I Feel a Rant Coming On . . .

(cross posted at my blog The Orange Orb)

I Feel a Rant Coming On...

Which is one aspect of this blog -- all about ranting on some days. Migraine fueled rant at that.

What I posted on UFO Updates:

"Only $90.00?" That's a lot of money for some of us. MUFON, once upon a time, a long time ago, they did good things, good intent. Now they're in bed with Bigelow, and, oh dear. Individuals remain who do good work but as an entity, MUFON, no thanks. As to UFO events; the skies are busy busy busy these past decades with our own lights and it's hard to distinguish between the truly strange and "just" one of ours. Of course, "one of ours" often has its own sinister implications, but that's another track. Meanwhile, there are witnesses to really weird events -- myself included -- that have to do with UFOs. Aliens, or what, who knows, but the experiences are real, and I, for one, am not lying when I report on them. So I will continue to ponder and ask and wonder and delve. Sometimes it means looking at the light in the sky, if only to realize it's nothing. Other times it means asking -- demanding! -- hey, just what the hell was that whole missing time thing about?! Witnesses need to keep exploring and investigating, and researchers need to stop putting limits on what is acceptable and what isn't. True, Roswell slides mysteriously present showing real aliens is a huge and silly distraction, but knowing the players promoting such stunts helps and then we can move on.

The $90 reference was to the supposed cost of MUFON's official UFO investigation kit.

Things in UFO Land have been busy lately, what with the Roswell alien slides and TV programs about aliens and UFOs in general. On one hand, we have such a lot of popular culture stuff out there about UFOs. Within UFO Land, lots of the usual debating and in-fighting and arguments.

Distractions.

Meanwhile, the real questions and experiences seem to be ignored. Relegated to the fringe of the fringe. Unasked, not pursued. In fact, demands are shouted. Demands for science to step up. Demands for everyone else involved to be more scientific in the pursuit of UFO knowledge. As if that approach will answer, once and for all, The UFO Question.

Feh. And meh.

I'm not bored. I'm not giving up. I'm not shutting up. I encourage every witness, from the Bigfoot-UFO witness to the reptilian alien witness to the spinning lighted disco ball mother ship witness to report, write about, talk about, discuss, argue, defend, explore, investigate. Just be honest and clear. Hold your intent and focus. Compare and contrast.

Check yourselves. Check your religions, your belief systems. You do the work; don't let others dictate to you what that is. Now that's a hard one, because it's very difficult to be honest in that context.

But don't shut up. Don't stop. Don't let others tell you your story is unacceptable because it's too weird or that you're not a scientist.

Michael Shermer on...some kind of ET show

Yesterday I turned on the television hoping to find some para-tainment program to calm that positively thrilling feeling of folding and putting away the clean laundry. Stumbled on some kind of show to do with aliens, but don't recall what it was. I think it was on the H2 (History channel 2) but not sure. The date was fairly recent; from this year.

Talk was of ancient aliens, and skeptics were giving their two cents, Michael Shermer being one of them. Now, one can have any opinion they care to about the ancient alien theory or anything at all to do with UFOs, ET, aliens, but you do not get to say "This is the way it is."

So, Shermer is almost angry, stating that there is "absolutely no evidence" (paraphrasing) of alien intervention/interference. None. No evidence. "Pulling things in from here and there and everywhere to make up an ancient alien theory." (paraphrasing.) Well, "pulling things in from here, there..." does not make something untrue or invalid by that action alone. And those seemingly random unconnected things, which I assume Shermer was insinuating they were and therefore, invalid, does indeed make a pattern. The point is, Shermer, like all skeptoids, confuse evidence with proof. There is a massive heaping pile of evidence. Anyone who still chooses to say otherwise is either lying outright, or truly ignorant. The issue isn't the "lack" of evidence, it's how one interprets that evidence.

The second ridiculous thing Shermer said was that "There is no proof aliens are here, have been here..none. Because it didn't happen. It couldn't happen." (paraphrasing.) Now, that's pretty astounding actually. How does he know? He doesn't, of course. Granted, most of us don't, but at least those that say otherwise have directly experienced something -- non-human entities, weird creatures, reptilians, just for starters -- and have a lot more to stand on than Shermer's opinion on the subject.

Why shows continue to have sketpoids on I'm not sure. Producers will tell you it's part of the need for balance and fairness, which is untrue, given the producers own agendas in twisting the topics to where they want them to go.  If anything, it's simply action -- the battle between skeptoid debunker and "believer"  as entertainment. More "excitement" equals more ratings.

Alfred Lehmberg on John Ford: UFO Magazine blog

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

Not mentioned since our summer of abnormal discontent, still, Ford remains in gulag, minus bail! This is not incarceration, it is dogged persecution, so it's so much more than prison, or a jail.

A *threat* to dangerous shadows, he is locked up in their hole; he is incommunicado; he is totally controlled. He is fed his spice-less meals lacking interest or confection, and he's led around in routine's mindless grunge, lessexpectation... He is made to follow orders from the folks he'd disrespect, but he's drugged to an indifference—indistinct... and he forgets!

...And that was just the high point, folks! It's a pay back, day by day. He challenged *their* authority—you can bet *they* make him pay. He had the gall to stand up straight, and ask the tougher questions. He questioned the hypocrisy, so he suffers their "correction." What Ford had—I've not the courage... and neither, friend, have you. We're stunned by Ford's example... as the facts of it? They're true.

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

Bug Eyed Monsters? ...Not So Bad!

On Alfred Lehmberg's Alien View (also cross posted at UFO Magazine): : Bug Eyed Monsters? ...Not So Bad! As it usually is with Alfred's writing, it's difficult to choose what to quote, since it's all fantastic, and I worry about taking things out of context -- or not giving his words all the attention they deserve. So here's just a snippet; enjoy!

Put your faith in Bug Eyed Monsters, dripping slime from every pore, before you trust a mean humanity malfeasant and abhorred! No, don't worry over-much, my friend, your B.E.M.'s intentions. They're the least of all concerns; fear Humans—my contention!

UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog

Much going on at UFO Magazine's blog. I wrote a response to those in this field who are, well, sleazebags. UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog:

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

Read the two or three blog entries by Alfred Lehmberg, as well as the comments left by many savvy readers (and a few not so) ---

It's a thin line sometimes, dealing with these fools. Ignoring is the best tactic, almost always. Because no matter how correct you are, -- no, I mean, no matter how right the facts are -- "they" will always continue to engage. That cliche about "(not) feeding the trolls" is, while a bit worn, very true. Still, sometimes you have to say something, when others are being accused of doing or saying things they never did, as well as making truly astounding libelous statements. Even that might be okay if it weren't for the fact so many in what we glibly call "UFOlogy" consider these people credible contributors to UFO studies.

It's Been Quiet Around Here, But Not So in UFO Land...

It's Been Quiet Around Here, But Not So in UFO Land...
So we go:

Persistent Denial of UFO Activity
As usual, James Carlson responds, over and over, to anything pro-UFO activity a la Salas, Hastings, etc. The latest responses to UFO writers, like Alfred Lehmberg, and Robert Hastings himself,  here at the UFO Magazine blog. Carlson also left a long comment at The Orange Orb (same one twice) but I decided to no longer give him any attention. Well, other than pointing out his pathological denial of UFOs.

Paola Harris
I thought about not saying anything at all, but then said to myself "to hell with it, people need to know" so I wrote about my reaction to the Paola Harris presentation comedy act at the McMinnville UFO Festival in Oregon this past May.
Speaking of the McMinnville conference, Robert Salas was one of the presenters, and he was very good. (So was Stan Gordon.)

Crop Circle Makers and Fakers
Colin Andrews has agreed to speak with crop circle artist (or faker, depending on one's view) Matthew Williams. Looking forward to this. Williams creates crop circles, and I've always had issues with that. Yet Williams has had many unique and proound experiences, and my lesson learned is: don't judge so quickly. There's a lot more here than just someone having a joke...

Reagan, Spielberg and ET 
Speilberg on what Ronald Reagan said after the White House screening of E.T.:

"It was in the White House screening room and Reagan got up to thank me for bringing the film to show the President, the First Lady and all of their guests, which included Sandra Day O’Connor in her first week of as a Justice of the Supreme Court, and it included some astronauts… I think Neil Armstrong was there, I’m not 100% certain, but it was an amazing, amazing evening.

He just stood up and he looked around the room, almost like he was doing a headcount, and he said, 'I wanted to thank you for bringing E.T. to the White House. We really enjoyed your movie,' and then he looked around the room and said, 'And there are a number of people in this room who know that everything on that screen is absolutely true.'

And he said it without smiling! But he said that and everybody laughed, by the way. The whole room laughed because he presented it like a joke, but he wasn’t smiling as he said it." 

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.

Brazen Hussies Invade Earth! Serious UFO Research Attacked!

Posted on The Orange Orb, and re posted at Orange Orb Review.  Interesting comments at Orange Orb; take a look. I want to add here that I, along with others who've commented, including Deirdre of course, find it odd that he takes such deep offense at Deirdre -- to the point of saying he will never read UFO Magazine again -- over all the other hundreds of articles that have appeared in that magazine over the years.  He doesn't see fit to mention David Jacob's behavior in the Emma Woods case, apparently finding a male in authority and his command that Woods send him her unwashed underwear heinous, but does find Ms. O'Lavery's humor and slip wearing, red lipsticked, cigarette dangling persona positively horrifying. 
 

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.

UFO Magazine Blog: James T. Carlson: Deeply Disturbed

Respone from Robert Hastings on James T. Carlson's incessant uber-skeptologizing on UFO Magazine's blog.

UFO Political Prisoner: "Albatross" on UFO Magazine Blog

Albatross, on John Ford, a UFO U.S. political prisoner, by Alfred Lehmberg.

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

Alfred Lehmberg: Warm Blood

On John Ford, the state, and one's right to "believe in" UFOs: Warm Blood.

Future Theater

Thanks to Lesley Gunter, who posted this at Women of Esoterica;I'm passing it along. . .


UFO Magazine publishers, Bill and Nancy Birnes, are starting their own  weekly radio show - Future Theater.  Here is some information from Bill about  the show:

This  Saturday evening at 6PM Eastern on Future   Theater, Dr. Ted joins us  for a UFO Hunters reunion along with Dan   Zarenkiewicz, our producer.  You can catch the live broadcast at  futuretheater.com or ufomag.com or lanlamphere.com. We'll have a  chat   room and open lines, too.

Visit The Orange Orb
http://orangeorb.blogspot.com

Lehmberg: "Mal-Inculations"

Mal-Inculcations by Alfred Lehmberg.

Clebrune, Texas UFO (and MUFON Is ...?)

News of a UFO seen in Texas over Christmas; Kithra at the Krystal Kave blog has a personal connection to the sighting: UFO Over Clebrune, Texas on Christmas Night.

Related to this news is what I heard the MUFON representatives Mark Easter and Chuck Reever, on Coast to Coast say last night about UFO sightings in Texas. Host George Knapp asked about any updates on the Stephenville, Texas UFO sightings. Angelia Joiner, the reporter who broke the case and has her own UFO radio show, was cited. But the MUFON researchers said there isn't anything new going on in Texas, UFO wise. Unless I missed something -- and I do have a habit of drifting in and out when listening to C2C at night -- I wondered how it could be MUFON seemed to be so ho-hum about UFO activity in Texas? Stephenville has died down but there have been reports coming in from that area, and other areas in Texas as well, ever since.

Speaking of disatisfaction with MUFON, Joseph Capp at UFO Media Matters discusses his issues with MUFON in MUFON's 600 lb Gorilla: Common Sense.

On the other hand, all these organizations, Peter Davenport's NUFORC, MUFON, and so many more, operate only because of the dedication of those who run these groups. Very little, if any, money is made, and what money is made, goes to research and costs of running the thing. Investigators do what they can; after all, there's no pay, it costs money to travel to sites, and then there are the realities and responsibilities of family and the day job. 

These groups contribute what they will, and we get the benefit of more data. That's not to say that's all the data, or the research was the best, or that even denial or rejection of reports occur, based on personal bias or agenda.

We get stories, and as we know, there are more stories behind the stories.  

New Rules

From UFO Media Matters, "New Rules" -- I love it. Thanks to Lesley at Debris Field for the link.

Woo T.V.
Are you doing your part to keep Woo Television on the air?

Yakima UFO Hot Spot

Pretty straightforward reporting from the local news in Washington state.