Update to Skepticism vs. All The Other Kinds of Skepticism

'Crazyhoarse,' author of his (or her) blog over on The Daily Grail, wrote a piece on skepticism/pathological skepticism. SKEPTOPATHS, SKEPTOPATHOLOGY and O'HARE. In particular, Crazyhoarse addresses vehement skepticism in relation to the O'Hare sighting.

The Wizard of Oz trailer

No UFOs, unless you want to consider the Good Witch in a bubble as some sort of metaphor. Oh, and the flying monkeys. (Which scared me to death when I was a kid; I thought they were real. Hmm, maybe that explains it. . .)

Skepticism vs. All The Other Kinds of Skeptoism

Hey, that’s it! Maybe. ‘Skepto’ to denote the rabid, pathological, fundie,mondo, irrational skepticism, and to separate it from normal, everyday, “real” skepticism.

While we do have skepti-bunkies, skeptoid, etc. that seems to offend those that wear those shoes (tough) and confuse some others.

I like Colin Bennett’s chronic and cultural skepticism terms, but that may be too esoteric.

Whatever term you use, and I’ll probably keep on using various forms of rabid-pathological-fundie myself, the point is: there is skepticism, and then there’s something else entirely hiding behind the goodly term of skepticism.

When it comes to UFOs, it’s not that I’m skeptical. As I’ve asked in the past, skeptical of what, exactly? That UFOs exist? Of course I’m not skeptical. That’d be stupid.

It’s illogical, and, well, pathological to hold yourself up proudly as a “skeptic’” and state that you “don’t believe UFOs exist.”

UFOs exist. People see them all the time. Whatever in the world is there to dispute, dahlings?

Personal interpretations of what those UFOs are, now, that’s a different matter. And stating, as fact, that they’re aliens from Mars, is not one bit skeptical. To be skeptical that UFOs are from other planets is a good and true thing.

This doesn't mean, however, that they couldn’t be from Mars. It’s possible. And in my opinion, it’s very likely they are. Or from somewhere. I suspect they are, and that’s my opinion. It’s not a fact, for no one knows. (Well, possibly “they” know, you know, “them” -- but they’re not telling.)

I’m very skeptical alien abductions are: A) carried out by aliens, and B) literal abduction events. I’m also equally skeptical alien abductions are merely road weariness or product of a sleep disorder.

As much as I respect and admire Stanton Friedman, and I do, I am skeptical of the veracity of MJ-12. I think he has been the ongoing target of a disinformation campaign, but I could be wrong. I hope I am. But the history of the source, or his leads, and of UFO disinfo itself, causes me to be skeptical.

Surprising as it may be to the anti-UFO “skeptic” there are skeptics within genuine UFOlogy as well. I remember many years ago, when I was involved in a local UFO study group. I voiced my opinion on abductions; how I think much of that is staged “MILAB’ stuff. I was almost run out of town on a rail. One person told me he didn’t want to be around me; he couldn’t bring himself to associate with someone like me who was “that paranoid.”

At a local UFO conference once, I was disinvited to speak, because I was too “negative.” My message? Beware the messenger. Too “negative” and they wanted to keep things upbeat. Christ, you would have thought I was talking about the Reptilian Overlords and vats of human body parts in Dulce from the way the conference facilitator carried on.

Anyway, I could go on and on, and I will at some point. Meantime, just know that there are those out there who are no mere skeptics, but a completely different breed altogether, wit no only a bias, but an agenda. There are levels and varieties to these types of course, from the hapless dupes who gladly grab onto the latest meme of anti-UFOism, to the intentional disinformation agents who put the latest anti-UFO meme out there for the dupes to pick up, gossip over, and pass along. There are the debunkers, and the pathological, the rabid, the irrational rationalists. There are the ones with the big egos who pride themselves on being educated and intelligent -- as they never fail to tell the rest of us , implying that many of us are not -- and carve out a niche for themselves as skeptics. Finally -- and this is based on my personal experience and observation -- those who are given to sarcasm and sneering ‘tudes, just for its own sake , seem to gravitate to the rabid skeptic side.

There are also those who I find particularly intriguing, though at the same time unctuous and nauseating, and that’s the mega-rabid anti-UFOist. So obsessed they are! They despise UFos, UFOlogy, UFO experiencers, UFO witnesses, UFO researchers, UFO “enthusiasts” so much, they write virtually daily on UFOlogy, and why it’s bad, evil, silly, stupid, dangerous, sad, pathetic, a waste of time. Why, they even lie at times! I know, it’s positively astonishing, isn’t it?

Well, I kind of went off there on a tangent, but nothing new there. Aside from my own brilliant insights into skepticism, there have been some very good entries on the topic by other bloggers as well lately. Greg Bishop, on UFO Mystic, and
Dustin of Odd Things. Dustin mentions Mac Tonnies; with a link to Wikipedia on Tonnies’ essay on Skepticism. Nick Redfern has also written something recently on UFO whistle blowers, and the need for skepticism.

One thing I’ve noticed about “skeptics” and UFO people -- and of course this is a generalization, based on nothing but observation - but it seems that the anti type of skeptic isn’t questioning. Unless, of course, they’re calling into question one’s sanity, character, and innate state of truthfulness. Compare that to the questioning of the UFO witness, or researcher. Most of us are doing nothing but questioning. The “true ‘bleevers” aside, most of us question quite a lot, while the fundie/rabid/pathological etc. “skeptic” does not. They believe there is nothing to question. They’re far from any honest, open “inquiry” they’re about denial, derision, and even a sort of cultural cleansing. Rid the world of “woo” -- in this case, flying saucer woo -- and let the questioning end, seems to be the goal.

Military Watches Crop Circle Watchers

Colin Andrews, Crop Circle researcher, on military surveilance of circles and investigators. Who's watching whom, and why? Oh, and don't forget the little ball of light.

Too Busy for Myself

Comment from
Rick over on TDG about my anti-skeptic piece on American Chronicle:

(Jesus in a Saucer)

American Chronicle's R. Lee discusses the new meme of skeptics to discredit the UFO phenomenon; label it as a religion. Look out, R. Lee, I bet they have a voodoo doll in your likeness.

LOL. As I told him, that explains all these mysterious aches and pains I’ve been having!

I forgot to mention, in my writing recap, my blog entry over on
The Daily Grail; it’s a response piece to Michael Prescott’s excellent piece on fanatical, bullying skeptic tactics:

More insights into pathological skepticism, or “chronic, cultural” skepticism, to use Colin Bennett’s terms. (See Bennett’s article Scepticism as Mystique, December UFO magazine, December 2006.)

This is from author Michael Prescott’s blog and his recent article
Bully for skepticism!


“Item: After the publishing house Macmillan announces acquisition of Immanuel Velikovsky's book Worlds in Collision, which makes unorthodox claims about the origins and history of the solar system, famed astronomer Harlow Shapley lobbies the publisher to prevent the book's publication. He fails. According to philosopher David Stove, Shapley then arranges for "denunciations of the book, still before its appearance, by an astronomer, a geologist, and an archaeologist," none of whom have read it. Other reviews by "professors who boasted of never having read the book" follow, and Velikovsky is "rigorously excluded from access to learned journals for his replies." The anti-Velikovsky forces then compel the firing of the long-time Macmillan senior editor who bought the book, even though it has become a bestseller. They also get the Hayden Planetarium's director fired "because he proposed to take Velikovsky seriously enough to mount a display about the theory." Under intense and continuing pressure, Macmillan eventually transfers the book to rival Doubleday, "which, as it has no textbook division, is not susceptible to professorial blackmail."

As the above shows, the tactics of these chronic skeptics are unethical, though sadly typical. Why the Pelicanists, etc. seem to prefer to behave like Bette Davis on her best flamboyant drama queen melodrama days is an intriguing sociological question to ponder.

I’ve given up on the pondering part long ago; I’ll leave that to others who study the sociology of scientism. Still, I enjoy, and believe it’s a worthy act, to point out the actions that range from amusing to outrageous, of the “skeptoids.”

No matter how many times those of us who point out these behaviors and tactics state that it is the actions, not mere skepticism itself, that is the issue, it falls on deaf ears. Prescott writes:

“I’m not endorsing the validity of all the unconventional theories mentioned above. In particular, I think Velikosky and Reich are unlikely to have been correct. All that interests me, in citing these instances (and there are many others that could be added to the list), is this question: What are the powers of establishment science so afraid of? Why would people who are genuinely confident that they have reason on their side resort to character assassination, ostracism, threats, and even police action to enforce their opinions?

In other words, why do the self-styled defenders of reason, science, progress, and civilization so often act like bullies and thugs?

Excellent questions.

Irrational rationalists also resort to hyperbole and thin skinned, over the top silliness, as in comparing being called a “thug,” or a “skeptoid” to being called a racial or ethnic slur, as I wrote this September (The Usual Purple Tinged Hyperbole About UFOs

Rabid skepticism abhors the UFO-abduction phenomena of course, and doesn’t hold back when it comes to television. I found an interesting post at UFO Updates from 2001. Posted by John Velez, it discusses the PBS NOVA program on UFOs and abductions as written about by Terry Hansen in his excellent book, The Missing Times.

There are endless examples of course: The Amazing Randi and his on-going battles with Uri Geller, the sTarbaby scandal, Phillip Klass, etc.

Thuggish and dishonest tactics, as well as disingenuousness, have always been a part of scientism in general (they are scientism) as well as UFOlogy. No doubt much of it is intentional disinformation, the rest, picked up by the individual rabid skeptic, and, unaware he/she is being used, happily passes along such behaviors.

While this campaign of disinformation and witless acceptance by unsuspecting individuals can be said of many a UFOlogist, that’s another article for another day.

Writing/Blog News

You Tube
As mentioned, I discovered YouTube!, which means more for you. More UFO clips. For the saucer obsessed, I ask you, what could be better?

OrangeOrb Newsletter
Also, as you can see on the menu on your right, you can subscribe to my OrangeOrb Newsletter. It's true. A little flying saucer gift, for free, in your mail box at the end of the month. So subscribe already!

"Okay, what do I get?" you might ask. Hey, it's for free! But you'll get highlights of the month's blog entries, a hep, cool, retro flash from the past - UFO wise -- links and highlights to other articles all in one place, and more. Try it. Just
email me and put "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.

Recent Writings
Flying Saucer Kooks, and A Look Into Colin Bennett’s Looking for Orthon on The Book of THoTH website.

Also, my new column for Trickster's Realm on Binnall of America; It Doesn't Exist.

And on UFO Digest,Still a Mystery, and a Big Question: The Trent Farm/McMinnville Oregon Case

Playing
Another sign I'm having too much fun: the OrangeOrb configuration. You noticed, right?

Hey, Look What I Discovered!

As you can see, I've discovered You Tube. Rather, I've discovered how to use You Tube on my blog. So from now on, I'll be bringing you spiffy UFO video clips, courtesy of other flying saucer junkies on You Tube.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Recounts Apollo 11 UFO Encounter

UFO footage in U.S.

Interesting UFO footage from Provo, Utah. TV News report.

Of Non-Dreams and Aliens: A Personal Tale

Johann Heinrich Fussli
The Nightmare
oil, 1781


This is the kind of stuff that annoys a lot of people (particularly skeptics; but then again, everything annoys them) but I can’t help that. It’s what it is. It’s part of the UFO Gestalt, it’s a part of my story, my experience, my journey. Yeah, I know, it sounds a bit New Agey to me too. Well, so what? It’s true, and there you are.

I’ve always had an active dream life, as I’ve written before. Last night I had a strange dream -- or, “non-dream” -- I’ve never had this experience before.

When I dream, it’s always an active, involved, busy thing: a plot (no matter how surreal or ludicrous) people, creatures maybe, I’m a part of it, I’m out of it watching, point of view always changing; but always I see people. (“I see dream people.”) There’s always a scene, a picture.

Last night, I dreamt, but there was no picture. None. Very weird. The words were active; there were voices, but no picture. Just the swirling colors of utter abstractions; just like when you close your eyes and you don’t see anything except the mish mosh of colors.

The dream story was about aliens; which were everywhere. Invisible, but everywhere. Then a voice was telling me that “much of my whole UFO thing” started with ‘Scott ‘(I’ll call him that, an old boyfriend of mine) and we had an experience together. And the voice said “Remember that blue light and silver craft?” and at the moment the voice said that, I said “Shit!” because it all came back to me. At this same moment the murky non-picture began to turn into something a little bit; on the upper right corner of the ‘screen” part of the UFO began to come through the haze (a silver round craft) and with it, part of an alien. This alien was a tall “gray.” I knew without any hesitation at all that this voice, reminding me of an event with “Scott,” was true.

I didn’t like this one damn bit and woke up, scared, very uncomfortable.

I told my husband about this dream. After a long silence, with him staring off into space (“Great,” I thought. “Here we go again, where this will all go nowhere, or turn into a tension filled morning. . .” which sometimes happens when we try to talk about our experiences) he says “I often wonder if I should find out about regression.” Then he brought up our first missing time experience, once again saying how very odd it all was. “I don’t see how a space ship could be the cause, not in L.A.” he said. Excellent point. Then again, we know better.

I realized too, that none of my dreams involving aliens are good. The aliens are not kindly beings here to help us. At best, they’re coldly detached, and maybe even outright malevolent. This feeling of malevonence could be my own fear at remembering the whole experience, and not an accurate depiction of “them." Or, it could be them, indeed. Of course, none of the this could have a damn thing to do with UFOs or alien beings (extra terrestrial or otherwise.)

My husband said something else this morning; that one weird experience could be chalked up to just one of those things. “But look at the pattern,” he said. “Look at the history here.”

After that first missing time experience in West Hollywood (where we arrived home at 4:00 am, looked at each other and said “Well, that’s weird!” then just went promptly to bed, where we didn’t wake up once until 4:00 pm the next day) I began having all kinds of UFO dreams, including what I call “The Geisha Woman” dream. (tall, white gray face “woman” in a kimono sitting across from me inside a spaceship. I’m very angry but also scared; they took my husband away and “they” are keeping us apart.) This was before Budd Hopkins, Strieber, etc.

He went on: “Then that second time on Lorane Highway, with the silver craft, and the orange orb, and missing time, and your dreams. . .”

Yes.

Well, there it is. What is means, I don’t know. But it seems that, among other things, this connection, or these experiences, go back a long way.

Jeremy Vaeni asked me why I don’t just come out and admit I’m an abductee. After all, look at the history, beginning in childhood, look at the pattern and relationship with my husband, look at my passion here with UFOs. I’m clearly trying to find out something.

And yet, I’m visiting the Nile, apparently.

However, I cannot say “I’m an abductee” and have never said so. (despite the insistence of a few trolls out there who say such things on their website) I have no memory of seeing aliens, or being abducted. Dreams, while exceedingly interesting and useful, aren’t enough to base that conclusion on. And while the sum of my experiences point to something Fortean/paranormal/possibly alien, I can’t make that assumption.

It’s possible there’s been some kind of relationship with these beings/UFOs that doesn’t translate to “abduction.” Maybe some people are “programmed” to remember their relationships as abductions, maybe they are two different things, maybe it’s the government playing mind control games.

So for now, I’ll just continue to do what I’m doing, and see where it takes me.

OREGON UFO

From HBCC UFO Research, an Oregon UFO sighting:

Culver, Oregon Sphere Shot Up Like A Bullet (Photos)

United States Reports Posted: January 26, 2007

Date: January 24, 2007 Time: Approx: Noon hour.

Hello Brian, I would like to report a sight I had on January 24 around noon here in Culver, Oregon.

I was taken pictures on various things I got for sale on line and I was walking towards my Alfalfa field when I saw this sphere moving side to side really fast, one moment it would be on one side of the hill in the picture and the next on a blink of a eye on the other side.

At first I thought it was a balloon but it was like blinking in and out each time it blink it would be in a different side of the hill.

I reached up and just shoot the picture in hope to catch anything and right after pushing the button on the camera the sphere shoot up like a bullet I mean it just like went up and vanish I couldn’t tell where it went!

Follow link for rest of story. . .

Recent writings. . .

Jesus In a Saucer: More Memes From Chronic Skepticism on American Chronicle.

Also my take on the famous Trent - McMinnville UFO case: Still a Mystery, and a Big Question: The Trent Farm/McMinnville Oregon Case

WHY DON'T THEY FAKE IT?

Pictured:Edward J. Ruppelt, General Ramey, image source:Answers.com
http://www.answers.com/topic/edward-j-ruppelt

UFO Is Reported at O'Hare; Feds Are Silent

All Things Considered, January 1, 2007 · In November, a gray, metallic, saucer-like object was spotted hovering above Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. As many as 12 United Airlines employees spotted the object and filed reports with United.

Officials at the airline say they have no knowledge of the incident, and the Federal Aviation Administration is not investigating.

Melissa Block speaks with Chicago Tribune transportation reporter Jon Hilkevtich, who reported on the incident.

Reading Dr. Lynne Kitei’s book The Phoenix LIghts, two things struck me as odd. One, the apathetic and bewildered response (or lack of response) from official agencies (military, law, etc.) and the lack of response from both UFO researchers and anti-UFOists (chronic skeptics) about this.

About the Phoenix Lights: forget the “flare theory.” Even if you accept that as the explanation (sigh)) it doesn’t cover the nights previous to, and following, that night’s UFO events. (Not to mention a decades long history of UFO sightings in the area.)

UFOs were filmed and photographed; and literally hundreds of citizens witnessed these objects. Numerous calls to agencies went ignored, or were shuffled off to other agencies who didn’t know (or pretended not to know) anything either. Explanations, when forthcoming, changed, and it was clear no one in any official capacity knew a damn thing.

Seems to be the way with the O’Hare sighting. Whatever the object was, it was something and no, a natural phenomeana, like the flares story, just won't do.

It is beside the point, for the sake of this argument, what the UFOs in Phoenix and Chicago were, if they came from space or not, if they were ours, or aliens. I’m not so much concerned with inane questions about “beliefs” in UFOs and/or aliens, but the lack of a vital and active response from those supposedly in control.

The point is, we have layers upon layers of baffled bureaucracies that don’t know a damn thing, and have long ago given up any illusion of pretending to care.

Damn it. When we see weird objects in the skies above our cities, I expect local, state, and federal agencies to act like they have everything under control. That they know what’s what.

I want a few people -- in uniform, if at all possible -- to hit the airwaves, the radio, CNN, and somberly state that they are investigating, or that it’s classified, or that... anything, something, as long as that something conveys a solid sense of We Know What We’re Doing.

Even if it’s clear they’re lying (they’re politicians, law, and government, of course they’re lying) or that they really don’t have a clue, who cares? These days in particular, with our current administration, we’re well used to them lying even while not knowing what they’re doing. That’s a minor point; the point is, where is everyone?

From roughly the late 1940s to the 1960s our government had several official programs (Project Twinkle, Project Grudge, Project Bluebook, and the Air Force as official agency handling UFO reports) devoted to studying UFOs. Of course, as we know, the general purpose seemed to be debunking UFOs or passing on disinformation. But they at least pretended to assure the country everything was A-OK.

When it comes to UFOs flying over our cities, it’s insane to pretend that they’re not. And that is what various agencies of authority have been doing in recent years regarding UFOs. We’ll just say “what UFOs”and maybe they’ll go away. Like Alfred E. Neuman, the reaction to UFO reports is "What, me worry?"

Even if the UFOs don’t go away, as long as they’re not really doing anything (the UFOs, not the humans) the agencies can get away with acting oblivious.

They can get away with it because no one is calling them on it. The ones that are, are the ‘UFO kooks,,” the ones the chronic skeptics, the anti-UFOists, call anyone who refuses to quietly accept the silly explanations like swamp gas, plasma, flares, or clouds. Refusing to immediately accept the all too quick and weak explanations, those of us who say “hey, wait a minute...’ are allowed to get beat up by the anti-UFOists because no one’s shaking them by their collars and telling them to knock it off.

One would think the U.S. government would act all gruff and strong and humbug and serious and state firmly that the UFO event (Phoenix, O’Hare, etc.) is being taken care of. “We care,” they should be saying, “We really do. We’re looking into this. and now go back to whatever you were doing, nothing to see here.” One would think the government would at least pretend to act like it’s ready to take charge in a big blustery way and put up a good show to the rest of the world.

Instead, when it comes to UFOs, the United States seems to enjoy looking like buffoons. In this post 9/11 era, one would hope for something better. The Air Force no longer has anything to do with UFOs; no official agency does. (At least on the surface; it's a safe and rational assumption to think they're actually paying great attention.) As many have pointed out, including George Hansen in his book Trickster and the Paranormal, there is no official policy of being remotely interested in the subject. If it weren’t for people like Peter Davenport and his National UFO Reporting Agency, or MUFON, -- neither of who receive any government money at all -- we’d be up a creek in regards to UFO activity.


We have a smattering of reporters who risk credibility and their jobs in taking serious looks into UFO reports, dedicated individual UFO researchers like Peter Davenport, MUFON members, various bloggers, writers, investigators and UFO related publications and a scant handful of national television programs, like Out There TV, and C2C. After that are pod casts, local radio and televisions programming, satellite programs, etc.

As to officials, their seems to be a hierarchy among “officials” when it comes to UFOs. Municipal police seem to be neutral to matter of fact when it comes to UFOs. This is purely an observation, nothing more. But police will follow up on reports, and many a police officer has seen a UFO. (The Illinois UFO sighting in 2000 is a good example.) But the higher up you go, the more dysfunctional things get.

The rest are left to their own devices, sneered at by the chronic skeptics, ignored by government agencies at just about all levels. We pay taxes for these services and should expect more, even if they are faking it.

Instead, we get either a mad dash at a silly explanation before it gets squashed, or it’s ignored altogether.

Maybe “they’ (you know, them) have given up. After all, as I admit freely here, any uniformed official, as a Representative of Something (preferably Air Force/military) is going to be lying. We all know that.

One example: if the Triangles are classified military craft, and not something extraterrestrial, then what the hell are they doing flying over populated areas, and in the restricted airspace's of other countries? The officials can't very well admit that they’re doing something illegal. They can’t acknowledge they’re performing illegal maneuvers in restricted air space. Still, they could just lieif only to make us feel a bit better, even for a few moments. It wouldn’t be the first time.

But sometimes there’s comfort in faking it, even if all of us know damn well they’re faking it. The faker is a sort of scapegoat for us who don’t trust a thing he/she says. For the chronic skeptics, the faker will be perceived as a rational voice in the midst of UFO insanity. Which in turn will propel the rest of us to laugh heartily before getting pissed off and doing something about it, like exposing the faker for the faking faker he/she is. And for rest of the culture, people are left to decide for themselves what to do. Ignore the whole thing, believe the official explanation, etc. Witnesses who may not have had much previous interest in UFOs may now say ‘Hey just wait a goddamn minute” and begin their own journeys.

The Representative of Something can provide needed functions for our culture. In trickster like reversal, it’s possible the ostensible purpose of officials placating the public might actually do the reverse.

Mistres of My Domain

I have Orange Orb.net registered as my domain name, and went with Yahoo services for my web site/host people. Not the best probably but they were nice, quick, and cheap. I'm a bit frustrated with the lack of templates and ease; they're either too stupidly simple, not leaving any room for html or anything of your own, or they're too -- hmm, "stodgy" I guess. And one seems promising, except it's only for people with PCs, not Macs.

So I'm inputting everything from scratch, using html, which I'm limited because I'm: a)lazy, and b)not all that knowledgeable. But enough to get by.

My new email is Here's my new email; it's rlee@orangeorb.net

The new website; still under construction of course, is The Orange Orb

INVISIBLE ALIENS AND GIANT OWLS

My recent item for my
Trickster’s Realm column over onBOA. It’s different, spacey, but that was the tone of the day. Something about Harvey (the movie) a ghost of a dead priest, and invisible aliens. Oh, and global disasters. It’s called The Invisible Aliens so there you go.

As far as owls go, giant or otherwise, owls are everywhere it seems. I’ve been working on a piece about the very silly owl theories of Joe Nickell for the past month or so for UFO magazine; then I see a thread on the same topic over on UFO Mystic, Greg Bishop’s and Nick Redfern’s blog. Owl synchronicity!

Owls are also in crypto news; the
Cryptomundo blog has an interesting thread going on over there right now about “owls, the CIA, and mystery millionaires.”

SKEPTO REVAMPO: SKEPTICISM GOES HOLLYWOOD

source:http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Dec-31-Tue-2002/photos/chicago.jpg

Recently
CSICOP changed its name. From the ponderous CSICOP (Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal ) to the sleek and bright CSI. Yes, “CSI.” Not the TV CSI, but CSI for Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. CSICOP, er, CSI, has gone Hollywood. Slicker, shorter, brighter, juxtaposed with the hipness and scientifically aligned TV program of the same name, skepticism has gone Tinsel Town.

Will this name change garner a lawsuit from CSI, the TV franchise? That would be delicious; after all, we all know CSI, er, the skeptic CSI, not CSI the TV show, would sue in a heartbeat if they were pissed off enough at someone. Speaking of
sue happy skeptics, The Amazing Randihas had his fun going after participants of the strange; (if they’re not going after him.)

“Name change reflects growth, focus on science and reason” assures the blurb from their website. (Did any of us have any doubt as to the purpose of CSICOP?) Of course, given the scurrilous history of CSCICP in that regard, it’s no wonder they want a name change. There was never anything of a ‘scientific” inquiry towards UFOs, the paranormal or Forteana, (the

sTARBABY scandal proves that.) In fact, many of CSICOP’s/CSI’s media skeptics do not have a science background.

The new CSCIOP is no longer solely concerned with debunking UFOs or ghosts. There’s a higher moral imperative:

“Today there are new challenges to science,” Kurtz writes in Skeptical Inquirer. “Yet powerful moral, theological, and political forces have opposed scientific research on a whole number of issues.”

While that may sound rational and reasonable (no sane person believes creationism mythologies should be taught in a science class) that’s a hell of a scary statement. The danger here is the potential of cultural cleansing by the chronic skeptics of all they deign to be “unscientific.” (See: Colin Bennett: Skepticism as Mystique: A Fortean Essay in Rationalist Panics and Skeptical Dementia, UFO Magazine vol 21, No.10 December 2006 ,George P. Hansen:CSICOP and the Skeptics: An Overview, Robert Anton Wilson:The New Inquisition)

This journey has been a long one for CSCIOP/CSI. In 1997, CSCICOP held its first

”Council” in Hollywood. Hollywood was chided for airing “pseudoscientific” programs “almost every month.”

"Recently there have been programs on prophecies, astrology, psychic powers, creationism, Noah's Ark, angels, and alien abductions," said the Council. All of them posed, in some way, as being based on scientific fact."

The Council also criticized the many talk shows devoted to the paranormal in which claims in favor of the paranormal are given a platform but the scientific viewpoint is rarely allowed.“

Back in 1997, CSICOP/CSI
bought media stock in its efforts to quash hokey documentaries on UFOs and Bigfoot:

"In its latest effort in the battle against fringe-science TV, the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) and it's "media watch-dog" arm, the Council for Media Integrity (CMI), established the "Media Stock Fund." Aimed at providing leverage for CSICOP's response to the television industries lucrative commercial marketing of fringe science and psuedoscience, CMI is asking friends and supporters to help it aquire common stock in media conglomerate companies. The Media Stock Fund will allow CSICOP and the CMI to take part in shareholder meetings, where it can question the increasing infatuation with the paranormal in television programming."

"We are deliberately targeting each of the major television networks and well-known media conglomerates - Viacom (CBS), General Electric (NBC), NewsCorp (Fox), AOL/Time Warner (WB, Turner Broadcasting, CNN), and Disney (ABC)," says Paul Kurtz, chairman of CSICOP”

CSICOP/CSI has been working on joining the hoi poli and entertainment media for awhile now. Note the CMI:Council for Media Integrity, and the lack of the words "science" or "skeptic" within.

Other skeptic organizations have been been busily remaking themselves. The JREF (James Randi Educational Forum) forum has recently changed its look on its website and forum. I’m not sure how long ago it took place, but I noticed it a month or so ago. New look, new colors. Still serious though of course. Somber maroonish brown and bold black; veering on hip but still too classic to be considered at all edgy, it conveys what it's meant to convey: serious inquiry of non-serious things.

And now
Randi’s revised the infamous “Challenge.” (The challenge is an award of one million dollars to any claimant who demonstrates paranormal powers. No winners so far.)

The reason for the changes has to do in part with people flapping about the JREF offices, or laboratories, or wherever it is they test these hapless, optimistic entrants:

"We can't waste the hundreds of hours that we spend every year on the nutcases out there -- people who say they can fly by flapping their arms," says Randi. "We have three file drawers jam-packed with those collections.... There are over 300 claims that we have handled in detail."

This new Challenge will only take those with head shots. Meaning, JREF is going Hollywood as well, just like CSI. Applicants now have to have been on the news or have some other media oomph behind them before they’ll be allowed in to the Challenge. They’ll have to have press clippings and those press clippings have to be “backed up by academia.” Someone from a University (does the Community College count?) has to support the applicant’s claims.
Ah, but it can’t be just any moldy old academic.

"They have to get some academic to endorse their claims," says Randi. "And that academic is not the local chiropractor or some such thing."

Quite a Catch 22 there: really, what academic that “the Challenge” people would accept, would back a paranormal claim? As soon as one does such backing of such claims, such academic is kicked rudely to the curb by inhabitants of Randi Land. You can’t take those academics seriously! After all, they back claimants to “the Challenge!’

Randi and the JREF are nothing if not good citizens, altruistically protecting the rest of us from the evils of fake psychics. Which, in Randi World, includes all
psychics;

“Randi says he'll start actively investigating professional mind-readers and mediums for proof of criminal fraud, or opportunities for civil lawsuits. “

I see potential here for some sort of reality based SKEPTO program, in partnership with the sleek bright CSI (sceptic CSI, not TV CSI), where a strange hierarchy of skeptics, seers and paranormal claimants ar pitted against each other. Guest hosts Penn and Teller are sure to enjoy themselves when it comes to be their turn at mocking the weird. Maybe Donald Trump will add some cash to the Challenge’s coffers. (cue Billy Flynn singing ‘Razzle Dazzle”) Lights and music come one while the rainbow colored confetti swirls down among the skeptics, the audience, and the somewhat dazed cons tenants.

"We're going to pick people every year and hammer on them," says Wagg. "We're going to send certified mail, we're going to do advertising. We're going to pick a few people and say, we are actively challenging you. We may advertise in The New York Times.

Boy, sounds like fun.

Yes, they’re going for the glamour, the gold, the gusto for sure. Spending years sneering at those UFO book writers and TV psychics for making money off their stuff, the JREF and CSICOP (damn, I mean CSI) is now working towards doing the same thing.

It’s all just ‘Flim Flam.’

Razzle Dazzle
Artist: Richard Gere Lyrics
Song: Razzle Dazzle Lyrics
BAILIFF(Spoken)
Mr. Flynn, his honor is here

BILLY(Spoken)
Thank you. Just a moment.
You ready?

ROXIE(Spoken)
Oh Billy, I'm scared.

BILLY(Spoken)
Roxie, you got nothing to worry about.
It's all a circus, kid. A three ring circus.
These trials- the wholeworld- all show business.
But kid, you're working with a star, the biggest!

(Singing)
Give 'em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle Dazzle 'em
Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give 'em the old hocus pocus
Bead and feather 'em
How can they see with sequins in their eyes?

What if your hinges all are rusting?
What if, in fact, you're just disgusting?

Razzle dazzle 'em
And they;ll never catch wise!

Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle

BILLY AND COMPANY
Razzle dazzle 'em
Give 'em a show that's so splendiferous

BILLY
Row after row will crow vociferous

BILLY AND COMPANY
Give 'em the old flim flam flummox
Fool and fracture 'em

BILLY
How can they hear the truth above the roar?

BILLY AND COMPANY
Throw 'em a fake and a finagle
They'll never know you're just a bagel,

BILLY
Razzle dazzle 'em
And they'll beg you for more!

BILLY AND COMPANY
Give 'em the old double whammy
Daze and dizzy 'em
Back since the days of old Methuselah
Everyone loves the big bambooz-a-ler

Give 'em the old three ring circus
Stun and stagger 'em
When you're in trouble, go into your dance

Though you are stiffer than a girder
They'll let you get away with murder
Razzle dazzle 'em
And you've got a romance

COMPANY(The same time as BILLY's)
Give 'em the old
Razzle Dazzle

BILLY
Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle
Razzle dazzle 'em
Show 'em the first rate sorceror you are
Long as you keep 'em way off balance
How can they spot you've got no talent
Razzle Dazzle 'em

BILLY AND COMPANY
Razzle Dazzle 'em
Razzle Dazzle 'em

And they'll make you a star!

More From Orthon: What About That, Huh?

Still reading Colin Bennett’s Looking for Orthon, his book on George Adamski. (I’m a fast reader, but I also have this habit of reading more than one book at a time. And, contrary to what many an anti, non-UFOist blogger insists, I do have a life. Really.)

The latest is this: it’s not so easy -- as so often happens in UFOlogy and Forteana -- to dismiss Adamski as merely a faker, a liar, a huckster. Oh, if it were that simple.

If it were just Adamski that saw, or said he saw, those fantastic flying saucers, we could either put him in the basket of anomalies, or kick him to the curb in grand chronic skeptic fashion.

But others saw the saucers too. Many times.

So now what?

Adamski was also visited by government officials on a few occasions. Why?

I’m not an Adamski expert, in fact, the only book I’ve read concerning Adamski (and I’m not finished with that yet) is Bennett’s. But now I’m hooked, and can’t wait to get to other books on Adamski.

A slight tangent here; I’ve always suspected that Adamski, and many of the Contactees were victims, or products, of some sort of massive manipulation. Whether the manipulators were “Messengers of Deception,” as Vallee wrote about, The Trickster, the government with its various spooks, spies, and MIBS, or some combination, who can say. There are intriguing clues in Bennett’s book; I don’t know if he’ll go there.

But I’m looking forward to discovering more.

Timothy Good: George Adamski, The Untold Story (with Lou Zinsstag) (1983)

Contactees I Have Known; Long John Nebel

George Adamski Foundation

”Wandering Wanjiinda:” The U.F.O. Graffiti, Appropriation, and Liminal Experience

An update to what I wrote about this the other day; it's over on my blog at The Daily Grail.

Robert Anton Wilson

The man is really something.

Please go to his blog; you'll be moved by his humor, his acceptance, his style.

Thank you Mr. Wilson for all your work and words.

COLLECTOR OF DATA

Sometimes I am a collector of data, and only a collector, and am likely to be gross and miserly, piling up notes, pleased with merely numerically adding to my stores. Other times I have joys, when unexpectedly coming upon an outrageous story that may not be altogether a lie, or upon a macabre little thing that may make some reviewer of my more or less good works mad. But always there is present a feeling of unexplained relations of events that I note, and it is this far-away, haunting, or often taunt ing, awareness, or suspicion, that keeps me piling on. ~ (Charles Fort, Wild Talents)

I’ve always been fond of this quote. It resonates with why, and what, I’m doing around here. (Or, what I think I’m doing.) I think a lot of UFO writers, bloggers, etc. can relate to this quote.

It’s a nice bit of synchronicity, finding this quote. Trying to tune out Mr. Bush’s speech on MSNBC, yet perversely unable to turn it off; I was idly doing a search for UFO and Fortean quotes. (on my new laptop! yeah for me,) and came across the above quote.

Aside from ignoring/not ignoring Mr. Bush (notice the blue tie he was wearing? It’s all just to lull us more and more into the apathetic acceptance of continued slaughter. . . ) I was wondering what to do with an article I’ve been working on. It’s not an article yet, it’s just a nudging idea right now.

Years ago, I started to collect items about animals. I don’t know why; I just know I found the strange behavior of animals, from the family pet to animals in the urban wild and elsewhere, fascinating. This included odd and unexpected actions of known, mundane animals to OOP (Out of Place) animals. I had no idea what to do with these news clippings and articles, but I kept a huge file. In college, studying folklore, I thought I could do something with this, but never came up with anything substantial. (There was one thing actually, which was going to be my thesis/final project, but “dueling professors’ got to me, and that was that. Two years of grad school and nothing to show for it. Except I really dig folklore. Now it’s working its way to a book.)

I put those aside awhile ago, not sure if I still have those. But like most of us Fortean sloggers, I can’t help myself, and notice these kinds of items all the time.

The past few days, it seems to be calling me again. Maybe this time I’ll do something with it, once I get inspired.