
Since many of the connections between UFOs and Zygmund Adamski are cobbled together long after the event, I find them very specious and much more the result of wish-fulfillment than measured theorizing. Viewers are free to disagree, of course, but to me the whole subject smacks of confirmation bias, where facts and details are cherry-picked to fit a desired narrative, ignoring evidence to the contrary. These sorts of ‘after-the-fact’ connections are a huge red flag in Fortean investigation, although admittedly red flags are not incontrovertible proof for or against anything.
The UFO encounter experienced by Alan Godfrey is perhaps fodder for a future video (as is the stories of Walton, Valentich and Taylor) and is quite a strange event in its own right. But it must be said that there is a common misconception that Mr. Godfrey actively promotes the idea that Mr. Adamski was kidnapped by a UFO. He does not. It is quite clear from his first-hand accounts of the Adamski investigation that he believes the cause of death to be very much a terrestrial one. In fact, at times he seems refreshingly reticent about his own experience, unwilling to draw an absolute conclusion.
Speaking of Mr. Godfrey, his book “Who or What Were They” is a fascinating and worth-while read and is an invaluable first-hand source for the Adamski affair as well as contextual information regarding the local environs and history. Copies of his book are available on ebay and are sold directly by him.
“The Pennine UFO Mystery” by Jenny Randles is another good source of information. Ms. Randles is a very good and entertaining writer, UFOs being only one of her many subjects of interest. Although she is by no means infallible, her somewhat clinical and reasoned approach to the subject makes any book she writes worth reading. In particular, her book
“The UFO’s That Never Were” is excellent.
Here is a non-comprehensive sampling of sources:
http://magoniamagazine.blogspot.com/2013/11/pennine-ufo-controversy.html (An article critical of Jenny Randles and her rebuttal)
http://web.archive.org/web/20101205223048/http://www.bufora.org.uk/Articles/Zigmund%20Adamski.pdf (A Wayback article by Hanson and Sankey)
https://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1018462/pg1 (Above Top Secret article which is a good , and surprisingly rational, overview of the case)
https://www.amazon.com/Jenny-Randles/e/B00JOIOIOI?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1637047633&sr=8-3 (Jenny Randle’s Amazon page – The Pennine UFO Mystery is sadly out of print and very hard to come by, but many of her other books are worthy reads).
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224338250124?epid=21006396167&hash=item343b9a098c:g:qMcAAOSw1GpgGoqH (Mr. Godfrey’s ebay page).
I hope you all enjoy and wish you all good health.
P.S.: Throw me a bone if the spirit moves you. Anything is appreciated.
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/cryptonarium
P.P.S.: Check out some merch (50% of the proceeds will always go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital):
https://teespring.com/shop/cryptonarium-merchandise?pid=369&cid=6513
Music and stock footage provided by:
www.storyblocks.com
All other visual material was used for contextual and educational purposes.
86
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Episode 002 - The Tunguska Event
What happened in the Siberian wilderness in 1908?
For further reading, check out one of the better books on the subject:
https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Tunguska-Fireball-Surendra-Verma-ebook/dp/B00BJK9BGE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528476239&sr=8-1&keywords=the+tunguska+fireball&dpID=416BDzXG9%252BL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Check out some Cryptonarium elements (Merch): https://teespring.com/cryptonarium-merchandise#pid=369&cid=6513&sid=front
Music: Darkest Child by Kevin MacLeod
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
African Drums (Opening Sting): by Twin Musicom
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
68
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Episode 026 - Close Encounters Part 1 (The Ririe Carjackers)
ADDENDUM
Strictly speaking, as per Dr. Hynek’s criteria, CE1s are classified only if the object is within 500 feet of the observer, but if atmospheric conditions are conducive, such as that on a particularly clear day, more distant observations can be considered ‘legitimate’.
As far as the Ririe Encouter is concerned, despite what many online pundits claim, I am certain the story is not a complete fabrication, although the events as reported may not be accurate. I am convinced two men reported that something strange occurred on the highway outside of Ririe, Idaho. This is in no way an endorsement of those claims, although some questions that arise from the investigation of said claims do seem to point to rather disturbing conclusions. The chances that Tossie and Begay’s story is true are not high, but they are also not zero.
Although I was able to independently confirm at least the existence of most names and locations in the narrative (which is one reason I am confident it is not a total fiction), I was ironically unable to confirm the existence of Willie Begay or Guy Tossie. But this isn’t all that surprising.
Begay is a fairly common Navajo surname (meaning ‘son of’) and Tossie seems to be unique. However, Tsosie (meaning ‘slim’ or ‘slender’) is very common, and seems to be too much of a coincidence to hand-wave away. If the man’s name was actually Guy Tsosie, subsequent regurgitations of the event contain a gross inaccuracy that would divorce much of the narrative from history. It is also possible the men or their families ultimately viewed the experience as one of a highly personal, spiritual nature, and may be highly reluctant to discuss the matter.
Admittedly much of this is speculative, but names of people and places are very commonly misstated throughout the hundreds of retellings of a historical paranormal event.
Also, most retellings of the narrative (including the detailed reports published by NICAP and CUFOS) state the name of the farmer who helped Guy Tossie as ‘Willard’ Hammon. After extensive research into the area, I believe this is an error, possibly originating with NICAP. I could not find a Willard Hammon, but I did find a William Hammon, who’s age and location would more-or-less match the event. My narration thus reflects this.
For related reading, I recommend the book “Close Encounters Man”, by Mark O’Connell. A well-written and well-researched book about Dr. Hynek.
https://www.amazon.com/Close-Encounters-Man-World-Believe/dp/0062484176/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RGPV8UWT8N8X&keywords=close+encounters+man&qid=1683430294&sprefix=close+enocounters+man%2Caps%2C579&sr=8-1
Also, “The Interrupted Journey” by John Fuller is considered a classic in the UFO Close Encounter genre. I have not read this one, but I intend to do so if I ever get around to analyzing the case of Betty and Barney Hill. I have, however, seen the television adaption “The UFO Incident” starring Estelle Parsons and James Earl Jones, which is excellent, the script and acting far above what the subject matter would imply.
https://www.amazon.com/Interrupted-Journey-Aboard-Abduction-Barney/dp/0593468236/ref=sr_1_1?crid=OWOYC7LRCH13&keywords=the+interrupted+journey&qid=1683430372&sprefix=the+interrupted+journey%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/UFO-Incident-Richard-Colla/dp/B09WW56QGQ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2OH3YM4XZ3R8&keywords=the+ufo+incident&qid=1683430574&sprefix=the+ufo+incident%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-2
Finally, for a solid skeptical take on the subject, check out “UFO Abductions” by Philip Klass. Though much maligned by UFO proponents, Klass was very good at ‘armchair’ analysis and wrote in a clear, refreshingly unadorned style. If I had any general criticisms of the man, I would say he placed far too much importance on the viability and usefulness of polygraph tests. Otherwise, it’s a good read.
https://www.amazon.com/UFO-Abductions-Dangerous-Philip-Klass-ebook/dp/B003WT1HYY/ref=sr_1_2?crid=14GXN8J6Z1OHO&keywords=ufo+abductions+klass&qid=1683430634&sprefix=ufo+abductions+kla%2Caps%2C351&sr=8-2
For anyone who would like to read the psychiatric paper on The Firewater Myth:
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/ajp.154.7.983#:~:text=The%20firewater%20myth%20is%20a,risk%20for%20developing%20alcohol%20dependence.
Thank you all for sticking with the channel as I continue to fit new episode production within the tribulations of real life. Part 2 is on its way…
194
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UFO Encounter - Cowichan
A strange UFO Observation by a group of nurses in British Columbia.
36
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Episode 025 - Ghost Photogrphy Part 2
Do these photographs actually show ghosts?
I refer to the Newby ghost as a monk on several occasions, which is, of course, a complete assumption on my part. Nevertheless, it’s a fun image and not taken very seriously by many investigators, though when scrutinized by photographic experts, it seems to maintain a certain amount of impenetrability. If fake, it is not as obvious as it seems.
Despite the video’s less-than-stellar resolution, more curious viewers may notice the faces in the uncropped photo of the S.S. Watertown’s aft deck seem to be less detailed and more ‘blob-like’ than that of the familiar cropped image. Normally, this would be an indication that the cropped image is fabricated in some manner, as detail seems to have improved (an impossibility for a photographic blow-up). However, I believe this is because the uncropped image is not first-generation and is essentially a copy of a copy (of perhaps a copy). The original resolution was therefore probably much better than that shown.
Several contemporary newspaper clippings indicate the Watertown was en route to Boston, not New Orleans. Although several separate sources indicate the final destination as New York while others indicate Boston, all seem to agree that New Orleans was a preliminary port-of-call, which seems logical. Cities Services had large offices in all three locations.
Claims that Hereward Carrington was part of the crew of the Watertown occasionally pop up. I can find no evidence to support this claim (on the contrary, his activities during that time seem to be at odds with the possibility).
In error, I stated there is no known photo of the Watertown save the picture in question. In fact, a 1943 aerial shot taken from a naval blimp does exist (as seen in the video) – something I stumbled onto the photo by chance after the video was mostly done. The Baldhill photo is still useful as it is the only profile photo I could find.
On a related note, several videos and articles on the subject show a different photograph of another vessel named ‘S.S. Watertown’, depicting the launching of the ship into Massachusetts’s Charles River in 1890. This is NOT the same ship, as it is A) clearly not a tanker, and B) known to have sank in 1892 due to an enormous engine fire. The sinking, in fact, directly prompted the state legislature to spend several thousand dollars to deepen the channel to aid in future navigation.
The Chinnery Photo is truly baffling, as all prosaic explanations are at best broadly imperfect. Several models of Brownie cameras existed at the time, and though many had a double-exposure prevention mechanism, most were not voluntarily operated (i.e. they were automatic, as most consumers would never be interested in creating a trick photograph). Besides, I simply don’t think the image appears to be a double-exposure. It is possible Mrs. Chinnery was mistaken about the time she took the photo. Perhaps she took it before her mother’s passing. Still, this would require a great deal of deception and/or gross mis-remembrances by several parties.
Finally, I neglected to note the Hillman Minx III and IV had a cargo shelf directly behind the rear seat and it is entirely possible the Chinnery’s had something on the seat or the shelf that could account for the strange ‘bump’. Although the anomalous nature of the bump should not be ignored, it does not, by itself, point to any particular conclusion. That said, the case for the photo being a double-exposure is not as air-tight as many believe, although it is the best prosaic explanation there is.
As in part one, Blake Smith has written a good article on the S.S. Watertown photo:
https://doctoratlantis.medium.com/the-watertown-ghosts-photo-fully-revealed-after-nearly-a-century-cc93fe32b783
And an excellent collection of scientifically-oriented essays on the subject:
https://www.amazon.com/Hauntings-Poltergeists-Multidisciplinary-James-Houran/dp/0786432497/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3VSILU3IE1GJK&keywords=hauntings+and+poltergeists&qid=1661380027&sprefix=Hauntings+and+Po%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1
I hope you all enjoy and bid you all good health and happiness.
P.S.: Throw me a bone if the spirit moves you. Anything is appreciated.
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/cryptonarium
P.P.S.: Check out some merch (50% of the proceeds will always go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital):
https://teespring.com/shop/cryptonarium-merchandise?pid=369&cid=6513
Music and stock footage provided by:
www.storyblocks.com
All other visual material used for contextual and educational purposes.
87
views
Episode 024 - Ghost Photography Part 1
Has a ghost ever been captured on film?
Thanks to everyone for their patience. I'm well into the production of the next two or three episodes, so hopefully, you won't have to wait long for episode 25!
In regards to the Brown Lady, I was very unclear in the exact order of events during Provand’s photographic session. The ghost was captured on the second of two photos (hence CVC Herbert’s later statements). I should have stated: ‘after one of the photos’, not ‘after one photo’.
Dr. Nandor Fodor, a well-educated man and well-regarded writer, was a particularly colorful character, known for several investigations into wild claims, the most whimsical of which is that of a talking mongoose named ‘Gef’ on the Isle of Man. Dr. Fodor is often noted as being either British and/or American (of Hungarian origin). I referred to him simply as American for no particular reason. Also, I have a bad tendency to mispronounce the man’s name. His last name should sound like ‘foe-door’, with two long vowels, not ‘fodder’ as I repeatedly stated.
While on the subject of colorful characters, I should mention Sir Victor Goddard, one of the great aviators of British (and world) history, was a man full of paranormal tales, such as passing through a time warp during a flight over the English countryside to catch a fleeting glimpse of the future. Understandably, this may cast doubt about the reliability of his opinions.
Also, despite its ubiquitous nature, the pedigree of the ‘Goddard’s Squadron’ photo is stupefyingly hard to confirm. As stated, the photo may have been taken at Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), but there is a great deal of evidence that it was taken at Cranwell. At the time, Lee-on-Solent was commanded by Squadron Commander Douglas Evill, and Cranwell was overseen by Longcraft. To make matters worse, Longcraft was only appointed to the Cranwell position in early November 1919, which would make sense if the photo was taken around Armistice Day of 1919 (the interpretation which I favor). It is important to realize that the phrase ‘at the time of Armistice’ does not necessarily mean November 11th, 1918 any more than ‘at the time of Christmas’ means December 25th, A.D. 0.
As always, I don’t claim any of the information I present is unassailable, though I have made my usual concerted effort to present facts accurately. Feel free to correct any of my assertions in the comments.
Blake Smith has written a pair of very good articles on Goddard’s Squadron (the accompanying comment sections are very informative as well):
https://www.skeptic.com/insight/should-goddards-squadron-drop-dead-fred/
https://www.skeptic.com/insight/new-facts-concerning-goddard-squadron-photo/
Here is a very good book about hauntings in general (with an extensive section on the Brown Lady):
https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Natural-History-Years-Searching/dp/1250076099/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2T3OGS7RK7LML&keywords=roger+clarke+ghosts+true+stories&qid=1661379848&sprefix=roger+clarke+ghosts+true+stories%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-1
And an excellent collection of scientifically-oriented essays on the subject:
https://www.amazon.com/Hauntings-Poltergeists-Multidisciplinary-James-Houran/dp/0786432497/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3VSILU3IE1GJK&keywords=hauntings+and+poltergeists&qid=1661380027&sprefix=Hauntings+and+Po%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1
I hope you all enjoy and bid you all good health and happiness.
P.S.: Throw me a bone if the spirit moves you. Anything is appreciated.
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/cryptonarium
P.P.S.: Check out some merch (50% of the proceeds will always go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital):
https://teespring.com/shop/cryptonarium-merchandise?pid=369&cid=6513
Music and stock footage provided by:
www.storyblocks.com
All other visual material used for contextual and educational purposes.
139
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Bizarre Phenomena - Devil's Footprints (Cryptonarium Elements) #Shorts
A brief overview of mysterious Devil's Footprints.
Main channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJY...
#Shorts
21
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UFO Photo - Lake Tiorati Object (Cryptonarium Elements) #Shorts
An interesting observation of a UFO.
Sources differ on the number of photographs taken by Mr. Perna, the number being anywhere from two to six, although I am only aware of two UFO photographs in the set (both of which appear here).
Main channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJY...
#Shorts
28
views
Cryptids - Ape Canyon (Cryptonarium Elements) #Shorts
A strange and rare tale of a bigfoot attack.
Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJY...
#Shorts
25
views
UFO Photo - Foo Fighters (Cryptonarium Elements) #Shorts
Photos and description of a classic UFO Engima.
Main channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJY...
#Shorts
14
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Haunting - Willington Mill House (Cryptonarium Elements) #Shorts
A 19th century haunting.
Main channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJY...
#Shorts
23
views
UFO Photo - Avensa Airliner (Cryptonarium Elements) #Shorts
A classic UFO Photo / Hoax.
Main channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJY...
#Shorts
18
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Haunting - The SS Watertown (Cryptonarium Elements) #Shorts
An early 20th century ghost photo. Among paranormal researchers, there is considerable doubt as to this photo's authenticity, however the background story is probably true. Still, it's a suitably chilling ghost story.
In case anyone is wondering, I am now working on a sizable 2-part video about ghost photos, of which the SS Watertown photo is one, with much more detail than shown here. In the meantime, I'll keep posting these short vids until I catch up on the longer ones.
Main channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJY...
#Shorts
10
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Bizarre Phenomena - Sky Falls (Cryptonarium Elements) #Shorts
A brief overview of mysterious sky falls.
Main channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJY...
#Shorts
8
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