THE PARACAST NEWSLETTER
February 16, 2014
Go Monster Hunting on The Paracast
The Paracast is heard Sundays from 2:00 AM until 5:00 AM Central Time on the GCN Radio Network and affiliates around the USA, and online across the globe via download and on-demand streaming.
Important — Please Read! In a separate email, Paracast host Gene Steinberg has made a personal appeal for emergency financial assistance. Please check that message for further details. If you’re able to assist, please note that we have a Donate link on our home page, below the logo and audio player. There's also a Donate link on our forums, at the bottom of the sidebar on the right. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) theparacast (dot) com. We can also accept Bitcoin, and we offer a donation link for that, too, on our site.
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 go monster hunting with Lyle Blackburn, who, according to his biography, "is an author, musician, and cryptid hunter from Texas. His books, "The Beast of Boggy Creek: The True Story of the Fouke Monster," and "Lizard Man: The True Story of the Bishopville Monster," reflect his lifelong fascination with legends and sighting reports of real-life 'monsters.' During his research, Lyle has often explored the remote reaches of the southern U.S. in search of shadowy creatures said to inhabit the dense backwoods and swamplands of these areas."
Chris O'Brien's Site: http://www.ourstrangeplanet.com
Lyle Blackburn’s Site: Lyle Blackburn: author, cryptozoologist, musician
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. We recently completed a major update that makes our community easier to navigate, and social network friendly.
Sponsored Message: Don’t get ripped off when you need to liquidate your precious jewelry and silverware. Call Steve at Numis Gems at (480) 878-7678 and get the straight scoop!
Views That Never Change
By Gene Steinberg
Not so long ago, someone posted a message in our Paracast Community Forums suggesting we shouldn’t concentrate so much on the history of the paranormal, and older UFO cases, and deliver something newer and, one hopes, better. Why do we constantly dwell on the past?
As I’ve explained on more than one occasion, one of the problems in doing research into these wild and wacky subjects is that the experiences of the past are often ignored. So, as the cliche states, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of history, and, therefore, we don’t seem to be getting anywhere in discovering just what is really going on around us.
So when it comes to ghosts, well they must be spirits of the dead, so therefore we should try to learn how to communicate with our departed friends and relatives. Perhaps we should break out our ouija boards, or seek help from someone who claims to be a psychic. After all, perhaps ghosts are here to convey a warning, or at least communicate with us because they miss us.
Such beliefs are part and parcel of fiction, including movies and TV shows. In the 1990 blockbuster film, “Ghost,” directed by Jerry Zucker (one of the trio who brought you such zany comedy films as “Airplane), a banker portrayed by the late Patrick Swayze is murdered after discovering irregularities in some financial transactions.
Rather than go on to his reward, Swayze’s character hangs around to protect his girlfriend, played by Demi Moore, from the villain, revealed to be his best friend as portrayed by Tony Goldwyn (a talented actor/director and a member of that famous family of filmmakers).
Or deceased hero finds himself able to communicate with a fake psychic. In passing, that memorable and sometimes over-the-top role of a psychic won Whoopi Goldberg an Oscar for best supporting actress.
In that film, it was a given that some people who die return as ghosts. Just about every ghost hunter TV show conveys the same fundamental belief. It’s a given, even though it cannot, in the end, be proven.
Now I’m not going to deny the impact or reality of ghostly phenomena, but let me continue.
In the UFO field, that acronym is, to many people, akin to saying “spaceship.” They ignore the fact that UFO abbreviates “unidentified flying object.” In other words, it’s something not yet identified, and thus we don’t know exactly what those flying things really are. Perhaps they are spaceships, perhaps some reflection of our collective unconscious, perhaps something else entirely. Until we know the final answer, something that can be proven, they remain UFOs. Not spaceships. UFOs.
When it comes to the strange creatures that are studied by those interested in cryptozoology, it’s not really certain what they are. Mainstream scientists will suggest that, when something strange is being seen, they are little more than misidentified animals of some sort. So perhaps that hairy Bigfoot in a nearby forest is really a bear, but the creature is only seen briefly, or obscured by foliage, so you don’t see the details.
But there are other possibilities, such as the very real prospect that there are some living things lurking in forests, or near lakes and rivers, which scientists have yet to classify. Maybe a missing link? Some believe Bigfoot is descended from the species that were forebears of humanity. Perhaps they are a primitive form of proto-human?
Of course, others believe that humans emerged fully formed and were the result of some sort of divine creation process. Some speak of genetic engineering by extraterrestrials who created humans by manipulating the DNA of apes or neanderthals in our early history. So ET is hanging around to observe our progress as part of a long-range plan of one sort or another.
Or maybe, if we continue to fail them, they’ll just send us off to our just reward, and start over, hoping to get it right the next time. Or maybe this is just part of our growth process as a species and we’ll eventually get it all together.
Regardless, when you look at all these subjects, you’ll see that many of the so-called experts on these subjects aren’t exactly presenting new theories. You hear the same ideas you’ve heard for decades in almost every case.
That doesn’t mean those long-held theories are wrong. So it may be, in the end, that those who die — or at least their souls or life essences — are transported to a sort of way station where they they may, at times, have to perform uncompleted tasks before moving on to the next phase of existence. Look for the light, they say, when you’re ready.
With UFOs, perhaps ET has been visiting us for decades, centuries, or even longer. Inasmuch as the possibility of life in the universe has become a more distinct possibility owing to the continued discovery of planets that may support living things, it may well be that many races of intelligent beings are visiting Earth and observing our progress. Or perhaps they’re using our planet as a place to watch how not to do things to become an advanced civilization.
Cryptids? Well, maybe Bigfoot is the missing link. Or maybe it’s a creature that somehow mistakenly got transported through a dimensional portal from some other place, or perhaps even our early history.
Does anyone know?
I’ve only covered a small number of the possibilities and assumptions. At the end of the day, however, few scientists take any of it seriously. Those who do are often shunned by their colleagues, so they keep it all to themselves for obvious reasons. What’s left, alas, are amateur researchers, well meaning to be sure, who may try hard, but often lack the qualifications to properly evaluate the data.
At the end of the day, do we just accept what has been discovered so far — or the prevailing theories — or do we look for new answers? But if we don’t consider that treasure trove of previous work, we are in the constant danger of repeating the same mistakes over and over again. That is not a backwards looking approach. It’s a matter of understanding where we’ve been, so we can learn from the past and move forward.
Or at least that’s the hope.
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!
February 16, 2014
Go Monster Hunting on The Paracast
The Paracast is heard Sundays from 2:00 AM until 5:00 AM Central Time on the GCN Radio Network and affiliates around the USA, and online across the globe via download and on-demand streaming.
Important — Please Read! In a separate email, Paracast host Gene Steinberg has made a personal appeal for emergency financial assistance. Please check that message for further details. If you’re able to assist, please note that we have a Donate link on our home page, below the logo and audio player. There's also a Donate link on our forums, at the bottom of the sidebar on the right. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) theparacast (dot) com. We can also accept Bitcoin, and we offer a donation link for that, too, on our site.
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 go monster hunting with Lyle Blackburn, who, according to his biography, "is an author, musician, and cryptid hunter from Texas. His books, "The Beast of Boggy Creek: The True Story of the Fouke Monster," and "Lizard Man: The True Story of the Bishopville Monster," reflect his lifelong fascination with legends and sighting reports of real-life 'monsters.' During his research, Lyle has often explored the remote reaches of the southern U.S. in search of shadowy creatures said to inhabit the dense backwoods and swamplands of these areas."
Chris O'Brien's Site: http://www.ourstrangeplanet.com
Lyle Blackburn’s Site: Lyle Blackburn: author, cryptozoologist, musician
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. We recently completed a major update that makes our community easier to navigate, and social network friendly.
Sponsored Message: Don’t get ripped off when you need to liquidate your precious jewelry and silverware. Call Steve at Numis Gems at (480) 878-7678 and get the straight scoop!
Views That Never Change
By Gene Steinberg
Not so long ago, someone posted a message in our Paracast Community Forums suggesting we shouldn’t concentrate so much on the history of the paranormal, and older UFO cases, and deliver something newer and, one hopes, better. Why do we constantly dwell on the past?
As I’ve explained on more than one occasion, one of the problems in doing research into these wild and wacky subjects is that the experiences of the past are often ignored. So, as the cliche states, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of history, and, therefore, we don’t seem to be getting anywhere in discovering just what is really going on around us.
So when it comes to ghosts, well they must be spirits of the dead, so therefore we should try to learn how to communicate with our departed friends and relatives. Perhaps we should break out our ouija boards, or seek help from someone who claims to be a psychic. After all, perhaps ghosts are here to convey a warning, or at least communicate with us because they miss us.
Such beliefs are part and parcel of fiction, including movies and TV shows. In the 1990 blockbuster film, “Ghost,” directed by Jerry Zucker (one of the trio who brought you such zany comedy films as “Airplane), a banker portrayed by the late Patrick Swayze is murdered after discovering irregularities in some financial transactions.
Rather than go on to his reward, Swayze’s character hangs around to protect his girlfriend, played by Demi Moore, from the villain, revealed to be his best friend as portrayed by Tony Goldwyn (a talented actor/director and a member of that famous family of filmmakers).
Or deceased hero finds himself able to communicate with a fake psychic. In passing, that memorable and sometimes over-the-top role of a psychic won Whoopi Goldberg an Oscar for best supporting actress.
In that film, it was a given that some people who die return as ghosts. Just about every ghost hunter TV show conveys the same fundamental belief. It’s a given, even though it cannot, in the end, be proven.
Now I’m not going to deny the impact or reality of ghostly phenomena, but let me continue.
In the UFO field, that acronym is, to many people, akin to saying “spaceship.” They ignore the fact that UFO abbreviates “unidentified flying object.” In other words, it’s something not yet identified, and thus we don’t know exactly what those flying things really are. Perhaps they are spaceships, perhaps some reflection of our collective unconscious, perhaps something else entirely. Until we know the final answer, something that can be proven, they remain UFOs. Not spaceships. UFOs.
When it comes to the strange creatures that are studied by those interested in cryptozoology, it’s not really certain what they are. Mainstream scientists will suggest that, when something strange is being seen, they are little more than misidentified animals of some sort. So perhaps that hairy Bigfoot in a nearby forest is really a bear, but the creature is only seen briefly, or obscured by foliage, so you don’t see the details.
But there are other possibilities, such as the very real prospect that there are some living things lurking in forests, or near lakes and rivers, which scientists have yet to classify. Maybe a missing link? Some believe Bigfoot is descended from the species that were forebears of humanity. Perhaps they are a primitive form of proto-human?
Of course, others believe that humans emerged fully formed and were the result of some sort of divine creation process. Some speak of genetic engineering by extraterrestrials who created humans by manipulating the DNA of apes or neanderthals in our early history. So ET is hanging around to observe our progress as part of a long-range plan of one sort or another.
Or maybe, if we continue to fail them, they’ll just send us off to our just reward, and start over, hoping to get it right the next time. Or maybe this is just part of our growth process as a species and we’ll eventually get it all together.
Regardless, when you look at all these subjects, you’ll see that many of the so-called experts on these subjects aren’t exactly presenting new theories. You hear the same ideas you’ve heard for decades in almost every case.
That doesn’t mean those long-held theories are wrong. So it may be, in the end, that those who die — or at least their souls or life essences — are transported to a sort of way station where they they may, at times, have to perform uncompleted tasks before moving on to the next phase of existence. Look for the light, they say, when you’re ready.
With UFOs, perhaps ET has been visiting us for decades, centuries, or even longer. Inasmuch as the possibility of life in the universe has become a more distinct possibility owing to the continued discovery of planets that may support living things, it may well be that many races of intelligent beings are visiting Earth and observing our progress. Or perhaps they’re using our planet as a place to watch how not to do things to become an advanced civilization.
Cryptids? Well, maybe Bigfoot is the missing link. Or maybe it’s a creature that somehow mistakenly got transported through a dimensional portal from some other place, or perhaps even our early history.
Does anyone know?
I’ve only covered a small number of the possibilities and assumptions. At the end of the day, however, few scientists take any of it seriously. Those who do are often shunned by their colleagues, so they keep it all to themselves for obvious reasons. What’s left, alas, are amateur researchers, well meaning to be sure, who may try hard, but often lack the qualifications to properly evaluate the data.
At the end of the day, do we just accept what has been discovered so far — or the prevailing theories — or do we look for new answers? But if we don’t consider that treasure trove of previous work, we are in the constant danger of repeating the same mistakes over and over again. That is not a backwards looking approach. It’s a matter of understanding where we’ve been, so we can learn from the past and move forward.
Or at least that’s the hope.
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!