Yesterday Dr. Jeff Meldrum broke his silence over what may or may not have been a Bigfoot encounter while he was out with the infamous Todd Standing.
The people that follow Standing blindly, “The Standlings,” took this as full vindication of their hero, the “Toddster.”
BUT NOT SO FAST!
This is what Dr. Meldrum stated:
FOR THE RECORD:
The account offered on Todd Standing’s Kickstart (sic) site is accurate in so far as my involvement is concerned. Following the events that occurred last Fall in Alberta, Todd asked me not to discuss my experience extensively until he the chance to finish the production of his documentary. Therefore, I have said very little publicly and openly about it. I will let him share the details with those attending the summit or the airing of his film in Seattle the following Tuesday. I will say that I did witness and interaction, i.e. Sonya talking reassuringly to something large and heavy that was circling our camp under cover of darkness at the end of a burmed (sic) road. It reacted to her approach and eventually broke from the treeline and crossed the gravel road to the opposite treeline. I observed through night vision an upright silhouetted figure, forward-leaning, arm-swinging, moving smoothly. Was it a sasquatch? I am not certain, but under the circumstances and based on the reconstruction conducted the next day, it strikes me as a real possibility that it was.
Dr. Jeff Meldrum 11/19/14
Let’s look very carefully at what Dr. Meldrum stated:
“The account offered on Todd Standing’s Kickstart (sic) site is accurate in so far as my involvement is concerned. Following the events that occurred last Fall in Alberta…”
The statement clearly does not vindicate Standing or prop belief in Standing’s pictures of “Blinky,” and “Puppetface” shown here:
http://squatchdetective.weebly.com/sylvanic–todd-standing.html
Or
https://squatchdetective.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/analysis-in-todd-standings-blinking-bigfoot/
Or
https://squatchdetective.wordpress.com/2014/04/27/source-of-the-analyzed-capture-is/
Or
https://squatchdetective.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/proof-in-from-standings-first-face-hoax/
People whom say there is “no proof” of Standing being a hoaxer are living in denial as show by the above.
Here’s a quote that rings awfully familiar…
(He) is a very accomplished nature photographer, skilled woodsman, and animal tracker. By … studying Sasquatch habit patterns. (He) would appear to have learned how-to be at the right spot at the right time, camera at the ready…
But precisely because year after year, he comes forth with such pictures, they are scorned by some or the other well known Bigfoot enthusiasts…
…(his) footage sometimes does not conform to the expected image and the specimens in his photos vary in color, size, volume, body fat and length or hair.
Wow sounds like Dr. Meldrum may be talking about Todd Standing, but it isn’t. It’s anthropologist and Pulitzer nominated Dr. Warren L. Cook, talking about investigating Ivan Marx’s claims in the early eighties.
Isn’t it strange how hoaxers fall into the same genres. This could also have been applicable to Dyer as well.
And yes this fits perfectly into “Guy’s Edwards stages of a hoax.”
- Number 1: The Announcement
- Number 2: Defensiveness or Attack of Critics
- Number 3: Postponement of Evidence
- Number 4: Postponement of Evidence Again
- Number 5: Claim, you are a Victim of a Hoax
Of course I reiterate, being a professional investigator, there is one initial step missing and that is “the mark.” Every hoax has a mark, be it narrow or broadly scoped. The mark, will lead to generally the motive behind such.
As we have seen, Standing has been at this sort for eight years trying to obtain legitimacy. Which exactly is what folks like Biscardi, Dyer, and Newton-Perry have been trying to do after being caught red handed in hoaxes.
“Blinky” was the real first time Standing was caught “red-handed” but unfortunately the wheels were in motion for other things prior to it becoming mainstream and to my attention.
Let’s dispel another notion…
So people in the community ask, “Could it be possible that Todd Standing hoaxed Dr. Meldrum.”
Well coming from the field, I would say that is possible but most likely improbable.
It’s generally a move that can present complete ruin for a hoaxer, and things could go south very quickly. I think it very unlikely.
And the location they went to, I am sure, could have the possibilities of having Sasquatch activity. I mean how many trysts did we see Biscardi take in a town park? None…you have at least got to go where the creatures may habituate.
So there is always the chance of having an experience. But Meldrum himself states he was not 100% positive:
I observed through night vision an upright silhouetted figure, forward-leaning, arm-swinging, moving smoothly. Was it a sasquatch? I am not certain, but under the circumstances and based on the reconstruction conducted the next day, it strikes me as a real possibility that it was.
What rings as a flag here is, the creature was observed in silhouette form via night-vision. That could open up the possibility a bit more, however, again I feel especially not being there, I cannot say, nor lay judgment. I take Dr. Meldrum’s word for it. I still say it is improbable.
Kickstart my Heart…
Let’s look at Standing’s Kickstarter page, (I will not provide the link here due to it asking for donations to a cause in which I do not believe).
Here are his claims:
- Five never before seen Bigfoot videos including the life and death struggle that was necessary to acquire them.
- Two PhD’s ( Professor Jeff Meldrum PhD of Idaho State University and wildlife Biologist PhD John Bindernagel) experiencing live interactions with Sasquatch. As well as an eye witness accounting.
- An altercation between Todd Standing and
- Sasquatch that ends in brutality.
- The first step towards final proof of the species with DNA evidence.
Again, Dr. Meldrum states very clearly that the statements made on the Kickstarter page were, “accurate in so far as my involvement is concerned.”
The whole scenario is becoming “Dyer-esque” as Standing on the 25th of November after the “Sasquatch Summit,” a conference being held in Washington the weekend prior, Standing will be putting on a movie presentation followed by yet another attempt to petition the government for species recognition.
Thing is will Standing collect ANY money from Kickstarter? The answer is no.
And I believe he knows that.
As of November 20th, 2014
See 900,000 CAD (Canadian dollars) is a pretty hard amount to raise, even by the end of January. To date he has raised only $420 from 18 backers equaling to an average donation of $23 and change each. That’s a long way to 900K CAD.
But he is playing a smart business man laying it all down prior to the conference and US showing of his film, just in case.
Thing is with Kickstarter.com that if you do not make your target amount you get zip, nada, nothing. I think Todd knows this and perhaps used the Kickstart campaign to gather a buzz rather that dinero!
Or maybe he is bat-shit crazy and is banking on someone coming forward with big investment dollars. Who knows?
On being a “hater”
Let me make something very clear. I do not hate Todd Standing, nor even dislike him.
He actually over the years has said some pretty intelligent things. (Comparing the actual amount of Gigantopithicus fossils found to reason the lack of Sasquatch fossil record was brilliant and one I agree to).
This sets him apart from the ilk of Biscardi or Dyer. Is he in it for the money?
I don’t think so.
I truly think that Standing’s motives are to get enough attention to pass a protection bill for the creatures. Otherwise the Kickstarter campaign would have been for a more realistic amount.
Unfortunately, I think Standing over the years has used some very unconventional and not so honest ways at “producing” evidence, that on a visceral level, we like the guy. On a “no nonsense” level we have seizures.
Because he truly cares and is compassionate about the topic he has gained at least some trust and belief from the Bigfoot community academia. As we saw the same of that in years earlier in Ivan Marx gaining some trust of the earlier echelons of the community.
I like Todd but I also believe in the phrase “Caveat Emptor.”
Examiner Article: From the case files, Whitehall, 2006
Did a Sasquatch pull this tree down?
Beginning in the summer of 2006, a short series of sighting reports witnessed by twelve people in four separate encounters, surrounded the village of Whitehall, NY. not quite to the extent of the series of sightings in the same municipality back between 1974-1976 and again in the early 80’s…
Next blog…
More on Squatchdetective Radio and DNA studies, horse hair braiding and other interesting tidbits.
Till Next Time,
Squatch-D
Squatchdetective's Blog 
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