Saturday, February 28, 2015

From High Strangeness: Jacques Vallee and "UFOsplaining"

George Knapp interviewed Jacque Vallee recently on Coast to Coast. High Strangeness shares some of his favorite quotes from that interview. My favorite quote is the following:

High Strangeness: UFOsplaining: "We have to face the fact that whatever the phenomenon is, it has access to a greater knowledge of reality, a greater knowledge of the universe, than we do." ~ Jacque Vallee
But of course, they are all worthy of pondering upon. Speaking of quotes, another favorite Vallee insight I came across some time ago is his advice that the UFO investigator simply hand the UFO witness a blank sheet of paper and a pencil, and let them have at it. Just write, jot, note, sketch what they saw and felt. Ask the questions later. Take the measurements and samples at another time.




Friday, February 27, 2015

Not Quite Getting It: Reporting UFOs to the FAA

At the train station, awaiting my train, overhear a woman talking about an orange orb sighting years ago. I think the location was Los Angeles but not sure. So I get closer, and openly eavesdrop. The person she was talking to seemed bemused. But I introduced myself to her, told her of my interests. She kept interrupting and went off on a jangled monologue about UFOs, star people, aliens…and how the FAA accepts reports of UFOs. This fact proves that our government is now openly admitting the reality of UFOs she insisted. "Go the their website" she kept saying. "It's all there, you report to them."

I told her that the FAA doesn't exactly take UFO reports, and here she interrupts telling me that's "it's on their website, go look." I explained about Bigelow, who he is, his connection with the FAA, etc. but she wasn't' having it. She is correct that going to the FAA website, you will find info on how to report a UFO.   Which tells visitors to the site to contact the local police " If concern is expressed that life or property might be endangered,,," or, you can report your sighting to "a UFO/ unexplained phenomena reporting data collection center," such as Peter Davenport's National UFO Reporting Center. 

This small interaction with a UFO witness was interesting because it shows how misinformation is right out there doing its job. Yes, technically you go to the FAA website, and there's info on how to report a UFO. Not thinking further, this woman assumed the government is happy and open about UFOs and is helping us, the hoi polloi, with our UFO experiences. The opposite is the reality. The FAA is unconcerned (openly that is) and passes the buck. Call your local police, or, the National UFO Reporting Center. The latter is a start, but there is no contact number on the FAA site. You have to figure that out for yourself. 

Now, back to the FAA. I linked to the FAA page that instructs witnesses to report to Davenport's NUFORC. That page is dated April 3, 2014: "Effective April 3, 2014" in the upper right hand corner of the page. 

There is no mention of Robert Bigelow and his BAAS (Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies)  organization. (Bigelow, billionaire, funded paranormal and UFO studies including the NIDS report on black triangles, and who has been quoted as saying the public doesn't necessarily have the right to know data collected on UFOs. Also in bed with MUFON.)

But according to the Open Minds, the FAA in May of 2013  lists Robert Bigelow as a source to report UFOs:
9-8-1. GENERAL
a. Persons wanting to report UFO/unexplained phenomena activity should contact a UFO/ unexplained phenomena reporting data collection center, such as Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) (voice: 1-877-979-7444 or e-mail: Reporting@baass.org), the National UFO Reporting Center, etc. (FAA)
The above includes phone numbers for both BASS and NUFORC. Handy. But if you click on the link in the Open Minds article, it doesn't show the above, but the more current page from the FAA from April 2014. So within the year, the FAA changed their resources for reporting UFOs. No phone numbers or links, no mention of Bigelow -- just the NUFORC.  

Which makes us ask, why was Bigelow's BAAS taken off the FAA site?

As to pilots reporting UFOs, this is what one FAA official had to say, as reported by Lee Speigel in a 2012 article:

When asked about Federal Aviation Administration policies to deal with UFOs, an FAA official told HuffPost, "Our standard response is that the FAA does not track UFO activity."
"As far as any procedures for reporting, that's probably on an airline-by-airline basis if, in fact, they do have any procedures at all for that," the official added. (Lee Speigel, Huffington Post 2012)

In the Speigel article, former FAA official John Callahan is quoted on his mandated lie to the public job:
Oh, I think we really are," [visited by aliens] he told HuffPost. "And the government doesn't tell you the truth all the time. Part of the stuff I was doing in my last 10 years with the government was lying to the public. I gave out disinformation -- an approved tactic in the government -- because the people can't handle the truth." 
So the FAA isn't exactly making it easy for citizens to report UFOs, and they are certainly not being open about the subject. But to many who may have seen something unusual in the skies but don't follow the intricacies, duplicities and overall convolutions surrounding government and UFOs, it seems like a sweet and happy fact the FAA "lets us" report UFOs to them.




Tuesday, February 17, 2015

RIP Mr. Capp

Very sorry to hear that Joe Capp of UFO Media Matters has passed on. My condolences to his friends and family. I never met Joe in person, but we did occasionally communicate on - line. I've always respected Joe for his take on things UFO, especially his support of witnesses.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

American Horror Story Season 5 Theories | POPSUGAR Entertainment

The season finale of American Horror: Freakshow, aired recently. I'm a fan of the series (couldn't get into American Horror: Asylum after the third episode but I think I'll try watching again.) Ryan Roschke at Popsugar Entertainment outlines some possible scenarios for next season of American Horror including an alien abduction theme. Could be exciting, especially since, apparently, the Feds have moved Area 51 from Nevada to New Mexico:
American Horror Story Season 5 Theories | POPSUGAR Entertainment: A lot has happened in the Southwest, most notably Area 51 in Roswell, NM, which many believe to be a government cover-up for an alien crash site. (italics mine)
Who knew?

Of the various possibilities, this one seems pretty likely, and as the Popsugar article notes, there are clues in Freakshow  that hint at a UFO/alien future. Jessica Lange's character: Elsa Mars, who, sang David Bowie songs, including Life on Mars.  There are the freaks themselves; alien to the rest of society. Lobster Boy; the man with lobster like hands. The diminutive Ma Petite.


Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Compare and Contrast: Tonight's C2C

Well darlings, readers of the Orb here know full well how I feel about "skeptics." So it is not surprising that I am astonished at the choice for tonight's Coast to Coast guest: Michael Shermer. Yes, that's right, Shermer. On Coast to Coast. Get this:

(italics mine): Science & Truth/ Sky People - Shows - Coast to Coast AM: outlining how science and reason have been the driving forces of truth and morality throughout history …
Bad enough anyone not in the skeptiod camp is already considered basically heinous, but immoral as well? I've seen UFOs so now I'm immoral? Reminds me of an old, literally doddering philosophy professor I had once, who told me I was "immoral" because, apparently, I did not have the right take on a short story in my Philosophy of Literature class many moons ago. No doubt the fact I was female, and an older one at that -- as compared to young, pretty and malleable -- had something to do with his drooling assessment. But I digress.



Later in tonight's C2C we have guest Andy Sixkiller Clarke, who will discuss:

"… will share their stories of encounters, sky gods, giants, little people, and aliens." 




Sunday, February 8, 2015

Quotes: From Mr. Murder



I'm a Dean Koontz fan. Currently reading Mr. Murder.  Thought I'd share two quotes from the book that struck me as being related to the ufo phenomena, even though the story has nothing at all to do with ufos.

In a section titled Part Two: Story Hour in the Madhouse, Koontz opens with The Book of Counted Sorrows. Here is a line most appropriate to UFO Land:

Do not instruct the owls to spare the mice.

Owls acting as owls must is not a vice.


Then he quotes from a book titled The Vanished Victims that the main character, mystery writer Martin Stillwater, wrote:

We sense that life is a dark comedy and maybe we can live with that. However, because the whole thing is written for the entertainment of the gods, too many of the jokes go right over our heads. 


That seems applicable to what goes on in the realm of ufos.

As I commented, Mr. Murder has nothing to do with ufos, although it does seem, so far, to be somewhat of a supernatural tale.  If one believes that much --- much  ---- of what goes on involving ufos is, all at once, supernatural, trickster like, paranormal, mystical, metaphysical, manipulative, covert, and contradictory (and that's just for starters) the fictional Mr. Stillwater shares our thoughts on the matter.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Mysterious "dirty rain" falling in Eastern Washington, Oregon | Weather Blog | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

KOMO news reports, with photos, on a strange rain from the skies in Eastern Oregon:

Mysterious "dirty rain" falling in Eastern Washington, Oregon | Weather Blog | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News: Several reports have come in from Spokane, Walla Walla, Pendleton -- and really across much of that region. The rain has left a dirty residue on cars and has flooded social media over there with people wondering what is causing the odd rain.

So far, the official cause remains a mystery, but officials with the National Weather Service offices in Spokane and Pendleton are looking into it.
(cross posted at my blog Octopus Confessional) 



New: Alternative News Project

Looks like a good project from Nexus, Alternative News Project, an on-line news site of the unexplained. UFOs, paranormal, conspiracy, etc. There's  a free sign-up option, and a paid one. I've signed up, lots to explore over there!

Friday, February 6, 2015

The Other Side of Truth: Meet Jaime Maussan, the Ringmaster of the Upcoming Roswell Slides Circus

From Paul Kimball at The Other Side of Truth: The Other Side of Truth: Meet Jaime Maussan, the Ringmaster of the Upcoming Roswell Slides Circus: Behold! Here is the man the Roswell Dream Team will be appearing with in Mexico City to reveal the earth-shattering, proof-positive-of-aliens Roswell slides - Jaime Maussan, seen in this video on Mexican television endorsing one of the worst and most obvious frauds in UFO history, "Jonathan Reed".
I've refrained from commenting on The Big Roswell Reveal Slide Show (mostly) because really, there is nothing to say. But I like Kimball's blog post over there. More at Other Side of Truth.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Now THIS is the UFO News We Should Be Talking About



To the Moon Alice!: Now The Federal Aviation Administration, in a previously undisclosed late-December letter to Bigelow Aerospace, said the agency intends to “leverage the FAA’s existing launch licensing authority to encourage private sector investments in space systems by ensuring that commercial activities can be conducted on a non-interference basis.

In other words, experts said, Bigelow and others could set up one of its proposed inflatable habitats on the moon, and expect to have exclusive rights to that territory – as well as related areas that might be tapped for mining, exploration and other activities. (UFO and Alien Truth Network)
Bigelow, remember, is the Howard Hughes like wealthy ufo-paranormal entrepreneur, who has said that (paraphrasing) the pubic doesn't have the right to know about info collected regarding UFOs. (He wasn't referring matters of national security, but ufo info in general.)


Bigelow is also the guy privy to such info, but not us pedestrian slobs. He has the in with the FAA. UFO reports, the FAA has determined and mandated to pilots, can go to him. And, Bigelow has cozied up to MUFON.

Any one of these things should have caused a huge stink in UFO Land, and yet, not much. Some rattling and protesting, but, no, not much.

Bigelow was the mysterious man behind the NIDS report on black triangles. And owns the property known as the skin walker ranch.

At one time, it seemed a good thing -- Bigelow funding paranormal-UFO research, delving into the mysteries of black triangles and the truly bizarre and still unsolved happenings at the skinwalker  ranch. But, as we have seen, Bigelow has turned out to be far more insidious.

And so now we have this. It's so ridiculous, the idea that anyone can own the moon. And yet . . .

Yes, the article is a hack piece of writing and it's not like a Bigelow Mall is going to open on the Moon. The point is, that it's even gotten this far. And that Bigelow is allowed to do his thing among MUFON and the government, while UFO researchers either ignore these facts, or, treat it blithely.

Instead of going after witnesses who have tales to tell of abductions, Bigfoot and UFOs, pedantic bloggers playing serious researcher with inside scoops on Trent or Roswell inside intel, go after the serious stuff. Like David Jacobs, Bigelow, etc.

That's what needs exposing.

I Feel a Rant Coming On...

Which is one aspect of this blog -- all about ranting on some days. Migraine fueled rant at that.

What I posted on UFO Updates:
"Only $90.00?" That's a lot of money for some of us. MUFON, once upon a time, a long time ago, they did good things, good intent. Now they're in bed with Bigelow, and, oh dear. Individuals remain who do good work but as an entity, MUFON, no thanks. As to UFO events; the skies are busy busy busy these past decades with our own lights and it's hard to distinguish between the truly strange and "just" one of ours. Of course, "one of ours" often has its own sinister implications, but that's another track. Meanwhile, there are witnesses to really weird events -- myself included -- that have to do with UFOs. Aliens, or what, who knows, but the experiences are real, and I, for one, am not lying when I report on them. So I will continue to ponder and ask and wonder and delve. Sometimes it means looking at the light in the sky, if only to realize it's nothing. Other times it means asking -- demanding! -- hey, just what the hell was that whole missing time thing about?! Witnesses need to keep exploring and investigating, and researchers need to stop putting limits on what is acceptable and what isn't. True, Roswell slides mysteriously present showing real aliens is a huge and silly distraction, but knowing the players promoting such stunts helps and then we can move on.
The $90 reference was to the supposed cost of MUFON's official UFO investigation kit.



Things in UFO Land have been busy lately, what with the Roswell alien slides and TV programs about aliens and UFOs in general. On one hand, we have such a lot of popular culture stuff out there about UFOs. Within UFO Land, lots of the usual debating and in-fighting and arguments.

Distractions.

Meanwhile, the real questions and experiences seem to be ignored. Relegated to the fringe of the fringe. Unasked, not pursued. In fact, demands are shouted. Demands for science to step up. Demands for everyone else involved to be more scientific in the pursuit of UFO knowledge. As if that approach will answer, once and for all, The UFO Question.

Feh. And meh.

I'm not bored. I'm not giving up. I'm not shutting up. I encourage every witness, from the Bigfoot-UFO witness to the reptilian alien witness to the spinning lighted disco ball mother ship witness to report, write about, talk about, discuss, argue, defend, explore, investigate. Just be honest and clear. Hold your intent and focus. Compare and contrast.

Check yourselves. Check your religions, your belief systems. You do the work; don't let others dictate to you what that is. Now that's a hard one, because it's very difficult to be honest in that context.

But don't shut up. Don't stop. Don't let others tell you your story is unacceptable because it's too weird or that you're not a scientist.




Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Project Blue Book Files Removed: Coast to Coast AM

This just in via Coast to Coast site:

Project Blue Book Files Removed - Articles - Coast to Coast AM: After receiving much media attention (including an appearance on C2C) John Greenewald of The Black Vault was forced to take down declassified Project Blue Book files, which he had posted for the first time on the Internet in PDF format, easily accessible for public viewing. Fold3, a site that posts military files, claimed they had a digital copyright on the images.
A lot of hassle and criticism and usual UFO Land drama since Greenwald posted the Project Blue Book files on his Black Vault. And now, this. C2C links to more of the story, with comments from Greenewald, on Open Minds. I have no opinion on much of it since I've avoided the details. But I will say it's been a fine thing to have the files available, and I wonder at the so called copyright of such. (I do not know, I am just musing here.)




Friday, January 30, 2015

I’m a Real Life Female Ghost Buster & I Say “BRING IT ON!” | Hayley M. Stevens

I have mixed feelings about the following: I’m a Real Life Female Ghost Buster & I Say “BRING IT ON!” | Hayley M. Stevens.

Listing Dr. Susan Blackmore among the women in the parapsychology field isn't a resounding endorsement of credibility. Debunkery -- "ghost busters" -- as well as this statement: "I am a ghost geek though and although I don’t believe in ghosts (italics mineI actively investigate and research alleged paranormal activity using rational inquiry and scientific skepticism. " (Hayley M. Stevens.)  I really do wonder why The Anomalist linked to this, along with their own comments. 

Indeed, Stevens has written for skeptic magazines and her blog "short listed for The Skeptic magazine’s Occham’s Award for ‘Best Skeptic Blog’ 2013 & 2014" according to her About Hayley M. Stevens page.

And yet, it is true that paranormal programs, including Bigfoot and UFO programs, feature few female investigators. The field has is not without women, it's the media's lack of acknowledgement of this fact that is the issue.

So, very good points and very well presented. Too bad it's from the skeptic-bunkie camp. 

Saturday, January 24, 2015

UFO Researchers, Witnesses: Learn These Signs of Psychotics, and, Beware Deviant Homosexuality



Because if you don't, that proves you are!

I do my best to avoid giving the verbose stuffed shirts at UFO Iconoclasts -- now UFO Conjecture (s) --  any attention, but sometimes one has to present the insanity in UFO Land to the rest of the inhabitants. Particularly so since so many otherwise reasonable researchers insist on playing with them.

Usually their posts are a form of UFO Guerrilla Theater. At least, that's how they see themselves; players in an unreasonable realm, (UFOs)  bringing reason to the rest of us deluded misfits.  Doesn't work; they're far too pedantic for any true surrealism, even while their spewing ends up being extremely surreal anyway. But that's simply a product of their clumsy hoax attempts (Trent photos, etc.) or dry and wordy laments about the time wasting study of UFOs. Even as they, themselves, pontificate thusly. (See what happens after reading their posts? One begins to sound like them.)

In a post dated earlier this month, they write about the inspiration given to them reading Hervey Cleckly, who wrote a  book on "homosexual deviancy" :
"The Caricature of Love by Hervey Cleckley (1957), a tome outlining the deviancy of homosexuality"
and found inspritaton in Cleckly's classic The Mask Of Sanity, (1941) outlining the traits exhibited by psychopaths. What does this have to do with UFOs? 
Well . . .

In a bizzare leap (told you they were surreal, in spite of themselves) Cleckley's book on psychopaths should be read by UFO researchers. The traits presented by Cleckly should be kept in mind when UFO researchers interview witnesses, or, when dealing with researchers themselves. 

(Remember, this is a book on psychopaths. Suggested for use in UFO Land. By a man who wrote about the "deviancy of homosexuality." )

Number six in Clecky's list is interesting here: "Lack of remorse or shame." In what context? Seeing a UFO? Studying the subject?  Oy. And so it goes. 

The jesters at the Conjecture(s) blog recommend UFO researchers learn about these traits:
"That UFO researchers do not have the qualifications, usually, to pursue personalities lies at the heart of the UFO dilemma, as it's UFO reports that make up the core of the UFO story, and that core is besotted by liars or psychotic personalities, telling the stories or asking the questions."

(Snarky little bastards aren't' they?) So that's why we can't get anywhere in solving the UFO mystery, er, "dilemma." And here I thought it was because of a tangled complex mass of cover-ups, misinformation, disinformation, religions, politics, infrastructures, fear, greed, misinterpretations, misunderstandings, manipulations, shadow governments, folklore, conspiracies,myth, power, corruption,galactic wars, vying entities, and simply not having gotten there yet in the whole magical mystery tour thing of mind, soul, universe and "them." When really, it's just been us psychos all along.

I don't think they're entirely serious; I do think they enjoy intentionally being ridiculous. Still, it is annoying. 

In UFO Land as well as the mundane world, psyopaths exist. This is news? It's good to be aware of the psychos among us. The more you know and all that. But really, the juxtaposition here of "psychopath" "deviant homosexuality" and "UFO witness/researches" is too much. 

Notice how I didn't link. That's on purpose. 


Friday, January 23, 2015

From "alienviews: Blissful Ignorance Is A Lie…" on Dolan

Alfred Lehmberg's latest on Richard Dolan's volume three on UFO history. As with volumes one and two, which were stellar, Lehmberg comments:

alienviews: Blissful Ignorance Is A Lie...: To start, I suspect that in a more perfect future world a copy of Volume One will be a much respected core text in the history classrooms of highly respected and accredited universities everywhere. I don't remotely oversell.

Indeed, the volume could (and should!) go into many different kinds of classrooms (from high school to graduate school) right now, as required reading! It could certainly be a top-listed alternate for many other different kinds of classrooms as well. (Alfred Lehmberg, alien views.com)
Agreed!