BIGFOOT'S BLOG
Early-Mid June 2012 Edition
HELP SAVE THE BIGFOOT DISCOVERY MUSEUM!
If a little over four grand isn't raised by June 29th of this year the world-famous and much beloved BIGFOOT DISCOVERY MUSEUM may be closed and sold off on auction. Michael Rugg, the museum proprietor is a very dedicated guy who has put not only his heart and soul into this project, but also his life savings, car and home. He has never charged a dime for admission to one of the best Bigfoot-related collections around, nor for the knowledge he freely dispenses. YOU CAN HELP by donating, buying something, or visiting the place. But do it now, before it is too late. If you ever thought of visiting there, donate something and think of it as an investment in the future.
One truly great feature on the web site, http://bigfootdiscoveryproject.com/, is the three years' worth of the Discovery Project Newsletter. It is much like Daniel Perez' BIGFOOT TIMES in form, and is well worth downloading in PDF and reading... again, for free. They are full of Bigfooting gems. On YouTube you may find over 200 really great and informative editorial and commentary videos that feature Mike Rugg talking about the latest Bigfooting issues of the day. Check it out at... http://www.youtube.com/user/BigfootMuseum
There is not too much to buy in there right now, but the Museum does have an ONLINE STORE. Click the link. One thing we can highly recommend for kids and adults is Michael Rugg's BIGFOOT DISCOVERY COLORING AND ACTIVITY BOOK, available in the store. It's not only fun, but also educational. They have a great selection in their BIGFOOT T-SHIRT SHOP via CafePress. This is one of the easiest ways to help, sure to be popular with your entire Squatching familia. The shop also features mugs, posters, calendars, stationery, a wall clock, a teddy bear, fridge magnets, mouse pads and a journal book. The prices are a little high, but you can consider it a charitous purchase.
One good way to help out is to become a member. You can sign up HERE for that.
 |
| One of the shirts available through the online T-Shirt Store, this one featuring a very cool image Mike Rugg drew of Patty Bigfoot, with Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin. |
Here is an article on the matter which appeared recently in the Museum's local paper, The Santa Cruz Sentinel. Click the title to read the whole thing online.
Bigfoot Museum Founder, Behind on Taxes, Hopes Attendance Will Rise; County Sets June 29 Deadline
By JONDI GUMZ - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Posted: 06/09/2012 01:03:18 PM PDT
FELTON - Michael Rugg, owner of the Bigfoot Discovery Museum at 5497 Highway 9, was surprised to learn the county had set a deadline of June 29 for him to pay back taxes of $4,368 or see the property sold at auction.
He thought he had more time.
After seven years of operation and gaining local and international recognition, the museum sees 30 to 60 people a day in the summer.
Rugg says only now is he seeing revenue, and he had hoped a contact from a Hollywood producer could turn his Felton Bigfoot story into a reality television show. Meanwhile, a balloon payment on a loan he took out before the economy crashed will come due next year.
"Maybe people will rally and help us," Rugg said, noting the museum is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day but Tuesday.
View online at...
 |
| An Image of Mike at his Desk, from one of his online videos. |
Here is a brief "Public Service Announcement" that I helped make (by being the guest on their show) on the EXTINCT Podcast with Ro Sahebi recently. Click the link below the image to view, or use the player box below if it will work in your browser.
Here is another thing, from the Museum's web site...
Seriously Seeking Sponsors
The Bigfoot Discovery Project is seeking help from a person or persons of means. We need additional funding to keep the Discovery Project operating at full speed.
Click here if interested but you need more convincing.
For more details...
call Michael Rugg at 831-335-4478
or email mike@bigfootdiscoveryproject.com»
So, do what you can. Even just a visit to the spot and a few bucks in the pot will help. And you'll get more than you give if you get into a conversation with Mr. Rugg.
Here is a previous blog this site did on Michael Rugg:
http://bigfootbooksblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/anatomy-of-bigfoot-hoax-biscardi-tells.html
And HERE is a MAP of the Santa Cruz, CA area, which will help you get there...
 |
| The Road to Felton, CLICK TO ENLARGE SIGNIFICANTLY. |
*******
THE "EXTINCT?" PODCAST
Yesterday Yours Truly was the guest on the TeamTazer-associated EXTINCT? Podcast. It was a great conversation, an hour and about forty minutes of which was captured on the air. About an hour of the best stuff was off-air before and after the show. Anyway, now I am blacklisted for sure. Ms. Hovey has said that anyone associating with TeamTazer would be put on the shun list. Oh no! I will never Squatch in Salt Fork Community Park again!
Yesterday Yours Truly was the guest on the TeamTazer-associated EXTINCT? Podcast. It was a great conversation, an hour and about forty minutes of which was captured on the air. About an hour of the best stuff was off-air before and after the show. Anyway, now I am blacklisted for sure. Ms. Hovey has said that anyone associating with TeamTazer would be put on the shun list. Oh no! I will never Squatch in Salt Fork Community Park again!
Listen to or watch the archived podcast here on BLIP, http://blip.tv/thebigfootreport/the-extinct-podcast-013-6196511, or get it via iTunes.
The Extinct? Podcast, Episode #13. About this episode
Steven Streufert joins us for a straight up Bigfoot conversation. Along with Damian Bravo, Shawn Evidence, Michael Merchant and Ro Sahebi.
 |
| And... a Good Time Was Had by All. |
*******
Are you an investor or interested in Bigfoot patronage? Here is the text of the proposal and business plan that Mike Rugg had a while back for the BIGFOOT DISCOVERY MUSEUM. I'm sure much of this still applies. Also, news is that Mike, his research, and the Museum will be featured in an upcoming television series that may even be all their own.
Read below, or VIEW THE PDF ONLINE.
Audio recorders
Bigfoot Discovery Project (BDP)
CapriTaurus
Bigfoot Discovery Museum
5497 Highway 9
Felton, CA 95018
831-335-4478
by Michael C. Rugg
Introduction
Michael Rugg and Paula Yarr started the project in 2003. The business plan called for the development of the BDP website and Bigfoot Discovery Museum, a roadside attraction designed to educate and entertain the public, and to generate revenue from sales of souvenir items, a bigfoot-oriented product line, and consigned local art and crafts. The goal was to create a fulltime research center and library— that would perpetuate itself through a cottage industry and memberships—dedicated to studying, and being instrumental in solving, the bigfoot problem. (Problem: People see “it”… science can’t adequately explain why.)
So far the project has been most successful in terms of the research, because as soon as the museum opened its doors to the public, the local bigfoot encounter stories started rolling in. Although we had planned to do occasional fieldwork, it was not the emphasis, as the principles expected to be tied down working in the museum and developing products and curriculum. But the stories were so compelling that they could not be ignored. As a result of time spent documenting local stories and researching local history, the emphasis of the project shifted towards fieldwork; the product line fell behind schedule, and the revenue stream has fallen short of being self-sustaining. For these reasons, we are currently seeking funding from outside sources.
Our plans for the future include attracting more members and volunteers, implementing the educational product line and developing curriculum, while setting up a local network of field observers and investigators in an attempt to locate or create a primate habituation scenario. The museum creation and the first four years of research have been funded out of pocket. (I personally have spent nearly all my time since 2003 developing the project as a full-time research and education center.)
Over the past 5 years my conviction that this is a worth-while and important pursuit has been proven to me time and time again through conversations with others who have personally experienced bigfoot, as well as other unexplained phenomena. The importance of scientific exploration has been firmly
established in my heart and mind after talking with dozens of young future cryptozoologists, and many intelligent adults who, like myself, are sick and tired of the scientific “establishment” explaining away things they can’t adequately explain, and the arrogant tendency to infer that all the eyewitnesses and experiencers are either fools or liars.
With adequate funding and more help, this project will pay its own way by generating profits from sales and services.
Market Indicators
For the sake of potential investors and/or benefactors here are some indicators of the current wave of bigfoot interest—unparalleled since the 1970’s—that has been building since the turn of the century:
• many overly ballyhooed media stories
• many new books both pro and con being published
• many out of print bigfoot titles being reprinted
• many old low budget films being released on compendium DVDs
• many new television treatments and documentaries (Travel, History, Discovery Channels)
• art exhibits in San Francisco, New York and London etc. featuring sasquatch inspired artwork
• dozens of new web sites devoted to mystery primates
• research organizations starting up all across the world/ dozens of Bigfoot blogs
• the remake of the blockbuster movie King Kong
• many new low budget Bigfoot movies being made (and some with bigger budgets in the works)
• dozens of hoaxed videos appearing on the Internet (including one by Penn & Teller)
• numerous conventions being held across the country (CA, WA, TX, PA, OK, ID)
• several new Bigfoot Museums appear (CA, WA, TX, ME, CO)
• many TV commercials featuring sasquatch
• exhibits at major museums (Vancouver, BC; San Antonio, TX; Pocatello, ID; Berkeley,CA)
• Bigfoot Safaris (people pay to go out in the forest at night looking for bigfoot)
• Bigfoot pay-per-view web casts
• Bigfoot reality TV shows currently in the making
• Google searches very high for Bigfoot, sasquatch and yeti
• High profile mailorder manufacturers creating bigfoot products (Bronner’s; Design Toscana)
• Bigfoot Friday (8/15/08) the most publicized hoax in recent history (#1 international story)
The Bigfoot Discovery museum is in sight of the main entrance to Henry Cowell Redwood State Park which has over 400,000 visitors per year. Next to the park is Roaring Camp, both a narrow guage steam railroad an a full size deisel train to the beach/boardwalk in Santa Cruz. It also has 1000s of visitors a year. Not far away (9 miles as the crow flies) is the Mystery Spot, another international tourist attraction.
Demographics are across the board… all ages and races of people come to the area from all over the world.
We’ve had much unsolicited media coverage representing thousands of dollars worth of free publicity
o TV treatments
o Croatian TV magazine show
o Eye on the Bay (CBS-SF)
o Life in the 831 (KION-Monterey)
o Despierta America (Latin American morning show)
o The Great Outdoors (Australian travel show)
o California Postcard (Sacramento TV Ch10)
o Bo Selecta (comedy program in UK)
o Community TV in Mt View
o Newspapers & magazines
o SF Chronicle
o San Jose Mercury
o LA Times
o Santa Cruz Sentinel
o Budget Travel
o Via magazine
o Valley Press/Scotts Valley Banner
o Radio and internet radio interviews
o KSCO (Santa Cruz), Xzone (Canada), Seattle, Tennessee, Florida,
BIGFOOT DISCOVERY PROJECT SUMMARY MISSION
1. Attract & edutain the public with the facts about mystery primates around the world
2. Generate revenue to cover expenses, pay staff, fund ongoing projects & programs
3. Establish Research Center for Discovery Science & Scientific Exploration
4. Teach children about reverence for wildlife and conservation of wilderness via cryptozoology
5. Seek proof of the existence of Bigfoot via local field research and forensics
ACTIONS NEEDED TO FULFILL MISSION
Upgrade website & add online store
Complete the museum improvements & exhibits
-Bookstore/research room
-Outdoor classroom/ Theatre /Children’s Art project
-Sculpture garden / Tanglewood Bazaar (outdoor booths)
Marketing (advertising & collateral)
Develop product line
Seek sponsors, staff, subscribers, volunteers and more visitors
Develop curriculum
Follow through with local field work, starting with Operation Y.E.T.I.
MOST IMMEDIATE PLANS
Arrange for additional Capital
-seek sponsors, donors, partners, investors
-start Ebay store
Remake & revitalize website
-make current & dynamic
-add online store
Set up the Bigfoot Discovery Weekend eco-tours
Get more members, visitors, volunteers
-membership campaign (direct mail/email)
-rack cards printed & distributed
-listings in local & greater Bay Area newspaper Calendars
Plan more events
Design & produce product line
-prep basic logo art for imprinting souvenirs
-finish first two posters (Monarch & Moment)
-design & produce new tshirts & bumper stickers
-SCruz Mtn Bigfoot Book with trail maps
-Museum Tour DVDJOBS/DUTIES
Creative director/curator/spokesman
Sales clerk/docent
Store manangement (inventory, POP)
Webmeister
Blogger, forum administrator
Librarian
Event planning
Advertising/PR/promotion
Networking
Janitorial & maintenance, grounds-keeper
Product design & production
Exhibit design & production
Research & investigatory fieldwork
Newsletter creation
Newsletter production & distribution
Curriculum development/classes & workshops
EQUIPMENT
Tour bus
Thermal imagers
Video recorders
Audio recorders
GPS devices
Night vision
Microscope
Sound analysis software
Specimen collection supplies
Materials & supplies for product manufacture
So, DO WHAT YOU CAN, even if it is only janitorial work.
I know I'm thinking about buying a Bigfoot Wall Clock for the Bigfoot Books store!
I know I'm thinking about buying a Bigfoot Wall Clock for the Bigfoot Books store!
****************************************************
ANGRY BIGFOOT SPEAKS!
(Channeled by Denali)
ME EXTRA ANGRY TODAY! ANNOYING TWEET-TWEET BIRD COME AND THROW WORMS AT ANGRY BIGFOOT! SOMETIME ME WANT THROW BIGFOOT POO POO AT LITTLE BIRD. THEN BIGFOOT HUNTER JUST HAVE LOOK FOR POO POO COVERED TWEET-TWEET BIRD INSTEAD OF ANGRY BIGFOOT. I TALKING TO YOU BOBO, CLIFF RENAE AND MATT! ME NO LIKEY FINDING BIGFOOT!
****************************************************
This blog is copyright and all that jazz, save for occasional small elements borrowed for "research" and information or satirical purposes only, 2007-2012, Bigfoot Books and Steven Streufert. Borrowings for non-commercial purposes will be tolerated without the revenge of Angry Bigfoot, if notification, credit, citation and a kindly web-link are given, preferably after contacting us and saying, Hello, like a normal person would before taking a cup of salt. No serious rip-offs of our material for vulgar commercial gain will be tolerated without major BF stomping action coming down on you, hu-man.