THE PARACAST NEWSLETTER
December 7, 2014
www.theparacast.com
Peter Robbins Discusses the Rendlesham Forest Case and Disinformation 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.
Announcing The Paracast+: You asked for it! For a low monthly or annual subscription fee, you will receive access to a higher-quality ad-free version of The Paracast, chat rooms, the all-new After The Paracast podcast, and other exclusive content. For more information about our premium package, please visit: Introducing The Paracast+ | The Paracast — The Gold Standard of Paranormal Radio.
Attention U.S. Listeners: Help Us Bring The Paracast to Your City! In the summer of 2010, The Paracast joined the GCN radio network. This represented a huge step in bringing our show to a larger, mainstream audience. But we need your help to add additional affiliates to our growing network. Please ask one of your local talk stations if they are interested in carrying The Paracast. Feel free to contact us directly with the names of programming people we might be able to contact on your behalf. We can't do this alone, and if you succeed in convincing your local station to carry the show, we'll reward you with one of our special T-shirts, and other goodies. With your help, The Paracast can grow into one of the most popular paranormal shows on the planet!
Please Visit Our Online Store: You asked, and we answered. We are now taking orders for The Official Paracast T-Shirt and an expanded collection of other specially customized merchandise. To get your T-Shirt now featuring our brand new logo, just pay a visit to our online store at The Official Paracast Store to select your size and place your order. We also offer a complete lineup of other premium merchandise for your family, your friends and your business contacts.
About The Paracast: The Paracast covers a world beyond science, where UFOs, poltergeists and strange phenomena of all kinds have been reported by millions across the planet.
Set Up: The Paracast is a paranormal radio show that takes you on a journey to a world beyond science, where UFOs, poltergeists and strange phenomena of all kinds have been reported by millions. The Paracast seeks to shed light on the mysteries and complexities of our Universe and the secrets that surround us in our everyday lives.
Join long-time paranormal researcher Gene Steinberg, co-host and acclaimed field investigator Christopher O'Brien, and a panel of special guest experts and experiencers, as they explore the realms of the known and unknown. Listen each week to the great stories of the history of the paranormal field in the 20th and 21st centuries.
This Week's Episode: Gene and Chris present long-time UFO researcher and author Peter Robbins, author of a free seven-part eBook, "Deliberate Deception: A Case of Disinformation in the UFO Research Community," published by Phenomena Magazine. The book reportedly "has huge implications, not only for the Rendlesham Forest incident, but for Ufology in general." In short, Robbins is accusing Nick Pope, lead author of "Encounter in Rendlesham Forest," of engaging in disinformation in his book. You can download a free copy of Robbins' book from: Home - Phenomena Magazine In addition to his ongoing research into the 1980 Rendlesham Forest episode, Robbins has extensive experience exploring UFO abductions and the work of Wilhelm Reich.
Chris O’Brien’s Site: Our Strange Planet
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.
The Search for Disinformation Agents Revisited
By Gene Steinberg
One of the most popular books of the early UFO era was “The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects,” by Captain Edward J. Ruppelt, first published in 1956. This book, written in a breezy style similar to the works of Major Donald Keyhoe, carried one key element of credibility: Ruppelt was the first head of the Air Force’s Project Blue Book.
Even more compelling to believers, the book appeared to strongly favor the reality of the flying saucers. So was this, then, an admission that the Air Force knew all along that those strange objects in the skies were not just real, but represented an advanced intelligence from another planet.?
Now I actually bought the book twice, as a free premium from the Science Fiction Book Club, which featured not just fiction but some factual material. In this case, I responded to the promise of an expanded edition with more information in acquiring the book a second time.
But it’s that expanded edition that turned my perceptions about Ruppelt on its head. Although the writing style was consistent, two key paragraphs culled from the additional three chapters came as a huge surprise to many readers:
“During the past four years the most frequent question I've been asked is: ‘What do you personally think? Do unidentified flying objects exist, or don't they?’
“I'm positive they don’t.”
Now he had a perfect right to change his mind. He may have indeed been inclined to favor UFO reality when the first edition of his book was being written only to change his views upon further reflection. But there was reason for suspicion here, and that suspicion was cast by Keyhoe in one of his books, “Flying Saucers: Top Secret,” published in 1960.
So Keyhoe recounted conversations with Ruppelt, his presumed friend, in which he said Ruppelt had been under heavy pressure by his military bosses to backtrack on his expression of apparent belief in UFO reality. I wouldn’t go so far as to claim that pressure was in any way responsible for Ruppelt’s death in 1960 at the age of 37, the result of a heart attack. This wasn’t his first bout with heart disease, and one shouldn’t forget how far medical science has advanced in dealing with such ailments. Nowadays, Ruppelt might have survived and had a long and useful life.
To be fair, the Wikipedia entry on Ruppelt offers a different interpretation of the relationship between him and Keyhoe:
“In 1956, Donald Keyhoe asked Ruppelt to join to serve as an adviser to NICAP. Ruppelt had recently suffered a heart attack and declined Keyhoe’s offer. Ruppelt's book indicates that Ruppelt held some dim views of Keyhoe and his early writings; Ruppelt stated that while Keyhoe generally had his facts straight, his interpretation of the facts was another question entirely. He thought Keyhoe often sensationalized the material and accused Keyhoe of ‘mind reading’ what he and other officers were thinking.”
So it may well be that Ruppelt had downplayed his skepticism about UFO reality in the first edition of the book, only to realize that some people had the wrong idea. So he decided to make his views crystal clear in the final chapters. Maybe. I wouldn’t presume to guess what really happened, but exaggerating and lying are obviously very different. Keyhoe implied a close friendship with Ruppelt, and the claim of military pressure is an either/or proposition. It may be that the extent of that pressure was sensationalized, and Keyhoe was surely entitled to his opinion. But what about the direct quotes attributed to Ruppelt?
On a larger scale, though, you’d think that anyone who enters UFO research with a military background might be suspect, particularly if they get involved in research. But what if they publish books or articles favoring the existence of UFOs? Must what they state be suspect too? Wouldn’t they sometimes have to submit their work for review by their superiors, particularly if they had existing or former security clearances?
The question, then, is how his former military bosses might have reacted to Ruppelt’s manuscript. At the time the book was written, Ruppelt had returned to civilian life, reported to be working as a research engineer for Northrop Aircraft Company, a military contractor. So he didn’t stray that far from a possible military connection.
But while all this is fodder for speculation, my reaction is that I just don’t know. I’d think that, if a retired military person became a whistleblower about UFOs, the threat of repercussions would only draw attention to the victim if it became public. If there is a military cabal or science group dedicated to keeping the secret, thus preventing disclosure, it would hardly make sense to make a fuss. That would prove there was a secret.
Better to leave the whistleblower drifting in the wind unless ironclad evidence was revealed that would presumably impact national security. But opinions are a dime a dozen even at today’s inflated rates.
That takes us to the modern-day equivalent of Captain Edward Ruppelt, and that’s Nick Pope. From 1991 to 1994, Pope managed the UFO desk at the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD). He left government service in 2006 after working over 20 years on the job, and gained prominence as an author and commentator. He has also had gigs at movie companies and PR agencies specializing in sci-fi movies.
As listeners to The Paracast know, we’ve had Pope on as a guest on three occasions, the most recent of which was May 25, 2014, where he was accompanied by John Burroughs, formerly of the Air Force, to discuss “Encounter in Rendlesham Forest.” This book was presented as a definitive overview of the classic 1980 series of UFO encounters.
That takes us to the present day. On this weekend’s episode, we’ll be featuring Peter Robbins, who is author of a free eBook entitled, “Deliberate Deception: A Case of Disinformation in the UFO Research Community.” As our show notes indicate, Robbins is accusing Pope of being a purveyor of disinformation at the behest of his former employers in the British government.
That’s the sort of accusation made of ex-military people who were involved in UFO research over the years. I wouldn’t begin to guess whether any of it is true, and I’m not going to take sides. Pope has emphatically denied any such unsavory government connection in a statement to The Paracast (which will be posted in our forums after the show is aired). Certainly Robbins is entitled to his opinion, and he is to be commended for his lengthy probe into the Rendlesham Forest encounters.
As we all know, the goings on in the UFO field are muddied enough without wondering whether or not we have government agents in our midst who are trying to confuse matters even further. It would be nice if we could actually get back to real research for a change. But if there is a conspiracy to hide the truth, it would be extremely helpful to get a solid handle on it and expose such behavior once and for all.
Copyright 1999-2014 Making The Impossible, Inc. 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!
December 7, 2014
www.theparacast.com
Peter Robbins Discusses the Rendlesham Forest Case and Disinformation 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.
Announcing The Paracast+: You asked for it! For a low monthly or annual subscription fee, you will receive access to a higher-quality ad-free version of The Paracast, chat rooms, the all-new After The Paracast podcast, and other exclusive content. For more information about our premium package, please visit: Introducing The Paracast+ | The Paracast — The Gold Standard of Paranormal Radio.
Attention U.S. Listeners: Help Us Bring The Paracast to Your City! In the summer of 2010, The Paracast joined the GCN radio network. This represented a huge step in bringing our show to a larger, mainstream audience. But we need your help to add additional affiliates to our growing network. Please ask one of your local talk stations if they are interested in carrying The Paracast. Feel free to contact us directly with the names of programming people we might be able to contact on your behalf. We can't do this alone, and if you succeed in convincing your local station to carry the show, we'll reward you with one of our special T-shirts, and other goodies. With your help, The Paracast can grow into one of the most popular paranormal shows on the planet!
Please Visit Our Online Store: You asked, and we answered. We are now taking orders for The Official Paracast T-Shirt and an expanded collection of other specially customized merchandise. To get your T-Shirt now featuring our brand new logo, just pay a visit to our online store at The Official Paracast Store to select your size and place your order. We also offer a complete lineup of other premium merchandise for your family, your friends and your business contacts.
About The Paracast: The Paracast covers a world beyond science, where UFOs, poltergeists and strange phenomena of all kinds have been reported by millions across the planet.
Set Up: The Paracast is a paranormal radio show that takes you on a journey to a world beyond science, where UFOs, poltergeists and strange phenomena of all kinds have been reported by millions. The Paracast seeks to shed light on the mysteries and complexities of our Universe and the secrets that surround us in our everyday lives.
Join long-time paranormal researcher Gene Steinberg, co-host and acclaimed field investigator Christopher O'Brien, and a panel of special guest experts and experiencers, as they explore the realms of the known and unknown. Listen each week to the great stories of the history of the paranormal field in the 20th and 21st centuries.
This Week's Episode: Gene and Chris present long-time UFO researcher and author Peter Robbins, author of a free seven-part eBook, "Deliberate Deception: A Case of Disinformation in the UFO Research Community," published by Phenomena Magazine. The book reportedly "has huge implications, not only for the Rendlesham Forest incident, but for Ufology in general." In short, Robbins is accusing Nick Pope, lead author of "Encounter in Rendlesham Forest," of engaging in disinformation in his book. You can download a free copy of Robbins' book from: Home - Phenomena Magazine In addition to his ongoing research into the 1980 Rendlesham Forest episode, Robbins has extensive experience exploring UFO abductions and the work of Wilhelm Reich.
Chris O’Brien’s Site: Our Strange Planet
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.
The Search for Disinformation Agents Revisited
By Gene Steinberg
One of the most popular books of the early UFO era was “The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects,” by Captain Edward J. Ruppelt, first published in 1956. This book, written in a breezy style similar to the works of Major Donald Keyhoe, carried one key element of credibility: Ruppelt was the first head of the Air Force’s Project Blue Book.
Even more compelling to believers, the book appeared to strongly favor the reality of the flying saucers. So was this, then, an admission that the Air Force knew all along that those strange objects in the skies were not just real, but represented an advanced intelligence from another planet.?
Now I actually bought the book twice, as a free premium from the Science Fiction Book Club, which featured not just fiction but some factual material. In this case, I responded to the promise of an expanded edition with more information in acquiring the book a second time.
But it’s that expanded edition that turned my perceptions about Ruppelt on its head. Although the writing style was consistent, two key paragraphs culled from the additional three chapters came as a huge surprise to many readers:
“During the past four years the most frequent question I've been asked is: ‘What do you personally think? Do unidentified flying objects exist, or don't they?’
“I'm positive they don’t.”
Now he had a perfect right to change his mind. He may have indeed been inclined to favor UFO reality when the first edition of his book was being written only to change his views upon further reflection. But there was reason for suspicion here, and that suspicion was cast by Keyhoe in one of his books, “Flying Saucers: Top Secret,” published in 1960.
So Keyhoe recounted conversations with Ruppelt, his presumed friend, in which he said Ruppelt had been under heavy pressure by his military bosses to backtrack on his expression of apparent belief in UFO reality. I wouldn’t go so far as to claim that pressure was in any way responsible for Ruppelt’s death in 1960 at the age of 37, the result of a heart attack. This wasn’t his first bout with heart disease, and one shouldn’t forget how far medical science has advanced in dealing with such ailments. Nowadays, Ruppelt might have survived and had a long and useful life.
To be fair, the Wikipedia entry on Ruppelt offers a different interpretation of the relationship between him and Keyhoe:
“In 1956, Donald Keyhoe asked Ruppelt to join to serve as an adviser to NICAP. Ruppelt had recently suffered a heart attack and declined Keyhoe’s offer. Ruppelt's book indicates that Ruppelt held some dim views of Keyhoe and his early writings; Ruppelt stated that while Keyhoe generally had his facts straight, his interpretation of the facts was another question entirely. He thought Keyhoe often sensationalized the material and accused Keyhoe of ‘mind reading’ what he and other officers were thinking.”
So it may well be that Ruppelt had downplayed his skepticism about UFO reality in the first edition of the book, only to realize that some people had the wrong idea. So he decided to make his views crystal clear in the final chapters. Maybe. I wouldn’t presume to guess what really happened, but exaggerating and lying are obviously very different. Keyhoe implied a close friendship with Ruppelt, and the claim of military pressure is an either/or proposition. It may be that the extent of that pressure was sensationalized, and Keyhoe was surely entitled to his opinion. But what about the direct quotes attributed to Ruppelt?
On a larger scale, though, you’d think that anyone who enters UFO research with a military background might be suspect, particularly if they get involved in research. But what if they publish books or articles favoring the existence of UFOs? Must what they state be suspect too? Wouldn’t they sometimes have to submit their work for review by their superiors, particularly if they had existing or former security clearances?
The question, then, is how his former military bosses might have reacted to Ruppelt’s manuscript. At the time the book was written, Ruppelt had returned to civilian life, reported to be working as a research engineer for Northrop Aircraft Company, a military contractor. So he didn’t stray that far from a possible military connection.
But while all this is fodder for speculation, my reaction is that I just don’t know. I’d think that, if a retired military person became a whistleblower about UFOs, the threat of repercussions would only draw attention to the victim if it became public. If there is a military cabal or science group dedicated to keeping the secret, thus preventing disclosure, it would hardly make sense to make a fuss. That would prove there was a secret.
Better to leave the whistleblower drifting in the wind unless ironclad evidence was revealed that would presumably impact national security. But opinions are a dime a dozen even at today’s inflated rates.
That takes us to the modern-day equivalent of Captain Edward Ruppelt, and that’s Nick Pope. From 1991 to 1994, Pope managed the UFO desk at the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD). He left government service in 2006 after working over 20 years on the job, and gained prominence as an author and commentator. He has also had gigs at movie companies and PR agencies specializing in sci-fi movies.
As listeners to The Paracast know, we’ve had Pope on as a guest on three occasions, the most recent of which was May 25, 2014, where he was accompanied by John Burroughs, formerly of the Air Force, to discuss “Encounter in Rendlesham Forest.” This book was presented as a definitive overview of the classic 1980 series of UFO encounters.
That takes us to the present day. On this weekend’s episode, we’ll be featuring Peter Robbins, who is author of a free eBook entitled, “Deliberate Deception: A Case of Disinformation in the UFO Research Community.” As our show notes indicate, Robbins is accusing Pope of being a purveyor of disinformation at the behest of his former employers in the British government.
That’s the sort of accusation made of ex-military people who were involved in UFO research over the years. I wouldn’t begin to guess whether any of it is true, and I’m not going to take sides. Pope has emphatically denied any such unsavory government connection in a statement to The Paracast (which will be posted in our forums after the show is aired). Certainly Robbins is entitled to his opinion, and he is to be commended for his lengthy probe into the Rendlesham Forest encounters.
As we all know, the goings on in the UFO field are muddied enough without wondering whether or not we have government agents in our midst who are trying to confuse matters even further. It would be nice if we could actually get back to real research for a change. But if there is a conspiracy to hide the truth, it would be extremely helpful to get a solid handle on it and expose such behavior once and for all.
Copyright 1999-2014 Making The Impossible, Inc. 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!
