Federal Court Rules Against "Filmaker," For Raelians

Glad to see that would be documentarians Abdulluah Hashem and Joseph McGowen's were found guilty of lying about the Raelians. I've been following this story since 2005 and have written about it through the years. Hashem had an agenda based on his own religious (and political) fanaticism that rivaled the Raelians for sure.My new Trickster's Realm column for Binnall of America, on the court's ruling and the agendas of Abdulluah Hashem and Joseph McGowen, will be up sometime today. 

U.S. Federal Court Rules Filmmakers Lied About Raelians - PR Newswire - sacbee.com

Leah Haley on the Abduction Mythology

I've been following Leah Haley's story for years. So naturally I am keenly interested in her current stance regarding UFOs and abductions. Which is, as Jack Brewer at The UFO Trail relates:

Former self-described alien abductee Leah Haley has revised her perspectives about her experiences of high strangeness to conclude that no alien abductions ever took place in her life. She now completely attributes her remarkable perceptions to having been an involuntary research subject. Commenting on literal alien abduction from her home in Pensacola, Florida, Haley stated, “It doesn't happen.”

Now I'm really interested! I haven't experienced anything close to what Leah Haley has experienced, but, given my own two (possibly three) missing time episodes, and life long UFO/paranormal/high strangeness encounters, the abduction scenario has always been a part of this history. Like an unwelcome, sometimes embarrassing relative or friend that insists on being a part of your life no matter how diplomatically you tell them to just go away, the alien abduction scene persists in inserting itself. I've never thought I was literally an "abductee" -- and, in fact, don't think alien abductions are literal events or even, (maybe) related to ETs. Still, there is much weirdness afoot, and that weirdness is  from outside ourselves. (Mostly.)  These experiences (with some exceptions) are not due to psychosis or pathologies or la de fucking dah. They are real, and they of the "other." Of course, that opinion/belief rests on the assumption that the rest of us accept this "other" which of course, most don't. Worse, some do indeed accept that premise but pretend that they don't. That's the insidious side of all this. Some may call that view paranoid. Me, I'm being practical. It's real, it's insidious, it's part "other," it's part human. I've long suspected that humans are involved in much of this stuff: manipulating events, capitalizing on the dregs "they" leave behind or allow us to play with. Dark, paranoid, bleak. Sure. That's not all of it, and I am always hopeful. So I'm not completely pessimistic. In fact, I'm not pessimistic at all. Those humans that fuck with us in concert with "them" (ETs, and/or non-human entities) can go to hell. And if it does turn out they've messed with my head on more than one occasion as well as my husband's, that really is every bit as unnerving and fantastic as aliens. Something I've been saying for a long time.

So. Leah Haley. For years Haley has been writing about her experience concverning alien abductions. She wrote a book: Lost Was the Key, and related her experiences of UFOs and all kinds of related weird events. You can read about it by Googling and reading Jack Brewer's articulate article.

The idea of MILABS (Military Abductions) has always been an uneasy part of UFO research. Not many want to go there. Too paranoid, among other things. (I have had so many experiences with UFO groups who persist, like some Fortean Pelicanist-ostrich hybrid of keeping their heads in the sand, that only "positive" stories and theories of ET and UFOs be allowed. Even if your experience is the your truth, if it's "negative" they don't want you around.) There's a middle here; it's not only ETs, and it's not only humans operating covert staged abduction events. One does not exclude, or negate, the other. ETst still exist -- so do humans manipulating the idea of ET existence for all its worth.

Haley has uncovered government documents, incuding patents, that have led her to her conclusion that alien abductions are human created mind control experiments. For example, as Brewer relates:

Haley cited U.S. Patent Office documents, demonstrating evolution of electronic technology and non-lethal weapons that correlates with the time line of reports of alien abduction. Advances in technology during the 20th century included using electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) to remotely entrain brain waves, induce altered states of consciousness and transfer an otherwise inaudible voice directly into the brain. Overexposure to EMFs was documented to cause hallucinations, nausea, short term amnesia (missing time) and reddened skin, circumstances which became staples of abductee testimonies.

Robert Bigelow figures into this. MUFON founder John Schuessler  rejects criticisms and suspicious of Bigelow's involvement in MUFON and UFO reports, thinking such opinions are silly paranoia. But I've been suspicious of Bigelow's involvement (and indeed MUFON in general) and Haley's experiences add support to the idea of a hidden agenda. It's not altruism on Bigelow, etc. part. (I should add, "in my opinion.:)

Of course we can't know if Haley is being truthful, if she isn't, in reality, just paranoid, if alien abductions really are literal, if the government is pure as the driven snow, and so on. I have no idea. I'll amend that: of course I have an idea, or else I wouldn't be commenting. I have no proof. In my own case, all I have is the knowledge of my experiences:

• Seen several UFOs throughout my life
• Have had related UFO "alien" experiences: telepathy, "visions", dreams, precognition, shared events, synchronicities...
• Have had two episodes of missing time (and possibly a third), shared by another witness
• That witness is now my spouse, who has had his own life long experience with such things
• (We even lived a few blocks from each other when we were teens years before we met)
• Have cover or screen memories related to these events
• And all that's just for starters...

if she's telling her truth, she is not to blame for anything. 

In the meantime, those of us with experiences know something very odd occurs, and after years of investigating, exploring, speculating, sharing and discussing, no UFO pundit, self-elected UFO Police, or anyone else, has walked up to us and handed us a big "Here! All the answers to all your questions in this fancy little envelope." Nope.

So where ever Leah Haley's current opinions takes her, and us, we'll have to see. But in the meantime, for now, I appreciate her honesty in coming forth with her perspective. It causes us to take another look from a different perspective and that is not ever a bad thing in this realm.

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.

Grass Roots Welcome Committee

The latest scandal in UFO Land -- Phil Imbrogno's lies about his academic and service background -- is still being discussed. I'm not supporting Imbrogno's lies, nor defending him for doing so. His ideas about things UFO -ish are still interesting, and, while not new, still worth exploring. I had respect for Imbrogno and am sorry this happened. But, it does seem clear it did happen. Which made me wonder: why would someone feel the need to lie about his or her background, when it comes to UFOlogy? Phil Imbrogno isn't the first person to have been exposed for lying about his credentials, and realistically speaking, he probably won't be the last. Yet, why do some people feel they need to lie, in the context of UFOs?

UFO culture is a grass roots culture. Anyone --- despite the UFO Police and snarky researchers who dismiss whatever, or whoever, they don't agree with -- can live in UFO Land. (Well, except scofftics.) Anyone. It doesnt' matter if you have degrees or not, or what those degrees are in. Degrees do not denote intelligence; oh, they point to a specific type and tell us the degreed person has focus and perseverance in order to receive that degree. Don't misunderstand me, I am not "anti degree" and I have one myself. [Sidebar: full disclosure in case anyone tries to out little ol' me: I have an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Ed, a Bachelor's in English lit with an emphasis on Folklore, a Certificate in Ethnic Studies and Folklore, and two years of grad school. ] Does this make any more or less qualified than anyone else? Nope. Not a damn bit. I'm intelligent if discussing Beat poetry or folkloric applications but a goddamn dummy when it comes to math, business or 12th century military history.

So why do some feel the need to lie or exaggerate in context of UFO research? I have a theory. Ahem.

It's the damn debunker skeptoids. As well as those within UFOlogy, many of whom are in the UFO Police camp, who drone on about being "scientific" and academic and all kinds of -ics. No, I'm not implying science is useless, of course it isn't. We need it all in UFOlogy. But because someone holds a degree in the sciences, or at the least, in academia, does not make them any more qualified in any way to research UFOs. Not one damn bit.

In this culture we place a lot of esteem onto those who have college degrees. We automatically think they're smarter and better than the rest of us. Studying UFOs is a fringe thing to do, a kooky, silly thing to do. You're not serious or smart if you consider UFOs to be anything more than a curiosity. (I know, some co-workers and acquaintances think I'm not as smart as they thought I was, once they find I'm "into" UFOs. Surely someone intelligent wouldn't waste their time...) Some think that having a degree gives a little bit of legitimacy to an illegitimate field.

But there's no need. No need to lie about your background, whatever it is. As long as you're using your head, are truthful and honest and following your own voice, you can't go wrong. Despite what some others might say to you about that, the research and the work will stand on its own. And that's all you need.

Seriously, A New UFOlogy. Seriously...

Another intent to remake UFOlogy, and they are serious. Here they are: The Serious New UFOlogy Institute. Words like "serious" and institute" are heavy and pregnant with meaning, well, you know, serious. They have a paper, authored by Paul Budding: BEYOND THE LIVING MYTH… AND FROM SERIOUS ‘OLD’ UFOLOGY TO SERIOUS ‘NEW’ UFOLOGY

The group admires  Richard Dolan's work and gives him plenty of credit, a very good thing. But something about any organization, especially with the words "serious" and "institute" both in their name, makes me want to run in the other direction. By definition, organizations are things, (er, "institutes") that defy my wanting to join them. (Or, er,  take them seriously.)  That's my nature.

The Institute of Serious UFOlogy (I can't help but get a bit of a Monty Python vibe when I read that title) contrasts serious old Ufology with serious new UFOlgy. No longer concerned with collecting UFO accounts, the new serious UFOlogy is only concerned with: what are [UFOs] they?  Excellent question, and I share their opinion the ETH isn't a given. It isn't a given, but it is a good possibility. It's also possible there are many answers all at once, because UFOs seem to be many things all at once. An ET here, an ultra-crypto-terrestrial there, a rogue government Dr. Evil thing over there. Or even the demons and Djinn and dark energies called up by semi-pathological rocket scientists.
 
The institute is concerned with the "Living Myth" of the ETH:

The Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) equates to a Living Myth. Many people love the feeling of awe and fascination that goes with the UFO Phenomenon and therefore they will not give up ETH. Giving up ETH would amount to giving up on archetypal awe, fascination, mystery etc. Therefore scientific and academic Ufology lacks confidence in itself precisely because the mythological projections onto the field contain so many archetypal contents and unconscious assumptions. Hence the field senses its own biases and makes it impossible to establish consensus within itself. Indeed for ETH to be the correct explanation there would have to be a coincidence of the myth equating to the reality of the phenomenon and vice versa.  

Much is true of the above. Budding writes the institute does not "condemn" the Living Myth, just that it needs to be excised in order to get an accurate  picture. But at what point does one decide the living-myth-projections-unconscious-assumptions et all are to be discarded? Like it or not, and obviously there are some UFO researchers who do not, there is a whole mess of confusing, seemingly magical at times, and certainly huge WTF moments within UFO events. Discarding those because they're part of a "living myth" taints the research. Now you're left studying only a bit of the thing. How can it be expected that one will find something of validity using that method?

To their credit they acknowledge that it is reasonable to assume there are many concurrent theories that are fairly equally true:

However, as already said, it is possible that no single theory can explain the whole phenomenon. Just because ‘X’ is true doesn’t mean that ‘Y’ is false in this case. Oddly enough there is an obsession for one theory answers: whether they are debunkers, ETH proponents or advocates of other dimensions, or those advocating an earth/human based answer.

It doesn't matter if it's Bigfoot, UFOs, ghosts or any number of anomalous events; many people demand a "one theory answer." Are UFOs solid craft or high strangeness events, are abductions fantasy or alien (ET) caused, is Bigfoot flesh and blood or paranormal, and so on. Black and white theories that are of a compact size, leaving no room for those gray baskets.

 As with the disclosure and other movements, the new serious ufology is brightly naive in thinking that skeptics, scientists and politicians will be open and accepting of UFOs once the phenomena is presented, well, seriously:

Politicians would be forced to show the field respect if Serious Ufology really was able to clearly demonstrate its differentiation from the Living Myth. This necessitates that serious physicists and technologists study the phenomenon.

No one will be "forced to show the field respect" because the field will never get respect. The existence of UFOs -- and their occupants -- are known among the politicians controllers of the world, as well as many in other areas. The details may or may not be known, but the fact of UFOs is. There are concurrent forces at work: one, the phenomena itself. Call it trickster or something else, the UFO phenomena -- which includes the high strangeness/"living myth" stuff -- has a built in function that ensures it remains marginalized. The second concurrent force are the agendas of those humans (above mentioned controllers) who have their own reasons for playing games with the rest of us. As cliche as it sounds, good old cover-ups, conspiracies and disinformation are the human created responses to the UFO presence.

Meanwhile, there are the witnesses. Remember us? Speaking of which, if the "new serious ufology" isn't concerned with collecting new UFO events, how will they recognize the ever shifting manifestations of UFOs? Questions and ideas about UFOs will never be addressed, because they're not being looked at. Soon the new ufology -- sorry, the new serious ufology -- will become the stagnant serious ufology. Before becoming the new old ufology, when another takes its place.

The Debris Field: The Wake Up Now Conference - why was it important and what does it mean for Albuquerque now and in the future?

Lesley Gunter was a part of the team that brought The Wake Up Now Conference to Albuquerque-- how I wish I could have been there! It would have been wonderful to meet Lesley in person after all these years, and to meet and hear all the speakers. I'm glad it was a success, and you can read more about it here:
The Debris Field: The Wake Up Now Conference - why was it important and what does it mean for Albuquerque now and in the future?

UFOs in Eugene?

UFOs in Eugene

Just a passing thought: doesn’t seem to be the same level of interest in UFOs here in the Eugene area as there is ghosts. Even though Eugene is considered a “mini UFO hot spot” (I read that somewhere) there isn’t any local UFO group. There’s a MUFON chapter in Portland, two hundred miles away. There’s a state wide paranormal society; TEPS (Trial’s End Paranormal Society.) Last time I heard from them, they were interested in starting up a UFO department, but don’t know what came of that. A new group is forming in Eugene; if I have their permission I’ll post more about it. Their focus seems to be on ghosts, although, again, they are interested in UFOs. Their first meeting is in a couple of weeks; maybe I’ll know more at that time.

There was also Oregon UFO Review, run by Eric Byler in Salem, Oregon. Oregon UFO Review had investigators all over the state, but last few times I’ve checked, they seem to have disappeared. If anyone knows anything about them, I’d appreciate an e-mail or comment.

There is a loose group of individuals here who are interested, and they meet informally a few times a year. I hesitate to name them; I don’t think they want the publicity. There isn’t any investigation going on, per se, but sharing of information and ideas.

The local media seems to have ignored UFOs in the past few years as well. Ten years or so ago, they were far more active.

I know there are plenty of sightings in the area; I hear about them all the time. I’m sure MUFON in Portland, NUFORC, etc. do as well. What purpose would a group serve? Not sure. First problem is, as soon as you have a ‘group” you’re in trouble. Too many meetings, rules, etc. I'm not wired that way. But a loose resource center for local, interested parties might be nice.

Oregon MUFON

MUFON is still the best UFO organization; join your local MUFON chapter! Here's the link to the Oregon chapter, with meetings in a few places, including Portland. The MUFON Jouranl is worth subscribing to.