Punch hole clouds

Awesome pics of high-cloud-strangeness at DARK ROASTED BLEND.

Seeing faces

I went to profile rock two weeks ago. It wasn't a planned investigation. On the contrary, I was visiting my best friend in Fall River and happened to see signs w/ a very distinguished Native American profile everywhere. Then I saw the sign pointing the way, so while my best friend spent a good hour arguing with T-mobile about a mistake on her phone bill, I saw profile rock.
When I made it to the top of the hill overlooking the rock I was awestruck. Maybe a tad gobsmacked. My heart palpated in my chest and I was overwhelmed by the awesome. So what did I do? Being the adventurer I WISH I was, I got a closer look. I found a stone staircase leading down the hill and so I went on down and close to what became a hill of rocks, broken and graffiti'd and eventually gave way to the true profile of the rock. It wasn't the regal one used to advertise all the businesses in the area. On the contrary, that profile is an illusion. Broken rocks jutting out left and right make it look that way.

But still, there is a profile. Only it resembles a Maya and not a Native American.

I saw a long sloping forehead and a flat nose. But then again, you can see faces in anything, so I have no idea if what I was looking at was carved or made by mother nature as the rocks crumbled. All I do know is that I loved being there and seeing it and I can't wait to see something crazier or stranger or far more mysterious in the near future.

Mac Tonnies Interview w/ Richard Thomas

Mac Tonnies IS a meme all his own.

Stanton Friedman @ BOA

It's one BoA's proudest traditions, the 4th annual BoA:Audio Holiday Special featuring the "Father of Modern Day Ufology" Stanton Friedman. Coming on the heels of the publication of his self-proclaimed "magnus opus," Flying Saucers and Science, we discuss a number of elements to the new tome. We find out about Project Blue Book Special Report # 13, the mysterious "lost" Blue Book text, Stan's relationships and thoughts on legendary Ufologists James E. McDonald & J. Allen Hynek, his "feud" with Isaac Asimov, the crash of the nuclear rocket industry, plus big picture analysis like how to solve Ufology's public relations problems and Stan's thoughts on the state of Roswell in relation to mainstream media & science acceptance.

On top of all that, in the 2nd half of the program, we turn the questioning over to the members of the official BoA forum theusofe.com who had their chance to ask Friedman one question each. Via their contributions, we'll find out about his thoughts on the connection between UFOs & altered consciousness, his disagreements with Kevin Randle on Roswell, Ufology in a post-disclosure world, getting the media interested in UFOs, his opinion on what is the best abduction case ever, his feud with Paul Kimball, sabermetrics in baseball, the alleged 1969 Sverdlovsky UFO crash, why he doesn't subscribe to the Corso version of Roswell, the journal article 'Sovereignty and the UFO', Project Blue Book Special Report #14, and where the US would be in space if it kept going to the moon.

The Solstice at Newgrange

Maybe it's just me, but why's this picture look like there's a boy in it, with his head bowed down? I need some coffee.

Top Ten Astronomy pics of 2008

The pics of the universe are so dang beautiful. I wish I could just float among the stars forever and forever...or just stand over the earth, like Superman, only I'd be Superwoman...and I'd be cuter.

Understand Dark Matter

The vastness and darkness of space has always intrigued me. I don't know what it is about DARK MATTER that just causes one to stop and think about just how much about the universe we don't know...and never will.

He Built Himself An Electric Barbarella!

Gian Quasar @ BOA

In our first two-part episode of Season IV, BoA:Audio heads to previously uncharted waters (on our program) and an area of mystery once huge in esoterica but now relegated to the peripheral ... the Bermuda Triangle. Our guest is Gian Quasar, author of the outstanding book Into the Bermuda Triangle.

In this, our first installment of the interview, we'll discuss the history of the Triangle, both as a phenomenon and as an enigma of public interest. We'll also discuss some of the most famous (and infamous) Triangle disappearances, like the Carol A. Doerring case, Flight 19, Christopher Columbus' Triangle experiences, the Ellen Austin story, the tale of the USS Cyclops, and many others. In Part One, we'll also cover the government's take on the Triangle, Gian's arguments against the various Triangle explanations put forth by debunkers, and disappearance flaps in the Triangle, including the "December Hex."

It's a richly detailed edition of the program unearthing one of esoterica's "lost" mysteries: the Bermuda Triangle.

Full Preview: We kick things off with the standard bio/background of Gian Quasar and how he got interested in the Bermuda Triangle. Following that, Gian gives us a thumbnail definition of what the Bermuda Triangle is, for those folks living under a rock somewhere. Then we find out if Gian has ever ventured into the infamous Triangle. Based on Gian's exhaustive research, we learn what the general average is for missing planes and boats per year and he tells us about disappearance flaps in the Triangle, such as in 1978/79. He also enlightens us as to how the disappearance rate has changed quite a bit in the last year or so and what that seems to be the case. We also find out if there are any other significant trends with Triangle disappearances and Gian tells us about the "December Hex."

Beginning to look more closely at the Triangle disappearances, we first talk about how many of those that go missing are seasoned pilots & seamen, which flies in the face of popular claim of human error as the cause of Triangle vanishings. Next we talk about the changing shape of the Triangle and how it is more amorphous than the generally held public perception of a "triangle."

We then discuss the evolution of the Bermuda Triangle as a pillar of the esoteric community, beginning with its introduction to the scene, the explosion in popularity of the Triangle, and then the post-70's "deep freeze" where the phenomena seemed to vanish from the the public eye. Gian speculates on what elements may have caused the "Triangle fever" of the 1970's.

Looking at disappearances in the Triangle, Gian tells us about any patterns that might be found and he described both "standard disappearances" and "bizarre disappearances." Gian shares some of the more truly strange aircraft disappearances attributed to the Triangle. He also points out one key aspect of BT disappeances: the lack of any signal from emergency devices used to locate missing ships and planes. This segues into Gian speculating on just why it is that the Bermuda Triangle seems to resonate with people, at times moreso than the more popular mysteries like Bigfoot or UFOs.

Following that we discuss another odd layer to the BT mystery: derelict (or abandoned) ships that turn up in the Triangle. He recalls one such famous case, The Carol A. Doerring case. He also tells us about a couple of amazing stories of derelict planes that may have been Triangle-related as well.

Looking at famous and noteworthy plane disappearances in the Triangle, we first talk about a May 27th, 1962 plane vanishing which saw the only wreckage found to be a nosewheel of the plane with bizarre characteristics. Then we talk about perhaps the most famous of all Bermuda Triangle flight disappearances: the vanishing of Flight 19. This leads to another interesting element of some flight disappearances: the fact that some make radio communications to land, though hours after the planes should have run out of fuel. Before we move on to the missing boats, Gian explains why it is easier to document missing planes rather than missing ships.

Moving on, we look at the oceanic elements to the Triangle. We start with the Sargasso Sea, a truly bizarre element to the waters of the Triangle. Next, we look way back in history at the strange events that befell Christopher Columbus' voyage through the Triangle. Following that, Gian recounts the infamous case of the Ellen Austin, which was reported to be a derelict ship discovered, recapitulated, and then mysteriously abandoned again. We also take a thorough look at perhaps the most infamous missing ship case in the Triangle: the USS Cyclops. Gian explains why he thinks there were more human elements at work behind the Cyclops disappearance, rather than attributing it to the Triangle itself. Lastly, we look at cases of submarines that have gone missing in the Triangle.

We then briefly talk about divers that go missing in the Triangle and whether or not they may have fallen victim to "rapture of the deep." Gian then talks about one of the roadblocks to Bermuda Triangle research: the difficulty in establishing a boat "disappearance." Looking at the big picture of Bermuda Triangle disappearances, Gian estimates how many planes and boats he has documented disappearing in the area since WWII and the number is staggering. He also explains why it is harder to get information on pre-WWII cases and why there are so few flight cases before WWII.

We find out what, if any, the government's official stance is on the Triangle, especially in light of so many planes disappearing there during WWII and beyond. Gian also details how he played a part in changing the government's official statement on the Triangle, which had grown horribly outdated over the last few decades. We then find out how extensive the investigations were into the Triangle during the boom of the 1970's. We also learn what these investigations uncovered about the Triangle.

Following that, we talk about Lawrence Kusch's infamous book Bermuda Triangle: Mystery Solved and Gian explains the weakness of that work and why the title is highly misleading. Looking at another tact taken by skeptics of the Triangle, Gian argues against the theories surrounding methane gas as the cause of disappearances.

Wrapping up Part One, we look at plane disappearances and radar, we talk about how the actual time it takes for the plane to disappear is seen to be very fast, usually within seconds. Gian contrasts a plane disappearing in the Triangle to a plane crashing as far as how they appear on radar.


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Gian Quasar Bio
Gian Quasar is recognized as the leading authority in the world on the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle, the man responsible for taking the subject out of the haze of two decades of debunker driven obscurity and placing it in its actual and often disturbing light. He is the first person to completely document the Bermuda Triangle, incident by incident. His research began over 15 years ago, and he has compiled the largest private repository of reports and official maritime documents, containing over 350 cases spanning over 2 centuries. Over 150 of these have been disappearances which have happened in the last 25 years.

Gian’s tenacity in finding every scrap available has gained him popular recognition as Generation X’s number 1 investigator of the most famous phenomena topics long established by the 1970s, uncovering them for an entirely new generation, but now with actual documentation instead of the endless hype and hyperbole of their public marketing. He presents them as all facts must be presented: in a mature and objective manner.

His website is bermuda-triangle.org

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Next Week :

Gian Quasar PART 2!!!

Robotics expert builds android twin to study the soul

This is awesome-freaky-amusing. There's just no other way to describe it. Personally, if I had the genius for such a pursuit, I'd be torn between
the ramifications of possibly enabling my studies/experiments to allow
some future nutjob/genius the opportunity to create cylon-like being to
replace us all. But, hey, if his ideas get off the ground and someone
one-ups him, hopefully I'll be really really old. Or dead.

And it's not like I don't admire such pursuits, but I do see a day when
our inventions may get the best of us. And that, no matter how you shake
it, spells the end of humanity as we know it.

ROCK ON!

Check out "DARK LORE"

Welcome to the official website for Darklore, a journal of exceptional observations, hidden history, the paranormal and esoteric science. Bringing together some of the top researchers and writers on topics from outside of mainstream science and history, Darklore will challenge your preconceptions by revealing the strange dimensions veiled by consensus reality. Contributors include Daniel Pinchbeck, Loren Coleman, Nick Redfern, Robert Schoch, Blair Blake, Michael Grosso, Paul Devereux, Stephen Braude, Mike Jay, Lynn Picknett & Clive Prince and many others. Darklore offers only the best writing and research from the most respected individuals in their fields.

George Knapp @ BOA

BoA:Audio celebrates our 100th episode with massively popular investigative journalist George Knapp. George will discuss the evolution of his journalism career, his investigation into Area 51 and the subsequent fall-out in Ufology, his take on UFO studies, reflections on his research into the Skinwalker Ranch, and the latest news on his coverage of the Needles UFO case from earlier this Summer.

We celebrate our centennial with a bonafide A-list esoteric name in an episode you do not want to miss.

Full Preview: We kick things off with a little bit of background on George Knapp and his evolution as a TV reporter. We dive right into the UFO discussion by first talking about George's investigation into Area 51. He begins by telling us about the background to his research into Area 51, including the influence of esoteric players like John Lear, Bill Cooper, and Bob Lazar in helping to fuel George's discovery of the infamous esoteric landmark and the subsequent explosion of Area 51 as a paranormal meme.

This leads to us hearing some remarkable stories about the reaction to George's Area 51 work from his colleagues in the news media. We get George's fascinating insider perspective on the long-standing belief, in some Ufological circles, of a media coverup of the UFO subject. We also get his take on the apparent changes in the media in the last year with regards to UFOs and how the coverage seems to be getting more positive. He also talks about some of his dealings with the basic cable UFO shows and his disappointment with how some of them are put together.

Next we talk about George's initial introduction to the world of Ufology, including attending the infamous 1989 MUFON convention which saw Bill Moore reveal his government connections and John Lear stage a mutiny and attempt to form his own convention within the convention. He also talks about the fallout from his reports on Area 51 and how various camps in Ufology used the story to their own ends. This leads to a general discussion on some of the problems of UFO studies today.

Looking at the future of Ufology, we ask George if there's any way to "save" Ufology or if it has degenerated too far beyond the point of saving. He tells us about how organizations like NIDS might be the ideal scenario for serious investigation of the UFO phenomenon. This segues into a discussion on the "economy of Ufology" and how the problems of the field take their toll on the good researchers who need funds to continue their work.

Moving on, we get George's opinion, based on his research, on how much the government really knows about UFOs. He reveals what aspect of the UFO phenomenon and the potential government coverup has always interested him the most. We also get his take on the idea of a "global conspiracy" to keep the UFO subject secret by certain countries. We then find out why George does not foresee UFO disclosure by the government at any point in the future and what it probably would take to blow the lid off the UFO secret.

We also get his thoughts on the Exopolitics movement that has sprung up in the last decade. He details some of the political problems with dealing with UFOs and shares an amazing story of a 2000 Congressional hearing on UFOs that almost happened but was thwarted by the very people pushing for UFO disclosure. Staying on the topic of UFO disclosure, George tells us about some of the potential political stumbling blocks that would likely prevent such a release of UFO information. He also shares his opinion that if UFO disclosure happened, then there might be some kind of criminal charges filed against some of the people who have kept the "truth" hidden from the public. He also makes the Devil's Argument that perhaps the truth behind UFOs is "too much" for the public to bear.

Up next, we cover George's groundbreaking work covering the Skinwalker Ranch (about which he co-wrote Hunt for the Skinwalker with Colm Kelleher). We start by finding out why the story seems to still resonate so much with people, nearly three years after the book was written. We then talk about George's experience investigating the infamous ranch and he tells us about how the book came about in the first place. He talks about one story from the ranch that they debated including in the book, because it was almost "too outrageous," but they decided to include it after all. He also shares some great stories about his personal experiences visiting the ranch.

We then discuss some of George's most recent work in the UFO realm: his investigation into a reported UFO crash in Needles, California. He gives a detailed look at the story, including the "post-crash" fallout of the story. He recounts some of the reports of Men In Black in the area after the event and his remarkable run-in with government agents and gives his frank assessment of what happened during that incident.

Heading towards the close, we get George's perspective on hosting Coast to Coast AM twice a month. He also tells us what guest he'd like to have on the show and hasn't had the chance to interview yet. We also find out what's next for George Knapp in the esoteric field.


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George Knapp Bio
George Knapp was born in Woodbury, N.J., and raised mostly in Northern California. He graduated from high school in Stockton, Calif.; earned a bachelor's degree in communications from West Georgia College; and later earned a master's degree in communications from the University of the Pacific, where he also taught speech and debate and served as director of forensics. George also taught speech at California Polytechnic University, coached the debate team at the University of California at Berkeley and taught broadcast journalism at UNLV.

Along the way, George also worked as a hodcarrier, farm laborer, carpenter's assistant and house painter. He moved to Las Vegas in 1979 and landed a job as a taxi driver. Later, he worked at KLVX-TV Channel 10 as a part-time studio cameraman and production assistant. KLAS-TV hired him in 1981 as a general assignment reporter. George also has co-anchored various newscasts for Eyewitness News.

He has earned two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a national Edward R. Murrow award for his investigative stories on the voter registration fraud. Nine times, he has won the Mark Twain Award for best news writing from the Associated Press. And in 1990, his series about UFOs was selected by United Press International as best in the nation for Individual Achievement by a Journalist. In addition to that, he has won 14 Emmy Awards.

He is also the co-author of Hunt for the Skinwalker and hosts Coast to Coast AM every 3rd & 4th Sunday of the month.

ADAM DAVIES @ BOA

( I am suffering from serious BSG withdrawal because I almost typed ADAMA DAVIES! )

"BoA returns to the UK to talk with Adam Davies, author of Extreme Expeditions: Travel Adventures Stalking the World's Mystery Animals. We'll be covering some of the adventures that are detailed in his book, including his travels to the Congo to search for the Mokele Mbembe, hunting the Orang Pendek in Sumatra, investigating the Mongolian Death Worm, and other treks around the world seeking truly unique cryptids. We'll also delve into the human side of crypto expeditions, talking about what makes a good team, the political roadblocks to international work, how Adam's family feels about his adventures and much more. Plus, we cover Alien Big Cats, the Seljord Serpent, American Bigfoot, the "kill v. no kill" debate, and, as always, tons and tons more."

GET THIS BOOK!

You can buy it here!

THE PARACAST

Ever since I left my last job, I've been unable to listen to the Paracast. I completely missed MAC TONNIES (Oct 26,2008). So here it is. Enjoy!

Peculiar Pic Of The Day- WERNHER VON BRAUN'S SPACE ROCKET

U.S. pilot ordered to shoot down UFO!

Is it any wonder how Roswell may have come to be? Seriously. The whole MOGUL balloon thing may sit nice and tidy with some. I am as tired of Roswell as the next UFO enthusiast, but sometimes I have to keep my mind open to the probability that someone shot down something. And if this news story doesn't make anyone else think the very same thing, and in almost the very same instance, than I am truly alone with my dark and diabolical ROSWELLian thoughts.

ANOMALOUS PIC OF THE DAY

How much crazy can you see? I am still in awe. Three words: EGYPT ON MARS!

Jesus the Magician

My grandmother says I am beyond help and that I lack faith. I usually scoff when she says this, because it usually comes up in an argument when the nightly news headlines a story about a group of habitual gullible religious simps, standing in front of a hospital, worshipping an image of Mary in a window. I tell her it's condensation in between the panes. She tells me I don't believe in anything. I wanna tell her that I pray every night for the world to wake the frak up. But I don't. Instead I let her mourn my supposed doomed soul, as I look on in disbelief at how life imitates art.

So, of course when I found the article regarding the bowl that was found, inscribed with the words, "DIA CHRSTOU O GOISTAIS," BY CHRIST THE MAGICIAN/ THE MAGICIAN BY CHRIST, I laughed. I laughed hard. Because all I could think about was the X-FILES episode, HOLLYWOOD A.D., in which Mulder stumbles on a bowl embedded with the voice of Christ, commanding Lazarus to rise from the dead.

So, now, here we have a bowl, of the exact same color, incribed with the text regarding the likelihood that Jesus was doing better in the desert than Chris Angel, and what have you got? Me...sceptical as ever. And no, I am not going to bother arguing with my grandmother about this one.

Weird Science: Top unexplained mysteries

*From hairy beasts to humming deserts, these mysteries go unexplained



Ya don't say...

MEN IN BLACK

I haven't seen a really accurate representation of a MAN IN BLACK, maybe ever. Most hollywood representations are missing that creepy, alien or robotic element. So, I was a little elated to see the FRINGE use a character, this week that was the most accurate representation of an MIB to date. THE OBSERVER has no sense of taste or time---has no hair---wears a suit---can read your mind---shows up, inexpicably, at the scene of some uncanny event. Check, check, check, check and check. If you aren't watching the FRINGE, you really should. If nothing else, it gives the esoteric a nice polish.

WANTED: A volunteer to be the Deputy News Editor of The Anomalist.

The ANOMALIST is looking for a Deputy News Editor. If you think you've got what it takes...

Abstract or Prophetic?

There's this globe at the Vatican museum, that spins counter-clockwise and looks like one planetary body has collided into another, much bigger planetary body. And, personally, it's just out of place there. Why at the Vatican?

THOMAS HORN: Why Lake of Fire, Nephilim may return -- this year

I read Tom Horn's revelations regarding ENOCH and the Nephilim, back when he was writing it in weekly/monthly segments and putting it up on the RAIDERS NEWS website. It was just as intriguing than as it is now.

IS GHOST HAUNTING GYM?

The HALLOWEEN spirit is alive and well. Makes this girls heart all warm and gushy.

Giants in Atlantis?

Yeah, okay, let me clarify. There's a place called GILGAL that is about 5000 years old. It was supposedly the place where KING OG of BASHAN ruled. He was a giant/rephaim. Curiously enough, GILGAL is also referred to as REFAIM. Anyways, my point is GILGAL looks an awful lot like what PLATO said ATLANTIS looked like (minus the water).

Here are two aerial views of GILGAL, easily accessible by air because it is sorrounded by mountains...and there is a military training post there too...oddly enough. But, supposedly it is open to tourists on weekends.




Here is PLATO's description of ATLANTIS...note the 3 concentric circles around a city-like center...etc.

Lesley's sighting

Lesley relates her intriguing sighting at her home, in her latest entry of GREY MATTERS.

PHILIP MANTLE @ THE PARACAST

UFO researcher Philip Mantle and Wing Commander Alan Turner MBE (RAF Retired) discuss an incredible radar-based UFO encounter in 1971 and other fascinating aspects of the UFO mystery. You'll also learn about the International UFO Conference in the UK.

FRINGE

The first two episodes of JJ ABRAMS *FRINGE* are up on FOX.COM and so far I'm enjoying it. I mean, it's not the X-FILES, but it's got that old school esoterica attached to its first two storylines, and seriously, I haven't seen that in ages. I mean, where can you see I genius scientist using a camera to capture images on a dead woman's retina? Or, better yet, using electric probes to connect a comatose mans subconscious to his partner/lovers so she can recapture the image of his assailant? Best of all, there's this PATTERN; a string of world events utilizing some incredible scientific prowess. In other words, someones using the entire planet as their laboratory.Best of all, the show is centered in MASSACHUSETTS. The main lab where all the magic happens is in the basement at Harvard. In the second episode, a professor at Boston College is part of a program to create supersoldiers. It's actually interesting and I really don't put all my eggs in the basket when it comes to Abrams. He's notorious for losing his edge a few seasons in. He seems to get tired of his own ideas. I mean, every ALIAS fan knows of what I speak. Heck, even LOST has lost me. But all that aside, I am seriously hoping FRINGE takes off. Because after BATTLESTAR GALACTICA is gone, I won't have nothing else to watch. Well, there is WHEDON's *DOLLHOUSE* but the halt in production is making this WHEDON fan a tad weary. We'll see.

CHECK OUT FRINGE.

GEMINI DIVISION

If you haven't seen it yet, get thee over to the site and check it out. I've been hooked since day one. Rosario Dawson plays a cop whose boyfriend may or may not have been a simulated being. I'm not giving it away. You gotta check it out for yourself.

Since ANGELS seem to be making the rounds in the news of late

Real or Crap? You decide...

LARGE FOOTPRINT DISCOVERED

Why is it so easy to conclude that this is a BIGFOOT print from thousands of years ago...or maybe even the famed (and in my opinion, flawed belief in) Gigantopithecus? And yet, no one's said, "Um, maybe it's just a GIANT human." There's stories of human giants all over the place. Native American legends. Old stories of excavations in the America's. THE BIBLE. And yet, people will believe in a giant, hairy beastman first. And I am not really talking about bigfoot...I'm actually adding my two cents to the whole gigantopithecus theories. One minute the big G resembles a human with extra body hair, and the next it looks like a giant ape. So which is it? Who's foolin' who?

OLDEST SKELETON IN AMERICA's

Possibly the oldest skeletons ever found in the America's and yet, looking at this pic, that skull is just a little too big or is it the angle of the camera?

Looking into the dark can get you into trouble...

That's what my grandmothers been saying since I was seven. That was the year I ran out of the house with my uncle Kevin, after he swore he saw something roaming the rooms on the third floor. Supposedly no one was there but us (My uncle, my cousin and me). Everyone else was at a wedding. The entire house was deserted 'cept for the kitchen, which is where we were when my uncle came dashing out of the living room like a bat out of hell, yelling, "Go outside. Hurry up! Go!"
Once we were outside, we looked up at the windows of the unoccupied 3rd floor just as the curtains rose and fell. Someone was watching us. We sat outside until my entire family returned. When my grandfather checked the third floor, no one was there. And that is when my grandmother turned to my uncle and said something to the effect of, "...looking into the dark can get you into trouble." It wasn't until I was much older and fully immersed in the world of the Esoteric that her words rang true. You go looking for ghosts, eventually they will find you. You go parading around the BLUE HILLs at night, looking for UFO's...eventually, you'll find something. You sit in your room in the dark, thinking about all the things that can live in that dark corner of your room that is just a little too dark...and something in the dark will be thinking about you too.
Some people dismiss this as superstition and the workings of an overactive imagination, but there are stories out there of people looking into the abyss and finding something looking back. I can't help but think that, unfortunately, this is the only way to get answers and that in the end, maybe all the mad people out there...maybe the ones who speak to invisible people and live in a world only they can see...maybe theyre the only ones who have seen what lives in the dark, and maybe their insanity should be a lesson for us all.
But it's not like any of us are listening.

Portal to mythical Mayan underworld found in Mexico

ASTROBIOLOGY RAP! WORD!

Pfft (There Is No God) Shirt

"Pfft...There Is No God. BIGFOOT is real though!"

The 5 Scientific Experiments Most Likely to End the World

Ten Truly Underrated Sci-Fi Movies

Are we so shallow that it only takes a few laser pistols, flying cars, and matching jumpsuits to get our creative juices flowing? Are we so in love with the ideas behind the futuristic concepts of sci-fi movies that we're willing to overlook massive flaws in storytelling? (That's the crutch that most Trekkies have been leaning on for years.) Or are sci-fi movies just vastly, vastly underrated by critics and audiences who can't get past the androids and nanobots? To be frank, while there's been a ton of bad sci-fi product coming out of Hollywood over the years (looking at you, Wing Commander), there's been just as much that hasn't nearly received the credit it deserves. Sure, there are the hallowed sci-fi classics - Star Wars, Star Trek, 2001, Terminator 2, Forbidden Planet - but there's a whole subset of underappreciated sci-fi gems that have gone sadly unheralded without any geeky conventions to call their own. As a public service to the new generation of sci-fi geeks who've only grown up with Star Wars prequels and Scott Bakula as their Starfleet captain, here are MovieRetriever's picks for ten sci-fi movies that don't nearly get the credit they deserve:

MythBusters vs. Moon conspiracies...

WHO OWNS THE MOON?

They do. *cough*

NICK POPE @ The PARACAST

INTELLIGENT DESIGN IS TRUTH (in Science fiction anyway)...

A new crop of science fiction novels focus on what it would mean if Intelligent Design turned out to be the truth. Jay Lake's Escapement is a perfect example, as is Walter Jon Williams' Implied Spaces — both are novels about people in clockwork worlds designed by some kind of higher power associated with spiritual realms. Other recent tales, such as Charles Stross' Saturn's Children and Iain M. Banks' Matter, flirt with the idea of an Intelligent Designer by suggesting that under some circumstances it is the most logical explanation for reality: For instance, if you are a creature who lives in a synthetic world (or body) designed by sophisticated engineers, your existence has been literally created for you rather than randomly evolved. Are these scifi authors carving out a pro-science version of Intelligent Design theory?

In some ways, no. Consider Jay Lake's novels Mainspring and Escapement, which are about a kind of alternate Earth where it's obvious somebody (whom they call "God") has created their universe. After all, the sky is filled with gears and their world is run literally by a massive clockwork mechanism. When I talked to Lake about his novels recently, he said that they were explicitly a response to Intelligent Design. He thinks of them as a critique of the belief that our world was built rather than evolved. "By making ID into something that was clearly fiction, I wanted to show that the idea itself was fictional," Lake said.

When you try to create a world that is believably the product of ID, Lake seems to be saying, you get something that looks nothing like our Earth. That it's designed is completely obvious, and is not difficult to prove. So this is a thought experiment in ID that in some sense proves that our Earth was not created by a Designer.

Interestingly, however, Lake's critique of ID has not freaked out religious people nearly as much as Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. (Sure, it's true that more people have probably been exposed to Pullman's work, but let's assume that isn't the only reason why it's gotten more negative attention from religious groups.) In Pullman's universe, which is also a parallel Earth, there is a God and there are angels. But it turns out that God is just a senile old white dude, and his angels are fighting to seize his throne and control the Kingdom of Heaven.

Pullman's critique, like Lake's, works by saying, "OK let's assume that Christianity is real — what would that mean, logically?" For Pullman, that means God and His henchmen are a bunch of power-hungry politicians. And for Lake, that means that the universe is a giant clock. Both series, in a way, argue with Christianity on its own terms. They don't attempt to say, "Well hey, look at the world from the perspective of science — see how that's better?" Instead they say, "When you really think about what Christianity implies, this is what you get." And that's a powerful critique, though Pullman's is ultimately much darker. I believe Pullman has irked Christians for saying that their beliefs are in some ways downright evil, whereas Lake simply calls them the fantasy backdrops for rollicking adventure tales. This alone may account for the novels' different receptions among Christians.

As I said earlier, however, there is another way that this ID scenario is being tweaked by scifi authors. In Stross' Saturn's Children, there's a great subplot about robot religions. The robots, who have taken over our solar system after the extinction of humans, have to believe in a Designer — they were, after all, literally designed by humans. So a belief in ID, for robots, is the equivalent of believing in evolution for humans: It is the scientific truth. And yet there are certain religious zealots among the robots who insist on believing that they have evolved, and go through bizarre rhetorical gymnastics to prove it.

What Stross is saying is that as our planetary and bodily infrastructures become more synthetic, more "designed," we approach a state where ID begins to verge on scientific truth. This idea is echoed in novels like Iain M. Banks' Matter and Karl Schroeder's Pirate Sun, where our characters live inside massive synthetic worlds — a huge nested sphere in the former, and a giant blob of atmosphere floating in space in the latter.

What these authors are doing is even more tricky, if you look at their work as a sneaky critique of ID theory. Essentially they're saying, "Let's invent a universe where ID is truth. Oh, that would be the universe that science will build for us." And ultimately, in these novels, the Designer is not a God or even gods, but instead a whole bunch of sentient creatures harnessing the power of science and technology to design worlds and bodies intelligently.

This is the truly proscience version of ID theory: The notion that humans will eventually live in an ID universe, where our bodies and everything around us is designed. Only it will have been designed by us, in the service (hopefully) of bettering humanity. We won't be the playthings of some third party entity whose motivations are unclear. In the end, we will become our own intelligent designers.

Top image by Jasper Morello.

BUDD HOPKINS @ the PARACAST

Can I get a whoot-whoot?!

PROOF THAT THE SAHARA WAS ONCE GREEN

A tiny woman and two children were laid to rest on a bed of flowers 5,000 years ago in what is now the barren Sahara Desert.
A woman and two children embrace in a grave found by University of Chicago scientists.

A woman and two children embrace in a grave found by University of Chicago scientists.

The slender arms of the youngsters were still extended to the woman in perpetual embrace when researchers discovered their skeletons in a remarkable cemetery that is providing clues to two civilizations who lived there, a thousand years apart, when the region was moist and green.

Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago and colleagues were searching for the remains of dinosaurs in the African country of Niger when they came across the startling find, detailed at a news conference Thursday at the National Geographic Society.

"Part of discovery is finding things that you least expect," he said. "When you come across something like that in the middle of the desert it sends a tingle down your spine."

Some 200 graves of humans were found during fieldwork at the site in 2005 and 2006, as well as remains of animals, large fish and crocodiles.

BIG FAT 7ft, 500 POUND HOAX

What else is new? The Bigfoot body is 99.9% a hoax...

...and farther and farther down the rabbit hole we go.

IS IT OR ISN'T IT? The Elusive Bigfoot...found...and dead

The end of an era, perhaps. If the whole DEAD BIGFOOT proves to be true and not another drawn out hoax...I think it'll be like the dream is gone. I don't know how to explain it. Sometimes the mystery is far more intriguing than the *thing* itself. Wondering if mermaids exist is just a whole lot better than having some fisherman somewhere produce a body. Your entire world doesn't come crashing down, only to rebuild itself into a chaotic mix of warped beliefs and unfathomable truths. Maybe I just don't want anyone putting their hands on a dead BIGFOOT because I don't want them taking a good hard look at just ONE body and deciding that the entirety of all BIGFOOTdom rests on the final conclusion that they are some newly discovered ape. And all because every got their conclusions from ONE DEAD BODY.

Like I said...I don't know how I am feeling about this right now.

ATLANTIS (Just a thought)

I am of Cape Verdean descent. Cape Verde lies just off the western coast of Africa. Most of it's islands are below sea level. Essentially, its inhabitants live on the highest point of each island. Most of them are volcanic. There are 10 large islands. The Portuguese, upon arrival claimed Cape Verde was uninhabited. I have yet to hear of any archaeological excavations carried out in Cape Verde to prove this. Some say there are ruins in the ocean, off the coast of Sao Vicent. The reason I am mentioning this is because there was a greek explorer, who's name fails me right now, who voyaged across the atlantic and said something about the waters between Cape Verde (then known as the house of the seven gorgons), and the Azores being thick with sludge. Wasn't this the same description given by Plato of the waters after the destruction of Atlantis? I am not saying CAPE VERDE is ATLANTIS. No. What I am saying is that it is very probable that CAPE VERDE is a remnant...just like all the other islands scattered in the Atlantic Ocean...

Something to consider.

2-second update: MONTAUK MONSTER, viral marketing (?)

I honestly don't think anyone knows what they're talking about. But, hey..I'm just observing.

Montauk Monster

Incredible! I woke up this morning, thinking this was gonna be just another ordinary day, and then I saw this. Just...wow.

Edgar Mitchell: WE ARE NOT ALONE!

I don't even want to see the backlash from this. Already some people are making him out to be senile. But I will tell you this, it'll be a shame to laugh at the man only to find out he's the only one telling the truth.

GARDEN YETI

I found this over at BOING BOING. It kind of reminds me of the Patterson/Gimlin film crossed with HARRY from HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS (gawd, I loved that movie). Imagine having one of these in your backyard and then looking out your window at night and forgetting you actually own one. Creepy but fun.

JACQUES VALLEE @ BOA

Not to be missed. It took Tim Binnall some time to get this gem of a show underway. You won't be disappointed. Jacques Vallee is legendary.

1 hr., 54 min's of AWESOME!

Anomalous photo of the day...

Ba'albek, Lebanon is known for its massive megaliths. What sort of technology did the founders of "GOD OF THE TOWN" (Baalbek) employ (about 5000 years b.c.e.), to cut such massive pieces of stonework? Giants. I said it. But you know you were thinking it.

LOST IN SPACE...

If this is true, not only is it sad...it's UPSETTING! For these men (and one woman, apparently) to risk their lives for space exploration, only to be erased---as if they never existed and never contributed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOREN COLEMAN

I met Loren Coleman at the MONSTER MASH in MA and was impressed by his humour, his knowledge and above all, his awesomeness. He has my respect. Let's wish him a Happy Birthday.

And while you're at it, support the Cryptozoology Museum by clicking the title...

Thinking it...

Ufologists want to prove once and for all that we are not alone in the universe. That we are part of a greater plan. That Ufo's are not figments of the imagination. That alien abductions are real. That space is the final frontier. There is nothing wrong with that. Many of us spend years trying to get answers and we fail to realize at times that we are right back where we started. But what if we did have all the answers? What if a UFO landed somewhere populated and its pilots exited their ship and strolled up to witnesses and shook their hands and said, " We know all the secrets to the universe and we can give them to you." How would we react? Seriously. Has anyone even taken the time to delve into their own psyche long enough to ask, "What would I do if UFO's were proven to be fact?" I have asked myself this very question and to be honest, I think I would be scared shitless. Right now we can hypothesize all we want. We can ruminate on all the right and wrong answers all we want. But if we were to face the mystery head on would we approach it the way we approach the research or would we be reduced to the infallible humans that we are? Would be stand tall or quake in our boots? Would we welcome the answers or would we consider it a burden to know too much? Maybe it's time we started thinking about what will happen when we do get the answers. Maybe then we'll come to conclusions we haven't yet fathomed. The qustion is, have we got the guts?

ANOMALOUS PHOTO OF THE DAY

Taken by Neil Armstrong. Supposedly is a ball of light, but looks to me like structures with light (perhaps from earth) beaming off the top. Things that make ya go, "Hmmm..." ?

Strange photo of the day

This HUBBLE artifact made the rounds thanks to George A. Filer, and I've had it saved on my computer forever. What is it? Makes me think about RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA. Could ancient, abandoned spaceships be out there somewhere? Laugh if you must, but seriously, if you consider all of our space junk hovering around in space, how could you not entertain the possibility that we aren't the first galactica litterbugs? For realz!

SCOTT CORRALES @ THE PARACAST

This week, we welcome back UFO expert Scott Corrales brings us up to date on some incredible UFO encounters in Latin America.

But this discussion won't focus completely on UFOs. You'll gain insights into a wide range of other incredible paranormal events too.

LINDA MOULTON HOWE @ BOA

The incomparable Linda Moulton Howe comes to BoA:Audio for a truly unique episode of the show. LMH details her entrance and evolution in the world of high strangeness, an in-depth recounting of her infamous meeting with Richard Doty in 1983, whether she regrets entering the "earth mysteries" field, why she keeps researching high strangeness, her perspective on being a prominent woman in Ufology, where she sees the field going in the future and much, much more.

It's an episode of BoA:Audio that must be heard to be believed.

Full Preview: We kick things off with Linda recounting her history in broadcasting, including her time at Stanford University and TV stations in Boston and Denver. This leads to her telling the story of her serendipitous introduction to the cattle mutilation phenomena. From there, she talks about her film A Strange Harvest and why she found the cat mut story so compelling. She also shares the surprising reaction by the station's general manager to A Strange Harvest. This leads to the recounting of her full-time entrance into the field of reporting on high strangeness.

Next, we find out what drives Linda to keep researching earth mysteries after all these years. We find out if she ever regrets deciding to research the paranormal, given that her career in mainstream reporting was flourishing prior to that.

Following that, Linda gives us a detailed recounting of her infamous meeting with Richard Doty in 1983. She explains how the Doty meeting came about in the first place, on a matter of happenstance. From there, she gives us an amazingly detailed account of the meeting with Doty, including a number of bizarre elements and the purported revelations about ETs and UFOs that were imparted to her.

Based on what we know about Doty now and her own research, Linda speculates on how much of the information she was given was accurate and how much was disinformation. We find out if she has had any contact with Doty since that fateful meeting in 1983 and she details what her research has uncovered with regards to the Lonnie Zamora UFO incident at Socorro, New Mexico.

She goes on to explain how the Doty meeting, and his unfullfilled promises, led to the derailing of her HBO project on the UFO phenomenon. This includes some remarkable perspective on the response of HBO to the information she'd gotten from Doty and the requirements that the channel placed on Linda if she was to proceed with the special. This leads to her explaining why her book was titled An Alien Harvest, coming ten years after her critically acclaimed film had been titled A Strange Harvest.

Looking at a big picture issue, we get Linda's take on being a woman in the field of Ufology and high strangeness. She talks about how her upbringing may have paved the way for her to be unafraid of entering male dominated fields. She also shares a truly amazing story of sexism she encountered in the TV industry after she left Stanford.

Wrapping things up, we find out where Linda sees the UFO phenomenon going in the near and distant future. We also get her perspective on the Exopolitics movement and UFO disclosure activism. She shares information that she has received with regards to a government policy on UFO disclosure.


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Linda Moulton Howe Bio
Linda Moulton Howe is a graduate of Stanford University with a Masters Degree in Communication. She has devoted her documentary film, television, radio, writing and reporting career to productions concerning science, medicine and the environment. Ms. Howe has received local, national and international awards, including three regional Emmys, a national Emmy nomination and a Station Peabody award for medical programming. Linda’s documentaries have included A Strange Harvest and Strange Harvests 1993, which explored the worldwide animal mutilation mystery. Another film, A Prairie Dawn, focused on astronaut training in Denver. She has also produced documentaries in Ethiopia and Mexico for UNICEF about child survival efforts and for Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta about environmental challenges.

In addition to television, Linda produces, reports and edits the award-winning science, environment and earth mysteries news website, Earthfiles.com. In 2003, Earthfiles received an Award for Standard of Excellence presented by the internet’s WebAward Association. Earthfiles also received the 2001 Encyclopaedia Britannica Award for Journalistic Excellence. Linda also reports science, environment and earth mysteries news for Clear Channel’s Premiere Radio Networks and Unknowncountry.com. In 2005, she traveled to Amsterdam, Hawaii, and several other U. S. conferences to speak about her investigative journalism.

In 2004, Linda was on-camera TV reporter for The History Channel’s documentary investigation of an unusual August 2004 cow death in Farnam, Nebraska. Linda also traveled to Florence and San Marino, Italy, to speak about her earth mysteries investigations. She also produced and reported Earthfiles segments for Comcast Cable broadcasts in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Her website is earthfiles.com

BELL SHAPED MYSTERY (or not)...

In 1852, a metallic bellshaped artifact was excavated in Dorchester, MA. This artifact has never been explained, nor has it been seen since. I live in Dorchester and you would think the lore would be significant. It was blasted out of the rock at MEETING HOUSE HILL, and yet, NO ONE mentions it. I didn't know about it until I was twelve and reading TIME LIFE books MYSTERIES OF THE UNKNOWN as part of my summer reading. There it was, the bell shaped anomaly that had eluded me ever since. I wonder where it is now and whether the suppresion of such a significant item is even worth it.

For all I know it could have been a candle holder.

The TRUTH behind the DA VINCI code

...is peanut butter!

Will a Computer “Symbiote” be Implanted in Future Human Brains?

BILL BIRNES @ BOA

The boy who started fires with his eyes

I'm a sucker for comic book scenarios. Imagine if all the weirdly talented people of the world got together, built a watch tower, wore spandex and fought for justice, freedom and what-not?

Maybe not.

Little people, big world...

Lately there's been a few articles circulating about little people. You know, the little faeries and elves and dwarves we all bought into as kids. The thing is, I don't get how some people are so afraid. Yes, it is something different. But consider, and this is no disrespect to people who were born with Dwarfism, but we as a society are USED TO seeing people smaller than ourselves. Parents with small children are tripping over them everyday. Not to mention our culture basically force fed us on SMURFS, FRAGGLE ROCK, SESAME STREET and the like, and let us not forget THE DARK CRYSTAL and THE HOBBIT. So seriously, is it really that frightening to see a small person, travelling on foot in the dark? Maybe if I was in a situation where I was brought to believe that little people= Evil, than yeah, I'd run for my ever lovin' 5foot 8inch life. However, when I think of little people in the context of the supernatty or the esoteric in general, all I think about is that thing from STEPHEN KING's CAT'S EYE, which I would step on without hesitation. Or, the little PYGMY man discovered by GOLD PROSPECTOR's, better known as PEDRO THE MOUNTAIN MUMMY.
My point is this: You don't run, screaming bloody murder, when you see a little person trudging down the avenue in the dark. So, any stories and video's to the contrary only says one thing to me...drama. As in, someone saw an opportunity to get some attention. And honestly, it's just not worth mentioning unless someone meets a little man in green, falls asleep and then wakes up in a pot at the end of a rainbow. If that happens, call me. Seriously.

Aliens in windows because it's fun...

Stan Romanek...saw an alien, and videotaped it, and in this day and age when anyone can make a music video, shoot a film, play with photoshop and pretty much entrance and fool us all in one breath, all I have to say is...crap like this is killing my love for the game.

THE *ODD* BEFORE THE STORM

STRANGE LIGHT SHOW 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO SICHUAN EARTHQUAKE

*I can guarantee there's someone out there with a scientific explanation...

So the VATICAN says it's okay to believe in Aliens. Now what?

First of all, can I say, "Whoop-dee-doo, Basil!"
The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes has been saying this for a while now. Anyone else watching the History Channel? The Vatican's take on this is that extraterrestrials, should they exist, are God's creation too. Fine. However, when you start to look deeper at the what? and not so much the how? It's nothing more than a one big religious paradigm.
Consider that there are some people out there who are content with keeping the EBE/UFO PHENOMENA strictly OUTERSPACE. We all know Friedman is one of those people. God bless him. But then we have Vallee who opened our eyes to the probability that we are not witnessing aerial phenomena from SPACE, but perhaps from our own terrestrial backyard, or farther than that...the dimension inside your closet.
Freak out if you want, but even farther than that is the belief that EBE's have been around for thousands, if not millions of years.
And that is where we bump heads with not only Sitchin and Von Daniken, but some Biblical scholars as well.
So, we come around full-circle.
Essentially, when we get to the end of the circle, what it all boils down to is the great cosmic truth that has been eluding us all...maybe Aliens are, infact, one and the same with Angels. Maybe there is no division between the two.
Angels/Aliens, according to human speculation do not reproduce like humans, are always said to bring some sort of message, hence the name ANGELS...and the fact that many Alien Abductions often precede some sort of message, whether it be about some impending disaster or awareness, or what have you is just too uncanny.
Angels/Aliens are both good and evil. Angels are mentioned in the OLD TESTAMENT 108 times and each time the specifics, depending on how you look at it, could be very indicative of some common abduction cases.
The Bible goes on even further to state that GOD created the Angels before he created the earth. This belief has been echoed by Abductees who have been told by EBE's that THEY have been around LONGER than we have.
It also appears that Angels are not born every day. They were all created at one time. Descriptions of EBE's depict them as fragile at times, almost ancient in either appearance or countenance. Couple all that with the fact that abductions of late have been peppered with ideas that some mass project to procreate is afoot, and there you have a race that cannot procreate and is very old, and the similarities are obvious even to non-believers.
In biblical times, Angels were known to appear as ordinary men, but there was always something off. Shining eyes, or a glow emanating from their bodies. Sometimes their faces were not visible. It's like the VENUSIANS all over again.
So the bottom line is, what does the VATICAN know that we don't? Perhaps they've already got a head start in the understanding that what we are dealing with isn't so simple as a race of beings masquerading as something out of a Stephen Spielberg movie.
Or is it?
My personal take on the subject is simple: I don't know diddly. So, whatever makes sense can assuage my unnerving need to over-analyze but it doesn't mean everythings been neatly configured, written down for all posterity and become gospel truth.
Aliens may be Angels and vice versa, or they may be two entirely separate things, but the fact that the VATICAN is embracing the possibility put them one step ahead of most ufologists, because essentially, the image this conjures is: If it exists, we already know about it.
I dare anyone to call their bluff.

THE PHOENIX HOAX

Khyron expresses disdain over the latest hoax...and he's not alone.

THE PARACAST

April 27, 2008 (NOW PLAYING!): The Paracast takes you on a journey to a world beyond science, where UFOs, poltergeists and strange phenomena of all kinds have been reported by millions across the planet. The Paracast interviews long-time researchers in the field, to shed light on the mysteries and complexities of our Universe and the secrets that surround us in our everyday lives.

Join Gene and David as they explore the realms of the known and unknown, and hear great stories of the history of the paranormal field in the 20th and 21st centuries.

This week, join us for a special uncensored "X-Conference 2008" episode, where we break the mold. Stay tuned for the unexpected, as David, Dr. Sue, Jeff Ritzmann and Jeremy Vaeni encounter such controversial paranormal personalities as Jim Diletosso and talk show host Rob Simone in a bar and famed UFO photo analyst Dr. Bruce Maccabee in a special roundtable discussion.

Caution: The bar room segment has a lot of background noise, and some of the conversation may be difficult to understand. In addition, this special three-hour episode will have limited commercial interruptions and explicit language will not be censored!

IN SEARCH OF---Lizard Man(?)

If this turns out to be a crocodile that got flushed down a toilet back in '85, I'm gonna be sorely dissapointed.

Magnetic field of dreams...

I am still trying to recall whether or not it was John Zaffis who said something about the reason ghosts and other anomalies come out at night is because of the Earth's magnetic field in relation to the places on earth not directly impacted by sunlight.
I could have the wrong person, and the wrong perception of the theory. I have thought in the past that there is something about the dark, or places that are dark that carry a certain attraction to the things that go bump in the night, and if it was John Zaffis, I would love it if he expounded on it.
And if it wasn't John Zaffis, I would still love it if the actual person who did so enlighten me with this theory, would still engage me in some conversation on the topic.
This is too too interesting not to ponder.

Are we covertly being colonized by Aliens?

Those of us involved in the emerging field of exopolitics attempt to make sense out of the huge body of evidence available to us involving extraterrestrial reality. I believe the stakes are very high for all of humanity that we collectively understand our situation relative to UFO/ET reality. Developing this situational awareness involves understanding the real reasons for 60 year old UFO/ET cover up even while we struggle to end it.

My personal contention with this has always been, if they are so much more intelligent, powerful and all around awesome than we are, then why so stealth? You want the planet, come and pry it from our cold, calloused, youtube obsessed, chocolate-laden, music lovin', porn making, war mongering hands.

CHRIS CARTER on SKEPTIKO

WORD!

Laurence Gardner talks to Whitley Strieber

The legend of the HOLY GRAIL...

I remember being deeply enthralled with the mystery of the HOLY GRAIL way back when INDIANA JONES and SEAN CONNERY entered a tomb and met a KNIGHT (Templar), who guarded the cup. From then on, I looked high and low for any and all info I could find on the subject, and no one knows it better than Laurence Gardner.

Battlestar Galactica...(Our future?)

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA IS BACK

Battlestar Galactica returned for its fourth and final season on friday. As someone deeply intrigued with the esoteric I have found the conflict between the humans and the cylons more realistic and probable in the advent of extraterrestrial contact.
Yes, the show is about human created robots who essentially want to destroy their creators because they believe that they (the cylons), are without sin and (g)ods chosen children. But, haven't we had that mentality for eons? Imagine a race of beings landing on the white house lawn and essentially telling us, "Sorry, but we're better than you and we think you deserve to be annihilated."
This is the crux of the human/e.t. conundrum. Who will trump who in the cosmic food chain? In the Battlestar Universe it seems at times like the colonials have the upper hand, but then the cylons pull something out of their collective asses and we're back to square one.
The one thing that gets me every time is the biblical context regarding the creation being in the image of the creator. The cylons have created 'skinjobs'; cylons who resemble humans in every way, and yet, if their goal is to be better, than why not look like something else entirely?
Why mimic the very race you seek to annihilate?
Why be something you loathe? Or, is there some internal conflict that makes them want to be human but because of their programming they reject such an idea?
It's interesting because the human race has been trying to kill god for centuries and for what? To become god of course. To be as gods in the sight of the universe. Fine. But consider that whatever we create may have to follow the same protocol we set out way back when we decided we were better, and one day we may come face to face with out own universal mortality at the hands of our own children.
So, if we were created by extraterrestrials, then it's obvious at this moment why they haven't made contact? Maybe they're not ready to be upstaged by the next best thing.

$tephenville

In the case of the STEPHENVILLE sightings, are UFOLOGISTS buying off witnesses? I am just as p*ssed as Lesley is.

The Mysterious Case of Two Spheres Falling to Earth in Australia and Brazil

81 year old man builds suicide robot...

This has all the hallmarks of a science fiction novel.

*sad*

The future is FUTURO

I've been thinking alot about what the future holds as far as housing and transportation go. I remember being twelve and being falsely mislead to believe there would be flying cars in my future. Well, I turn 30 in a few days and there are no flying cars parked along my street. And as for the homes I thought would exist, well take a look at the FUTURO.

NICK REDFERN reviews INTERDIMENSIONAL UNIVERSE

The Scientology Meme: Mob Mentality (by Regan Lee)

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY REGAN LEE)

Regan Lee delves into what's behind all the Scientology hate and why it's not worth the headache.

Seas Serpents: Animal or Machine?

Loren Coleman has posted an account from 1919 in which four hunters shot at a sea serpent in Pyramid lake. The creature seemed impervious to bullets.
The account is pretty old and guns aren't what they used to be, but this set me to thinking. Was this 35 foot creature actually biological or were they witness to something else altogether?
It's no mystery that UFO's have been seen entering and exiting bodies of water for decades. And to add to the that, odd creatures of a paranormal or cryptozooligical nature have also been sighted. From mermaids and merman to seven foot tall beings in full diving gear or sometimes without any visible breathing apparatus at all.
We're all so caught up in the vision of a long-necked sea serpent gallantly wading through the loch that we have blinded ourselves to the possibility of it being something else. What if most of the sea serpents witnessed throughout the last couple hundred years weren't even animals?
USO's are practically commonplace, as far as the ever burdening UFO phenomena goes. Some well cited examples include the SHAG HARBOR incident in NOVA SCOTIA (see DARK OBJECT by Don Ledger and Chris Styles), and an incident in MALTA in the Mediterranean (search GOOGLE= USO's in MALTA).
Lately there's been a stream of sightings of flying humanoids and UFO's coalescing into one body and then separating into several. It is more than probable that the UFO's of today are very good at mimicing our delusions. If not that, they have the uncanny ability to morph.
What if they can morph underwater as well? Mimicing the sealife that may have existed in a time when our ancestors weren't advanced enough to record the goings-on of the strange things in the air and sea?

A brief history of time machines

Spielberg launching social network for UFO and paranormal buffs?

Evolution of the YETI

"...good visual examination and overview of the popular appearance of what Abominable Snowmen (or Snowpeople)..."

I used to love the Abominable Snowman on RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSE REINDEER.

Who didn't.

THE PARACAST (W/ Gene Steinberg and David Biedny)

The incredible story of Dorothy Izatt.

AND COMING IN MARCH:

Coming March 9: World-class UFO theorist Dr. Jacques Vallee makes his first visit to The Paracast.

(I.cannot.wait.)

STEVE BASSETT @ BOA

Steve Bassett, founder of Paradigm Research Group, creator of the X-Conference, and major player in the world of Exopolitics, makes his BoA:Audio return. We'll be discussing the changes in public perception for the UFO phenomenon in the last two years (since his last BoA:Audio appearance), the distinction between Ufology and Exopolitics, the UFO connections for each of the remaining three candidates for US President (McCain, Obama, and Clinton), why Steve thinks disclosure is possible for "Spring of 2009", his take on the Kucinich firestorm from last November and why it was good for the disclosure movement, the changing stance of the media with regards to UFOs, Steve's response to the "haters" who are anti-Exopolitics, and tons more.

Full Preview: We start out by getting Steve's take on the resurgence of interest in the UFO phenomenon, since his last appearance on the show in January of 2006, and what that means for Exopolitics. Steve segues from this to explaining the difference between Ufology and Exopolitics.

We move on from there to look at the 2008 Presidential election from an Exopolitical perspective. First, Steve gives us a rundown on how media coverage of the UFO phenomenon has changed rapidly in the last few years. He then explains the UFO connection for each of the three remaining candidates, John McCain and his role in investigating the Phoenix Lights, Barack Obama's campaign advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski's connection to the Carter Administration's UFO inquiries, and Hilary Clinton's ties to the Rockefeller Initiative for UFO information release.

From there, we look back at the Kucinich UFO debate question and the subsequent media fallout and Steve reassures binnall that it was a good thing and explains why it seemed like the "giggle factor" had been turned up after being relatively subdued during the bulk of '07's media coverage of UFOs.

We find out why Steve thinks Spring of 2009 is the next window of opportunity for a UFO disclosure event. He explains how the international situation is changing rapidly with regards to maintaining the UFO "truth embargo." We discuss how extensive the pre-planning would have to be for a disclosure type event and if Steve had heard any rumblings in that direction. Next we get Steve's take on the recent story of an alleged UN meeting about UFO disclosure.

Going back to look at the rise in media coverage of the UFO issue, we find out if Steve has noticed a difference in attitude from the media, based on his frequent mainstream TV and radio appearances. Steve responds to the concept that whomever is controlling the UFO secret is keeping the media from discussing it and he explains why that may not be the case in 2008.

Steve gives us his take on the Symington / Phoenix Lights story from last year and why it is a "microcosm of what's happening" in the Exopolitical scene. Next, we get Steve's response to the Exopolitics "haters" out there and he details why this tension is not surprising. This segues into a discussion on the long-standing concern that UFO disclosure would see the mainstream diminish the accomplishments of Ufologists who studied the phenomena for decades.

Getting some on-the-ground perspective, Steve tells us about the mood at the International UFO Congress in Laughlin, Nevada, where he is calling from. We also find out how the youth turnout is for the conference and Steve shares his candid perspective on the problem of the lack of young people interested in the UFO phenomenon.

Wrapping things up, Steve previews the X-Conference IV, to be held April 18 to the 20th in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He talks about some of the speakers, including the Keynote Address by Edgar Mitchell, a special two hour presentation by Coast to Coast AM host George Noory, a panel on the infamous Aviary, tons of speakers, and tons more. Steve explains why the event is a "showing of the flag" for the Exopolitical movement.


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Steve Bassett Bio
Steve Bassett is a political activist, founder of Paradigm Research Group, Executive Director of the Extraterrestrial Phenomena Political Action Committee (X-PPAC, pronounced expack), author of the Paradigm Clock website, and a political columnist, commentator and former Independent candidate for Congress. He is the executive producer of the X-Conference.

Presently he is the only registered lobbyist in the United States representing extraterrestrial related phenomena research/activist organizations, and X-PPAC is the first political action committee to target the political implications of extraterrestrial related phenomena. Between April 19 and November 5 of 2002 he conducted an independent candidacy in the 2002 congressional campaign in the 8th District of Maryland. It was the first instance in which a candidate on the November ballot in a federal election openly addressed the matter of an extraterrestrial presence and the government imposed truth embargo.

Since 1996 Bassett has assisted a number of organizations and initiatives, which have been making the case for 1) an end to the government embargo on the truth surrounding an extraterrestrial presence and 2) open congressional hearings to take the testimony of former military and agency employees witness to extraterrestrial related events and evidence. He has spoken to millions of Americans about the likelihood and implications of a formal disclosure event.

Ambrose Bierce and multiple dimensions...

Although I find it highly unlikely that Bierce disappeared into a black hole. It's still intriguing nonetheless that such a prolific author was into the esoteric. We don't here his name passed around much in esoteric circles. It's refreshing to see 'someone' talking about him.
It's also a shame that most of his works are out of reach for the average person.

FLYING HUMANOIDS and JETPACK GEEKS

I've been completely immersed in the whole flying humanoids phenomena of late. I don't know what it is...perhaps my love of Superhero's...or the fact that being able to fly is a power on everyone's wishlist. But, the enigma itself is unsettling. Just thinking about humanoids possessing the ability to fly---hovering over our heads, in the dark, unawares---is enough to creep out the toughest investigator. So, I've wrestled various theories and come up short everytime, until I caught this post on Paleo-Future about a man, with a JETPACK, flying over Disneyland in 1966! Yes, 1966! So it got me to thinking, if this was possible in 1966, imagine what a really clever engineer or backyard jetpack enthusiast could come up with today, and considering that probability, is it not possible, maybe even factual and sound to consider that maybe what we percieve as otherworldly flying humanoids are nothing more than gadget geeks testing out the new wave in Jetpack technology? I'm considering it.

There's one born every second it seems...

Miraculous Mud Pond with Alien Healing Powers is the HEADLINE...

People are flocking to wallow in the mud of 3 small remote ponds that locals in Peru believe to possess miraculous healing powers brought by alien space ships. Residents of Chilca — a dusty, desert town on the Pacific coast 40 miles (20 kilometers) southeast of Lima — claim that aliens altered the mud flats in town, infusing them with inexplicable healing powers.


A man is covered with mud in a medicinal mud pond at the “Lagoon of Miracles” in Chilca, Peru. Photo China Daily

It’s said that the lagoons cure everything from acne to rheumatism and boast plentiful cures. Ailing Peruvians arrive sick and in a short time set forth healed and revitalized.

The nutrient rich mud is applied to the skin as a natural peel that restores the cells of the skin and eliminates toxins. The secret of the cure is to bake in the sun, allowing the mud to thoroughly dry after utterly plying yourself from top to bottom with the medicinal muck.


People apply mud one to another at the “Lagoon of Miracles.” Photo China Daily


Two women cover their skin with mud at the “Lagoon of Miracles.” Photo China Daily


A man applies mud to his face at the “Lagoon of Miracles.” Photo China Daily

The 3 Healing Lagoons
The “Lagoon of Miracles” which lies near the entrance of the town along with the mud ponds that surround it is said to heal skin aliments, acne, rheumatism, and arthritis with its distinct greenish colored mud containing minerals of chloride of sodium, sulfate, and carbonate of calcium.

The “Lagoon of Enchantment” is a crevasse in the interior of the lagoon linked directly with the sea by an underwater canal, sought after to heal ailments of the eyes, nerves, joints, and low blood pressure.

The “Lagoon of Mellicera” is believed to increase fertility and may be attributed for the unusually high birth rate of twins in the village. Locals use the lagoon to cure skin and bones aliments, and relief from diabetes.


A man covered with mud at the “Lagoon of Miracles.” Photo China Daily


Photo REUTERS / Enrique Castro-mendivil


Photo REUTERS / Enrique Castro-mendivil

UFO Sightings
Local doctors and scientists accredit these enigmatic and inexplicable healing properties to the UFO’s which have allegedly been sighted and well documented in the area that seemingly radiate the waters.

Mayor Ruma Nueda says, “Lots of people claim to have seen UFO’s and strange lights in the night sky over Chilca. People here believe in UFO’s.”

“Locals say that space ships come to harvest an unknown material from the [ocean] area off Chilca’s beach. The UFO’s supposedly leave behind substances that leach into the ponds and give them curative powers.”

“Townspeople cite an abundance of twins in Chilca — more than 100 pairs in this town of 10,000, as proof of the power of the ‘Twin Maker’ pond.” Nueda says.

A plethora of information can be found on the net claiming Peruvian sightings and film footage, with sites even dedicated to UFO’s in Peru.

Joshua Shapiro claims that that about 50% of Peruvians have either had a UFO experience or knew of someone who did. Some claim to have had a pleasant contact while others have not. In the more rural areas, UFO’s are accepted as real and nothing extraordinary.

LARRY FLAXMAN on BOA

BoA:Audio explores ghost hunting with guest Larry Flaxman, founder of the Arkansas Paranormal and Anomalous Studies Team (ARPAST).
Topics discussed :: The ins and outs, creation and evolution, and research methods of the ARPAST group. We'll get Larry's critical thoughts on EMF meters, EVPs, orbs, and some of the problems with today's ghost hunting groups. Plus, we'll have lots of big picture discussion on the ghost hunting field, its explosion in popularity, and the plusses and minuses of the rapid growth for that esoteric genre.

Time : 1 Hour, 50 Minutes

THE MOKELE MBEMBE

When I was about 11 or so, my mom bought the TIME LIFE BOOKS MYSTERIES OF THE UNKNOWN collection. I claimed the UFO MYSTERIES for my library. But there was another (the title eludes me) that was all about sea monsters, giants, little people and flying creatures and that was when my sister and I discovered the MOKELE MBEMBE. We prided ourselves on getting the pronunciation right and we watched every program we could on the subject. We were both convinced that it was a brontosaurus or a plesiosaur. I wanted to grow up, become and explorer and enter the African Congo in search of the beast. I still wonder what it might be, and I still believe in it...I just wish I could check it out for myself.

The Walson vid's/PRANKS---the ruin of UFOLOGY

It figures that sooner or later something like this would get exposed. I am not saying I ever believed any of it, but I did think it was cool nonetheless. I can totally get behind believing that there might be ancient craft floating out there in the deeper, darker recesses of space. Why not? According to the geniuses of the world, we are relatively young, so what if there is a much older, space faring race out there...or was. Heck, for all we know everyone else could be dead and we could be remnants of some great, lost race. Whatever. All I have to say is I was conned. I was intrigued and now I am pissed. Hoaxers are the bane of my existence. Hoaxers are killing ufology. Every judgemental person I've ever encountered---every sceptic---they all have the hoaxers for an excuse.
So, as ufologists, what's ours?