The Paracast Newsletter
August 27, 2023
www.theparacast.com
Experiencer and UFO Researcher Mindy Tautfest, from MUFON, Reveals an Amazing Near Death Experience and its Relationship with the UFO Enigma on The Paracast!
The Paracast is heard Sundays from 3:00 AM until 6:00 AM Central Time on the GCN Radio Network and affiliates around the USA, the Boost Radio Network, the IRN Internet Radio Network, and online across the globe via download and on-demand streaming.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP FOR THE PARACAST+ YET? PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARACAST+ SO YOU CAN SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE ULTIMATE PARACAST EXPERIENCE AT A SPECIAL LOW PRICE! We have another radio show and we’d love for you listen to it. So for a low subscription fee, you will receive access to an exclusive podcast, After The Paracast, plus an enhanced version of The Paracast with the network ads removed, when you join The Paracast+. We also offer a special RSS feed for easy updates of the latest episodes on your device. Flash! Use the coupon code ufo20 to receive a 20% discount on five-year or lifetime subscriptions. And PayPal now accepts cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, in payment. And if you don't want to use PayPal, we now also offer a second payment option, from Stripe, which accepts major credit or debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. For "qualified users," you can also take advantage of Pay Later options, so act now! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode: Gene and cohost Tim Swartz present experiencer and UFO researcher Mindy Tautfest. She is author of “Dying To Meet Them,” chronicling her incredible journey from NDE to UAP. In 2016, Tautfest suffered a brain aneurysm resulting in a Near Death Experience where she found herself in a place known as the Void. Her personal encounter, combined with years of investigations into UFO encounters, places her in a unique position to understand the underlying connections and aftereffects of these enigmatic events. She serves as the the Dean of MUFON University, Director of Oklahoma MUFON, and a member of the Experiencer Resource Team (ERT). She joined MUFON in 2019 and joined the ERT in 2022 as a way to further help experiencers process their sometimes-difficult encounters. Tautfest has worked as an ICU nurse across the nation and volunteered her time to disaster relief efforts including the Colorado Black Forest Fires, Hurricane Katrina, and the Moore Tornado.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively for Paracast+ subscribers on August 27: Experiencer and UFO researcher Mindy Tautfest, author of “Dying To Meet Them,” returns to talk to Gene and cohost Tim Swartz about curating the work of the late UFO enthusiast Hayden C. Hewes. She also discusses the question of whether there will ever be a solution to these incredible mysteries. Also revealed: how a meeting with someone who claimed the ability to "call down UFOs," resulted in a strange sighting. Gene also tells what he regards as the worst joke ever. Tautfest has appeared as a guest on numerous podcasts speaking about UFO sightings, breaking news in UFOlogy, Near Death Experiences, and High Strangeness in Oklahoma. She has had articles published in the MUFON Journal as well as Outer Limits Magazine. Her investigation of the 1975 Miracle Mountains schoolyard encounter was designated as MUFON's Top Case of Interest in 2021. Tautfest is Dean of MUFON University, Director of Oklahoma MUFON, and a member of their Experiencer Resource Team (ERT).
Reminder: Please don't forget to visit our famous Paracast Community Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal: The Paracast Community Forums. Visit our new online shop for great branded merchandise at: https://www.theparacast.shop, and check out our new YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialParacastChannel.
The Amazing or Not-So-Amazing World of Flying Saucer Whistleblowers
By Gene Steinberg
Claims that someone knows the secret of the flying saucers aren’t new. Sometimes they come from proprietors of hot dog stands who boast of meeting blond-haired Venusians in the California desert. The individual in question, George Adamski, even provided pictures of hub caps (or surgical lamps) that were supposed to represent spaceships.
Even the very worst special effects in a B-grade sci-fi movie look more realistic.
More recently, I saw a book chapter asserting that the photos taken by Adamski couldn’t be duplicated without spending large amounts of cash. I wasn’t aware that hub caps (or surgical lamps), golf balls and lightbulbs were all that expensive to buy.
Indeed, Adamski’s trickery, such as it was, just happened to be exposed by two then-teenage New Age enthusiasts, Ray and Rex Stanford. Indeed, Ray told listeners of The Paracast some years back how Adamski confessed to the deeds and even showed them how he did it, with great pride in his achievements.
Another contactee, a sign painter by the name of Howard Menger — dubbed the “Jersey Adamski” — didn’t bother so much with fake photos. Instead, he made a painting of a saucer that was copied from final scene of a movie that depicted a craft taking off into the night sky. If you’ve ever seen the 1951 sci-fi classic, “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” you’ll know what I mean.
These were just two of the contact claims that emerged in the early days of the modern flying saucer era. These and other contactees attracted followers who’d stick with them to the ends of the Earth because of their beliefs.
It didn’t matter that, for a time, Menger withdrew his contact claims and asserted that he believed he had been the subject of some sort of government experiment.
Disinformation perhaps?
It reminds me of an episode reportedly involving contactee Orfeo Angelucci, of the time he met up with a military individual at a diner, who proceeded to give him a tab to consume. Upon taking it, he, so to speak, went into a dream.
So does that mean that contact claimants ought to submit to drug tests? Not if the substances can’t be detected after a few days.
The climate among UFO buffs over the years made it simple for someone, perhaps with a dream of fame and fortune, to assert a claim of knowing the secret. Perhaps they had military experience, and they are simply reporting what they saw and heard.
One notorious example is Bob Lazar, who claimed to have discovered the secret of the saucers while employed at Area 51. But his situation was complicated by the inability of investigators to confirm his reported educational background. He claimed to possess a master’s degree in physics from MIT and an electronics degree from Caltech. In the real world, neither institution had a record of his attendance, let alone the granting of any degree. An investigation by UFO researchers revealed that Lazar graduated at the bottom third of his high school class, which he finished late. It appears he may have attended Pierce Junior College in Los Angeles, an achievement that would not be difficult for someone with a subpar academic record.
Some still believe Lazar, but he has since stepped away from public appearances. In the interests of fairness, we even offered a chance for him to set the record straight on The Paracast, but it appears he is no longer making appearances on radio shows.
How convenient.
One of the most concerning whistleblower claims came from someone with a genuine record of achievement, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Corso. His military career was one to be proud of. Among his awards, a Bronze Star.
But things became confusing with the publication of his 1997 book, “The Day After Roswell,” coauthored by a writer of true crime material, William Birnes.
Birnes later took over UFO Magazine, where he and his wife, Nancy, kept it going for several years before it suddenly went under.
As to Corso, he claimed that he served as a bag man shepherding extraterrestrial artifacts from the 1947 Roswell crash to private industry. These artifacts were allegedly instrumental in the development of fiber optics and integrated circuits.
It didn’t matter that there was an easily confirmed history of the developments of these and other technologies mentioned in the book.
To be sure, there was an outcry from skeptics who claimed Corso and Birnes made it all up, or were exaggerating some stories to make them seem more sensational. Reviews were mixed, and, in 2001, The Guardian placed it on its list of “Top Ten literary hoaxes.”
While Birnes continued to confirm the contents of the book, Corso’s death, in 1998, essentially ended the discussion.
I do recall hearing Corso discuss the book during a 1997 appearance on “Coast to Coast AM.” But he was already in audibly ill health, and the interview was essentially hit or miss.
Without anyone else coming forward to confirm any of what Corso claimed, the book was, so to speak, soon closed.
Then there is the case of a so-called whistleblower who this year testified, under oath, before the U.S. Congress and made the media rounds about his knowledge of what the Pentagon was up to. One David Grusch, whose record includes service in Afghanistan, claimed knowledge that the U.S. military had evidence that UAPs had off-world origins, that they possessed physical evidence of both the spaceships and their crew.
He has yet to actually reveal specifics behind those claims, such as names, dates and so on and so forth. But the situation has become suspicious due to his statements about an alleged UFO crash in 1933, in Italy. Such UFO researchers such as Kevin D. Randle, are skeptical, citing faked documents about the crash as one area of concern.
This doesn’t mean that Grusch has it wrong. Perhaps the Pentagon does have evidence to confirm the 1933 event.
Unfortunately, his military background has raised a question mark or two, because of his history of suffering from PTSD. But this is a not-uncommon consequence of people with combat experience, and it’s no reason to question whether what he says is true or imagined.
That he was hired for a Pentagon spot anyway clearly indicates that they, at least, weren’t concerned about his prior mental health challenges.
But until Grusch actually delivers some evidence of his claims, there’s little to say. He may be telling the truth about what he heard, but that doesn’t mean some people were just telling tall tales at work. Or maybe he was given these stories to spread disinformation.
If the claims are exposed as false, Grusch is thus discredited, and few people will listen to him anymore. Cherished media appearances will quickly dry up.
For now, I put the Grusch story in my gray basket, awaiting further developments. Then again, it all may fade away over time, with, as usual, nothing resolved.
Copyright 1999-2023 The Paracast Company. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!
August 27, 2023
www.theparacast.com
Experiencer and UFO Researcher Mindy Tautfest, from MUFON, Reveals an Amazing Near Death Experience and its Relationship with the UFO Enigma on The Paracast!
The Paracast is heard Sundays from 3:00 AM until 6:00 AM Central Time on the GCN Radio Network and affiliates around the USA, the Boost Radio Network, the IRN Internet Radio Network, and online across the globe via download and on-demand streaming.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP FOR THE PARACAST+ YET? PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARACAST+ SO YOU CAN SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE ULTIMATE PARACAST EXPERIENCE AT A SPECIAL LOW PRICE! We have another radio show and we’d love for you listen to it. So for a low subscription fee, you will receive access to an exclusive podcast, After The Paracast, plus an enhanced version of The Paracast with the network ads removed, when you join The Paracast+. We also offer a special RSS feed for easy updates of the latest episodes on your device. Flash! Use the coupon code ufo20 to receive a 20% discount on five-year or lifetime subscriptions. And PayPal now accepts cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, in payment. And if you don't want to use PayPal, we now also offer a second payment option, from Stripe, which accepts major credit or debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. For "qualified users," you can also take advantage of Pay Later options, so act now! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode: Gene and cohost Tim Swartz present experiencer and UFO researcher Mindy Tautfest. She is author of “Dying To Meet Them,” chronicling her incredible journey from NDE to UAP. In 2016, Tautfest suffered a brain aneurysm resulting in a Near Death Experience where she found herself in a place known as the Void. Her personal encounter, combined with years of investigations into UFO encounters, places her in a unique position to understand the underlying connections and aftereffects of these enigmatic events. She serves as the the Dean of MUFON University, Director of Oklahoma MUFON, and a member of the Experiencer Resource Team (ERT). She joined MUFON in 2019 and joined the ERT in 2022 as a way to further help experiencers process their sometimes-difficult encounters. Tautfest has worked as an ICU nurse across the nation and volunteered her time to disaster relief efforts including the Colorado Black Forest Fires, Hurricane Katrina, and the Moore Tornado.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively for Paracast+ subscribers on August 27: Experiencer and UFO researcher Mindy Tautfest, author of “Dying To Meet Them,” returns to talk to Gene and cohost Tim Swartz about curating the work of the late UFO enthusiast Hayden C. Hewes. She also discusses the question of whether there will ever be a solution to these incredible mysteries. Also revealed: how a meeting with someone who claimed the ability to "call down UFOs," resulted in a strange sighting. Gene also tells what he regards as the worst joke ever. Tautfest has appeared as a guest on numerous podcasts speaking about UFO sightings, breaking news in UFOlogy, Near Death Experiences, and High Strangeness in Oklahoma. She has had articles published in the MUFON Journal as well as Outer Limits Magazine. Her investigation of the 1975 Miracle Mountains schoolyard encounter was designated as MUFON's Top Case of Interest in 2021. Tautfest is Dean of MUFON University, Director of Oklahoma MUFON, and a member of their Experiencer Resource Team (ERT).
Reminder: Please don't forget to visit our famous Paracast Community Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal: The Paracast Community Forums. Visit our new online shop for great branded merchandise at: https://www.theparacast.shop, and check out our new YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialParacastChannel.
The Amazing or Not-So-Amazing World of Flying Saucer Whistleblowers
By Gene Steinberg
Claims that someone knows the secret of the flying saucers aren’t new. Sometimes they come from proprietors of hot dog stands who boast of meeting blond-haired Venusians in the California desert. The individual in question, George Adamski, even provided pictures of hub caps (or surgical lamps) that were supposed to represent spaceships.
Even the very worst special effects in a B-grade sci-fi movie look more realistic.
More recently, I saw a book chapter asserting that the photos taken by Adamski couldn’t be duplicated without spending large amounts of cash. I wasn’t aware that hub caps (or surgical lamps), golf balls and lightbulbs were all that expensive to buy.
Indeed, Adamski’s trickery, such as it was, just happened to be exposed by two then-teenage New Age enthusiasts, Ray and Rex Stanford. Indeed, Ray told listeners of The Paracast some years back how Adamski confessed to the deeds and even showed them how he did it, with great pride in his achievements.
Another contactee, a sign painter by the name of Howard Menger — dubbed the “Jersey Adamski” — didn’t bother so much with fake photos. Instead, he made a painting of a saucer that was copied from final scene of a movie that depicted a craft taking off into the night sky. If you’ve ever seen the 1951 sci-fi classic, “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” you’ll know what I mean.
These were just two of the contact claims that emerged in the early days of the modern flying saucer era. These and other contactees attracted followers who’d stick with them to the ends of the Earth because of their beliefs.
It didn’t matter that, for a time, Menger withdrew his contact claims and asserted that he believed he had been the subject of some sort of government experiment.
Disinformation perhaps?
It reminds me of an episode reportedly involving contactee Orfeo Angelucci, of the time he met up with a military individual at a diner, who proceeded to give him a tab to consume. Upon taking it, he, so to speak, went into a dream.
So does that mean that contact claimants ought to submit to drug tests? Not if the substances can’t be detected after a few days.
The climate among UFO buffs over the years made it simple for someone, perhaps with a dream of fame and fortune, to assert a claim of knowing the secret. Perhaps they had military experience, and they are simply reporting what they saw and heard.
One notorious example is Bob Lazar, who claimed to have discovered the secret of the saucers while employed at Area 51. But his situation was complicated by the inability of investigators to confirm his reported educational background. He claimed to possess a master’s degree in physics from MIT and an electronics degree from Caltech. In the real world, neither institution had a record of his attendance, let alone the granting of any degree. An investigation by UFO researchers revealed that Lazar graduated at the bottom third of his high school class, which he finished late. It appears he may have attended Pierce Junior College in Los Angeles, an achievement that would not be difficult for someone with a subpar academic record.
Some still believe Lazar, but he has since stepped away from public appearances. In the interests of fairness, we even offered a chance for him to set the record straight on The Paracast, but it appears he is no longer making appearances on radio shows.
How convenient.
One of the most concerning whistleblower claims came from someone with a genuine record of achievement, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Corso. His military career was one to be proud of. Among his awards, a Bronze Star.
But things became confusing with the publication of his 1997 book, “The Day After Roswell,” coauthored by a writer of true crime material, William Birnes.
Birnes later took over UFO Magazine, where he and his wife, Nancy, kept it going for several years before it suddenly went under.
As to Corso, he claimed that he served as a bag man shepherding extraterrestrial artifacts from the 1947 Roswell crash to private industry. These artifacts were allegedly instrumental in the development of fiber optics and integrated circuits.
It didn’t matter that there was an easily confirmed history of the developments of these and other technologies mentioned in the book.
To be sure, there was an outcry from skeptics who claimed Corso and Birnes made it all up, or were exaggerating some stories to make them seem more sensational. Reviews were mixed, and, in 2001, The Guardian placed it on its list of “Top Ten literary hoaxes.”
While Birnes continued to confirm the contents of the book, Corso’s death, in 1998, essentially ended the discussion.
I do recall hearing Corso discuss the book during a 1997 appearance on “Coast to Coast AM.” But he was already in audibly ill health, and the interview was essentially hit or miss.
Without anyone else coming forward to confirm any of what Corso claimed, the book was, so to speak, soon closed.
Then there is the case of a so-called whistleblower who this year testified, under oath, before the U.S. Congress and made the media rounds about his knowledge of what the Pentagon was up to. One David Grusch, whose record includes service in Afghanistan, claimed knowledge that the U.S. military had evidence that UAPs had off-world origins, that they possessed physical evidence of both the spaceships and their crew.
He has yet to actually reveal specifics behind those claims, such as names, dates and so on and so forth. But the situation has become suspicious due to his statements about an alleged UFO crash in 1933, in Italy. Such UFO researchers such as Kevin D. Randle, are skeptical, citing faked documents about the crash as one area of concern.
This doesn’t mean that Grusch has it wrong. Perhaps the Pentagon does have evidence to confirm the 1933 event.
Unfortunately, his military background has raised a question mark or two, because of his history of suffering from PTSD. But this is a not-uncommon consequence of people with combat experience, and it’s no reason to question whether what he says is true or imagined.
That he was hired for a Pentagon spot anyway clearly indicates that they, at least, weren’t concerned about his prior mental health challenges.
But until Grusch actually delivers some evidence of his claims, there’s little to say. He may be telling the truth about what he heard, but that doesn’t mean some people were just telling tall tales at work. Or maybe he was given these stories to spread disinformation.
If the claims are exposed as false, Grusch is thus discredited, and few people will listen to him anymore. Cherished media appearances will quickly dry up.
For now, I put the Grusch story in my gray basket, awaiting further developments. Then again, it all may fade away over time, with, as usual, nothing resolved.
Copyright 1999-2023 The Paracast Company. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!