Looks like there's a new chupacabra movie coming out, from Jonás Cuarón, son of Alfonso. "The film tells the story of a teenager who visits his family in Mexico and discovers a Chupacabra hiding in his grandfather's shed. Saving the strange creature will be the goal...
Media Literacy
Labyrinths and New Age Feminism
Across America—and indeed across the world—curious designs are appearing on the landscape. The patterns have spread from back yards to churches, public parks, and even medical centers. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of people have created and used the...
‘Covid Parties’ Rumor Resurfaces
For those who didn't see my previous posts on so-called "cover parties," here's an overview: Recent rumors and news reports have circulated claiming that COVID-19 is being spread intentionally in clandestine “covid parties.” In mid-March, Kentucky...
The Blue Whale Game Resurfaces–Again!
A folklore colleague sent me a news story about the sinister-yet-fictional Blue Whale Game rumor, which is once again circulating after I and others debunked it back in 2017... I'm not going to link to it, to avoid rewarding poor journalism with clicks, but the...
Squaring the Strange # 126: Strangeness Set in Stone
With statues being front and center in the news earlier this month, we decided to take a few tours of the stranger side of statues. From graveyard statues that take strolls when you're not looking to spooky statues that allegedly can't be photographed. Myths involving...
Squaring the Strange: Rumor Roundup!
New, bonus episode of Squaring the Strange is now out! We present to you a rumor roundup, talking about all sorts of weird--and sometimes harmful--nonsense that's swirling around social media these days. A veritable cornucopia of rumor and myth, ranging from Wayfair...
Squaring the Strange # 124: Antifa As an Emerging Panic
In a recent episode of Squaring the Strange, we take a look at Antifa this week, or rather--we take a look at HOW people are LOOKING at Antifa. Are we witnessing the birth of a modern social panic? How is Antifa used for political and social purposes? What are the...
‘This Is America’ And The Ambiguity Of Memes
Misleading memes are a dime a dozen, to use a phrase originating in the 1800s (though today they’re not only free but available by the tens of thousands). People who spend time on social media interact with them constantly, usually in the context of reading,...
Texas Hospital Finds ‘Covid Party’ – Or Legend
As if on cue! Following my recent CFI article “The Truth About Covid Parties” and Squaring the Strange podcast episode on ‘covid parties,’ titled “Tonight We’re Gonna Party Like It’s Covid 1999” there’s a news article suggesting they’ve been confirmed!...
The Truth About ‘Covid Parties’
Recent rumors and news reports have circulated claiming that COVID-19 is being spread intentionally in clandestine “covid parties.” In mid-March, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear made national headlines when he stated that part of the rise in coronavirus infections in...