Author Thom Powell Talks Bigfoot Spying in Richland, WA Part 1/4

Author Thom Powell next to an impressive display of the London Trackway

"Thom was one of my favorite speakers during the conference, in part because he proposes a different perspective on the field of research and has made some observations that others either have not or are not discussing." --Henry Patterson at GhostTheory.com

Full Disclosure: At Bigfoot Lunch Club we are completely biased when it comes to Thom Powell. We are huge fans. Until we met Mr. Powell it was hard for us to bridge the gap between the value we put on physical evidence and the relevance of the paranormal aspects Bigfooting. Thom Powell's "Spy Paradigm" comes close to bridging that gap. He proposes that our efforts would be best spent gathering information, like the CIA does, as oppose to trying to do hard science that requires us to duplicate results. In other words, Bigfoot is an unwilling uncooperative subject and we could gain better traction doing intelligence gathering. 

If you were to gauge by audience participation and the continued buzz afterwards, Thom Powell's presentation was the most well-received.  Henry Patterson, who was there, had this to write on Ghost Theory:

"Thom was one of my favorite speakers during the conference, in part because he proposes a different perspective on the field of research and has made some observations that others either have not or are not discussing." Henry Patterson

Watch author Thom Powell in the video below as he uses his trademark self-effacing charm to encourage a paradigm shift among bigfooters. Also in the video are topics Powell breached over a decade before they became casual conversation among Bigfooters. Want to know what the next decade has in store for Bigfoot research? Go to ThomSquatch.com and buy Thom Powell's Books.

WATCH: Dr. Jeff Medrum's Presentation at Richland, WA Sasquatch Conference Pt 2/4

Multiple Species of hominids coexisted on this planet during the same era

This is part 2 of Dr. Jeff Meldrum's Presentation (You can view Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3)

In the second portion of Dr. Jeff Meldrum's presentation at the Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (Sasquatch) held in Richland, WA, he explains how the new discoveries of multiple species co-existing at the same time creates a more compelling argument for other hominids possibly existing in our modern era. The six hominids he mentions are "Homo" floresiensis, Homo Erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neandertalensis, Homo sapiens and H.denisova.

While he maintains there is not enough evidence, in his opinion, to indicate there are multiple Bigfoot species in North America, he does take us on a world tour of other possible hominid species on other continents. For example, the Orang Pendek. The Orang Pendek is described by Wikipedia as:

Orang Pendek (Indonesian for "short person") is the most common name given to a cryptid, or cryptozoological animal, that reportedly inhabits remote, mountainous forests on the island of Sumatra.
The animal has allegedly been seen and documented for at least one hundred years by forest tribes, local villagers, Dutch colonists, and Western scientists and travelers. Consensus among witnesses is that the animal is a ground-dwelling, bipedal primate that is covered in short fur and stands between 80 and 150 cm (30 and 60 in) tall.

 Watch as the video below as Dr. Jeff Meldrum takes us back in time among the hominids.

WATCH: Dr. Jeff Medrum's Presentation at Richland, WA Sasquatch Conference Pt 1/4

Dr Jeff Meldrum at the Richland, WA Sasquatch Conference

Below is one of four  video excerpts from the Dr. Jeff Meldrum's presentation at Thom Cantrall's Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (Sasquatch).  (You can view Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3)

Richland WA PNW Bigfoot Conference 2012: Dr. Jeff Meldrum Part 1

In the first video, Dr. Jeff Meldrum discusses his new publication the Relict Hominoid Inquiry. According to the Relict Homoid Inquiry website:

The objective of the RHI is to promote research and provide a refereed venue for the dissemination of scholarly peer-reviewed papers exploring and evaluating the possible existence and nature of relict hominoid species around the world.

A strictly on-line free access publication, the RHI contains primarily Research Articles, as well as Commentary & Responses, Brief Communications, Essays, News &; Views, and Book Reviews.

An interesting point made by Dr. Meldrum is how the hairy-man myth is widespread but not universal. An important distinction. If the hairy-man was universal, it could be written off as a projection of human experience. This reminds us of the Jungian Archetypes, that Carl Jung suggests that are innate in our DNA. Dr. Meldrum is suggests these are not archetypes, these are not manifestations of the human psyche.

Finally, Dr. Meldrum uses an illustration from 1763 containing four mysterious primates. 1. Troglodyta Bontii, 2. Lucifer Aldrovandi, 3. Satyrus Tulpii, 4. Pygmaeus Edwardi

Anthropomorpha depicted in Hoppius' Amoenitates Academicae (1763)

The last three images have been associated to  2. Gibbon, 3. Chimpanzee 4. Orangutan respectively. This leaves the first illustration, Troglodyta Bontii, unidentified. Could it be the Sasquatch? 

Watch the video below as Dr. Jeff Meldrum touches on each of these subjects in greater detail.

Dr Jeff Meldrum Talks Bigfoot Genetic Study with Bryan Sykes of Oxford University

Dr Bryan Sykes, A DNA expert that has already been published in Nature

"Since he [Dr. Bryan Sykes] got wind of some of the, in my opinion, premature rumors of the hybridization and origins of Sasquatch, he was interested in that." --Dr. Jeff Meldrum

 This is part 3 of Dr. Jeff Meldrum's Presentation (You can view Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3)

On April 28, 2012 Dr. Jeff Meldrum and Dr. Bryan Sykes had lunch to discuss among other things the possibility of the hybridization of sasquatch. Sykes, who is very familiar with the mixing of ancestral genes in humans, was curious about the possible hybridization of Sasquatch. During the lunch Dr. Meldrum advised Dr Sykes, "It was extremely unlikely that such hybridization had occurred," Meldrum continued, "and the evidence was non-existent at this point, but the question was out there and was worthy of examination."

As you may have read from our previous post Dr Jeff Meldrum Participates in Parallel Sasquatch DNA Study, Dr. Jeff Meldrum is working with Bryan Sykes on a parallel Sasquatch DNA research. Meldrum has already offered some hair sample to Sykes. Dr. Bryan Sykes is emeritus professor of human genetics at Oxford University. His company, Oxford Ancestors, traces human genetic backgrounds. Sykes's books include the New York Times best-selling The Seven Daughters of Eve.

Watch the video below from Thom Cantrall's Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (Sasquatch) held in Richland, WA. In the video Meldrum discusses his lunch with Dr. Bryan Sykes and a little about each of his co-hosts from the History Channel's documentary "Bigfoot: The Definitive Guide"

Richland WA Bigfoot Conference: Thom Cantrall Highlights Pt 3 of 3

Conclusions on the Patterson Gimlin Film:

Thom Cantrall: Organizer of Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (Sasquatch),
the 2012 Bigfoot conference in Richland WA.

"...qualified experts in their respective fields yields extremely strong evidence of the veracity of the hypothesis that this is, indeed, a real Sasquatch" -- Thom Cantrall

Thom Cantrall continues his presentation by citing several independent conclusions that Patty, the Sasquatch in the Patterson/Gimlin film is real. If you dig a little deeper most of the comments by these individuals are more along the lines: the Patterson/Gimlin film would be extremely difficult to hoax, especially for the time period. Is this distinction necessary? It is debatable, but we believe it is more accurate. Here are quotes from the two of the several individuals he cites.

"After analyzing the biomechanical issues, I find very hard to believe somebody in 1967 could have fabricated the intricacies as evidenced by the soft tissue irregularities seen on the upper leg.  The science at that time was just far too primitive.” -- Dr. Andrew Nelson

“If this is a suit, it is the finest ever devised for it was beyond our capability in the 1960s.  Every hair would have had to have been individually attached to the model for this to do what it does in that film.” -- John Chambers (Planet of the Apes)

Below are four "facts" presented by Thom in his video. These are very good arguments supporting the level of difficulty of fabricating Patty. You can read a extended version of Thom's arguments at Ghost of Ruby Ridge website.

                      1.  Analysis of the herniated quadriceps muscle by Dr. Andrew Nelson and John Chambers leads them to conclude that “the creature in the film is NOT a fake or a hoax.”

                     2.  Analysis of the size and compliant gait of the being in the film by Professor Jeff Meldrum, Dr. Scott Lind, Bill Munns, Dr. Reuben Steinderf and Joe Russo leads them to conclude that the being in the film is of a height between 7’4″ and 8′ tall and that it walks with a gait that cannot be duplicated by even an athletic human.

                     3.  Analysis of the Costume by Peter Brooke, Bill Munns and John Chambers, all very well known in the costuming world and all are award winners, concluded that the materials needed to produce an effective costume of the type that would be necessary for that film were not available in the 1960s and even if they had been, no human could have physically been able to fill it and perform in it.

                     4.  Applying Dr. Jeff Meldrum’s Intermembral Index analysis to the figure in the film reveals an IM of 84, not the 72 IM found in humans for the 108 IM found in Chimpanzees.  84 is the IM of Sasquatch.

                     5.  It is VERY IMPORTANT to note here that if only ONE of the FOUR facts attested to here is true, the the figure in the film cannot be a man in a suit.  That all four are attested to by qualified experts in their respective fields yields extremely strong evidence of the veracity of the hypothesis that this is, indeed, a real Sasquatch.

Richland WA Bigfoot Conference: Thom Cantrall Highlights Pt 2 of 3

The Intermembral Index

In part 2 of Thom's presentation he discusses the Intermembral Index (click pic to enlarge)

"I would have to add four inches to my arm to match the intermembral index as Patty" --Thom Cantrall

Thom continues to sing to the choir at his incredibly long-named conference, Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (PNCPP). In the middle portion of his presentation he suggests that Patty, the Sasquatch in the Patterson/Gimlin film, is outside the proportions of the average human using the intermembral index.

We will do you a favor, by explaining what the intermembral index means before we give you the definition. The intermembral index is simply a number that tells your whether your arms are longer than your legs (or vice versa). An index score of 100 means your legs and arms are exactly the same length. Less than 100 means you have proportionately longer legs, over 100 you have proportionately longer arms. Humans average around the low 70s. (longer legs); a chimpanzee around 108 (longer arms). 

The intermembral index also suggests the type of locomotion a primate uses. Again, using 100 as the base, less than 100 is common for bipedal hominids, scores above 100 or for brachiating primates (primates that swing in trees). Patty from the Patterson/Gimlin film is suggested to have a intermembral index of 84. Proportionately longer arms than an average human.

WIKIPEDIA DEFINITION:

The intermembral index is a ratio used to compare limb proportions, expressed as a percentage. It is equal to the length of forelimbs (humerus plus radius) divided by the length of the hind limbs (femur plus tibia) multiplied by 100, otherwise written mathematically as:

A great article written by Bobbi Short's at BigfootEncounters.com, has a somewhat critical view of using the IM index. Although that article mostly argues that Patty's hands don't go past her knees. 

Graphic Art by Aaron Swepston (Click to enlarge)

We think it could still be argued that Patty's arms are proportionately longer than a human as Thom Cantrall explains in his video below.

Richland WA Bigfoot Conference: Thom Cantrall Highlights Pt 1 of 3

Thom Cantrall: Organizer of Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (Sasquatch),
the 2012 Bigfoot conference in Richland WA.

"I don't care if science ever knows these things [Sasquatch] exist!" -- Thom Cantrall during the the 2012 Richland, WA Bigfoot Conference.


During his presentation at Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (PNWPP), Thom sings to the choir. His quote above got the loudest and longest set of applause.

We have three video highlights for you from Thom's presentation. The first highlight contains his philosophy towards understanding Bigfoot. He wants them protected but not at the expense of industry. Using the spotted owl controversy as an example, he mentions how entire towns were devastated when the spotted owl became a protected species and forced timber companies to leave at least 40% of the old-growth forests intact within a 1.3 mile radius of any spotted owl nest or activity site.

As if sharing a fictional conversation in his head, he shares a debate about the intelligence of Sasquatch aloud. This is paraphrasing, but the debate goes something like this.

"How intelligent are Bigfoot?"

"As intelligent as you or I, as any human."

"Then how come they don't live in houses and drive cars?"

"There are many native humans today that are intelligent that don't live in houses and drive cars. Take for example populations in the Amazon or Africa."

Watch the first video Thom Cantrall's presentation. Two more will be posted. The next post will be about the intermembral index and the last one will contain a collection of the opinions of costume experts regarding the Patterson/Gimlin Film.

Richland WA Bigfoot Conference: Arla Williams PT 2: Birthing Stations

Arla Williams pointing to a  Sasquatch birthing area
decorated by a medicine wheel.

In our previous post Arla Williams talked about direction stones and medicine wheels. The placement of the the stones (presumably by Sasquatch) informed Arla that there is the possibility of a richer culture to Sasquatch. Perhaps the Native American stories were more literal when refering to the Sasquatch as people, and maybe they were performing some of the same traditions Native American practiced in the wild.

Arla Williams has had life long interactions and knowledge of what many call Bigfoot. She had her first encounter as a child of 6 with a young juvenile. She always knew they were there and accepted the fact that they were a people. After talking about Medicine Wheels she discusses the possibilities of Sasquatch Birthing Stations.

In the video below Arla how she interprets the structures she has become familiar with.

Richland WA Bigfoot Conference: Arla Williams : Directions Stones and Medicine Wheels

Arla Williams on Direction Stones. In the photo the rock at the 3 'o clock
position is the North Stone

In her presentation, Arla explains how direction stones are laid out in an initial composition and when she returns they are often rearranged. One of the most significant rearangements was when the  north stone, or ancestor stone, was placed in the center. She interpreted this as an insight on how she could understand the nature of Sasquatch better.

Wikipedia medicine wheel excerpt:

Medicine wheels, or sacred hoops, were constructed by laying stones in a particular pattern on the ground. Most medicine wheels follow the basic pattern of having a center of stone(s), and surrounding that is an outer ring of stones with "spokes", or lines of rocks radiating from the center. Some ancient types of sacred architecture were built by laying stones on the surface of the ground in particular patterns common to aboriginal people.

Her Native American ancestors referred to Sasquatch as people with culture. With this thought, she was inclined to look for evidence that supported a culture, knowledge and awareness of the Sasquatch people. In this first video she explains the inspiration she recieved from the four direction layout of the rocks. The next post will be about Sasquatch birthing stations. And finally the Sasquatch calendar.

Enjoy this first video and stay tuned for the next two videos.

Melba is a no show, then Literally Phones it in

Cover Photo for Melba's Public Facebook Page

After initially scheduled for the Richland WA Bigfoot conference, Dr Melba Ketchum has ended up being a no-show. As of Yesterday there was still the possibility she was going to Skype in.

As of 20 minutes ago and confirming with event organizer, Thom Cantrell, Dr Ketchum will be phoning it in. She has emailed her Power Point presentation to Thom and unfortunately will do the sideshow remotely over the phone.

Since there will be no pictures and video we will update you with Ketchum's "presentation" as soon as it is completed this afternoon

UPDATE: The presentation is over. She did not cover very much of the Sasquatch DNA project she is working on, but mostly gave a DNA 101 type of presentation.

She started with her credentials, mentioning she is a veterinarian that became allergic to animals and had to find a way to continue animal studies without the up-close interaction. This lead to her path towards DNA.

The PowerPoint presentation was one she had been previously presented to showcase ways to amplify DNA. We will have more presentation details after we wathc the rest of the presentations.  

Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (Sasquatch) Kicks Off

Arla Williams doing a Native American prayer to start the
 Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People

The Pacific Northwest Conference on Primal People (Sasquatch) kicks off to a great start with a beautiful invocation by Arla Williams. We will share here presentation here as well, but we wanted to start our conference coverage with a test. We will not cover all the speakers, but we will try and provide video when we can and an overview of what was presented. As we mentioned we will get to Arla's official presentation in the next post ans go into greater detail regarding her biography. what follows is a quick introduction.

Arla has had life long interactions and knowledge of what many call Bigfoot. She had her first encounter as a child of 6 with a young juvenile. She always knew they were there and accepted the fact that they were a people.