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January 21, 2018 — Greg Bishop and Don Ecker


The question of what makes an effective UFO investigator is an excellent question. It encompasses many disciplines from science to behavior. When I made a decision to jump into the fray with UFO Magazine, I was naive enough to believe that with just the right questions and dogged investigation, the topic of the UFO enigma could be presented to "main stream" as a legitimate phenomena.


During that time frame the major stories were the Gulf Breeze UFO, the Japan Airlines encounter over Alaska, Bentwaters, and a number of cases that were highlighted by the Paranet BBS network. Of course Compuserve and a very few other networks (pay as you go networks) had their own favorite selection of cases. Next, who were the people involved in the field, Bruce Maccabee, PHd., Linda Howe, reporter, Stanton Friedman, background in nuclear power, Kevin Randle, U.S. Airforce and U.S. Army, pilot and researcher. Bill Moore (teacher) and Jaime Shandera (television exec) along with Cliff Stone, U.S. Army retired as an SFC. (in those days Stone was an "ace" document finder), Philip J Imbrogno and many others. Some names today would be familar and others not so much. Of course at that time the UFO field had already lost Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Major Donald Keyhoe and other names that were well known in previous years.

However this is about what is needed as an effective UFO investigator. Now the membership here at The Paracast comes and goes. I thought about using an example of an investigation I conducted and since we have many more recent Paracast users I pulled an example from 2011. During that time a well known UFO "investigator" named Philip J. Imbrogno was making the rounds of podcasts and radio shows. I interviewed him several times, and as an author of a number of books on the UFO field he was a popular speaker. A member of the skeptical community, Lance Moody, was a Paracast user who decided to conduct an investigation on Imbrogno's academic claims. On my show Imbrogno claimed to have been in the U.S. Army's elite Special Forces. Then the story blew up. If you were not there or if you've forgotten, here is a thumbnail sketch.

Philip J. Imbrogno; Academic Fraud and Stolen Valor

Imbrogno, Fraud, Stolen Valor

But what is it that makes an effective investigator or an effective investigation? The answer is money and how many of us know a Harry Reid type sugar daddy to finance us? All of my stuff since leaving the field has been out of pocket. Almost every person throwing their hat into the UFO field goes it alone. The usual suspects that finance research (academic institutions, government institutions and the like) will not touch UFOs or most paranormal pursuits ever. Reasons range from the ridicule factor to the lunacy factor. Most do not take it seriously at all. Forget the past several months, this too shall pass. So, it is left to we poor deluded people that think or believe that some day it may matter. This is simply my two cents worth, for whatever that may mean. Almost every time someone with serious intent has tried to set up a serious and legitimate research effort, they collapse. Might it someday change? This is unknown.

Decker

A non sequitur at this point but - Phil Imbrogno. I just noticed a copy of Night Siege sitting over on a bookshelf and will have to read it again for a laugh. I’ve lived in New York’s Hudson Valley my entire life and have spent more time out on the highways at all hours of the day and night than most three people you know. Yup, I’ve seen UFOs here – even the huge triangles that caused the flap. No doubt about it.

As I remember the ‘Poughkeepsie Lights’ looked damned impressive. I also remember speaking to a local State Trooper that told me it was a group of nitwits flying ultralights off a nearby grass strip with weird lights on them. I think there was an article in the local Poughkeepsie Journal to that effect too. I freaked out when I saw it because it looked really big and caught me totally by surprise. Had the night not been a little overcast I probably would have seen stars through it. I could hear the very faint drone of a gas engine. Maybe they came from the Briggs & Stratton nebula.

Stewart-Newburgh is a nearby Air Guard base and commercial airport. Lots of C-5 Galaxy transport planes around. Busy place. There have also advertising blimps that flipped people out – I believe Open Minds even commented on a recent sighting. I have even recently seen good old fashioned planets under peculiar atmospherics that made me stop and wonder. Yes, I’ve seen a few really, really weird looking things around here but all those UFOs became IFOs for me. Not everyone is quite so discerning and things like Night Siege have just help create a myth – in my opinion. Over in Pine Bush there were (and probably still are) road signs that warn people not to park for in certain areas under pain of a fine because too many people are waiting for the mothership to land.
 
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