It's Been a Long Time

 A long time since I posted here. Too many blogs. Too many projects. And, blogger/google messing with me all the time about passwords and different sign ins for different blogs, and not knowing it is still me so when I try to . . . oh never mind.

I've been very busy clearing out the "book room" also known as the "room of doom" and it's actually been fun. Once I got going. Only took me ten years. But now I'm going through all the hundreds -- literally -- of books on UFOs, paranormal, metaphysical and related topics. Organizing by genre/theme, mostly, but some by author. Example: all the Keel books in one group, all the Vallee. For a library book nerd like myself (I was so happy when the school I worked for gave me the library job!) this is a fun project.

Books going back to the 1940s. Same old, one might say, dismissively. What's the use in going over old stuff? Well, we can learn from the past. There's a difference between rehashing old stuff just because you're lazy or it's easy and going over it because it's interesting and one might learn something in comparing/contrasting with the current.

There's also something interesting about comparing different editions of the same book. Vallee, or The Interrupted Journey.

So the gatekeepers who would ignore the past need to get over themselves. 

The Bragalia Files: THE SEEDY SIDE OF SAUCERS BY ANTHONY BRAGALIA

Oh please. Thrown into the same pot as child molesters, Bragalia (ever trustworthy) (that's sarcasm) tosses Tim Beckley, "Mr. UFO" himself, into the supposed squalor of UFO-dom. Beckley is considered equally heinous as literal criminals because he's produced and acted in porn. Which is legal, and to which Becklely has cheerfully acknowledged on many occasions. Seriously, get a life.

The Bragalia Files: THE SEEDY SIDE OF SAUCERS BY ANTHONY BRAGALIA: But he also has another source of revenue from exploiting a markedly different market- porn. He has contributed articles to the industry trade Adult Cinema Review (including an in-depth piece on porn actress Marilyn Chambers.) Beckley has also written and produced his own such films, including a raw porn “parody” entitled Driller: A Sexual Thriller. He has even appeared as onscreen talent and actor in films like Barely Legal Lesbian Vampires.

And yet, notice that UFO researcher David Jacobs is not on Bragalia's list.  Yes, I would switch the two; remove Beckley, and add Jacobs.

Lehmberg: The "You" You'd Recuse...

Another great piece by Alfred Lehmberg: UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog - ...The "You" You'd Recuse...

Think what you want, friend, regarding *Abduction*. A nest full of liars, mistaken, or cursed? Consider them making a play for your dollar, not worthy your notice—revolting, or worse?
.
Then make them a scapegoat? Make them your clowns! Make them embarrassed?  Make them suffer your frowns!
.
Use them, abuse them—assign "yellow stars"! Mock them as bar-flies from Venus or Mars! Do what you will to stay 'comfy' and 'safe.' Lie to yourself!  Pretend it's you, brave!

I don't know if Alfred has considered this, but I think it'd be great if he put together, thematically for example, his work as a collection. E-book or what have you.

There is no investigation! You've maintained that it's unneeded! No one's even *looking*! "Looks" entreat and beg, beleaguered! No one has the *courage* 'cause they know it's unrewarding. Ford knows *that* kind of courage is discouraged—MAIMED, and thwarting!

The Orange Orb: Conscience of the Queen, by Elsie Conner

A different view than Jack Brewer's (and to some extent, mine) from Elise Conner at Alien Jigsaw on Leah Haley's statements concerning mind control, MILABS, and abductions: The Orange Orb: Conscience of the Queen, by Elsie Conner

David Jacobs to Speak at MUFON Los Angeles: A Message From Jeremy Vaeni

As I posted on Orange Orb, David Jacobs is going to speak at MUFON in L.A. He's slated to talk about the psychology of the abductee. We will remind the reader Jacobs is a Dr. of history, not psychology. Following are some words from Jeremy Vaeni:

Alright, this has to stop. MUFON LA is promoting a speaking engagement with David Jacobs. The title of his lecture--tellingly enough--is, "Abductees and their Involuntary Tasks." This is set to take place on Tuesday the 15th. Read all about it here:

http://www.mufonla.com/meetings-mufonla/

Now, Steve Murillo is the section director for MUFON LA. He knows all about the Emma Woods case. In fact, she tried to warn him about Jacobs when he was previously scheduled to give a lecture entitled, “Hybrids: New Research into the Integration Program.”

She gave him a brief description of what had taken place between her, Jacobs, and Elizabeth along with links to her website and audio backing up her claims, to which he responded in email:

[i]Emma,

Your website has a ton of information to go through. It's going to take a while to go through it. Suffice it to say that your remarks here regarding Dr. Jacobs are duly noted. Forgive me if I seem obtuse, but are you a hybrid as well?

Steve Murillo
State Section Director

MUFON LA[/i]

Clearly, this man is not a serious researcher and does not care. So who do we turn to? Is anyone above Steve Murillo? Do [i]they[/i] care? Well, Jeremy Vaeni wrote about him in the Woods/Jacobs cover story for [i]UFO Magazine[/i] and he's still got his job, so draw your own conclusion there.

What can we do, then?

I urge everyone to call or write to the Unitarian Church in which this is supposed to take place. Let them know who the man is they are welcoming into their fold.

That phone number is: (818) 769-5911
Their email address is: info@uustudiocity.org

Send them a link to Emma's website: http://www.ufoalienabductee.com/

Tell them that this was the big shocker of the year in ufology and although they may be unfamiliar with the issue, it is unacceptable that this man be given a platform in their church!

Steve Murillo, California State Section Director of MUFON, actually had the classless chutzpah to ask Emma Woods if she was a hybrid. Doesn't this astound anyone else out there?

The Orange Orb: Leah Haley on the Abduction Mythology

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

I comment on Leah Haley's recent opinions on abductions, thanks to Jack Brewer's post at his blog The UFO Trial: The Orange Orb: Leah Haley on the Abduction Mythology

Imbrogno: Just a Baby Kraken

Uber skeptoid feels very proud of himself for revealing that Imbrogno lied about his degrees:UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog - A Phil-a-buster He who released the Kraken is gloating, comments right and left.. including two by me.

I really hope this is the last I'll say on this, but I'll watch where this goes. While it's naturally disappointing to find that Imbrogno lied about his background, I also find it intriguing to watch how news of his exaggerations and lies unfolded. Waiting for any chance to pounce and devour, said uber-toid did so, almost channeling the spirit of Imbrogno while staring, once again, at Imbrogno's MIT shirt in photo after photo. Said channeled spirit told the debunker to go forth and reveal the truth, which he's done on many a forum. This wasn't done for any idealistic or altruistic reason or wrapped snugly in the vibe of truth; simply one more item brought to the Skepti World for the show and tell segment. It's all kooksville to them, all of it (as the skeptic who outed Imbrogno proves at his blog, opening with a rant against the contactees, as if that has anything to do with Imbrogno.) Look! The contactees were lairs, frauds! Look! Imbrogno's ideas about the phenomenon are wacky! Look, Imbrogno lied about his education! That proves it's all bunk!

Really, show's over.

Meanwhile UFO sightings and UFO witnesses and UFO stuff of a thousand different manifestations -- good, bad, ugly, beautiful, honest, dishonest, scary, benign, and oh so much more -- continue. But you know, who cares about any of that stuff? I mean, seriously? Not the debunkers. They're rational after all.

(If you weren't sure, that last was sarcasm.)

No prizes awarded here for any great truth telling. Truth had nothing to do with this latest whirlpool in UFO Land. Or Skepti World. No one's won anything. No one's lost much either. The fact of things Imbrogno brought to us exist. Details may have been fudged; but diligent research is a part of the UFO journey; whatever grime may cover some of what Imbrogno has contributed can be washed off. His ideas on things still stand as highly interesting and, by the way, they are not unique. Call them Djinns, demons, "the Devil," ultra terrestrials, or any number of labels, the esoteric theories of energies manifesting as "other" and manipulating the human experience has been around for a very long time.

UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog - Gene Steinberg Shuts Down Alfred Lehmberg's�Internet!

I try hard to avoid personality ego clashes and fights but as well all know, in this field, it's impossible. The very best among the best in UFO research have found themselves at times in the thick of distasteful messes like the following: UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog - Gene Steinberg Shuts Down Alfred Lehmberg's Internet!

To keep myself focused and on task I perpetually remind myself it's about my own journey and "the research." Well, part of this journey and research include many of the fellow travelers and sometimes you have to say something.

I find this whole thing from the strident deniers thoroughly disgusting. Read Jeremy Vaeni's comments at UFO Magazine because he puts it very well; really hits on the pertinent points.

Whatever one thinks about Carol Rainey's revelations about Budd Hopkin's research, or Emma Woods revelations (though I find it difficult to see how anyone can be so adamantly "against" Rainey and Woods, and so impossibly, vehemently for Jacobs) it's not about us, it's about the nature of research. Which includes the witness-researches dynamic.

Instead of self-appointed UFO Gatekeepers who think nothing of insulting others, but more importantly, think nothing of shutting down -- literally, as in the case of one host who, driven by a frothing pettiness over the reality that someone else dare disagree with his views -- Alfred Lehmberg's ISP. Wow. This furthers UFO research how?

All the time wasted shutting down, and out, those who disagree, attacking Emma Woods and Carol Rainey with misogynistic spewings, inserting oneself into the debate with rambling and paranoid accusations towards those who are on the "wrong side" --- instead of exploring the issues that have come from this, such as the witness-researcher relationship, the usefulness of hypnosis in abduction research, and so much more.

Instead, we have some very ugly people out there saying and doing ugly things, distracting just about everyone from the real stuff: witnesses, the research, the data, etc.

In some ways, this is  part of the UFO phenomena: the Trickster circus, distracting theater of the absurd. The real stuff is ignored, the petty ugly stuff takes center stage.  This is so obvious, yet ironically, the ones who are sticking up for the so-called esteemed researchers can't see that.

David Jacobs Transcript Excerpt: MPD

 Speaks for itself. Here David Jacobs, history professor, UFO researcher and author, plants the suggestion to Emma Woods that she has Multiple Personality Disorder. From Gary Haden at Speculative Realms latest: 'They're On to Me: The MPD Game from Hello to Goodbye.'  Bolded and italicized sections mine.

Also disturbing is when Jacobs tells the witness he isn't interested in her "stories" just planting a suggestion into her mind that she's mentally ill.

Jacobs: I'm going to count from five to one, and just remember now, my diagnosis is that this is Multiple Personality Disorder and you should take medication for it. (Nervous chuckle from Emma Woods) I have seen lots of cases of MPD, and this absolutely fits the MPD profile. And, my professional diagnosis therefore is Multiple Personality Disorder. I am studying it. I am writing a book about it. That is my next book. I feel that the whole sort of alien business is all a matter of multiple personality disorder. It’s a much more widespread phenomenon than people think. Lots of people are walking around with it. It’s a public health problem. And that, you are unfortunately suffering from it. And, my opinion is that yours is a classic case, and that – that the only thing that will help you will be medication. And um, I am not interested in – in – your stories, I am only interested in the fact that you tell those stories, because multiple personalities are all different. As you know, that each – each individual within Multiple Personality Disorder can be different –some can be male, some can be female. They all have different sort of experiences. Some imagine that they are lying on tables. Some imagine that they are talking with other people. It’s just – it’s all over the place. Depending on the personality that comes out. And, I think that we’ve been dealing with three or four personalities here (name)…. And so yours is, in fact, Multiple Personality Disorder. And, when people want to talk to you about the – about your contact with me, that is the first thing you tell them. I have decided it is all Multiple Personality Disorder, and that’s what I’m going to be talking about. A psychiatric condition. Multiple Personality – Personality Disorder, well-known in the world. And, you think I may be wrong, but I think that I’m right. And, that’s what it is. And, this is what it is. And this is where my studies are leading. My studies are going directly to multiple personality disorder. And that’s all there is to it. So, now I’ll count from five to one and bring you out of this. And, we’ll talk about MPD a little bit more. Five, kind of coming out of this, feeling good, feeling alert, ready to have a semblance of an afternoon left, four, coming out even more, and feeling good, three, no depression, no fear, just threats, that’s all, you’ve had these for years now, you can deal with it. Two, all the way out of it. And one, completely out of it.

On Speculative Realms: The Girl Who Saved Her Own Life

Gary Haden at Speculative Realms is one of the few out there who are diligently exposing David Jacobs. (Others include Jeremy Vaeni and Jeff Ritzman, who have received a lot of bewildering flack for bringing this story to the UFO "community" in the first place.) It continues to astound me that UFO culture remains, at turns, either silent on Jacob's methods and character, or, continue to vilify Emma Woods as [paraphrasing various pundits] a "crazy, troubled, mentally ill bitch."

Haden is an excellent writer, on top of being an excellent researcher -- his painstaking articles contain reams of analysis -- and I certainly don't want to want to take anything he's written in his current article out of context, or "high jack" his words and intent. But here's just one little something: Jacobs' outrageous, crazy, fucking straight out wrong action, in suggesting to Woods that she has Multiple Personality Disorder. This alone should be enough for others to roundly call Jacobs out, but, there's been very little of that, and a whole lot of cricket chirping.

Here's just one excerpt from Haden's article, relating to Jacobs planting the suggestion in Emma Wood's subconscious under hypnosis without permission. Again: without permission:

At no point in the four-hour tract I listened to did David Jacobs ask Emma Woods's permission to administer to her a posthypnotic suggestion she had multiple personality disorder. [bolding mine]

“I'm going to count from five to one, and just remember now, my diagnosis is that this is Multiple Personality Disorder and you should take medication for it. (nervous chuckle from Emma Woods) I have seen lots of cases of MPD, and this absolutely fits the MPD profile. And, my professional diagnosis therefore is Multiple Personality Disorder.”

“I am studying it. I am writing a book about it,” Jacobs continues. “That is my next book. I feel that the whole sort of alien business is all a matter of multiple personality disorder. It’s a much more widespread phenomenon than people think. Lots of people are walking around with it. It’s a public health problem. And that, you are unfortunately suffering from it. And, my opinion is that yours is a classic case, and that – that the only thing that will help you will be medication. And um, I am not interested in--in--your stories, I am only interested in the fact that you tell those stories, because multiple personalities are all different.”

Speculative Realms: The Girl Who Saved Her Own Life

There are so many side shoots of this nasty, weird, episode in UFOlogy, so many, and one of the many tangled, twisted, darkly gnarled and poisonous roots of Jacobs' actions is the question of the aliens themselves. Why is Jacobs now suggesting aliens are nothing other than manifestations of MPD? A big, bellowing HELLO on that one. (And do I have to note that David Jacobs is not a psychologist, a therapist, or a psychiatrist, and that his doctorate is in history?)

But, I do not want to deflect from the main issue, which is Jacobs' actions, his words, his behavior, his denials, his excuses, his justifications, his treatment of Emma Woods and others like her. Theories are one thing, as to what the aliens are, -- not one of us knows that. Well, some of us do, there are those in power we never see or hear that know damn well, but that's another issue and I digress.  What I, or you, "believe" about aliens, UFOs, ET, and the myriad of theories addressing those things doesn't change, nor negate, a damn thing just because David Jacobs has turned a very ugly corner.  No, the only issue here is Jacobs' approach to the witnesses he's interviewed. And, I'd add, the continued silence from others about that.

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.

Richard Dolan at X-Conference 2010 (A.D. Disclosure)

Report, Damn It! And Do It Like This!

At the  McMinnville UFO Festival in Oregon last spring, the Bales brothers gave a simple, yet on the edge of your seat presentation about their giant triangle sighting in Idaho. During the Q & A one man chided the brothers for not being more involved in UFO research. He expected them to be sudden experts, with a mission and message of spiritual alien based insight. An astoundingly arrogant and condescending comment to make. After a slight pause, one of the brothers, who looked a bit confused at the comment, simply said "We're here, aren't we?"


Peter Davenport, who provides us with a much needed database of UFO reports, is perennially irritated at people who won't "take ten minutes" to write a UFO report in "black ink on white paper." His frustration is understandable, but not everyone feels comfortable putting such experiences down on paper. Treating UFO witnesses like stupid school children discourages people from making UFO reports.


I've been involved in a few local UFO minded groups through the years. The seeds of such gatherings are simple: people getting together to talk about UFOs. The purpose of these groups is  to have people with experiences to share with others,  but I've found there isn't much honesty happening in these groups. Because as soon as you have the "leaders" of such groups state what will, and what will not, be accepted, you are being dishonest. Telling witnesses to keep things positive -- in other words, don't talk about the scary, negative parts of your experience -- is a type of control. Creating a forum of only what you want to hear, in the form you want to hear it, is being dishonest. It sets up false forums of data; if you are continuously rejecting accounts you don't like based on your biases, you're not after genuine UFO experiences.


None of these methods consider the individual's experience. We listen and decide they're too negative, or not spiritual enough, or not literate enough, or are too lazy because they won't write something down, or . . .


And maybe they are some of those things, sometimes. Maybe some witnesses are too lazy or incompetent to write a report. Maybe the witness is still experiencing trauma from their encounter and are stuck, for the time being, in a dark place. Maybe their paranoia and fears, their nervousness and confusion, is part of the process and where they need to be for awhile. Making witnesses feel bad, lazy or stupid -- or crazy because they're depressed or anxious -- pushes them away.


All we can expect from people who have decided to come forward in whatever small way with their UFO experience is honesty. Negative, positive, spiritual, literate, sloppy, bad spellers, -- doesn't much matter, if they are being honest.

Notes
BOA interview: Tim Binnall interviews Peter Davenport
http://www.binnallofamerica.com/boaa12.9.9.html

Peter Davenport: National UFO Reporting Center
http://www.nuforc.org

McMinnville, Oregon's UFO Fest.com: annual UFO Festival in May
http://www.ufofest.com/ufofest07/

Lesley on "Fantasy vs. Reality"

Lesley's Grey Matters on Binnall of America this week is Fantasy vs. Reality. She discusses the idea some hold that abductions and other UFO events are "hallucinations or some sort of fantasy and not real events."

What she has to say about the "paranoid state" of people with schizophrenia is interesting; I've often thought the same thing but haven't come across too many that have shared those ideas in terms of alien intelligences.

hidden experience blog

I found a blog I like awhile back: hidden experience. Subtitle: "Curious stuff that challenges my definition of reality." One guy, simply writing about his ufo and related experiences. He has an exceptionally beautiful entry: Owls at Sunset. Another post is a sister blogger (another one) about one woman's encounters with aliens and her own blog In A World Cracking Open.

I am always so thankful to, and appreciative of, individuals who confront their vulnerabilities and go ahead in spite of that and share their stories of the "other."

Reptilians on the Beach

Bonnie Jean Hamilton on Reptilians on the Beach, on UFO Casebook.

On UFO Digest: "A Little Experiment: Pendulums, Aliens and Telepathy

I have an article up at UFO Digest on my personal experience with UFOs and aliens: A Little Experiment: Pendulums, Telepathy and Aliens

Three different times I’ve had the eerie experience of knowing that “they” were in the room with us. Who “they” are, I’m not sure, but a few things I just know to be true are: “they” are related to UFOs, “they” are not human, and yet have a connection to us, and “they” are very much aware of us; far more than we are of them

.



You might be wondering what Popyeye and Jeep have to do with anything; well, read it and you'll find out!

Joseph Capp, UFO Media Matters: Part 2 Barney and Betty Hill Encounter

As promised, Joseph Capp at UFO Media Matters has posted Part 2 of his thoughts on the Barney and Betty Hill event. Betty And Barney Hill Part 2: Light, Action, Camera! Capp doesn't think the experience was an encounter with literal aliens from outer space, nor does he think it's some sort of fantasy prone, collective subconscious theater of the mind projection either:

It stretches the imagination beyond belief that star-traveling ETs have no advanced methods --including less painful methods-- of performing these medical tests.

The Relax, It’s Just The Trickster Myth At Work people claim this entire terrifying scenario shared in part, yet distinguished by particular differences between both individuals’ experience, was a projection of collective conscious. And so the Trickster Myth people would have us join their collective delusion that these terrifying claims of Barney and Betty Hill are nothing more than iconic mind projections.

That would be nice if we could leave it there. Unfortunately these myths and iconic projections have...been recorded on radar, killed our pilots, disabled our missiles, and destroyed at least one of our missiles --representing the most advanced weaponry on Earth.

MILABS? It's likely, especially given that the Hills knew some very interesting people in the military. If this is true -- that MILABS are the cause of many abductions (as they were with many Contactees) -- that doesn't discount the reality of actual aliens in flying saucers.

It's more than one thing, and both deceptively simple as well as complex.

From Joseph Capp: Barney and Betty Hill: Profiles in Courage Part 1

Joseph Capp of the UFO Media Matters blog has a post about Barney and Betty Hill. It's a funny post in parts, but it's also moving and important, discussing the fact of what they went through regarding their interracial relationship, their activism and involvement in the community, and the efforts of debunkers, including Dr. Susan Clancy. This is Part I, and Part II promised to be equally as interesting. I wonder if Capp will address the topic of possible MILAB manipulation and the Hills connection with military? We'll just have to see.

Here's a bit of what Capp writes about the Hills in general:

Remember the ground truths of the era when the Hill case happened:
--Abductions were unknown…to Americans, at least;
--ET were not in the news, and the only information the Hills had was their own experience;
--The facts of the experience seemed too insane to be real.

The Hills stand out as people who couldn’t possible be the people the professional debunkers and disinfo agents made them out to be. They were fighters, these Hills. They were stand up Americans doing what America does best: standing uphttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif for freedom.

The beauty of the Hills was they were truly unspoiled, and yet they saw something very shatteringly bizarre, similar to what was reported before at Roswell, but kept smothered for decades.

One thing about the Hill case: it is a valid era in UFO history to research (as most "old" cases are) not necessarily because it might reveal something new and astounding but because of what we can learn, and then apply to current UFO phenomenon.


Betty and Barney Hill: Profiles in Courage Part I

Alien Abduction and Mystic Experiences (Gralien Report)

Micah Hawks, of the very excellent Gralien Report blog, has an item on Alien Abduction and Mystic Experience, with a link to Brad Steiger's piece on his My Strangest Alien Abduction Case" on UFO Digest.

There are so many aspects to the UFO phenomenon; nuts and bolts, the usual. And the mystical. What to make of those kinds of experiences in connection to UFOs? Some have not seen UFOs in the typical sense, yet have experienced deep mystical/spiritual events that include non-human entities that the individual puts into the UFO category. Like Nahu, for example, author of UFOs: Gods From Inner Space,who I wrote about some time ago in UFO Magazine. He, and his partner, have gone on to experience events like this, including seeing beams of energy, having psychic characteristics, etc.

Are some types of extraterrestrials capable of inducing these encounters? Is it something within us that enters into a symbiotic relationship with some of "them?" Are they more earth bound, or inter-dimensional, and not strictly UFO connected?

As always, there isn't any one answer to what UFOs are; except to state the obvious, which is that there are many varities of types and experiences. One type does not negate or invalidate the other.