THE PARACAST NEWSLETTER
February 19, 2011
James Carrion Discusses the MUFON Meltdown on The Paracast
Special Announcement: The Paracast is heard Sundays from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM (Central Time) on the GCN radio network.
The Paracast Humbly Requests Your Donations: Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough. Also, we do not receive any revenue from the ads placed on the show by our network. So we hope you'll be willing to help fill the gap if you can to help us cover increasing server costs and other expenses -- or perhaps provide a little extra cash for lunch. No contribution is too small (or too large . We have a Donate link on our home page, below the logo and audio player. There's also a Donate link on our forums, right below our logo. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) theparacast (dot) com.
Attention U.S. Listeners: Let's Bring The Paracast to Your City! Last summer, The Paracast joined the GCN radio network. This represented a huge step in bringing our show to a larger, mainstream audience. Now we want your help to add more 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 directly. With your help, The Paracast can grow into one of the most popular paranormal shows on the planet!
You Can Now Order The Official Paracast T-Shirt: You asked, and we answered. We are now taking orders for The Official Paracast T-Shirt and a collection of other specially customized merchandise. To get your T-Shirt, just pay a visit to our new online store at Welcome to The Official Paracast Store to select your size and place your order. We now also offer a lineup of other premium merchandise featuring The Paracast logo.
Sunday, February 20, 2011: 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 hosts interview 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 us as we 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's Episode: Co-host Christopher O'€™Brien joins Gene to present James Carrion, a former International Director of the Mutual UFO Network, who explains the curious circumstances behind his departure from the organization, and his disenchantment with the state of UFO research.
Christopher O'Brien's Site: Home - Our Strange Planet
James Carrion's Blog: Follow The Magic Thread
Reminder: Don't forget to visit our always-active Discussion Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal (and note our new Internet address): The Paracast Community Forums.
Abductions Revisited
By Gene Steinberg
The first UFO abduction I heard about was the legendary Barney and Betty Hill case, which occurred in 1961. Most of my information originally arrived courtesy of the best-selling book “The Interrupted Journey,” by the late John G. Fuller. Some years later, I actually met Betty at a couple of UFO conventions. She was a friendly, grandmotherly type who conveyed total sincerity about the experiences she shared with her late husband.
This encounter was also featured on several episodes of The Paracast, where we talked to Stanton T. Friedman and Kathleen Marden about the story. Being Betty Hill’s niece, Marden had very special insights into the entire affair that were, in large part, presented in a book she co-wrote with Friedman, “Captured.”
As a singular event, the Hill case was sensational enough, but it seemed tame compared to the UFO abduction claims that followed. There is certainly plenty of material here for investigations to comb through and perhaps get some insights into what’s really going on.
Before I continue, let me put my cards on the table. I certainly think something strange has happened to these people. I am not, however, persuaded that abductions represent efforts by ET to create some sort of hybrid race for reasons of their own. It’s not that such a thing isn’t possible, but it would require a level of scientific advancement way beyond ours. Then again, if ET possesses some form of star propulsion (Warp Drive?) that allows them to travel light years with speed and safety, I wouldn’t put it past them to be able to engage in other feats of what we may regard as “magic.”
In saying that, however, the remembrances of abductees speak of invasive physical testing employment methods that appear to be curiously primitive. But that assumes they recall the incidents accurately, and here’s where the debate begins.
Unfortunately, the UFO field, as with other so-called “fringe” sciences, can’t get past gossipy distractions. Instead of trying to figure out what really happened to the people who claimed they were abducted, we have, of late, had a couple of very public and lurid controversies. One involves an abductee (and we all know her by a pseudonym) who claims to have been mentally abused by a long-time investigator. The other case involves serious charges leveled against another investigator by his ex-wife.
The reason that I am not naming the names that were identified in previous issues is that I regard all this as a sideshow. None of it will help us get to the bottom of this troubling mystery. It won’t be solved by accusing investigators of misconduct, because, whether true or not, it doesn’t advance our understanding of the cause or causes behind all these terrifying events.
At the same time, there are perfectly valid theories that ought to be explored. Yes, there is the ET factor, one that may be true, but it’s beyond our ability to prove right now. It may also be true that such experiences may, in whole or in part, represent internal mental processes of one sort or another. Some suggest sleep paralysis to explain nocturnal meetings with alien creatures in one’s bedroom. Others suggest that the recollection of one or more abductions is really a mask that hides one or more frightening memories that represent something far more mundane. In a recent episode of The Paracast, UFO researcher David Halperin suggested sexual abuse in at least some of these cases.
Halperin has explored cases that smack of potential UFO abductions throughout recorded history, and he has paid attention to episodes that appear similar to today’s abduction scenario.
This doesn’t mean that ET isn’t kidnapping humans for reasons best known to themselves. To an advanced species, with motives we cannot possibly understand, this might be perfectly acceptable behavior. Indeed, it would present no more concern to them than our practice of kidnapping creatures on our own planet and subjecting them to various and sundry levels of physical examination, some exceedingly painful.
What this means is that ET, if they exist, might regard us as nothing more than packs of primitive warlike animals that they simply cannot regard seriously.
But if there is an alien factor to be found in UFO abduction cases, it needs to be separated from episodes that have perfectly ordinary causes. But figuring out what’s going on simply cannot be accomplished by people who are busy shouting at one another. It calls for real research, with the utmost respect paid to people who have been seriously scarred by what is happening to them.
The Paracast Copyright 1999-2011 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 19, 2011
James Carrion Discusses the MUFON Meltdown on The Paracast
Special Announcement: The Paracast is heard Sundays from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM (Central Time) on the GCN radio network.
The Paracast Humbly Requests Your Donations: Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough. Also, we do not receive any revenue from the ads placed on the show by our network. So we hope you'll be willing to help fill the gap if you can to help us cover increasing server costs and other expenses -- or perhaps provide a little extra cash for lunch. No contribution is too small (or too large . We have a Donate link on our home page, below the logo and audio player. There's also a Donate link on our forums, right below our logo. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) theparacast (dot) com.
Attention U.S. Listeners: Let's Bring The Paracast to Your City! Last summer, The Paracast joined the GCN radio network. This represented a huge step in bringing our show to a larger, mainstream audience. Now we want your help to add more 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 directly. With your help, The Paracast can grow into one of the most popular paranormal shows on the planet!
You Can Now Order The Official Paracast T-Shirt: You asked, and we answered. We are now taking orders for The Official Paracast T-Shirt and a collection of other specially customized merchandise. To get your T-Shirt, just pay a visit to our new online store at Welcome to The Official Paracast Store to select your size and place your order. We now also offer a lineup of other premium merchandise featuring The Paracast logo.
Sunday, February 20, 2011: 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 hosts interview 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 us as we 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's Episode: Co-host Christopher O'€™Brien joins Gene to present James Carrion, a former International Director of the Mutual UFO Network, who explains the curious circumstances behind his departure from the organization, and his disenchantment with the state of UFO research.
Christopher O'Brien's Site: Home - Our Strange Planet
James Carrion's Blog: Follow The Magic Thread
Reminder: Don't forget to visit our always-active Discussion Forums for the latest news/views/debates on all things paranormal (and note our new Internet address): The Paracast Community Forums.
Abductions Revisited
By Gene Steinberg
The first UFO abduction I heard about was the legendary Barney and Betty Hill case, which occurred in 1961. Most of my information originally arrived courtesy of the best-selling book “The Interrupted Journey,” by the late John G. Fuller. Some years later, I actually met Betty at a couple of UFO conventions. She was a friendly, grandmotherly type who conveyed total sincerity about the experiences she shared with her late husband.
This encounter was also featured on several episodes of The Paracast, where we talked to Stanton T. Friedman and Kathleen Marden about the story. Being Betty Hill’s niece, Marden had very special insights into the entire affair that were, in large part, presented in a book she co-wrote with Friedman, “Captured.”
As a singular event, the Hill case was sensational enough, but it seemed tame compared to the UFO abduction claims that followed. There is certainly plenty of material here for investigations to comb through and perhaps get some insights into what’s really going on.
Before I continue, let me put my cards on the table. I certainly think something strange has happened to these people. I am not, however, persuaded that abductions represent efforts by ET to create some sort of hybrid race for reasons of their own. It’s not that such a thing isn’t possible, but it would require a level of scientific advancement way beyond ours. Then again, if ET possesses some form of star propulsion (Warp Drive?) that allows them to travel light years with speed and safety, I wouldn’t put it past them to be able to engage in other feats of what we may regard as “magic.”
In saying that, however, the remembrances of abductees speak of invasive physical testing employment methods that appear to be curiously primitive. But that assumes they recall the incidents accurately, and here’s where the debate begins.
Unfortunately, the UFO field, as with other so-called “fringe” sciences, can’t get past gossipy distractions. Instead of trying to figure out what really happened to the people who claimed they were abducted, we have, of late, had a couple of very public and lurid controversies. One involves an abductee (and we all know her by a pseudonym) who claims to have been mentally abused by a long-time investigator. The other case involves serious charges leveled against another investigator by his ex-wife.
The reason that I am not naming the names that were identified in previous issues is that I regard all this as a sideshow. None of it will help us get to the bottom of this troubling mystery. It won’t be solved by accusing investigators of misconduct, because, whether true or not, it doesn’t advance our understanding of the cause or causes behind all these terrifying events.
At the same time, there are perfectly valid theories that ought to be explored. Yes, there is the ET factor, one that may be true, but it’s beyond our ability to prove right now. It may also be true that such experiences may, in whole or in part, represent internal mental processes of one sort or another. Some suggest sleep paralysis to explain nocturnal meetings with alien creatures in one’s bedroom. Others suggest that the recollection of one or more abductions is really a mask that hides one or more frightening memories that represent something far more mundane. In a recent episode of The Paracast, UFO researcher David Halperin suggested sexual abuse in at least some of these cases.
Halperin has explored cases that smack of potential UFO abductions throughout recorded history, and he has paid attention to episodes that appear similar to today’s abduction scenario.
This doesn’t mean that ET isn’t kidnapping humans for reasons best known to themselves. To an advanced species, with motives we cannot possibly understand, this might be perfectly acceptable behavior. Indeed, it would present no more concern to them than our practice of kidnapping creatures on our own planet and subjecting them to various and sundry levels of physical examination, some exceedingly painful.
What this means is that ET, if they exist, might regard us as nothing more than packs of primitive warlike animals that they simply cannot regard seriously.
But if there is an alien factor to be found in UFO abduction cases, it needs to be separated from episodes that have perfectly ordinary causes. But figuring out what’s going on simply cannot be accomplished by people who are busy shouting at one another. It calls for real research, with the utmost respect paid to people who have been seriously scarred by what is happening to them.
The Paracast Copyright 1999-2011 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!