Bigfoot

Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yeti, Yowie Man, and many other names given to the mythical giant bipedal ape-man that reportedly roams the mountain regions of North America, Europe, Asia and even Australia.

Over the last half century, several thousand of eyewitness reports of Bigfoot sightings, footprints, images, video and other circumstantial evidence have been accumulated. Many of these are hoaxes. And many others remain unclear of its authenticity. The large numbers of sighting reports is not something to be ignored with disbelieve without any explanation. But is this hairy hominid really exists? Mouth report of sightings, blur pictures or films, footprints and other indirect evidence is not enough to prove anything.

The earliest description or report of Bigfoot dated back as early as 1920s. And continue until today. The best evidence for the existence of Bigfoot to date is the Patterson-Gimlin film footage taken on October 20, 1967 at Bluff Creek, California.

The Patterson-Gimlin Film Footage

Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin filmed this Bigfoot with a 16-mm camera. The film showed a female Bigfoot - breasts are evident in parts of the clip - walking along a sandbar in broad daylight. This is the only film evidence to date that is corroborated with tracks plus anatomical details and motion of the filmed Bigfoot is consistent with other digitally enhanced film analysis. It has stood up to rigorous scientific examination, and the general science communities call the film authentic.

This Bigfoot sighting experience at Bluff Creek was highly unique for three main reasons. First, there were two witnesses to the event, so their stories could be cross-checked. Second, there was photographic evidence in the form of the movie Patterson took which could be analyzed. Third, the men had plaster casts of the footprints made by the creature to further confirm the sighting. Moreover, many of the footprints at the film site remained intact and could be seen, photographed and cast by other researchers. All of this evidence was certainly very credible.

The film has been analyzed by Russia hominologists from Smolin research group, particularly on the walking pattern based on the film speed of the Bigfoot. Their conclusion is that human could not duplicate the creature's walking pattern in the film. Further more, they discovered from the left sole showed by the creature in the film, to have details matching the plaster cast. They have thus concluded the film was not a hoax.

The North American Science Institute (NASI) Report, Towards a Resolution of the Bigfoot Phenomenon , prepared by Mr. Jeff Glickman a forensic examiner, was released in June, 1998. The main report findings applicable to the Patterson/Gimlin may be summarized as follows:
Measurements of the creature: Height: 7-feet, 3.5-inches; Waist: 81.3-inches; Chest: 83-inches; Weight: 1,957 pounds; Length of arms: 43-inches; Length of legs: 40-inches.
The length of the creature's arms is virtually beyond human standards, possibly occurring in one out of 52.5 million people.
The length of the creature's legs is unusual by human standards, possibly occurring in one out of 1,000 people.

Nothing was found indicating the creature was a man in a costume (i.e., no seam or interfaces).
Hand movement indicates flexible hands. This condition implies that the arm would have to support flexion in the hands. An artificial arm with hand movement ability was probably beyond the technology available in 1967.
Preliminary findings indicate that the forward motion part of the creature's walking pattern could not be duplicated by a human being.
Rippling of the creature's flesh or fat on its right side was observed indicating that a costume is highly improbable.
The creature's feet undergo flexion like a real foot. This finding eliminates the possibility of fabricated solid foot apparatus. It also implies that the leg would have to support flexion in the foot. An artificial leg with foot movement ability was probably beyond the technology available in 1967.
The appearance and sophistication of the creature's musculature are beyond costumes used in the entertainment industry.
Non-uniformity in hair texture, length, and coloration is inconsistent with sophisticated costumes used in the entertainment industry. Mr. Glickman closes his scientific findings with the following statement: "Despite three years of rigorous examination by the author, the Patterson-Gimlin film cannot be demonstrated to be a forgery at this time."

The enlargement of the film.

The enlarged and enhanced image of the Bigfoot facial.

The artist re-draw of the Bigfoot face.


Glickman's estimates of the creatures height and weight caused a lot of controversy. There are some other scientists that estimated the creature's standing height did not exceed 6.5 ft. and cast doubt over other physical measurements (chest, waist, arms, legs) established by Glickman.

The film's authenticity has been hotly debated for 40 years. Along this period, there are many parties that came forward with details to reveal the film a hoax. The recent incident in 2004 including people confessed to be the man in the Bigfoot costume; The maker of the costume; and other eyewitnesses have come forth with corroborating evidence. However, to prove it a hoax seems no easier than proving the existence of Bigfoot. Many Bigfoot researchers are not convinced. The arguments continue....

http://www.bigfootencounters.com/biology/pgf_history.htm

Mountain-climber found a well-preserved furry limb of Yeti

In year 2003, a mountain-climber found a furry limb of a mystery animal some 3500m up in the permafrost of the Altay mountains in Russia's remote Siberia region.

Scientific tests and X-rays show the bones are several thousand years old, but attempts to identify the creature remain inconclusive.

"It looks very human, there are many similarities." Yuriy Malofeyev, vice-president of the Russia association of veterinary anatomists told the TV after examining the X-rays.


Further followup report on this finding was not found on the internet. I was wondering wouldn't a DNA test could easily confirm what animal it belongs to. But the limb looks more like a bear paw to my lay-man eyes, definitely doesn't look like human....

The Malaysia's Orang Mawas / Orang Pendek



Do you believe there is a Bigfoot out there somewhere? Or it is mere fiction....?

Let's wait and see if someone could one day prove it beyond doubt......

Science News Here and There

A number of recent science news in the internet caught my attention.

Why Males Die Before Females
In humans and many other animals, males age faster and die earlier than females. New research suggests this might happen because of intense competition over sex.
Researchers that found the more polygynous a species was, the more likely their males were to age faster and die earlier than females.The researchers explained that as competition among males for sex grows more intense, each male on average has less time to breed. As such, there is no strong incentive to evolve longevity among males in such species. Since men age faster and die earlier than women, these findings suggest that "at the time when current human physiology evolved, perhaps around the late Stone Age, polygynous breeding was the norm."
"Of course, this doesn't provide any justification for polygyny or promiscuity now for males." The scientist added.

Haha... In other words, if you are a man and live in a population where there are many other men and only a few ladies, you will (or you should) age fast and die earlier as the need of your contribution in propagation is not that important. In the opposite situation, you have to live long because you are important in ensuring the continuity of human species there....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20071017/sc_livescience/whymalesdiebeforefemales;_ylt=AoNy1ZbVp70LoHMsMdGOv38br7sF


Scientist apologizes for hurtful remarks
James Watson, the 79-year-old scientific icon made famous by his work in DNA, has set off an international furor with comments to a London newspaper about intelligence levels among blacks.
The racist remark:
"inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours — whereas all the testing says not really."
Watson, who won a Nobel Prize in 1962 for co-discovering the structure of DNA, has apologized and says he's "mortified."
The basis of the argument:
"...There is no firm reason to anticipate that the intellectual capacities of peoples geographically separated in their evolution should prove to have evolved identically," Watson wrote. "Our wanting to reserve equal powers of reason as some universal heritage of humanity will not be enough to make it so."
But isn't this a logic theory? While applying this theory on human race is not right, perhaps it worth pondering deeper in other wider scope.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071019/ap_on_sc/controversial_scientist;_ylt=AucxfgNEzB6nQlX284VSOHIPLBIF

Human waste can help save planet: Indian expert
A cheap system to recycle human waste into biogas and fertiliser may allow 2.6 billion people in the world access to toilets and reduce global warming, an Indian environmental expert said .
A toilet system that organically breaks down faeces into trapped biogas that can be burned to provide cooking fuel and electricity, and convert urine into fertiliser.
That sound simple. After all, most of the today's cities already equipped with sewage system that gather human waste to a treatment centre. Instead of existing complex treatment stages, a power plant can be built by the sewage handling companies. Hm.. will there be an incentive program for families that "contribute most waste"?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071016/hl_afp/indiaenvironmenthealthtoiletwastewarming;_ylt=AiYl0d8ofZPJCqmitzBSJQhpl88F

Global warming driving up humidity levels, says study
Man-made global warming is driving up humidity levels, with the risk that rainfall patterns will shift or strengthen, tropical storms intensify and human health may suffer from heat stress, a study said.
Steam is a greenhouse gas, it traps solar heat in the atmosphere, thus stoking the warming effect and so worsening humidity.
The ramifications could be wide-ranging. The distribution and intensity of rainfall could be affected, and tropical cyclones could be beefed up, as humidity is one of the fuels for these storms.
Is that mean when we are talking about the disastrous effect of global warming, we are basically talking about too much water (from melting of ice)? So how to solve this problem?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071010/sc_afp/climatewarminghumidity;_ylt=Aruf50kUusZ.KyqpH3cTHVdpl88F

Global Warming Fix: Help the Earth Cure Itself
A proposal, detailed in the journal Nature, is to use free-floating or tethered pipes to increase the mixing of the ocean by moving nutrient-rich deep waters up to replace the more barren waters of the surface. These nutrients would stimulate the growth of algae and create large blooms that would take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they photosynthesize.
"And when they die, their bodies sink to the bottom of the ocean as calcium carbonate shells, and that gets rid of [the carbon] for good," .
Then there is a saying that the intake of large amount of carbon dioxide will turn the sea acidic, which may cause other problems.
"If we have a treatment for something fairly serious, there will almost certainly be side effects, and you have to balance the consequences of the benefits and the loss."
It is just like in many desperate situation, chemotherapy which has harmful side effects still be the best choice to fight cancers.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20070927/sc_livescience/globalwarmingfixhelptheearthcureitself;_ylt=An0Effy5ydDDUiZdgyG2gJ5pl88F
China reveals space plans
China revealed its plans for space -- including space walking, spacecraft docking and the setting up of a space laboratory before 2010.
The government would also give priority to developing an earth observation system using satellites, aircraft and airships
Apart from launching the country's first lunar orbiter at the end of this month, China would also study the second and third stages of its moon exploration projects.
China is also planning to land a human on the moon and to make a series of robotic missions with a view to building a base there after 2020.
That is the so-called "Achievements", "National proud", etc. A space tourist or a half -cook astronaut took a taxi to space is also "Achievements" and "Proud", but, only at personal level.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071018/sc_afp/chinaspace_071018194527


Genetically modified plants vacuum up toxins
Researchers have genetically altered poplar trees to pull toxins out of contaminated ground water, offering a cost-effective way of cleaning up environmental pollutants.
This research is part of an emerging area of study known as phytoremediation, which aims to use trees, grasses and other plans to remove hazardous materials from environment including water and air.
"Phytoremediation is basically a solar-powered pollutant-removal system".

This sound encouraging as fighting the war of environmental pollutions is as simple as do gardening. Just a wild idea, since the technology of genetics engineering is so advance, why not we alter the genetics of human being (The creator of all environmental problems), to a shrunken version of new generations. Half the size of the existing will means requirements for space, foods, energy, etc, will be half. Thus the waste products will also be cut half. The most effective and responsible solution!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/oct/16/gmcrops?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

The Crying Myanmar II

The U.N. envoy Gambari mission has failed in achieving anything significant. General Than Shwe has make a few surprise announces including his willingness to meet the detained democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi, but the sincerity remained very doubtful. The obvious motive is to aim at staving off possible economic sanctions from U.N.

What's Next ?

It was frequently said that there is nothing much the rest of the world can do to exert pressure on this isolationist military regime which terrorised Myanmar since the civilian government was toppled in 1962. But is this true?

The Major Players
-ASEAN is the most important component of any international Myanmar policy. Previously the 5 founding states undertook not to interfere in each other's internal affairs, but in last January, ASEAN members prepared a new charter for 21st century that champions democracy promotion and human rights as universal values, and they established a human rights commission despite the SPDC's (State Peace and Development Council) strong objections.


-Japan, who helped the Myanmar throw off British colonial rule in the 1940s, are generally welcome by both the junta and democratic opposition. They see the opportunities for Japan aid to help rebuild the country.


-China, over the past 15 years has developed deep political and economic relations with Myanmar. Billions of dollars are involved in trade and investment and more than a billion dollar's worth of weapons sales. China has also seeks preferential deals for access to Myanmar's oil and gas reserves. Beijing's engagement with the SPDC has been essential to the regime's survival.



-India, the 4th largest trading partner of Myanmar, has been providing tanks, light artillery, reconnaissance and patrol aircraft, and small arms. To India interest, persistent repression and turmoil in Myanmar will continue to threaten India's security along its border. Internal political reform leading to a more open and reconciled Myanmar would be far more beneficial for India than anything that would result from India's current tactical accommodations.



Coordinated Engagement
Given the differing perspectives and interests of these nations of major role, a new multilateral initiative on Myanmar cannot be based on a single, uniform approach. Sanctions policies will need to coexist with various forms of engagement, and it will be necessary to coordinate all of these measures toward the common end of encourage reform, reconciliation, and ultimately the return of democracy. To succeed, the region's major players will need to work together. A coordinated international initiative to put forth a public statement of the principles that underlie their vision for a stable and secure Myanmar is needed. A road map towards the political reform and national reconciliation should be developed.


The Future
The participation of China and India in the joined-hand effort with other key players will be critical. The United States should influence both nations's thinking by making Myanmar a higher priority in bilateral dialogues. U.S. government should also initiate a new approach with ASEAN, Japan, and perhaps European Union, which has long-standing interest in political reform in Myanmar. ASEAN alone does not have the cohesion or the clout to shape China's or India's policy toward Myanmar. But with the help from the U.S. and others, it could take a leading role in spearheading a new coordinated, multilateral approach that neither Beijing nor New Delhi would be able to ignore.
The international community needs to act now to begin a process of concentrated and coordinated engagement for the benefit of the Myanmar people and of the broader peace and stability in Asia.

(Ref. source: Asia's Forgotten Crisis. - A new approach to Burma - By Michael Green and Derek Mitchell)

The Crying Myanmar

Sure you know about Myanmar's monks protests recently. The demonstrations top the news for days in media reports....

-September 2007. 100 000 of monks, nuns and people of Myanmar marched in Yangon in the biggest demonstration since nearly 20 years ago.
-The Placards calling for "Better living conditions", "Country with freedom and peace" and "Release of political prisoners" were carried.
-Army crackdown on the protests, beating protesters and monks with baton, shooting with live bullets and tear gas.
-A Japan journalist was shot at point-blank range. Many protesters including monks were also killed.
-Over 1000 monks and hundreds of protesters, students and activists were arrested and tortured.
-Inernet connection was cut. Police and Army frisked people in search for handphone and camera and confiscated them to suppress images of the crackdown being transmitted to the outside world.


The U.N. envoy to Myanmar been snubbed for 3 days in his attempt to meet and persuade General Than Shwe to take the people's demand for democracy seriously. Before he was allowed to meet with the general, he was bizarrely taken to Lashio to witness a well orchestrated pro-government march of thousands....

The protest against government ignited on 19 August 2007 after the hiked of fuel prices as much as 500%. But the public anger ballooned into mass demonstrations led by Buddhist monks against 45 years of military dictatorship.

The 4 days brutal crackdown with live rounds, charging baton and tear gas against monks and civilians alike has succeeded in largely stopping the demonstrations.

This is not the first brutal crackdown on peaceful protests in Myanmar.
On 8 August 1988, (8888 Uprising in protest against economic mismanagement) the Burmese army opened fire on demonstrators and massacred at least 3000 people. However, the protests paved way for 1990 People's Assembly elections. The election results were subsequently annulled by senior General Saw Maung's government. The National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi won over 80% of parliamentary seats. The military government refused to step down and has repeatedly placed Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest since then.

Heaven and Hell 1

Myanmar (formerly Burma) was once one of the wealthiest countries in Southeast Asia and was the world's largest exporter of rice. The 45 years of army rule since 1962 has impoverished the country. Today, Myanmar has become the world's second largest producer of opium, also the major source of illegal drugs. Force labour, human trafficking, and child labour are common. The military is also notorious for rampant use of sexual violence as an instrument of control, including systematic rapes and taking of sex slaves as porters for the military.

Heaven and Hell 2 - General Than Shwe's daughter wedding


Myanmar's armed forces, known as Tatmadaw, numbers 488 000. The import of weapons mostly from Russia, Ukraine, China and India.

By 2 October 2007, the protests is over except small pockets of resistance, hit-and-run groups, shouting slogans and disappearing. But the police and army has started the hunt. Before dawn, military vehicles patrolling the street, with loudspeaker blaring that "We have photographs, we are going to make arrests".
Police and army swept through homes and monasteries, dragging out people and monks at night behind cameras and arresting them under the most terrifying circumstances.
The Myanmar government is trying to instill complete and utter fear in yet another generation of citizens.

Where are the monks ?!

Many monasteries, after brutally raided by police and army last week, are empty now. The monks are not in the monasteries, Where are they now? How many are dead? How many are arrested? There are reports saying that thousands of monks detained in Rangoon will be sent to prisons in the far north of the country. There are also reports saying that many monks were forced to give up their robes and change into civilian clothes... What is clear now is there are fewer and fewer monks in the town. What have the government done to rapidly silent the monks?

Could there be a "tactical" massacre on the disappeared monks and civilians, not during the protests crackdown, but to be done secretly after it is over in the prisons? (Myanmar is a Buddhist country where bodies are cremated. You won't see bodies or graves after cremation).

The infamous Myanmar prisons

Fighting a losing war

The monks strategy seems to be based on a faith that the world will take actions against the regime. The regime's survival is depends largely on the supports from the 2 powers that are capable of exert pressure to effect change, but China and India has not taken any substantial steps to put pressure on the junta. Instead, they have only expressed concern on the bloodshed, and said that was Myanmar's "Internal matter" !

Dramatic change in Myanmar political situation remains unlikely, due to its usual brutal crackdown practises on demonstrations, oppression of opposition parties leaders, and the most important factor, the support from major regional powers such as India, Russia, and in particular, China.

The people's voice

"The price of petrol is so high that many people can't even afford the transport fee to go to work. We really don't know what to do"

"I don't like this government. This is a very bad government. How can they kill their own people"

"The monks didn't do anything wrong. They are just trying to help the people in peaceful manner"

"There are monks that were killed or beaten and taken away by the military. I don't know where they were taken to"

"The people are still angry, but we are all living in fear now. We still hope the monks will come and lead us, but we are just trying to survive now"

There is yet to see any sign of hope for Myanmar's people. But, everybody is waiting for the U.N. envoy, Mr. Gambari's report on his mission to Myanmar after his meeting with General Than Shwe and the detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Hoping his mission will bring about solution for national reconciliation and a peaceful transition to democracy.