Army Psyops

 Scary stuff, and not weird in the sense that it's weirdness seems exactly like what you'd expect: from Boing Boing, this link to a video with a clown (KoKo) and a whole lot of we're not even trying to be covert creepy magick occult propaganda. 

Adam Gorightly: From Pizzagate to Q-Anon: The Influence Campaign that Keeps on Giving'

Wow. I recommend reading Adam Gorightly's recent article at The Daily Grail. Especially if you're a conspiracy nerd, like myself, or, at the very least, still wake up every morning with a "Why the fuck is the rotten mango headed one still in office ... " and all that follows that surreal awareness. Here's the opener:

From Pizzagate to Q-Anon: The Influence Campaign that Keeps on Giving – The Daily Grail: Just when you thought Pizzagate was the dumbest conspiracy theory of all time (the Bowling Green Massacre notwithstanding), along comes “follow the white rabbit” or “calm before the storm” or “the Great Awakening” or “Q-Anon” or whatever you want to call this latest in a long line of overlapping conspiracies that oozed out of the 2016 Presidential campaign like a backed-up toilet that keeps on giving. (Thanks, Vlad!) The Q-Anon conspiracy could be considered Pizzagate 2.0— or perhaps better, Pizzagate on the “brown acid.” (Pizzagate on bad drugs if it wasn’t on bad drugs already).

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (and even rocks have internet service these days) you’ve no doubt come across bits and pieces of Pizzagate in the form of Instagram photos depicting child sex slaves at Comet Ping Pong, child porn code words (CP!), celebrity “spirit cooking,” and tunnels connecting a vast satanic underground supposedly constructed by Democratic Party pervs. [Adam Gorightly, The Daily Grail]

Those Very Creepy Clowns . . .

Clowns seem to have a category all their own in the Fortean World of High Strangeness. The latest: clowns freaking people out in Greenville. Understandably, the authorities are not amused. And as much as I detest clowns, and understand the communities' ire, since when is it against the law to dress like a clown? Isn't that unconstitutional or something? The response of the police is as Fortean as the rest of this weirdness.

Addressing the incidents at a media conference Thursday, Greenville Police Chief Ken Miller said officers will arrest and charge anyone dressed up as a clown.
"It's illegal. It's dangerous. It's inappropriate, and it's creating community concern so it needs to stop," Miller said. Source: Greenville Online.

It's unknown why people are dressing like clowns, standing silently while staring at people. Fears about child napping clowns abound.

It may seem odd that that the police are threatening arrest of those in clown costume, it's a law on their books:

According to South Carolina state law, no one over the age of 16 can appear in public wearing a mask "or other device which concealed his identity." The statute makes exceptions for people whose trade or employment involves wearing a mask. There's also a city of Greenville ordinance that prohibits "molesting, disturbing or following persons." (Greenville Online.)

The anti-mask wearing law still seems unconstitutional, and the part about "…following persons" seems subjective.

Laws aside, it is unnerving -- I wouldn't want to come across some creepy clown standing around, wordlessly  staring at me -- but far more disturbing is the affect on children. The following is from Cleveland's Fox 8 news:

Deputies confirmed Monday they were called to the apartment complex on Aug. 21 to investigate after residents reported seeing “a suspicious character, dressed in circus clown attire and white face paint, enticing kids to follow him/her into the woods.” 

Investigative reports state police met with a mother, whose name was redacted, who witnessed the clowns in the woods after her son notified her of their presence. The woman told deputies the clowns were shining green laser lights in the woods.
Another resident also reported seeing a “large-figured clown with a blinking nose” standing under a streetlight near the trash dumpsters.
Deputies spoke with children who told them clowns tried “to persuade them into the woods further by displaying large amounts of money.” 

The Greenville clown scare is only the latest in a wealth of historical clown strangeness. All you have to do is Google something like "clowns Fortean" and all kinds of items come up. The first one being a 2007  blog entry about a Fortean Times article on clown appearances by, of all people, debunker Benjamin Radford. Which only adds to the high strangeness factor.

American Horror: Clown Rumors

WARNING: SPOILER. IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE FINAL EPISODE OF AMERICAN HORROR'S COVEN READ ON AT YOUR RISK.

Source: Clowns are Evil 

Supposedly, rumors have been flying that either the 4th or 5th season of American Horror will involve a circus themed scenario. American Horror producers deny this. But that could be fantastic if it is true! Imagine how much fun they'd have doing the creepy clown factor. Knowing the perverse and sadistic path the show can take, I shudder to think if they would deal with animals in the circus at all, and if so... don't want to go there! I hate circuses and clowns so much that I don't know if I would watch it if that's they way they'd go. I'd give it a chance though.

American Horror is campy and creepy and ever so purposely so. I wanted so much to like the second season, Asylum. I mean, convents! Nuns! Psycho doctors! Madhouses! My favorite realms of irrational fears that lurk deep within. That's what happens when a Buddhist witch in the making Jewish gal attends Catholic School for eight years. But the second season was too over the top gratuitous sadistic, even for me, and I ended up not watching the whole season.

The first season of American Horror was great, and who knew, back then, that the cast would change and yet remain the same? (somewhat.)

Coven was my favorite, even though they killed off Misty, much to my dismay and shock. She didn't deserve that.  I truly thought she was going to be the next Supreme.

While a circus themed American Horror would be interesting and is full of possibilities, nothing can top the excellent HBO program Carnivale, which ran from 2003 to 2005. I was so disappointed that that show was cancelled!

It's possible the producers of American Horror are being coy in denying the circus rumors. We'll just have to wait and see.

Lesley at Debris Field Comments on Odor of the Owl

The Debris Field: The Odor of the Owl

Lesley comments on the Owl perfume mascot out of London; she points out something I didn't know, that owls don't have a strong sense of smell.

As Lesley mentions, the owl as image is a strong and major one in esoterica:

We all know the owl is the most esoteric creature around, associated with alien abduction, bad omens, Bohemian Grove and so much more.

"They" must know of the owl's powerful impact on the subconscious in this regard. On the surface, one could point to the popularity of the owl in the Harry Potter novels, and the owl in general is a current popular culture motif in fashion. But being of a conspiratorial and Fortean mind, I think this imagery goes deeper than that.

I also agree with Lesley about clowns -- they're creepy and strange and evoke insidious intent -- and mascots, particularly animal ones, aren't any better.

The Odor of the Owl

Yes, that's right, it's odor, not order. Things do get curiouser and curiouser. Thanks to Brownie, who left a comment with a link on my Merry Christmas post about London's scary and creepy owl perfume campaign. Penhaligons, a perfume shop, has created the Olfactory Owl. Lots of links to this story, just Google as usual, here's one: Penhaligon's unleash a scary anthropomorphic owl onto London's streets.

Dressed in Victorian finery, the Olfactory Owl will be journeying across London on foot and by tube and bus, taking in some of London’s iconic landmarks and shopping hotspots.

The Olfactory Owl will be handing out coupons, and you can join the odoriferous owl on Twitter and Facebook. The conspiratorial Fortean mind reels, making connections between England's rash of staged/faux UFO crashes and alien abductions in schools, and this recent episode of a giant owl walking the streets of London.

Brazen Hussies Invade Earth! Serious UFO Research Attacked!

 Cigarette Smoking Woman Single-handedly brings down UFO research! In her slip, no less!

Disclosure:  I write for both the on-line 'zine, UFO Digest, as well as the print publication UFO Magazine. 

When Deirdre O'Lavery of Interstellar Housewife and JAR announced she was UFO Magazine's newest columnist, I was thrilled. She shared some of her ideas for her column's title with myself and a few others, including fellow UFO Magazine columnists Lesley Gunter at The Debris Field  and Alfred Lehmberg of Alien View.  The one column title that really said "Deirdre" to me was Saucers, Slips and Cigarettes, which is the one she chose.

A member of the Stuffed Shirt faction of the UFO Police doesn't appreciate Deirdre's cheeky 'tude, the brazen hussy, she.  David P. Kuhlman, FFSc, in his article for UFO Digest (UFO Mag Columnist is an Insult To Readers,) tells us why O'Lavery's column is offensive. Clues to Kuhlman's personal philosophy can be found in comments like the following: 

Do people give in to secular pressures, which can change the outlook and product for everyone? [bold and italics mine]

Indeed, in another article he wrote for UFO Digest; An Alien Reasoning, Kuhlman wrote:

I am a Christian. I was brought up through the years in church and I have strong roots with all Christian beliefs. I believe in God.

The use of the word "secular" in this context is clear: Deirdre O'Lavery has been seduced by the devil and away from the light, and is bringing the rest of us down with her into the roiling pits of hell.

John Collier, Lilith, 1892

Kuhlman goes on for quite awhile discussing what we all know far too well: UFOlogy has a difficult time being taken seriously, hoaxes hurt us all, there are good researchers who are "respectable," but some are not, and they're talking the rest of us down.  One of those who are not respectable, writes Kuhlman, is Deirdre O'Lavery, who should cause us all not only "concern" but "out-rage." Something about slips and cigarettes causes Kuhlman great distress:

Paging through to the seventh one [column] I noticed an unfamiliar face, a columnist. It initially caught my glance simply because I am familiar with the magazines layout since I read it often, and I knew this was a new addition immediately. I was curious and thumbed back to the index page and sure enough, the magazine had added a new columnist to its list, Ms. Deirdre O’ Lavery, Hmmm… never heard of her. Instantly I knew this was the place to start my reading journey through this months issue and quickly paged back to the column titled “Saucers, Slips, and Cigarettes”. That is where my blood began to boil!

I understand not liking a column, but really, his "blood began to boil?"  Sex, -- especially the "wrong" kind of sex, as in, anything you don't approve of between consenting adults -- is clearly the issue here, not UFO research. Women should be demure; we should speak softly and refrain from being sassy. Especially if we're wearing underwear. (Note to Kulhlman: some people prefer that kind of thing.)

The title of the column was strange I thought after reading it, it really didn’t seem to “fit” a serious publication on UFO research, but sometimes the title is to get the attention of the reader and it certainly did its job there and at least one word did correlate with the cigarette hanging out of the side of Ms. O’ Lavery’s clown painted, rose red lips. [italics mine]

Deirdre O'Lavery, get thee to a nunnery! And lest you think I am being overly flip here, Kuhlman himself is serious; of all the things in UFO land to get upset about, he finds O'Lavery's "rose red lips," cigarette smoking, and use of the word "slips" to be the targets of his repressed and misogynistic outrage:

"I have never been more agitated at any other piece of writing on UFOs than I am on this one . . . As I read I was disgusted and nauseated at her attempt to break the ice with the reader. Foul language and an utter sense of ignorance and disrespect to serious readers was her route. She goes on to write her column like a heathen speaks. [italics mine]   

He was nauseated? And "heathen?" "Heathen?" Did he really write that? Yes, yes he did. 

All that mishegas aside, he completely misunderstands O'Lavery's column, focusing instead not only on her lips but her "drunkenness":

Can people really take the UFO phenomenon seriously when it is painted that only sorry drunk people with no life dabble into this subject? Folks, this article is a disgrace to everyone that considers UFOlogy worth of investigation!

Kuhlman borders on the libelous; if it weren't so damn funny, it might be of concern. He not only finds Ms. O'Lavery "drunken," and what not but also believes she should be shunted off to the nut house:

She is certifiable for this piece of worthless paper with all of her slang and ignorant insight.

Her "slang?" Hey Daddyo, you sound like a real square!

Of all the columnists that write for UFO Magazine, this is the one that has caused Kuhlman --- after just one column! -- to stop reading the magazine altogether. If O'Lavery's one column can upset a supposed UFO researcher so much that he writes a rant about it and demands a "formal apology" from the publishers, then Ms. O'Lavery is one hell of a writer!

Painting by James Rich

One last point about Kuhlman's apoplectic response to Deirdre O'Lavery: he includes all of "us" (well, except for O'lavery) in his rant, beginning with his title: UFO Mag Columnist is an Insult to Readers. No, Kuhlman, it's not an insult to all readers; not to me, obviously. Speak for yourself. Clearly it's an insult to you, and possibly, to some others, so be it. But don't include me in your campaign to rid UFO land of Ms. O'Lavery. This is the problem with the UFO Police; they expect everyone to join them in their outrages and edicts about what they perceive to be right.

Congratulations, Ms. Deirdre O'Lavery, for bringing UFOlogy down to such a shameless level with just one column!

I Can't Take It Files: Billy Ray and UFOs

I don't know what to say, except the non-poetic and unimaginative "what the fuck?!" -- I mean ... it's ... uh ... um... you can't make this up... Billy Ray Cyrus is going to host his own show on UFOs. Yes, UFOs! AND, he's gonna debunk 'em! Hold me back, please. . . I can't take it. The world's gone mad. But we knew that already.

Anyway, Lesley Gunter says it well on her Grey Matters column for BoA:Redneck Ufology & The Best Hair on TV

...what exactly gives them any expertise as Ufologists or skeptics? Are they going to have real experts on or are we suppose to rely on their opinion? Seriously, it is totally ridiculous. What the fuck was SyFy thinking? Were they trying to make UFOs into an even bigger joke than the rest of the media already treats them as? What is next - ghost hunting with Heidi Montag or maybe Bigfoot hunting with Celine Dion?

I love that; "Bigfoot hunting with Celine Dion."  In the deep woods of her beloved Canada, searching for the elusive Sasquatch. Maybe she can wear these while she's out there: (hat tip by the way also to Lesley, who posted about these psychotic and disturbing er, "shoes" on her  Totally Girlie Blog.)

New Age Clown Fish Dream

Wonderful dream last night in a kind of goofy way. There is much more to this dream that goes along with what I posted about awhile ago on Snarly Skepticism, and maybe I'll post about that but for now, I'll just share this one part:

I'm some kind of psychic/healer/medium and am hired by a family to heal their fish; a clown fish. The clown fish is beautiful, but much larger than clown fish in waking life. This dream clown fish is about two feet long, almost eel like, but very friendly and beautiful. The orange color, all the colors, just lovely. But the clown fish is sick, so I'm hired to come and help.

The family is a blended family and a large one. Mostly Caucasian American and Indians, Hindu and Buddhist. 


I go into the room where the fish is. There are two tanks. One on a shelf, the other tank on a shelf higher and off to the left a bit. A tube connects the two. After looking at the fish I know the fish will most likely be all right, though it's sick now, but the rest is up to the family, I tell them. They really love this fish. I tell them the fish has a "Forty seventy" chance of living (I realize when I woke up you can't have a "forty seventy" but that's what was said in the dream) and that, instead of being sad that there's a seventy percent chance it might die, be grateful and concentrate on the forty percent that he'll live.


I show them how to sit with the fish every day, for at least ten minutes a day, and just concentrate on the fish being well. Send it love, literally, white light from your heart to the fish, and back again. Everyone in the family has to do this, and even when away from the fish, think about the fish and send it love and light.

I tell them it's important to keep the tanks clean, make sure the water is fresh and running and let the fish go back and forth between tanks. The fish follows the tube between tanks.  And indeed, as we're there in the room and I'm talking, the fish is happier and brighter and swimming back and forth between tanks.

I think this dream has something to do with the subconscious and the whole circus discussion surrounding UFO experiences. The clown fish, aside from the name, is orange (orange orb.) The clown fish was not just a happy go lucky rather silly fish; it was actually very beautiful and intelligent, as well as happy.

With Help From My Friends: Bringing Down UFOlogy

I try my best to stay out of messes within the UFO field; all those who attack and insult others have no business doing so, and I've long ago decided not to address those who do so to me. It's all just non-productive flaming and very sad. (Even while Ive tried to stay out of things, it's amazing how often I get e-mails from others who want me to get involved; even though I had nothing to do with whatever thing it is they're upset about. When I decline, I'm often dragged into it anyway. Astounding.)

However, now and then something comes up that must be addressed.

The thugs at UFO Iconoclasts and their mirror blogs have decided that I, yes, simple, little ol' me, is "destroying UFOlogy." They haven't quite heaped all the credit on me however, it seems that Lesely Gunter and Alfred Lehmberg are also co-contributors to the downfall of UFOlogy.

The smug arrogance of such an idea -- that anyone or thing can "bring down" UFOlogy is so fantastically hilarious it doesn't need to be addressed.

Really, I don't care what else these bozos have to say, except for the fact they have slimed on over that line from mere opinion to slander and libel. Here's what they have to say about me, and my co-conspirators in bringing down all of UFOlogy:

They gather ideas from others, either stealing those ideas or bifurcating them with gossipy innuendo and a mental haze that puts their psychological well-being into question.

They are UFO Destroyers because they degrade the phenomenon with their ignorance and wholesale purloining of ideas that others generate about UFOs.

Specific examples of this "stealing and gathering" or "purloining" along with arguments to support their allegations are not to be found. They just state it as fact, without backing it up. This passes for UFO commentary these days?

It's amazing to me how others in this field continue to support and hobnob with these jerks. Remember, Rich Reynolds, presumably the leader of this odious pack of drooling jerk-wits, is responsible for the very illegal and heinous crime he perpetuated on Lehmberg some time ago. Reynolds is also a shrink, (he says) which is literally frightening.

Sure, they've made fun of me in the past, insulted me, -- for some reason, they can't stand me, and that's their right. No use at all in responding or defending.

This is a bit different though, since they're accusing me of stealing. Call me a woo, a kook, a fruitcake, nothing I can do about it. We're entitled to our opinions. Call me a liar or a thief, and, while I won't defend myself since there's nothing to defend, I am going to point it out to others.



I also have to wonder why they see fit to mention my name, if I'm a nobody, which I happily admit I am. (As one commentator said on their stinky little blog, he's never heard of me -- or Lesley.) I just do what I do because I really like doing it. (Oh, and there's the part about me trying to figure out what it is I've seen and experienced; missing time, UFOs, silly things like that.) So what do they care what I have to say? I see contradictions zipping about in their thesaurus loving brains. Why be bothered about me at all? Are they really so bored as well as insecure that they think for one moment I, or anyone else, can destroy UFOlogy? I don't know if I should be insulted or honored. After all, that's some awesome crown of power to wear! Just think, me, with the help of my friends, bringing down UFOlogy all by ourselves! Pretty groovy. I like it!

So watch out, I am now giddy with power. That, combined with my penchant for stealing, which clearly means I have no morals or ethics, and the fact my "psychological well-being is in question" there's no telling what I might do! I'd be very careful if I were you out there; you're dealing with a mad woman here. Any day now, I can just see it. . . UFOlogy will be brought down! Destroyed forever! Bwahahahaha!

Things

Snarly Skepticism
Lots going on at Snarly Skepticism. I had to change the comment settings after getting a few nasty comments (ah yes, the ad homs and the skeptic!) so sorry about that, but there's three, four at least new items up there.

Vintage U.F.O.
I have something about creepy clowns on Vintage U.F.O., which fits in a bit with my Trickster's Realm column on Binnall, which will be up sometime on Monday. That column is about "MIBs, Clowns and Helicopters," inspired mostly by Tim Beckley's The UFO Silencers, but also Chris O'Brien's Mysterious Valley books.

James Rich, Artist
I've been shamelessly promoting my husband's work everywhere. He's finally finished taking images of his paintings and finding a good art hosting site at Yessy.com. He has literally hundreds of paintings, so be sure to check it out regularly; he's putting up images daily.

Lulu.com: E-Books
So are, I only have one little thing up there; a collection of articles on the Trent UFO case and the McMinnville, UFO Festival. I'll more things up there in the weeks to come. You can see what's available on my Lulu Storefront.