Saturday 31 July 2010
Thursday 29 July 2010
a last blog and thanks
I Just Saw a Frightful Monster
By Jeff Smith | Published Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Extract from article:
Read more including flying devils and Lake Hodge Monster here:
Thank you for the nice comments. I shall leave the blog but put comments on moderation.Hopefully when I have good days I will be able to post but in the meantime be good whilst I am away and keep looking .xx
Wednesday 28 July 2010
good bye
I am afraid due to my continuing ill health I am going to have to stop posting blogs. Due to the spam that I keep attracting on the blog I am not sure whether to delete it completely or leave it for people to read. If anyone would like to write a comment on how they feel about that, please do. I will make a decision later in the week. Thank you so much for following the blog and reading my stuff. I have had some insightful and lovely comments since the blog started and I can't tell you how much it was appreciated that people took the time to post something.Keep researching and looking fellow cryptozoology enthusiasts , one day you may find something wonderful xx
Friday 23 July 2010
Two Bigfoot Shows
Utahns tell of Bigfoot encountersHUNTSVILLE -- Tales of Bigfoot come to life during "Dave's Bigfoot Show" on Monday.
Live music will also be featured during the event, beginning at 5 p.m. on the lawn behind the Texas Pride Barbecue restaurant, 235 S. 7400 East.The Bigfoot show, which runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., features Ogden and Huntsville residents sharing their "unexplained experiences" with the mysterious creature, said organizer David Carver of Eden.Each of the 30 people will be interviewed on stage in a talk-show-style format. Most of their encounters took place in the Top of Utah, Carver said, although some happened in the Uintas and
Source:http://www.standard.net/topics/features/2010/07/22/utahns-tell-bigfoot-encounters
Comins Bigfoot Bash to offer serious look at legend
COMINS — Legend and reality will meet come Friday at a first-ever event called “Bigfoot Bash” hosted by the Michigan Magazine Museum in Comins, about 90 miles north of Bay City.The three-day event will provide a serious study of Bigfoot in Michigan with dashes of fun and live entertainment. Comins is the "heart of Bigfoot country," with 35 documented sightings, said event organizers.Friday’s festivities start at 10 a.m. with most of the schedule dedicated to anyone who wants to share their Bigfoot sightings at the museum, 3309 North Abbe.“This gives people who have had sightings a forum to share those stories with others without being criticized,” said Nelson Yoder, the museum’s curator. On Saturday, several scholars will appear during the weekend festivities to share stories of their own Bigfoot sightings and research.Phil Shaw will lead the stream of guest speakers at 11 a.m. on Saturday with a presentation on the historical and amusing side of Bigfoot. Shaw graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in science.At 1 p.m., architect Sanjay Singhal will share his childhood stories of seeing Bigfoot in South Dakota.Yoder said the event can serve as a forum for serious discussion on the subject.“There’s skepticism, but once you do the research, you realize there’s definitely something valid to the subject,” he said.The event will also include presentations featuring unpublished sighting reports and rare audio recordings. A sketch artist will attend Friday’s guest testimonials to draw the creature described by those sharing their Bigfoot sightings.
For more event information, call (989) 826-3169.
For more event information, call (989) 826-3169.
I am in two minds about these things. On the one hand people get to discuss their experiences and share them with others and that may encourage others to come forward with their stories but on the other hand I think should cryptids be made into a show? What do you think?
A P.S. There will no blogs this weekend as I am not well and need a rest and also it is my birthday on Sunday and I will be the ripe old age of 55 years. Daughter is arriving today to fend off any party goers as I am really not up to any sort of frolics . We have had some good parties in the past. So keep the place clean and tidy and don’t forget to lock the door and turn off the lights. I will be back on Monday hopefully !
Strange beast killing cattle in Ecuador
Strange beast killing cattle in Ecuador
This a Google translation of the article so not brilliant:
Strange animal kills livestock in Nero
Two dead and three calves with severe injuries is the result of the attack of a mysterious animal that Monday night alarmed the residents of the community La Cuadra, belonging to Nero.
….Luz Brito narrated that, residents armed with flashlights, searched around the night and witnessed a strange animal, large and black, ran into the bushes. An account that coincides with the flesh and bones left on and near a barbed wire fence in the stables where the cattle were attacked.
Nobody knows what kind of animal is that is killing the animals, however, the residents suspect that it can be a cougar who escaped from a private zoo, or was abandoned by owners of circuses. Others talk of a possible panther, still others relate to the legend of the chupacabra.It is believed to be a beast with great force, because it kills easily steers and cows, eats lots of meat and leaves deep prints of nails and teeth.
This episode recalls the deaths of sheep and Czech Tutupali between September and October 2007, and occurred on August 21, 2009, in Gullanzhapa of Tarqui. (ASQ). (ASQ).
Thursday 22 July 2010
Egyptian Cryptids?
I have always been intrigued by the Egyptian depictions of monsters. They are found everywhere on ceremonial slates, plaques ,knife handles, inside tombs particularly at Hierakonpolis and Naqada in Upper Egypt . These are early depictions and include winged griffins and what looks like leopards with long, winding necks (see photo) . They are thought to be inspired by models found in Mesopotamia . What if the images were also inspired by travellers and their stories? The long winding neck creature reminds of stories from other parts of Africa of prehistoric looking creatures such as Mokele- Mbeme.
There are also modern monster stories from Egypt , such as the strange carcass washed ashore in 1950 called the Ataka animal because of the place it was found.
In January of 1950, following a gale, which raged along the banks of the Gulf of Suez , Egyptian authorities discovered huge carcass decomposing on the beach. A team of scientists were sent to try and identify the carcass.It was described as the size of a whale with two huge walrus-like tusks, which protruded from either side of its large mouth. There was some evidence of a blow hole but no apparent eyes and a row of cilia like appendages circling its maw.
This led some to speculate that the animal may have been an unknown species of marine mammal. Eyewitnesses, at the time, claimed that there was a large, whale-like creature swimming in the gulf just ten days before the storm. Experts could not positively identify the creature at the time , which seems odd considering that in modern times it has been dismissed as a Baleen Whale. Surely marine biologists in the 1950s knew what a Baleen whale looked like? The appearance of "walrus-like tusks" on the Egyptian carcass have been said to be the lower splayed jaws of the whale. Surely the experts in the 1950’s would have realised if it was a whale carcass , even decomposed. It has been a matter of speculation for years and there is no definite answer. So another Egyptian mystery.
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Wednesday 21 July 2010
chupacabra mystery solved?
by JONATHAN BETZ WFAA Posted on July 20, 2010 at 8:21 PM
They're actually dogs — rare, hairless dogs. The Decatur woman has been breeding and showing them for 16 years. Although some of the chupacabras found in the wild turn out to be sick coyotes, Forth is convinced that ranchers have been shooting at hairless dogs. "I believe all of those things are deceased Xolos," she said, referring to a breed of hairless Mexican dog. "That's why people are concerned they are the chupacabras, because they've never seen them; they're not used to something like this, and it scares them."
The Xolos may not win any beauty contest, but they're actually quite friendly, and largely harmless.
Mexican hairless dogs are very rare, and certainly unlike any other. "They have a good chin, good look," Forth said. "They look in the distance and they look majestic.
Majestic? Perhaps. But on some ranches, they are certainly not getting the royal treatment.
Tuesday 20 July 2010
A busy day at Loch Ness in 1975
It was a busy day on Loch Ness in July 1975 , one person saw the Loch Ness Creature 4 times and filmed it at least once.
.
On the 18th of July 1975, Alan Wilkins was on holiday with his family at a caravan site at Rubha Ban, near Invermoriston.
Wilkins, a teacher, and his son were scanning the loch at 7:20 am when they saw a black shape appear and disappear several times .They were one and half miles south of Invermoriston . They estimated the shape was 20 feet( 6.6metres) long and showed about 2 feet (0 .6 metre)out of water. It then disappeared and left a swirl of water behind
At 10:12am , the same teacher and his wife, photographed three large triangular humps in same area.. The humps disappeared on the approach of a motorboat. He at first thought it a black rubber boat with an outboard racing across the Loch , but then his wife pointed out the one hump had become 3.Others watching agreed there were 3 triangular humps in the water . Wilkins filmed the object using his 16mm camera which was fitted with a 300mm lens.
At 9:25 p.m,From the same position Wilkins and several people saw a black spot emerging from the water and forming two humps.The water seemed to be boiling around it.Some watchers said it looked like a whale rolling in the water . Then it disappeared
At 10.25pm one of the group of watchers including Wilkins ,saw 3 closely spaced humps about 4 feet(1.3metres) high moving out of Invermoriston Bay about a mile away. The humps now being watched by several others . They reported the humps altered from 2 to 3 humps several times and then they disappeared.
So what I we to make of this. Putting the sceptics’ argument first. The third sighting of the water boiling could have been some volcanic eruption from the Loch ’s Basin, it is known to happen occasionally and it does throw up debris. The second and fourth sightings could have been boat wakes.. As there had been that first sighting that morning people were expecting to see something so that could also be a factor.
The first sighting however is not so easily dismissed. There were no boats around and the way it appeared and disappeared suggest an animate object. What do you think, is it possible to see a cryptid 4 times in one day or after the first sighting does the mind play tricks?
A PS for Wuff
There has been minor volcanic activity recorded around the Loch for about 150 years some info here:
A PS for Wuff
There has been minor volcanic activity recorded around the Loch for about 150 years some info here:
Monday 19 July 2010
Chinese Sasquatch and Chupacabra Lady in the news
Chinese Sasquatch suspected
English.news.cn 2010-07-19 09:03:21
(Source: Global Times) http://life.globaltimes.cn/odd/2010-07/553049.html
'Chupacabra Lady' in high demand after latest sightings
BY KAYLA BELLOriginally published July 18, 2010
When Phylis Canion returned Thursday from a trip to South America , the woman nicknamed "The Chupacabra Lady" was shocked to find hundreds of missed calls and e-mails. While Canion was away, two chupacabra-like animals were spotted in Hood County . And everyone wanted to know what the nutrition-expert-by-day, chupacabra-enthusiast-by-night thought of the latest sightings.Canion gained notoriety in 2007 when a chupacabra-like animal died near her ranch near Cuero. Since then, Canion has tested the animal's DNA at five different universities, and discovered the animal is a hybrid: coyote on its maternal side, Mexican wolf on the paternal side.Canion has received international attention for her bizarre discovery and said she enjoys the discussions she has with some of the nation's "most intellectual scientists.""I get an average of 100 calls a month and probably 150 e-mails," Canion said Sunday. "People want to know the latest, and they send me pictures, asking me what I think about what they found."Despite all the inquiries, Canion hadn't seen photos or video of the Chupacabra-like creature until Sunday night.After seeing a link to a news story, Canion confirmed the creature looked like the one she found and ultimately mounted."Sure wish I knew if it was male or female," she said, adding that she'd like to see its paw print to compare to the one she found.Canion said she always asks people if their Chupacabra find has the two characteristics that stumped scientists when it came to her creature.Normal canines have four nipples on each side, Canion said. Hers only had two on each side and no mammary glands. Canion's find also had unexplainable "pouches" on each side of its tail, which she opened up to reveal "pink-looking meat.""Oh my gosh, it's bizarre," she said, still referring to her chupacabra. "I don't think any have been as bizarre as the one I've found."
Source:http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2010/jul/18/kb_chupacabra_071910_104102/?news&dewitt-county
Sunday 18 July 2010
Cryptozoological chat, listen first, then investigate, don't dismiss out of hand.
This post by Nick Redfern gave me food for thought:
Lair of the Beasts: Monsters in Town
Creature Tales By Nick Redfern July 17, 2010
Occasionally, I’m asked: where do you get your information from when it comes to investigating sightings of weird creatures? Well, sometimes, it comes via people who just email me, or phone me, out of the blue. On other occasions it’s via old newspaper archives, colleagues, and ancient books and pamphlets.But, sometimes, when you’re in a particular area that has a rich history of monstrous strangeness in its midst, the best thing to do is engage the locals in conversation. Indeed, this is an approach that I have found to be very profitable on many occasions. And, I’ll give you a perfect example
Read the rest here:
Nick is quite right of course you pick up information from lots of sources but the stories you hear by just chatting is amazing. Apparently I have the sort of face that makes people want to talk to me. The number of life stories I have heard on trains lol. I must look harmless or something or have MUG tattooed on my forehead. It has it’s advantages though as people confide in me and I get to hear stuff that you wouldn’t find documented elsewhere. When I was interviewing people for some research I was doing on oral history ,I also got lots of stories about strange things and local legends. If I had a £1 for everyone who said to me “I’ll tell you but I haven’t told anyone else” I would be rich! The point of this little diatribe is, don’t dismiss stories you are told as hearsay, investigate them first, you never know what little gems you might find or where it may lead.
Saturday 17 July 2010
Real cryptids or tricks of the mind?
I thought in view of the
The
The creature was first sighting in 1973 in
Rick Rainbow, was then the news director of radio station in
Loren Coleman investigated and said this :"I travelled to Enfield, interviewed the witnesses, looked at the siding of the house the Enfield Monster had damaged, heard some strange screeching banshee-like sounds, and walked away bewildered." see : http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/enfield73/
So was it hysteria as some suggested or was it a sort of bigfoot or even as some had put forward an alien connected to UFO activity that was also reported in the general area at that time? Well the strange thing about it all is that in the summer of 1973, the town of Murphysboro in Illinois was also in the news for sightings of a strange creature. The creature, called the “Murphysboro Mud Monster” appeared and then disappeared just two weeks later Just as the Enfield monster had done. That story is here :
Most bigfoot sightings seem to occur in clusters over a period of time so could the sightings have been related bigfoot type creatures or just mass hysteria? We can all mistake things especially in bad light. And just to add to the strangeness in 1941 and 1942, in the Mount Vernon area (about 40 miles away from Enfield ) there was a spate of reports about a "leaping" beast that was claimed was responsible for several animal deaths in the region. Eyewitnesses said it was vaguely baboon-like.
From England we have the story of :
The Brentford Griffin
In 1984 Kevin Chippendale spotted an unknown creature flying near the rooftop of a block of flats in the town ofBrentford UK . He described it as looking like "a dog with wings" and "having a long muzzle and four legs with what looked like paws and a beak." He said it looked like a griffin. Incidentally he was walking along Braemar Road near to the aptly named Griffin Park and the block of Flats was called Green Dragon Flats (apartments for our USA readers). Mr Chippendale saw the creature again in the February of 1985 and said that it bore some resemblance to the creature painted on the sign of the Griffin Public House.A friend of Kevin's, an Angela Keyhoe also claimed to have seen the flying monster. She was on a bus journey when she saw it sitting on the gasometer next to the Waterman's Art Centre. She said it resembled a giant black bird. Several passengers on the bus apparently saw the creature, and so did psychologist John Olssen, one morning whilst he was jogging near to the Thames . The story was featured in the press and also on The Six O' Clock news. Then a letter appeared in the Fortean Times magazine, during the May of 1998, from a Mr Martin Collins who believed that such a monster may well have been more than local hoax.
He wrote: “I first encountered the story of the Brentford Griffins while I was atSt John’s School in the 1950s (note: some thirty years before the first sightings!). St John’s in those days sat in the shadow of Brentford’s football ground, Griffin Park . Inquiring why there were so many griffin references in Brentford, I was told that it was due to the family of griffins that lived on Brentford Eyot, an island in the Thames.The story of how they got there was that the first griffin was brought to Brentford by King Charles II as a gift for his mistress, Nell Gwynn, who had a house in the Butts at Brentford. One day the griffin was playing on the banks of the River Brent, which flows past the Butts, and fell in. The hapless creature was washed down the Brent into the Thames , finally being washed up on Brentford Eyot. As it was assumed to have been killed, it was left alone and was able to live on the Eyot for many years – griffins having a lifespan of centuries.Then Sir Joseph Banks brought back a griffin from a Pacific island where he had been with Captain Cook. This griffin was originally housed in the Pagoda in Kew Gardens, which is on the opposite bank of the Thames from Brentford Eyot where it found a mate awaiting it.There was soon a whole colony of griffins and they spread out from the Eyot all over the town of Brentford, where they can still be seen to this day, if you look closely enough..
Extract from :http://beastsoflondon.blogspot.com/2007/04/brentford-griffin.htmlIn 1984 Kevin Chippendale spotted an unknown creature flying near the rooftop of a block of flats in the town of
He wrote: “I first encountered the story of the Brentford Griffins while I was at
The popular writer Robert Rankin who grew up in Brentford noted that the town sits within a mystical triangle formed by the Thames, the Grand Union Canal and the M4 Rankin suggests that Brentford is a portal to the underworld and there fore seeing griffins is not all that odd.
Most people thought it was a hoax or our old friend mass hysteria. At the time the sign for a local bank was a Griffin and so it could well have been that on a hoarding which people had mistaken for a real creature.
The thing with both stories is that all the eye witnesses swore what they saw was true and real. But we all know that suggestion plays a big part in our minds and once someone sees something, often others follow. The mind acquaints what it is seeing with what it has been told and therefore what it can’t identify must be that strange creature that everyone is talking about. We can fool ourselves some thing is real or happened when it didn’t because our memories are fallible. We will swear it is true because we think it is and will pass any lie detector test, but it doesn’t mean it really happened or was really there It is not a lie because we have convinced ourselves . Or the alternative is these things are real and then we should really be worried!
Friday 16 July 2010
Bonavista Newfoundland Sea Creature
By GLEN WHIFFEN of The Telegram April 6 2000
The ocean pressing against the ancient shores of Cape Bonavista carries its share of stories and mysteries. From shipwrecks and acts of courage to unexplained voices and lights, Cape Bonavista has been the stuff of Newfoundland folklore.Bonavista resident Bob Crewe says sea monsters can be added to the legend. While driving along the cape one morning last week, Crewe came upon a creature like nothing he’s ever seen before. “I saw its body in the water measuring about 30 feet across, just lying there and moving slightly,” said Crewe , who had stopped his truck on a cliff overlooking the ocean, in an area not far from an attraction known as The Dungeon and an old rock formation known locally as the Viking. “It looked something like a rock in the water, but I knew there was no rock there. I blew the horn and it stuck its head out of the water. It had a long neck about four or five feet.”Crewe said from what he could see of the creature amid ripples in the water, it looked something like a huge snake which had some kind of “snout” on its head. “I wish I had a camera aboard,” said Crewe . “It took off towards the lighthouse (at the tip of the cape) with its head still out of the water, tilted slightly forward. It seemed like it was using its body to push itself along and it was going very fast.”In May 1997 in Little Bay East, Fortune Bay , fisherman Charles Bungay described seeing a creature with a long neck and gray, scaly skin. Bungay and a fishing partner spotted what they thought were floating garbage bags and decided to haul them aboard their boat. When they got close, however, the creature reared up its head. He described it has having a neck about six feet long, a head like a horse, horns, and dark eyes. He estimated an overall length of about 30 to 40 feet. The creature slipped under the water and disappeared.A Bay L’Argent fishermen saw a similar creature four or five years prior to that sighting. He described it as being like a dinosaur. At the time, some people suggested the Fortune Bay fishermen actually saw a giant squid.Crewe , however, says what he saw was nothing as simple as that. “It wasn’t a giant squid. I know that for sure,” he said. “I wasn’t close enough to see scaly skin or eyes or any detail like that. All I know is that was a strange creature, and it’s a big ocean that could contain a lot of strange things we’ve never seen.”
Lance Cove fisherman says he's seen one
ALISHA MORRISSEY The Telegram
source: http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=330630&sc=79
Even with the long neck I was inclined to think it was some sort of seal or walrus. Or was it some thing unknown? What do you think?
just one more Chupacabra
Tioga Police Chief May Have Shot a Chupacabra
July 16, 2010 TIOGA , TX -- The myth of the Chupacabra continues. Thursday, after airing a story about a Texoma woman who claims she owns a Chupacabra-like pet, the Tioga Police Chief called saying he may have shot one. Deeda Payton has his story.
It's the stuff legends are made of, tales of a Chupacabra shot but not killed in Texoma. It made for some interesting lunch conversation in Tioga, TX.Police Chief, Dick Rodgers, says he has come face-to-face with a beast fitting the description of the mythical Chupacabra. "Since I confronted it within 10 to 15 feet and it aggressively came toward me. I would have to believe that it's a fact," said Rodgers.But, local residents have mixed emotions. "They could be all over Texas !" said Tioga resident, Charles Kemp. "Lots of things need to be shot, but I don't know about this animal," said Tioga resident, Robert Lawton.It all started when Rodgers got a call about an aggressive animal out on Lakeshore Drive . "The head and the snout of the animal are very much different from any animal I've ever looked at," said Rodgers.He says he chased it down the street and along a fence, cornering the animal. That's when he said the animal lunged at him. "I shot it, shot at it with a shotgun, wounded it in the face, shoulder and leg and then it ran off in another direction about 15 to 20 feet and collapsed," said Rodgers. But, the beast took off leaving only a puddle of blood.Rodgers says he doesn't know if it was in fact a Chupacabra because it all happened so fast, but believes it is the same thing a Hood County, TX man shot earlier in the week. "We'd like to capture it if possible or find it if anybody sees it lying around dead before they remove it so we can get pictures and determine what it is."
Regardless of whether or not it is the mythical beast, Rodgers says it is a beast nonetheless and a real threat to the community.If you have seen or know anything about the animal Rodgers is describing, you are asked to call Tioga Police at 903-870-6215.
Deeda Payton, KTEN News
Sorry just couldn’t resist one more story. If you want to follow or read back all the news stories go to:
http://www.unknown-creatures.com/cryptozoology-news.html
Thursday 15 July 2010
Wildman Research in China
A good article on the history of the research into the Chinese Yeren. Worth a read.
The Status of Wildman Research in China
Zhou Guoxing
Chinese historical documents contain many references to Wildman, a supposed large unknown primate reported today in numerous provinces. Scientific interest in Wildman in modern China began in the late 1950s, and intensified in the 1970s with fieldwork in northwest Hubei and southern Shanxi provinces sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. No physical evidence has been uncovered, with the exception of the hands and feet of a supposed Wildman. Morphological analysis indicates that they had belonged to a very large monkey species, possibly a macaque, still unknown to science. These undescribed monkeys may account for sightings of the "smaller" Wildman. A number of reported morphological and ecological characteristics are reviewed, and Wildman's possible affinities to the fossil ape Gigantopithecus are discussed. The discovery of an actual specimen of Wildman could shed light on the classificatory status of Gigantopithecus, and would certainly enhance knowledge of the origins of human evolution, particularly bipedalism.
Earliest historical records and folklore
Chinese historical documents, and many city and town annals, contain abundant records of Wildman, which are given various names, such as "manbear," "hairy man," "shangui" (mountain monster), "xingxing" (orang-utan), and "feifei."In the period of Warring States (475-221 B.C.), Qu Yuan, a great poet, wrote a poem about "shangui" (mountain monster). Some scholars believe that the theme of the poem corresponds to the legend of Wildman. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.), the great pharmacologist Li Shizhen mentioned several kinds of Wildman in the 51 st volume of his monumental work Compendium of Materia Medica. One of them was called "feifei," an account of which is quoted as follows:"Feifei," which are called "manbear," are also found in the mountainous areas in west Shu (part of
Even today, in the area of
futher down in the article:
(4) Investigation of "Manbears" of Jiolong Mountain of Sui Chang, Zhejiang Province, in the Early 1980s"Manbears" in the Jiolong Mountain Natural Reserve Area were recorded long ago in local chronicles. Li Shizen wrote in his Compendium of Materia Medica that there were "manbears" in Chu Zhou, which covers the Sui Chang area today, to the southeast of Li Shui County.Scientific investigation of "manbears" on the Jiolong mountain is mainly under the direction of the Science Committee of Li Shui Prefecture, and participants are personnel in specific fields at scientific research institutions and universities. Preserved hands and feet (two of each) were recently obtained from a middle-school teacher of biology. He obtained them in 1957, when local peasants reportedly killed a "manbear." These remains represent the first instance of physical evidence obtained during investigations of Wildman in
Read full article here: http://home.clara.net/rfthomas/papers/zhou.html
Ben Radford discussing Nessie with Steve Feltham
Life on the Loch The lonely hunt for truth and monsters
By Benjamin Radford
Steve Feltham’s eyes and smile grow wide when the subject of the Loch Ness monsters comes up. “I think they’re out there, certainly,” he says, though he adds with a hint of sadness that it may not be true for much longer. He estimates there are probably a half-Read the full article here: http://alibi.com/index.php?scn=feature&story=32962
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