SCARY MONSTERS (AND SUPER CREEPS) - a Blog Post by spunkycumfun

29519 posts
4/21/2015 12:44 pm

SCARY MONSTERS (AND SUPER CREEPS)

As reminded by Google, today is the 81st anniversary of the most famous photograph of the Loch Ness monster, an alleged monster living in a lake in the Scottish Highlands.

Taken in 1934, the photograph, shown above, is commonly known as The Surgeon’s Photograph as it was taken by Robert Kenneth Wilson, a surgeon.

As recently as 2014, further evidence of the Loch Ness monster was put forward after a satellite image of a 50 foot-long creature swimming in Loch Ness was taken by Apple Maps - see below.

There are many explanations for the Loch Ness monster, including 'monsters' (or at least unknown animals often believed to be a plesiosaur), known animals mistakenly believed to be a monster (eg eels, seals, otters), inanimate objects mistakenly believed to be animate objects (eg trees, branches, posts), water disturbances (eg seiches, wakes, waves) and hoaxes.

In this post I want to reveal the truth about Nessie, the Loch Ness monster.

The legend of the Loch Ness monster dates back at least to the sixth century, when an Irish monk called Saint Columba allegedly saw local people burying a man who had been attacked by a “water beast”.

Until the 1930s, the evidence was anecdotal relying on testimony of people claiming to have seen the Loch Ness monster.

Since the 1930s, the evidence was photographs of the Loch Ness monster. But these photographs were never conclusive or were revealed to be hoaxes. Robert Kenneth Wilson’s photograph was made with a toy bought from Woolworth's. Don’t you miss Woolworth's!

The 1950s onwards, with advances in technology, saw many projects undertaken to find Nessie, including projects commissioned by Discovery Communications (the company behind the Discovery Channel) and the BBC.

These projects used sonar scanning and submersible scanning of the loch but they all found nothing conclusive.

The BBC project was particularly interesting. After dismissing the idea that a 'dinosaur' could survive underwater after the Ice Age and after getting no proof from a massive sonar scan of the loch, argued that the King Kong film was mainly responsible for the alleged sightings of the Loch Ness monster - see the image below comparing the Loch Ness monster with a classic King Kong moment.

The BBC’s most telling experiment was when the reporters tied a fencing post left floating in the loch with wire to its banks. When American tourists passed by, the reporters yanked the wire so the post bobbed up and down. All, not most, of the tourists claimed they saw the Loch Ness monster. They were asked to draw the monster and all, not most, drew a monster with a bendy neck. None drew the monster with a straight neck like a fencing post!

Here is the truth about the Loch Ness monster in six steps:
1. Most sightings of the Loch Ness monster took place in the 1930s.
2. The King Kong film, Hollywood’s first blockbuster, was released in 1933.
3. Sightings often portrayed the Loch Ness monster in a very similar way as a monster shown in the King Kong film (see below).
4. Our eyes are our worst sense, even though we trust our eyes the most - our brain fills in most of the image we claim to see.
5. Seeing is believing; hey presto, we have the Loch Ness monster!
6. The Loch Ness monster is at best an optical illusion, proof that the power of suggestion is a potent psychological influence.

Do you believe in the Loch Ness monster?
What myths and folklore exist where you live?

I love myths and folklore. Since blogging on this site, I now believe in Santa Claus; don’t tell anyone but we all know lok4fun500 is Santa Claus.

In Nottingham, there is the myth of Robin Hood; he clearly existed (a bit like Jesus Christ) but whether he did what is claimed is another matter. By the way, there have been more films made about Robin Hood than Jesus Christ!

Also in Nottingham, there is the myth that Nottingham women are beautiful. This myth came about at the time of Nottingham’s lace industry when female lace workers would take home left-over lace for them to wear to make themselves look more beautiful than most other poor women.

bowdrie5 73M

377 posts
4/21/2015 1:23 pm

I suppose next you'll be telling me there is no Easter Bunny or Santa.

lindoboy100 61M

23969 posts
4/21/2015 1:42 pm

1.We, as a jock, of course I have to believe the legend, it'spartof our heritage.
2. See above...........

As a tech person, I donot think the evidence exists. As a romantic pperson, I want to believe it sooooooo much!

Gntillhom 68M

5906 posts
4/21/2015 2:13 pm

In the french Alps exists the dahu, a creature which, has two legs shorter than the other on the right side.
This evolution autorize the animal to run around on the slopes of the mountains.
To hunt it , during the night, the goal is to make the dahu turn around, roll down to a man who waits with a bag.
Normally, this citizen comes from the city and the other people on top are roaring down the grass with laughter.

What about loch Ness ? I went there a long time ago. Didn't see anything special.

JE SUIS
CHARLIE

[post 3567855]

My standard members mailbox xoxox Ma messagerie pour standards

sexysixties2 106F

39750 posts
4/21/2015 2:14 pm

I'd love to believe that Nessie exists....who knows.

There are lots of myths and legends in Ireland....far too many to recall here but a lot of them concern the "little people" or leprechauns and faeries. Good stories they are too.

"Age does not protect you from love, but love, to some extent, protects you from age."

~~Anais Nin~~

pal334 69M

45821 posts
4/21/2015 4:00 pm

Do you believe in the Loch Ness monster? If I can not touch it, I don't believe it/B]

What myths and folklore exist where you live? As kathynj said , we have the Jersey Devil
Please cum visit my blog,,,,,,,,,,,,pal334

lok4fun500 M

51906 posts
4/21/2015 9:22 pm

I believe in Nessie! Like "kinky's" photo....Ogopogo is a similar creature to Nessie.

kzoopair 73M/71F

25831 posts
4/21/2015 10:28 pm

Do you believe in the Loch Ness monster?
Do I believe in it...yes. Do I think it actually exists objectively outside the minds of the faithful...no.

What myths and folklore exist where you live?
There was a Sister Lakes Monster hoorah near Dowagiac, Michigan when I was a kid. I think I might nave picked him up hitchhiking once, years later. He smelled bad. The stories claimed he was nine feet tall and weighed five hundred pounds!

I didn't even think of measuring him or weighing him. I just wanted to get him out of my truck.

Become a member now and get a free tote bag.

salard2 75M/70F

56 posts
4/21/2015 10:29 pm

Gntillhom

Here in Scotland the creature is known as The Haggis.

Gntillhom 68M

5906 posts
4/22/2015 1:58 am

salard2

There is a similaity in the way to hunt wild haggis and dahu, yet they're very different, as the first is a three legged bird
(it lays the scotch egg !) while dahu is supposed to be a goatee, though the thing remains uncertain.
The mystery about it comes from the fact that there are a lot less american tourists in the Alps than in the Highlands,
well-known for the haunted castles and ... eeeerr, yes, a monster ... A third has seen a Haggis, more than 20% caught one !
Just as S. said about King Kong and Nessie beeing linked, America rules

JE SUIS
CHARLIE

[post 3567855]

My standard members mailbox xoxox Ma messagerie pour standards

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