Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Author's Page

 I'm still here. Lately I've been working on putting together chapbooks; you can check them out on my amazon author's page..  Soon I'll be putting up paranormal and UFO themed writings. Reviews are appreciated!

Also on Instagram under reganorb.

What else? Not much. I've been silent on the congressional hearings on UFOs because . . . it's happened before, and . . . call me cynical. I don't think there's a Big Reveal. What might be revealed will be carefully chosen, and what of all the bits not revealed? Because you can be sure it will never be fully revealed.



Friday, July 31, 2020

It's Not Nice to Steal




Back here on the original Orange Orb at blogger.

A comment: Don't steal my stuff. Linking to my content is great, but if you do, please cite the source. You know, something like "Written by the ever insightful and charming Regan Lee at Orange Orb" or some such.

Don't just rip off the post. I've had a lot my words just copied onto other sites, without any links or citations at all. I know this has happened to just about everyone who publishes on-line. And it sucks.
It's wrong. Knock it off.




Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Revisiting the Tempest in a Teapot: McMinnville UFO Photos Faked. Again.

UPDATES: lots of comments at the Bragalia blog, to be expected, but one thread I find interesting concerns the boy on the ladder photo. Which, according to some, was not taken by Trent... and so, this iconic story continues as the mystery it is. Nothing proven to debunk or that shows definitively, that the Trent photos were fake.


Were the famous McMinnville UFO photos fakes after all? The iconic snapshots nothing but a hoax? Does this mean it's curtains for the annual UFO Fest in McMinnville, Oregon? Speculation from The Bragalia Files: MAKE-BELIEVE IN MCMINNVILLE: FAMOUS 1950 UFO PHOTOS FAKED? says it could be so.

After all this time, it's almost impossible to determine if the photos are of a genuine UFO, or simply fakes. The evidence presented by Bragalia is only speculation surrounding the facts: a photo of the Trent's little boy, on a ladder under the wires where the spaceship was seen, and photographed. The fact the Trents were "repeaters" -- repeat witnesses. But that last bit; the "repeater" label, doesn't prove anything either way. Many UFO witnesses (myself included) are "repeaters." Some of us have had encounters going back to childhood. Granted, Bragalia comments: "As Jerry Seinfeld might say, “not that there’s anything wrong with that” but then puts a judgement on how a witness should respond to a sighting. Referring to Mrs. Trent, Bragalia writes:
...but when you combine her prior UFO interest and prior sightings, her later sightings, her family discussions about UFOs- with the fact that Mrs. Trent reported being the first to see the photographed UFO- it is Mrs. Trent who should have been given more attention when investigating the photos. Paul finally got his wife a photograph of one of her coveted UFOs. She was certainly one darn lucky “repeat witness.”

Then there's the note, sent to Paul Trent, with Bragalia's oddly gender specific observation that it's in "male writing." This note was no doubt written by a close friend, Bragalia tells us, since said friend used his initials. From that we are to infer note writer and Trent were close friends, and the note itself? Hints that the whole thing was a hoax.

Finally, we have the over the top classist assumptions about the Trents and the community of McMinnville in Yamhill County Oregon. Phrases like "farming folks", "farm boy" and this description of "simple farm folk" pulling one over on them there city slickers:
“Fun” during those times, in that kind of place, may have encompassed playing around with a new camera, wanting to outwit the city folks, involve the family in some UFO entertainment and satisfy a wife’s saucer interests.

The Trents never were paid for their photos, or anything else concerning the UFO images. When the Trents wanted the photos returned in the 1970s, this was because, Bragalia speculates, they wanted the "accrued value" of the images.

 This is not the first time Bragalia, as well as his associates, have attempted to expose McMinnville as a hoax. I wrote about that for UFO Digest in 2007. Revealing a third, "lost" Trent photo, we were promised, sort of, a revelation. Turns out the whole thing was a hoax. Er, that is, not McMinnville, but the third lost photo. McMinnville, at the time of the Trent sighting, was an active place for UFO sightings. More than fifty years later, that area is still a little hotspot for UFO sightings. Whether or not the Trent photos were fakes, well, we still don't know to this day. This recent speculation is just that, interesting, but certainly not proof in any way that McMinnville was a hoax.

Further reading:

Friday, June 29, 2012

The Skeptic in All Those Shows...

I haven't seen National Geographic's Chasing UFOs yet, since it doesn't air until tonight. Only those in the "industry" got a preview. Responses from those who have seen the show seem to be miffed there isn't enough skepticism; while others are miffed the show exists at all. In most paranormal and UFO shows the skeptic is included. For "balance" it is said. Nope. It's for ratings and action; that American brand of competition. Everything's a contest. Anyway... With UFOs, we can debate forever about what they are, where they're from, what it is people are "really" seeing. (Wait, we are debating that.) Focusing on strictly observations of craft for the moment, what use is a so-called skeptic? A WITNESS SAW SOMETHING. Is that debatable? Skeptic, schmetic. What you need, always, are those who can help -- as in assist -- with observations. What wondrous and strange forms clouds can take. Astronomy. Aircraft. (Ours. That we know of.) I know, I know, the moon's been mistaken for a UFO, Venus has been mistaken for a UFO, pranksters like to float up night flying kites and balloons ... sigh. And while the strict observation of a craft is straightforward, there's more. The researcher has to take into account more than just the sighting. If the witness describes feelings of disorientation, anxiety, yipes, missing time even! -- that has to be taken into account. Has to. None of this means that the thing seen is an alien craft piloted by space brothers. That's assumption and while it could be true, we can't prove that. We can prove someone saw something. And we can prove, in many cases, the physical, emotional and psychological effects of a sighting. Aside from the idea that aliens exist and are, indeed, often responsible for UFO sightings, is another idea. One not often brought up; especially not by the "skeptics." That is covert human activity. I mean deep dark ebony black shadow human factions. Often the closet acknowledgement of UFOs being human made is an almost glib explanation that it's "just" military. Just? Not if that "just" is an insidious creation that, whether intentionally or not, causes adverse physical effects upon the citizenry. Or afffects the weather or envirnoment. Or is a cover for spy operations. Etc. Once it's shown that a UFO is now an IFO and a human made object, the job is not always over. Not in cases where a lot of strangeness has occurred.

Meanwhile, UFO sightings continue. Explaining one away, be it the moon, Venus, classified military or a producer's classist take on a witness ("red neck," "hillibilly," "hippie", ...) leaves thousands behind.

What is the beef, the thing that bugs, these skeptics when it comes to UFOs? (Oh and oh god, please "skeptics" that's a rhetorical question) Shows aren't doing the topic of UFOs any favors, except for Ancient Aliens, which, thankfully, has avoided the trap of having skepti bunkies on every two seconds to give their two cents. It's show biz, it's distraction, it's playing into the culture of "vs." And it keeps us spinning inside the wheel of nowhere.






Sunday, February 19, 2012

HULIQ:'UFO sighting beliefs counter today's science while new metal box theory floated'

(I had planned to go out there this weekend, but family illness keeps me in town for now...hopefully I can go out there next weekend.)

An update from Dave Masko on the metal boxes.UFO sighting beliefs counter today's science while new metal box theory floated. Theories are afoot. For example, "...the boxes on the beach are merely floats that were originally built to support docks," (William Hanshumaker, Hatfield Marine Science Center.)

The fear of metal boxes has to do with post Cold War angst. Or something. Time writer Jeff Wise is quoted in the article:
Mention “strange metal boxes” on the beach, and “people sort of shut down and call you a UFO nut. They need answers right now, and they won’t give an inch until they either try and understand or simply dismiss what you’re saying because ‘UFO’ is part of it,” added Errol when expressing her personal angst over being shot as the messenger for what other many in society view as real or not real.

In turn, people are funny adds Wise when noting how “the Cold War is over, but there’s still enough nuclear mega tonnage to end civilization,” but, alas, people will fear something unknown – such as UFOs and people who spot strange metal boxes on the beach – over loose nukes in our world.
The UFO connection will not go away. The boxes are disappearing, incorporated into art pieces and taken as souvenirs of alien activity.

Much of the article is the same material used in previous articles.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog - "...John Ford Rots In Prison, Still!"

Alfred Lehmberg has been writing about John Ford for years. He's one of the few writers on UFOs who've been doing so. We can't forget about the experiences and treatment of Emma Woods, Carol Rainey, Leah Haley and so many others who share their experiences; John Ford's story belongs in the category of those who have been wronged because of their UFO experiences. Or those who have been so affected by those experiences they seek attention, rashly, in the sense of needing to be heard. It's at that point, when the protests against treatment become too unbearable for others to hear, that others just turn away: those within UFOlogy, general culture, the mainstream media.


Not mentioned since our summer of abnormal discontent, still, Ford remains in gulag, minus bail! This is not incarceration, it is dogged persecution, so it's so much more than prison, or a jail.
A *threat* to dangerous shadows, he is locked up in their hole; he is incommunicado; he is totally controlled. He is fed his spice-less meals lacking interest or confection, and he's led around in routine's mindless grunge, lessexpectation... He is made to follow orders from the folks he'd disrespect, but he's drugged to an indifference—indistinct... and he forgets!
...And that was just the high point, folks! It's a pay back, day by day. He challenged *their* authority—you can bet *they* make him pay. He had the gall to stand up straight, and ask the tougher questions. He questioned the hypocrisy, so he suffers their "correction." What Ford had—I've not the courage... and neither, friend, have you. We're stunned by Ford's example... as the facts of it? They're true.
UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog - "...John Ford Rots In Prison,Still!"

Friday, August 19, 2011

The UFO Trail: Central Issues of the Emma Woods Case

An article post from Jack Brewer at The UFO Trial blog: The UFO Trail: Central Issues of the Emma Woods Case Here's just a bit from Jack's post:

As if Woods' thorough documentation of facts and the predominantly tolerant and open-minded nature of the UFO community are not reasons enough to allow Woods to speak her peace, there are three primary points I find wrong with the statements of those seeking to silence Woods:

1) None of those who try to saddle Woods with psychiatric disorders are actually qualified to diagnose or identify such conditions.

2) None of those who accuse Woods of unacceptable behavior provide documentation of specific circumstances.

3) My personal experience interacting with Woods gives me no reason whatsoever to suspect her to be anything other than reasonable.


My experiences with Emma have been the same: always civil, kind, "reasonable" as Brewer states, and clear.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Rejecting Witness, Assassinating Character...

Self elected UFO Police, whether it's someone who runs a podcast or forums, or researchers who get up organizations with manifestos and rules about what speculations will and will not be entertained, are annoying, sure. They're liars. They're manipulators. All that is certainly a drag, but, while on the surface it may seem like petty bullshit, it's actually very dangerous.

It's dangerous because pundits decide, for whatever personal whims and biases of their own, that a witness is full of crap. Whatever witness comes forward with her or his story, these would be gurus of UFO Land are no better than the psycho-skeptoids who debunk fringe topics, including UFOs. Demands are made by these Flying Saucer Fascists that the witness reveal their true name. Sometimes it is their real name, but try convincing these thugs of that. Other times anonymity is absolutely understandable, to protect family or jobs, but that's not good enough for those who make these demands. The goal posts are moved -- again something the uber-skeptic does constantly -- but it's baffling when UFO folk do it. The witness is expected to suddenly be of the highest caliber of UFO researcher, familiar with all of UFO history and theories. The witness is supposed to stop "whining" if they tell their story, or portray themselves as a "victim." And yet these same little fascists tell us they want to solve the Big UFO Mystery; collect data, and do diligent research. How can any of that happen if the witness is rejected? If the witness is consistently treated with insults, suspicions and even threats? 

And great goddess help the witness if they question theory or, worse, reveal their personal interactions with a researcher that conflict with ones' personal views.

The witness doesn't owe anyone anything. As a given, in all human interactions of every kind, honesty and integrity are expected. I assume those are present when talking with a witness. If it turns out they're not -- the witness is a lunatic or a liar, then, oh well, that's life. I'll  survive. UFOlogy will survive. Back to the star map. If a witness trusts me to share their story, I owe that witness, actually. I owe them respect and I owe them the honoring of their experience by retelling it faithfully and being honest in my responses to that experience. I may not understand their experience, or share the same cultural world views (ie, religious experiences) but that doesn't mean the witness is a liar.

Distractions and Paranoia
Meanwhile, all the insults and lies and attacks continue. The accusations of what someone said, without support, are made. Either the ones telling these made up stories about witnesses or writers they don't like are genuinely mistaken, or they're liars. Hard to believe adults can be so stupid as well as petty but UFO World and its cousins, like Bigfoot World, certainly have their share of stupidity. Egos are huge in the Flying Saucer Universe. No proof is provided to back up accusations, yet accusations are made. I know, amazing!

It's a distraction.  Those who smugly attack others for sometimes ridiculous reasons (like their use of the English language-- they don't get it, so the writer is the buffoon, not them), accusations without support when called on it, or, more profoundly, attacks, slanders, slurs and literally libelous statements about crimes that were never committed, actual research and data reporting are being ignored.

It's incredible to me many of these characters are held in some kind of high UFO regard as credible contributors to UFO research.








Sunday, December 26, 2010

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.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

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.)


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

New Trickster's Realm: "Twilight Language: Cold War Inklings?"

My new Trickster's Realm is up at Binnall of America: Twilight Language: Cold War Inklings?" about the numerous Russian connections popping up in the culture stream.
Politics and entertainment (I know, what's the difference) merged when Vice President Joe Biden appeared on the Jay Leno show. Biden joined Leno in a comedy sketch and later, they discussed the busted Russian spy ring. Leno showed a photo of one of the alleged spies, Anna Chapman, who's been described as "sultry" by every talking head and newspaper it seems. Leno showed a photo of alleged spy Chapman and asked: "Do we have any spies that hot?" to which Biden, a frustrated comedian, said: "Let me be clear. It was not my idea to send her back." 
One element I could have added but didn't think of: the new movie SALT, with Angelina Jolie. I haven't seen the movie but here is another example of a "sultry" sexy female spy and a Russian connection. Is Jolie's character a good spy or a bad (Russian) spy?

Things are not what they seem in these culture episodes; politicians as thwarted comedians, Russian spies as citizens, Russian lovers/actresses/entertainers, betrayals, non-Russians appearing as Russians . . . is the culture missing the Cold War?

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Naveed's Realm: Oregon UFO Wave

Naveed's Realm discusses a current Oregon UFO "wave:" What is going on: Oregon UFO Wave. I commented over there that, at least with local (Eugene-Springfield area) news, they don't seem to comment on UFO stories anymore. I have no official data but it seems that they've stopped since 9/11. (I've written before about one witness who contacted me about five years ago; he saw a UFO, along with several others, photographed and taped it. Yet no one from media wanted to hear about it.) Either way, it does seem that, overall, for the past couple of years, the nation, if not the world, has been in a UFO flap, and that includes Oregon.




Was there a "third, lost" Trent UFO photo?

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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Coast to Coast Off Air on Local Station: "Liberal Terrorists?"



Well, I wondered what happened. The only station in my area that carries Coast to Coast is KPNW, a right wing news/talk station that gives home to the ugly rants of Lars Larsen, Rush Limbaugh, and Glen Beck. But at night they carry Coast to Coast, thankfully. Since Friday, the station has been gone. I thought I was going crazy; it simply wasn't there, and the KPNW website, when I checked, didn't offer any explanation. Very frustrating. Today's local paper, Eugene's Register Guard, gives us the story about the station's transmitter problems.

But it seems that isn't all to the story. While the reason for KPNW's off air problems is due to a combination of the heat wave we've been experiencing and old equipment, some locals insist there's a different reason for KPNW going off air. One person quoted in the paper, who lives in Veneta, had this to say about the station being off air:
“You listen to these guys talk, and they are really down on this guy Obama. They really blast him,” he said. “I don’t think he likes it, and I think he has the power to do something. To think, in this day and age that this station can just be off the air for three days … it seems strange.”

(Veneta is a small rural type town; a "bedroom" community just west of Eugene.)

A station representative relates another caller's theory: "liberal terrorists" are the cause:
“One caller said he was convinced that a group of liberal terrorists had gone and attacked our transmitter,” Lundun said. “Obviously that was not the case.”


Obviously.

No mention of Coast to Coast in the article; it isn't weird to follow the likes of the above mentioned clownshoes or to think "liberal terrorists" attacked KPNW, but it's weird if you listen to programming about UFOs, Bigfoot, ghosts, and other fringe topics, even if one is a "liberal terrorist." Ah well, to be expected, since it's a given that marginalization of such interests will always be. A few years ago KPNW's competition, KUGN, another right wing AM station, aired the Jeff Rense show -- at the same time as C2C -- but they took it off air. As much as I loathe Rense, at least it was something to soothe this Fortean junkie's heart in times of need.




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Sunday, May 10, 2009

The Killers: Spaceman




It started with a low light,
Next thing I knew they ripped me from my bed;
And then they took my blood type,
they left a strange impression in my head.
You know that I was hoping,
That I could leave this star-crossed world behind;
But when they cut me open,
I guess I changed my mind.
And you know I might
Have just flown too far from the floor this time,
'cause they calling me by my name!
And the zipping white light beams
disregarding bombs and satellites!

That was the turning point;
That was one lonely night!

The star maker says, "It ain't so bad"
The dream maker's gonna make you mad
The spaceman says, "Everybody look down!
Its all in your mind!"

Well now I'm back at home and-
I’m looking forward to this life I live;
You know it's gonna haunt me,
So hesitation to this life I give.
You think you might cross over,
You caught between the devil and the deep blue sea;
You better look it over,
Before you make that leap!

And you know I'm fine, but I hear those voices at night
sometimes... they justify my claim,
and the public don’t dwell on my transmission
'cause it wasn’t televised...

But, it was a turning point,
Oh what a lonely night!

The star maker says, "It ain't so bad"
The dream maker's gonna make you mad;
The spaceman says, "Everybody look down!
Its all in your mind!"
The star maker says, "It ain't so bad"
The dream maker's gonna make you mad;
The spaceman says, "Everybody look down!
Its all in your mind!"

My global position systems are vocally addressed;
They say the Nile used to run from east to west,
They say the Nile used to run… from east to west.

I'm fine,
but I hear those voices at night,
sometime...

The star maker says, "It ain't so bad"
The dream maker's gonna make you mad;
The spaceman says, "Everybody look down!
Its all in your mind!"
The star maker says, "It ain't so bad"
The dream maker's gonna make you mad;
The spaceman says, "Everybody look down...
Its all in your mind!"

(oh oh oh oh oh oh oooah x8)
It's all in my mi-i-ind,
It's all in my mind...

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Sci Fi's Carny


Well, what a silly waste that was! Started off okay; hokey, but fun. Good monster. The Jersey Devil is caught, gets loose, causes a lot of trouble. SPOILER AHEAD...
I was enjoying it, as predictable as it was. Just enjoying the guilty pleasure of watching a TV movie about a monster. With Lou Diamond Phillips, so there you go.

But the movie didn't go anywhere, or, where it went ... didn't make sense. FAIR WARNING: here it is: at the very end, Lou Diamond Phillip's character - the sheriff, of course -- is killed. Everyone gets killed. Including the monster. The crazy preacher man character didn't make sense either; he's running around from the beginning of the movie warning everyone about the devil and how the actions of the townsfolk brought all this upon themselves; he has no compassion for the "freaks" in the carnival, and there were weird cuts and edits throughout, as if they had made the movie longer, or maybe originally wanted to air it as mini-series. For example, a relationship seemed to exist between the psychic at the carnival and the sheriff, but we didn't get to see any of that develop. A lot of plot lines were thrown out there, assuming that the audience would make assumptions.

A waste of time, too bad, but it was a good monster.

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Out There TV Synchronicity



Late last night I went searching on-line for a link to Out There TV, Kate and Richard Mucci's paranormal/conspiracy television program out of Nevada. (Kate also writes a column for UFO Magazine.) For awhile, one of the local little stations in my area carried the show; then they stopped, soon after, the station disappeared. They'd air on Saturday afternoons and other random times.

I hadn't thought about the show for some time, but for some reason decided to look and see what I could find. I didn't find anything.

Then this morning, I was startled as well as pleased, to find that another, teeny, strange little station in our area carries Out There TV; on Sunday nights, at 8:00 pm. Same time as the Simpsons, what to do? :)

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

Shermer's Gorilla Suit Man



Michael Shermer, uber-skeptoid and professional debunker, did an experiment at the recent 2009 Science, Technology and Research Symposium in Charleston to show that Mothman (which he admits to knowing nothing about), Bigfoot (to which he says he does) and other paranormal/Fortean/esoteric/anomalous phenomena are figments of over-active imaginations, but more than that,illustrations of why we lie:
We already know that people lie; that happens all the time. ... The more interesting question is why do people fall for it," he said.

In other words, people who speak of witnessing UFOs or other strange events, are lying.

Sure, people lie about their experiences. They elaborate, embroider, exaggerate and outright lie. They hoax and they pull pranks. They're delusional and mentally ill, they're alcoholics and drug abusers. Some people. And for some people in that category, they present to the world tales of UFOs, strange creatures, aliens and visits to Venus.

Those aside, thousands upon thousands more people without that baggage -- and even with some of that baggage, does not automatically exclude the experience of such phenomena or cause it -- have encounters with the weird that cannot be explained by tired exercises into so-called rationality. Such as Shermer's. (Warning: ad hom ahead. "Smirking Shermer" as I like to call him. Come on, the man smirks for crying out loud. He's so taken with himself.)

Shermer instructs an audience to watch a video of basket ball players, watching for:
the number of times six young people passing basketballs, three of them in white shirts and three in black shirts. He asked the crowd to count how many times the three in white shirts passed the basketball to each other.

Afterward, Shermer had the crowd call out answers. Then he played the video again, telling everyone just to relax and not worry about counting passes this time. And to the amazement of many, about halfway through a person in a monkey suit walked from out-of-frame into the middle of the scene, paused, gave a friendly wave and then promptly walked off screen.


This proves, says Shermer, that people see what they want to see. Er, that means we don't want to see a man in a gorilla suit at the Lakers game?

What it says to me is this: when something weird and unexpected happens, especially in the midst of a mundane event, like a basketball game, we don't notice it. Which then means , that the weird, the unexpected, like say, a Mothman or a Bigfoot, even a UFO, goes right by us. It literally can be in front of our noses and we won't deal with the strangeness. In fact, when something highly unusual is going on, and the one or two people who do happen to be aware of it point it out to others, most people refuse to even look to see for themselves.

Shermer had his own out of body experience. Under laboratory conditions, don't you know. Which proves that no such thing as astral projection and OOBEs occur, since it can be recreated in the laboratory:
Shermer said he once had an out-of-body experience successfully recreated under laboratory conditions. It had nothing to do with his consciousness actually leaving his body.

This is another standard, and very tired meme of the uber-skeptic: that because something paranormal/anomalous can be recreated in the lab, it doesn't exist. Rather, it doesn't exist paranormally; of course it exists, they just recreated it! (The same is said of hoaxes, as the recent hoaxed UFO lights showed: to the skeptoid, UFO hoaxes "proves" that UFOs don't exist.)

Why do we insist upon "believing weird things" as Shermer so often phrases this conundrum of human existence? It has to do with evolution:
As for the reason people believe strange things, Shermer said it is rooted in humanity's evolutionary history and its psychological drive to connect invisible causes to the events around them. That movement in the grass may be the wind or it could be a predator.

Or fairies! It's fairies!

If we think of the movement in the grass as a predator, we're good ... Shermer concludes that if we think the worst: "better safe than sorry" then we believe that forces control the things we can't explain. Like a lion in the grass? Huh?

Shermer's presentation didn't prove a thing, but of course, the choir he preaches to think otherwise.

Soure: Science vs. ESP: Skeptic Ponders UFOs, Mothman

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

New podcast: Cafe Esoterica!

Clearly, I mean it's so obvious, there simply aren't enough paranormal/UFO/conspiracy podcasts, so naturally I had to start one. Well, I'm in the process of going about figuring out how to start one. Something like that.

So be on the lookout. That either means you'll run and listen to something else, anything else, when you know the air date, or you'll tune in.

Format is talk. Not interviewing, just talking. Me and Jim. Seriously, for thirty something years, people have been telling us we should have our own show. They meant in a comedic, Stiller and Mera (that's a dated reference!) kind of way, but still. I want guests of course; it's not going to be just me. Or Jim. Don't be scared. It'll be fun.

Things like self promotion and a spiffy logo and when, how often and how long...details.

All right, off to figure things out now.