Stanton Friedman on BOA

Season 4 of Binnall of America's podcast is up and going, and Tim Binnall interviewed Stanton Friedman recently; you can listen to the interview here.

Overall it was a fantastic interview! Tim has been criticized by some for being too exuberant, and not enough grilling of guests. But that's what I like about Tim; I agree with his philosophy that he should let the guest talk. We can make up our own minds. It's not a court of law. And why not be exuberant? We need more of that everywhere, these days. Tim does his homework, he knows the work his guests have done, is familiar with their books, etc. and asks good questions.

Friedman was great; and there are two points he made in particular that I think are very important to keep in mind. The first point was about focus and intent on the part of researcher. (When I say "researcher" I mean anyone involved in exploring UFOs.) Don't be an "apologist" Stanton said, for the UFO phenomena. Own it, baby! lol. Seriously, an excellent point. It often seems to me that some UFO researchers and writers are embarrassed by aspects of the phenomena. Well, it's all part of the phenomena, so get over it. Focus on your particular UFO path, don't apologize for it -- for any of it -- and do the work, wherever that takes you, whatever that means for you.

The second point made was regarding the mystical, metaphysical side to the UFO phenomena. Out of body experiences, meditation, telepathy, etc. What did Stanton think of that in regards to UFOs? Stanton said (I'm paraphrasing) that why wouldn't a technologically advanced species be aware of these things? Why wouldn't they know how to use these abilities, manipulate them? (Or maybe they seem mystical to us but they just aren't; it's their uber-technology that strikes us a magic; magick. But I don't think it's that simple.) I was surprised at Stanton's easy, accepting response to the question because I've always considered a nuts and bolts kind of guy, and he is, but he also goes where data leads him.

Excellent interview, and as always, thank you to Tim Binnall for bringing us -- for free -- such interesting interviews!

Is It Just Me? : The Stanton Friedman-Sparks Explosion

Big news around the UFO realm lately on Friedman’s MJ-12, and Sparks, etc. who have announced with “proof” it’s all a big lie.

Those who have waited for years to dethrone Friedman are gleeful. Others who just love to topple for the fun of toppling are gleeful. Those with personal agendas, biases, etc. -- some with books, film, DVDs, video and so on to sell, some not -- are gleeful.

Others aren’t gleeful, but they’re writing away on the news. As am I.

A lot of people, gleeful or not, seem to be very serious about this whole thing. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see the big whoop.

I mean, where has everybody been all this time? The UFO field, as with all of anomalous, paranormal, high strangeness Fortean things, has always been full of disinformation. Purposeful, intentional, creative, trollish, lying, at times downright immoral, disinfo. That’s fundamental within UFOlogy.

So it is, so it has been, all this time with Friedman and his “belief” (trust?) in MJ 12 as the real deal. There was always the question of “is it, could it be, are they. . .?” concerning their validity.

Now comes along revelations, news, scoops, bits of info and this and that, that MJ 12 was indeed bogus.

But why should we believe that any more than anything else? Or,not?

None of this proves anything about anything, to my mind. So I’m not taking any of it seriously and certainly not as any end all news that’s resolved the issue.

I suppose I should make it clear I’ve never believed the MJ !2 documents were exactly as presented by Friedman; too much taint, too much bad history/context. I mean, look at the people involved, and the whole scenario! That’s why I’m surprised so many are surprised.

And why some are willing to believe all this, now, when they didn’t “believe” that, then.

It's Stanton Friedman Day!

Today it's Stanton Friedman Day. Who says? Some people, like this person: Fredericton honours world-renowned flying saucer expert, and why not? Stanton Friedman deserves it!

King UFO Program, Binnall of America

My Trickster’s Realm: Exhilaration and Coincidence, is up now over at binnall of america.

Also on the site is Tim Binnall’s piece Larry King’s UFO Show, on the Larry King UFOs: Are They Real? program on the 13th. The show was just what we’d expect, and it was dismal. I think it inspired many of us observers of the esoteric to comment. (I did: see The Persistence of Chronic Skepticism.)

Tim’s article cracked me up; I almost spilled my morning coffee all over the laptop as I was checking the dailies before work. Tim doesn’t hang back at all, and he’s come up with some precious comments, like calling the program “the festivus” and referring to Michael Shermer as “esoterica’s resident douche bag.” Okay, that’s not mature at all and it’s an ad hominin. Still, it made me laugh. I also loved his calling Shermer a “clown shoe,” that’s a far more creative term.

I agree with Tim’s thoughts; way too many people on the panel, and jumping around from the Phoenix Lights to Roswell to Aldrin’s weird this is a rocket ship kids show and tell. (Which was inspiration for another article; it’ll be up soon. I sense an agenda there. Yes, I know, I’m the agenda Queen.)

Other good things on Binnall of America as usual, so be sure to take a look.