David Paulides, Dr. Ketchum, the Missing, and… Bigfoot?
Posted by: Regan Lee on March 20th, 2013
UPDATE: I want to make it clear that my speculations on possible Bigfoot type creatures present in some of the disappearances, as told by some witnesses, are MY ideas, not Mr. Paulides. Furthermore, my responses to his work are based on his Coast to Coast interview as related below, not to his books since I have no yet read his books. Hopefully this clears up any confusion.
Guest post by Regan Lee from our sister site UFOmystic:
After listening to another intriguing and spooky interview with David Paulides (Coast to Coast, George Knapp host) last night, I found myself rethinking not only Dr. Ketchum’s work, but what Bigfoot might be, as well. (Concerning Bigfoot, revisiting the paranormal theory as the most likely.)
For awhile I was excited about what Dr. Melba Ketchum would find. So was last night’s C2C host George Knapp, who interviewed Dr. Melba Ketchum some time ago. Lots of games, it seemed, lots of attacks, lots of the to be expected nonsense in the world of Bigfoot. (UFO World doesn’t fare any better in this context.) Then I was disappointed and jaded. Then I just didn’t care.
But if David Paulides’s explanation on the entire Ketchum journey was accurate — no journal would review her findings, etc. — and if the evidence is truly what it says it is, then there’s still hope. And bafflement, for it seems everyone just walked away from this. Of course, I haven’t read the report, and Paulides pointed out that many who criticized Ketchum and the findings haven’t actually read the thing. I can’t comment much more than these idle musings of mine because I am not a scientist, and I haven’t read the report; just the reports of reports on the report. It is also too bad Ketchum seems to have behaved badly at times. Maybe this was due to simply being overwhelmed by her lone seeker status out there in Bigfoot Land. Lots of naivety, at best, and silly sloppy missteps seemed to have happened, adding to a carnival-like, here we go again feeling in Bigfoot Land. But all that can be ignored if the evidence is what it’s supposed to be: Bigfoot is not a giant ape, but something completely different. That’s huge of course and huger still: Bigfoot is both its own mysterious self, as well as part of us. Yet after a few people acknowledged this finding, people went missing. Some were offended, some laughed, but we haven’t seen any paradigm shifting news stories break on CNN.
Meanwhile, David Paulides continues his research into the strange stories of missing humans in parks and forests. Many of these missing are children. He alludes to the possibility; Bigfoot, or a Bigfoot like creature, as being responsible for these disappearances. The few children who have been found alive after going missing for a few days have strange tales to tell of “ape men” and other high strangeness. In last night’s interview on C2C, Paulides referred to Native Americans and their tales of Bigfoot — as being human — and their on-going relationships with this being. Yet, with some exceptions, most, including BF researchers, ignore this fact.
What’s strange about the missing humans is that they disappear abruptly, often in daylight, often while in the near proximity of others. While logic says these missing people would be found downhill, or near water, they are often found (if found at all) quite a distance away and uphill, over extremely rough terrain difficult to cover. Very weird for adults, and much stranger still in the case of little children. Stories of “ape men,” and other inexpiable events add to this mystery. Adding fuel to conspiratorial speculation (which doesn’t mean it’s invalid) is the presence of military in some of these cases, who act covertly and separate from park authorities and local law enforcement agencies while ostensibly searching for the missing.
There’s enough strangeness, and enough references to a Bigfoot creature, in Paulides missing persons work, to consider that Bigfoot is more than “just” a big ape, or strictly a flesh and blood creature. It’s possible this BF being is a variation of Bigfoot, another type, related or something else altogether; something that looks like an “ape man” but clearly has abilities transcending ours at the moment.
IF Bigfoot is responsible for these disappearances, that’s cause for a shift in beliefs about we think Bigfoot is. Many of these stories contain really weird “high strangeness” elements that have always annoyed many a Bigfoot researcher. UFOs? Aliens? Underground beings — reptilians? Of the latter, Paulides said he’s received a few detailed emails about that subject, but he is unfamiliar with that realm and doesn’t want to go there. He referenced John Mack and his work concerning abductions — will we hear of a Bigfoot/UFO theory from Paulides in the future?
Blog author of The Orange Orb, Trickster's Realm on Binnall of America website, coming up: column in UFO Magazine, e-book on Bigfoot and UFOs. You can also read some of my thoughts on American Chronicle.
I've a life long experience with the weird. Growing up in L.A. only had a little bit to do with that.
Similarities between this and many fairy folklore tales are hard to ignore,but it’s a controversial subject for obvious reasons…both titles look most interesting non the less.
The one thing that bothers me the most about the Missing People is that, whatever is doing this has a 100% success rate. 100% accuracy. Since there are no stories about “near misses” or “escaping”. This is almost impossible. Even the most deadly predators on the planet have prey get away. 2 Lions hunting only have a 29% success rate. It just seems almost impossible.
When will investigators stop deciding what a phenomenon is then find evidence to support it?
When looking at all available evidence, it should become apparent that the bigfoot phenomenon is more then old misplaced apes running around all over the world.
Look at the big picture, here. Consider all the evidence.
The world is indeed stranger then we CAN imagine.
This is worthwhile for first responders to study to maybe modify or at least improve rescue operations.
I also found that interview interesting and spooky. A couple years ago, my then 3 year old daughter stepped outside the front door to open her umbrella in the rain and disappeared out of nowhere and I was nuts. I eventually found her in the landlord’s house which was attached to our apartment, he was deaf and couldn’t hear me calling, she finally tapped on a window from inside. There is no scarier feeling and absolutely no way to describe that feeling of your small child possibly being gone. I can’t imagine those parents who just never see or hear anything ever again. Very scary. I also found that some of the abducted children who were found alive said about the “ape men coming for them” very interesting.
Moraman:
AGREED. Without the mystery, I might be history.