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.

My Ego

I always give credit to those that inspire me. If I read an article, someone's blog, book, or even a social media comment that motivates me to comment, rant or rave, I give a nod to the source.

I find it both amusing and slightly annoying when I read something on, say, a blog, a day or two after I've written about the very same thing, and no credit is given. No "I saw this on Regan Lee's Orange Orb blog and got to thinking .  . . " just an obvious riff on what I recently wrote about. There are a specific few blogs that do this consistently. But, since I am disliked by some (aren't we all?) as well as considered uneducated and even mentally unbalanced, no surprise there.

It's my own personal button-that-hates-to-be-pushed, this. It's a cousin to being called a liar. For whatever reason, or reasons, I hate being accused of lying when I most certainly have done no such thing. I've felt this way since I was a child.

Nadine Lalich on 'Sleep Paralysis'

Nadine  Lalich wrote an interesting counter to the whole sleep paralysis is nothing but that explanation.

I've had sleep paralysis since I was a kid, as well as that pulling-tugging feeling, voices, etc. I've also had numerous UFO experiences, going back to when I was a child. For half my life, I assumed these experiences: the sleep paralysis, leaving the body (different from the pulling tugging, though similar), voices, sensing (sometimes seeing) presences in the room, were normal. It wasn't until I attended a health fair at the local hospital that, according to them, all this is considered a 'disorder.' Not in my book.

Book Reviewers: We Want ANSWERS!

After reading dozens and dozens of book reviews of various paranormal and UFO books, I noticed that many of those giving negative reviews were coming from one of two places. One, some were uber-skeptic debunkers and didn't have much to say other than shouting BUNK! The other seems to be a deep seated irritation that the author didn't give an answer to what UFOs are, or aliens, or ghosts, or Mothman, or MIB, or Sasquatch . . . Impatient with the author's exploring many theories instead of just one, the reviewer then gives the book a negative review based on the lack of an answer to the mystery being explored.

When I pick up a book on UFOs, the paranormal, cryptids, or other anomalous areas, I don't expect an answer. For one thing, it's only the writer's opinion -- it's never THE BIG ANSWER. Can't be. If it were, the world would be a different place. Paradigms would be shifted. Turned upside down. Inside out. So I don't expect a book to give me an answer, because it can't. All a writer can do is give their perspective.  Which is enough for me.

I read these books because of my intense interest in the subjects. I like to hear the narratives of others, find patterns, relate experiences to my own, discover what the author thinks. Which is different than giving us an answer.

When it comes to the world of the weird, our 'Goblin Universe' -- we might have some provocative physical evidence (that doesn't prove anything, just leaves us with tantalizing hints) but pretty much, we have mountains of witness reports. Anecdotal evidence. Which is not worthless at all. Within that data one can find patterns, connections, synchronicities, parallels and similarities to one's own experiences, historical information. Which then can lead us to develop our own ideas. Inspire us. Encourage us to keep studying. Compare with other works in the same field.

It's the writer's job to be honest (I do expect that!), respectful of witnesses, and to present his or her data clearly. Each writer has their own style and tone, and it's a matter of personal taste for the reader to decide which they prefer. (Myself, I like a variety; as long as I think the writer is ethical.)

But the rest is up to the reader. Hopefully the reader is inspired and motivated to seek more on her own. Not be fed easy answers to mysteries that have remained with us for centuries. No one book can do that, and I don't expect any one book to do that.

Orange Orb, Silver Sphere

Aside from my writing about UFOs and the paranormal, supernatural realms in general, I also write fiction, poetry, prose. (If so inclined, you can visit my fragments, found blog.) I rarely write about the fringe, anomalous stuff in my fiction life, but, occasionally I do come up with something. Here's a prose-poem I wrote recently about UFOs:

an orange orb, silver sphere

follows, hovers

beam of light

dreams follow:

paralyzed, silent screams

beams of light, again, so bright-white, vision transcends the norm.

awareness of cognizance, familiarity from the Other and yet, 

memory plays tricks, 

missing time, a lost drive begun

on a late summer afternoon.

waiting for a friend, a heavy sudden wind in the woods, a no show.

finding ourselves back home, hours later . . .

watching the orb stop, hover, drop in a neighbor's yard.

Do I follow? Call an authority? Instead, I dream 

of orbs and spheres, lights 

and enormous spinning shields above my head.

something intelligent, aware, knowing, follows, 

tracks my journeys on the astral.

so what? where? who, how, why?

questions, decades later, answers

evade.

In a snarky mood: Books

A UFO blog that shall not be named nor linked to recently posted "Three Books You Haven't Read" with cover images of the three books, and the comment that most readers of their blog had not read any of the books. Well, smart asses, I read one out of the three, it's on my bookshelf right now, I can see it from here: In Search of Schrodinger's Cat.

Feh. Pompous snark-masters.

Reminds me of the smug full of himself puritan professor I had who taught a James Joyce seminar each year. Me, in my enthusiastic naivety (older "returning student" as anyone over 40 was euphemistically called) and pure joy at being in college, said to him something like "I was happy to hear you teach a Joyce course; he's among my favorite writers." "Yes?" sniffed (literally, he sniffed!) Professor Important. "I love Joyce, I've read all of his work, ..." "You? You've read all of James Joyce?" he said. He seemed downright offended as well as shocked. And a bit suspicious. "Well, yes..." I said. "How interesting..." and he walked away.

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

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.

Cold Crop Circles

I've been working on a writing project; a science-fictionish, paranormal, conspiracy themed novella. It doesn't have anything to do with crop circles  but my request to my subconscious to bring up ideas took a turn last night in my dream state. I woke up feeling disoriented. At the same time, I also woke up with some ideas about the direction my story will take.

I'm standing on a little hill, in England, with Colin Andrews. We're discussing crop circles, in particular, the cases where a specific thing is mentioned, or even thought of, between two people, and within hours, a crop cirlce appears with the very designs or in the location discussed. At first, it's very pleasant standing here on this small rise, amongst the crop circles. Then things begin to change...


A wind comes up, and we find we can't hear each other very well. It's also hard to see any crop circles. We know they're close by, but they're impossible to see. Then it gets very cold. I start to whine, like a small child, "It's so cold!" and can't wait to get out of here.


At first I'm disappointed that the positive feeling I have about crop cirlces has been turned inside out. Nothing warm and fuzzy going on right now; it's cold, it's windy and gritty and uncomfortable, and we can't see anything, hear much. Then I realize that it's not the crop circles, it's something else, some other force, that is ominous and creating this disruption. That makes us feel a little better, but not much. 

I said that I woke up with ideas about some ways to go with my story; which, to my surprise, is a sinister direction. I like it, but it's not what I had intended when I began this project.

Bonus link:
The 'Mowing Devil' Investigated Swirled News, 2005

Gary Haden on Eschewing Emma Woods

Another excellent article by Gary Haden at Speculative Realms:The Nausea of an Emma Woods Idiot: Paranormal Celebrity Munchausen by Proxy, the Revolt of the Damned Alive and Making People Sick for Kicks concerning Emma Woods, this time on the responses, or rather, non-responses of the "shrug-so-tiring/boring" variety from researchers. (some who I respect very, very much; but on this one issue, I cannot understand why they think they way they do on this topic.)

Now, this is a hard one because Haden's words are harsh, and as I say, I respect some of the individuals he names. I'm the messenger, not the message. However, again, when it comes to the intentional "mind fucking" as Haden calls it, of witnesses by UFO researchers and disinfo agents, there doesn't seem to be any question as to the acceptance of such devious, manipulative behavior that, well, fucks with people's lives and minds! Yet, somehow, there has been a continued silence and/or acceptance of these doings.

Paul Benneiwitz. John Ford. Emma Woods, for starters. How many more?

It was hard for me to read some of Haden's words concerning Redfern, for example. But Haden is entitled to his opinions. Again, I am the messenger, not the message. Among the many very important paradigm shifting (UFO-wise) elements within Emma's story is the relationship between researcher and witness. What people are still not getting is that Jacobs, no matter what one thinks of his research overall and his theories on aliens, ET, abductions, hybrids, got away with absolutely egregious behavior. Behavior that is no doubt illegal, or would be in other circumstances.

I don't agree with everything Haden writes in this article, though they are minor, nit picky points. Anyway. Read the article. As usual with Haden, it's a great piece, and he is one of the few voices out there continuing to bring the Woods/Jacobs story to our attention.

Images and Old Poems

pastel drawing by Regan Lee

I've been going through some of my poetry and creative writing with the idea of e-zines, or chapbooks, or something, not sure yet where I'm going with this. I noticed that some of theses early poems from the 1980s have recurring images of orbs, night skies, and feelings of disconnection. In re-reading them, I realized many of these were written around the time I saw the orange orb. In fact, this poem refers to an orb, although it's a sliver orb, not orange. The imagery is interesting: moon women, orbs, shadows, and the end, sweet jesus, "capturing my frozen eyes." ?! What was that about? I also noticed that I wrote a lot of these kinds of poems during the late summer and the fall, which is the time frame for our orb sighting. And in going back further, reading poems I wrote while living in L.A., the imagery of orbs and night and planets, etc. were present. As Jim and I know now, we had UFO related, and/or high strangeness events occur when we were living in L.A., before the orange orb sighting. And, of course, going back to our childhoods, independent of each other. Are there clues in these poems, signals from the subconscious? No doubt, lol.

unconnected with moon women

a silver orb waits silently in a
musty corner on a wooden shelf,
hidden by sharp shadows like Chinese meat cleavers poised
on thick pegs above labeled spice jars, corked and racked, 
full of the herbs of mid-wives, now forgotten.

on the windowsill, tart purple grapes, hot and shriveled
grapefruit and pomegranate exposing their soft pink and secret glistening red waiting to be eaten.

unconnected with moon women i wait,
a single artichoke on a a scalloped plate, my tips half chewed, strewn about the cream white edges

the sliver orb shifts forward slightly in the night, and
one sliver gleams bone white 

capturing my frozen eyes.

~ 1982

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!

In UFO Magazine: Jeremy Vaeni's 'Aliens vs. Predator: The Incredible Visitations at Emma Woods

There is so much to say about the fantastic article by Jeremy Vaeni in this issue of UFO Magazine. (Aliens vs. Predators: The Incredible Visitations at Emma Woods.)

But for now, please, please, go and get yourself this issue, and read the article. Vaeni has done an excellent job with unraveling the seeming madness that is David Jacobs, the always precarious method of hypnosis used by some researchers to get at the submerged bits of missing time and nebulous memories of aliens, examinations, trips aboard saucers, and all the rest of "Abductions 101", and subject/witness Emma Woods.

From the beginning of this episode in UFO culture, I wondered why there wasn't more outcry from the UFO community. And yet, there still isn't; what there mainly seems to be, still, are a few stubbornly standing up for Jacobs, and misogynist pronouncements about Emma Woods' sanity, and worse. Other than that, little has been really said about this.

Web Site: Women in UFOlogy

Thanks to the amazing Skylaire Alfvegren, I was made aware of a website that seems fairly new: Women in UFOlogy. I don't know who's behind it; it's still under construction, but there's an impressive list so far over there. I'm sure there'll be more to come. Check it out here.

Stalking the Trickster on Hidden Experience

Mike Clelland of Hidden Experience blog brings us an interview with researcher Chris O'Brien on his new book Stalking the Trickster about the trickster in a paranormal/UFO context.

I've been a fan of O'Brien's for years, having read his three books on the strange happenings in Colordao's San Luis Valley. I haven't read Trickster yet but it's at the top of my list. (I hear that O'Brien in his book refers to an article I wrote but he cited the wrong source, not me; heh... trickster!)

From what I've heard O'Brien say about trickster here and other places, I like where he's going with sort of reframing the idea of Trickster in a Fortean context. Without having read the book I can't make any comments really... just have to wait.

Anyway, take a listen!

Darklore III Now Available

The esoteric journal Darklore III is now available. Check out their website for ordering information, also, free pdf downloads of previous articles!

The End of the World As We Know It by Daniel Wojcik

NOTE: this wasn't done by Wojick; someone else did this and put it up on Youtube about Wojick's book. I have no idea if Prof. Wojick has seen this or not.

Well, this is a neat find. I was a student of folklore Professor Dan Wojick, author of this book, and my little contribution was to share my UFO library with him, for which he kindly acknowledged me in his credits. Professor Wojick is also very interested in Marian apparitions, (though I don't know or not if he shares my views on UFOs and Marian apparitions.) He was a great professor, his classes were all very enjoyable but more importantly, took a risk and addressed aspects of both folklore and Fortean type phenomena that not too many academics do.

Wojick is also interested in folkart, including folkart that has to do with UFOs, aliens, etc. Send images his way if you have any and are so inclined, or send them to me and I'll forward them.

---

Read about McMinnville UFO here!

Late Sunday-Monday Orb

I've been without internet access for the past day or so, things are back to normal now.

A new piece at Women Of Esoterica by Danille Lee.

Lesley has a new Gray Matters up at Binnall of America.

Richelle and I will both have new pieces up at BOA as well this week; my Trickster's Realm on Monday (Labor Day) and Richelle's that Tuesday, I believe. She has a new column up right now.

By the way, it does seem like the world is in a UFO flap, doesn't it? Just FYI and generally speaking. . . been that way for awhile now, and doesn't seem to be slowing down.

Jim has new categories on the Yessy site, and offers prints of his work ranging from $20.00 for a color image on matte photo paper, to approximately $400.00 for a canvass print.

I've been having fun with widgets and made one for UFO Mary, and Vintage U.F.O., and Jim's blog.

Ranting about the air quality in Eugene. I know, I know, it may not be anything like Los Angeles, (although when I was down there last summer, it was much nicer than the air here; I did stay on the coast -Long Beach-Marina area, still, it was better air there than on field burning days and allergy laden days up here) and you can read those posts on my blog Trickster Northwest.


WHEN is Torchwood coming back? Still no news.

If you've noticed the bubble widget here it's a mistake; there's some glitch and I can't get blogger to take it off. It's an addicting game though!


I thought this was Fortean, for some reason: cows and magnetic north. I'll have to look out for that next time I take a drive.

Sunday Orb

I forgot it was Sunday!

BIGFOOT
My Trickster Realm column for Binnall of America is on, now bet you can't guess . . . yep, that's right, the Biscardi Georgia Bigfoot Circus. I know, everyone has been commenting on this, including me. But this piece is inspired by a comment The Anomalist posted the other day: "have there been any positive takes on this story?" as well as Danielle Lee's piece on her blog The Spirit Guide, and Women Of Esoterica. So do I decide that I've been too harsh, too grumpy, too humorless? Read Turn That Frown Upside Down! and find out.

ANIMALS
Speaking of animals, (as we all are) I had a series of odd animal encounters today. I comment about them on Trickster Northwest.




PIN UP ART
Pin Up Art
Nothing to do with esoterica, UFOs or anything of that nature, but I'm shamelessly promoting Jim's artwork. So go take a look, okay? I suppose I have to put a warning and say that some of the work is "adult" so if you're offended by naked women, don't look. Visit James Rich Studio, also his gallery, with over 159 paintings, at Yessy.com.


PULP JELLO
Speaking of Pin Up art and such, I have a new blog: Pulp Jello. I had to have a place to indulge my love of vintage ads and cover art!

Image: The Brink of Sleep, original artwork by James Rich

From the UFO Soaps: Lehmberg on Brenton on Me on UFO Magazine on . . .

I try to avoid “fights” and all the stupid petty crap that goes on in UFOlogy. Try not to feed the trolls and all that. Though sometimes one has to hold them up while they squirm around for all to see. They can’t always get away with it.

But here goes. I’m doing this as a pro-active tactic; because you and I know, dahlings, there are those that despise Alfred Lehmberg, and myself (I know, it’s so unfathomable!) and so, in reading Lehmberg’s latest on Daniel Brenton and my recent UFO Magazine article (article is at end of this post) on Red Moon and Brenton, those trolls, thugs, snarly skeptics and uptight on - the - fence - sitters will say to themselves: “A-ha! Lehmberg has gone after Regan Lee! Regan Lee is a victim of Lehmberg’s wrath! Oh, what a delicious day!”

Oh big heaping stacks of moldy green bologna.

For one thing, we can all think for ourselves, thank you very much. I have great respect for Lehmberg but we disagree on a few things; Jeff Rense, for example. Big whoop.

I liked, Daniel Brenton, and when I wrote this article I meant every word of it. Then he got strange with a few people, myself included. It’s too bad, and I’m sorry it happened. But stuff like this does and will happen. I have nothing against him, per se. I don't agree with his call for some sort of UFO Oversight Committee, for example, but so what. We don't all agree with each other on things. So you can all go back to your caves and choose something else to gloat over.

Regarding what Alfred wrote, I have some comments. For example, I had to laugh when Lehmberg compared Brenton to cheese. Oh lighten up, it's funny!
...but one man's rotten milk is another woman's cheese... so maybe DB remains to be a good camembert. An especially soft and squishy one.

Okay, moving on...
I wrote, in the article, about Brenton's Signal to Noise project, which I took part, discussing the Contactees:

Daniel is optimistic, hoping that Signal to Noise will generate “. . . a model for working through a premise to a conclusion, or at least coming to an amicable disagreement.

”

And Lehmberg commented on that with his own remarks:

Lehm: Cut from the discussion with no fanfare amidst meepy protestations of my inability to be understood, he then whisper-campaigned behind the scenes subsequently subtly trying to get me disallowed from any discussion. So much for "amicable disagreement.”

True, now that time has passed. Oh well. And “meepy” is a great word.

Alfred wants to know why I went on about Brenton's book Red Moon; because it’s science fiction; what does that have to do with UFOs? he wants to know. Also, I suspect, often science fiction fans and writers, oddly enough, don't have much patience with UFOlogy. Well, the moon is a planet. We went there. (some say.) There’s aliens up there, I hear tell. And it has something to do with the plot of the book:UFOs. Although I do agree; I prefer none to very little fiction in magazines like UFO magazine. I want news, meat, personal stories, research, theories, not fiction.

Anyway, the point is, everyone's entitled to their opinion. And it’s irony in typical Trickster fashion my article on Brenton would appear the day after DB e-mailed me, all in a huff (Daniel, you did you know.)

As to the rest, all what happened on Culture of Contact, etc. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know. Can’t comment on that.

Well ladies and germs, the circus has once again left town, so go back to what you were doing, which, hopefully, is research, be it armchair or field, or just musing under the starry skies.

See Lehmberg:http://www.alienview.net/news.html

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Daniel Brenton�s Signal to Noise

Daniel Brenton has a blog and it's called The Meaning of Existence and all that: The Odd Little Universe of Daniel Brenton. What makes his blog different from many blogs, is that it�s a very good blog. Brenton writes insightfully about what�s on his mind concerning UFOs, UFOlogy, and many other topics, including his own connection and responses to the spiritual or metaphysical side of things. But these things aren't the only reasons why his blog is among the best; it�s because he�s also a good writer.

Daniel is also co-author with David S. Micheals of the recently published Red Moon, a fictional story about finding a surprise on the Moon. Explains Brenton:

It's 2019, and a crew of a "return to the
Moon" expedition discover a Soviet manned spacecraft that's been hidden
for half a century. They discover it holds the darkest secret of the
Moon Race, which in turn may help them find an elusive lunar resource
that could very well be the last hope of humanity.

The book has been getting good reviews, including this one from Paul Levisnon, ex-president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America:

"This is not just among the best
first novels I've read in years, it's among the best novels, period.
Red Moon is a masterpiece."

Brenton gives full credit to David S. Micheals, saying:

"David S. Michaels was the real driving force behind it, but I feel my contribution to the book is still some of my best writing to date, I
think I can say with a pretty good sense of certainty if you start with
the novel at the beginning of the prologue and get to the end of the
first chapter, you'll either be hooked or you won't. I've literally
met only one person who didn't like it. I'm really pleased to have been part of writing this novel.

Brenton writes not only well but thoughtfully, which has led him to create something new: a sort of �point counterpoint� blog thing. Called Signal to Noise, Brenton hopes to offer his view on an aspect of UFOlogy on his blog, and another blogger respond on their blog. Sort of like a UFOlogical intellectual version of blog tag.

His first Signal to Noise was about the Contactees, with my response following on my blog Vintage UFO. In that piece, Brenton showed why Adamski and other Contactees could not have possibly traveled to other planets, given what we know about physics and space travel. To that I responded, "Well, der." Okay, I didn�t say that. But that's obvious, and focusing on that misses the point. If we take their stories literally, we're missing out on what the Contactees can teach us. Instead we're wasting time debating the logistics and reality of their visitations within the solar system.

In other words, when it comes to the Contactees, I believe them. I just don't take them literally.

Signal to Noise
I asked Daniel what he hoped to accomplish with Signal to Noise? He stressed the importance of "reflective discussion," and underscores the word:

I'd like Signal to Noise to be a place for reflective discussion:
"underline dis-cus-sion. There are so many fronts in this subject that folks can't seem to come eye to eye about. Having an ongoing dialogue
can be rewarding in a number of levels, let alone maybe even being fun
and can suggest ideas and approaches that the individuals may not have
come to on their own.

"
One of the things I admire about Brenton is his willingness to seriously consider those aspects of UFOlogy that are too out there for many researchers:

"There are a group of subjects under the UFO umbrella that strike me as being just too strange to be taken seriously, such as the whole Nazi
UFO thing, shapeshifting reptilian aliens ala David Icke, or the
Branton "Dulce Wars" material. Another: the whole Ashtar Command
"faith" is just too far into the "tin foil hat" crowd to even twice
about. And yet, maybe by raising the right discussion with the right
person something useful could emerge. Looking at the Ashtar crowd, for
example -- obviously someone takes this channeled information
seriously, even though most of these kind of things are full or logic
problems and contradictions. Why do these people take it seriously?
And more importantly, where does this stuff really come from?"

That last statement of Brenton�s is very important: . . . where does this stuff really come from?�
Daniel is optimistic, hoping that Signal to Noise will generate ". . . a model for working through a premise to a conclusion, or at least coming to an amicable disagreement."

Worthy thoughts, but as we know, and as many of us have experienced, there are many within and the outside looking in within UFOlogy who seem to desire the opposite. Like many of us, Brenton's been pretty much flamed for things he's written; what's irksome is that these people didn't take the time to fully read his work:

it was clear the people in question had simply given a
knee-jerk reaction to only part of what I had written without absorbing
the whole message.

Signal to Noise might help to be productive and constructive in the on-going discussion -- genuine discussion -- of the UFO phenomeana.

There are certain individuals Daniel has in mind that he'd like to see participate in Signal to Noise;author and blogger Mac Tonnies being one:

Mac Tonnies doesn't blog articles as such very often, but I'd be delighted
to work with him on pretty much anything.

Whoever participates, it's important, Brenton says,

that the right person is matched to the right subject for a constructive discussion.

Some researchers criticize UFOlogy for being the mess that they consider it to be. I don't consider it a mess, and the circus like atmosphere that's a part of UFOlogy is just what's to be expected. It's just part of the Trickster that's an inherent part of the anomalous, including UFOs. Still, some are bothered by this, including Brenton. In this we disagree, but that's for another day! The point is, Brenton has made some steps toward creating quality discussion, with honesty and sincerity, about the UFO phenomena. And no one can argue against that.

Notes:
Daniel Brenton: The Meaning of Existence and all that: The Odd Little Universe of Daniel Breton
http://www.danielbrenton.com/

Daniel Brenton and David S. Michaels: Red Moon, Breakneck Books, 2007

http://www.luna15.com/index.php

Regan Lee: Vintage UFO
http://vintageufo.blogspot.com