YTHE PARACAST NEWSLETTER
January 1, 2011
Happy Holidays from The Paracast to You!
Martian Mysteries and UFOs Explored 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 Holiday Donations: Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough, and we don't want to overwhelm the show with them, 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.
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, January 2, 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 plasma physicist Dr. John Brandenburg, author of the forthcoming book, “Life and Death on Mars: The New Mars Synthesis.” Discover fascinating facts and theories about the amazing history of the Red Planet.
Christopher O'Brien's Site: Home - Our Strange Planet
Coming January 9: Co-host Christopher O’Brien joins Gene to present the return of nuclear physicist and UFO authority Stanton T. Friedman, who will cover not just the history of research into the enigma, but the possibilities that, at long last, we might be finding the evidence needed to convince mainstream science that they are real.
Christopher O'Brien's Site: Home - Our Strange Planet
Stanton T. Friedman's Site: Stanton Friedman - Home
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.
Was There a Major UFO Story in 2010?
By Gene Steinberg
It’s very common these days for pundits to speak of the highs and lows of the previous year, and perhaps to make a few resolutions about how things will be much better in the months to come. I was tempted, no doubt, to do the very same thing, but the real question is whether 2011 will be a year in which UFO research leaves the realm of entertainment and oddball hobbies and is finally taken seriously by mainstream science.
Certainly there were some promising developments. As a few countries released their previously secret UFO documents, you had to wonder if some sort of national or global disclosure was at hand. But most of the cases didn’t reveal smoking guns that would cement forever the conviction that there’s something real behind these unusual events.
The publication of Leslie Kean’s long-awaited book, “UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go On the Record,” contained lots of meat and potatoes for readers who had previously not taken the subject seriously. While there was nothing in that book that you’d consider revelatory, the book’s presence on The New York Times best-seller list, ahead of many of the usual “tell-all” and conservative political tomes, clearly demonstrates a lot of pent-up interest in the subject.
Another press conference at the National Press Club, this time covering UFOs observed in the vicinity of nuclear installations, again helped elevate the discussion beyond the fringe of cooks and charlatans, and made it seem once again a credible topic for serious investigation.
Unfortunately, there have been other books and other press conferences that were perhaps equally as compelling that, in the end, failed to change anything. So if I feel only slightly optimistic, you know why.
Over the years, I’ve seen loads of promise, but little in the way of realization. Sometimes I feel I am reliving the 1950s, when Major Donald E. Keyhoe promised that the truth about the flying saucers was out there, and that he would continue to work tirelessly to make sure that the government reveals the truth. His truth was that UFOs were extraterrestrial visitors who came to Earth for reasons known only to themselves. But Keyhoe left this plane of existence with little change in the situation.
Over the years, interest in UFOs has moved in cycles. When the Condon Report put the kibosh on alleged serious interest on the part of UFOs by the U.S. government, things died down for several years. That is, until the UFO sighting waves of the 1970s brought the subject front and center all over again.
I saw quite a bit of interest through the early 1990s, and let’s not forget the Phoenix Lights in 1997, which I somehow missed. I was busy writing technology books at the time, and had taken one of my occasional vacations from the UFO field.
The big problem these days is, if you see a UFO, to whom do you send your report? At one time, MUFON, a carryover from the early UFO organizations in terms of its approach to collecting and investigating sightings, was the place to go. But they seldom seem to actually do any meaningful research, beyond collecting some basic facts about a case. That said, their site contains a number of interesting articles and reports, to be found at: MUFON.
Other organizations, including the Center for UFO Studies, founded by the late Dr. J. Allen Hynek, haven’t been terribly active in recent years, although the organization is still apparently operational. Renamed the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies, you can find more information at: Center for UFO Studies.
Peter Davenport’s National UFO Reporting Center appears more active in recent months, following a move to new headquarters. This might be the place to go if you’ve seen a UFO, and you can find them at: National UFO Reporting Center. They have a special telephone hotline for recent encounters, and an online reporting form for older cases.
Granted, I’ve emphasized U.S.-based organizations. There are countless others around the planet that promise to be more active and responsive to current UFO reports, particularly if the facts are compelling.
The best possible outcome, though, would be for more organizations to work together to sift through the data and try to examine trends and evidence. There are loads of individuals in the lone wolf category who keep close tabs on their own work, and aren’t always forthcoming about sharing information.
Will that begin to change in 2011? Forgive me if I remain pessimistic about the prospects.
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!
January 1, 2011
Happy Holidays from The Paracast to You!
Martian Mysteries and UFOs Explored 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 Holiday Donations: Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough, and we don't want to overwhelm the show with them, 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.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, January 2, 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 plasma physicist Dr. John Brandenburg, author of the forthcoming book, “Life and Death on Mars: The New Mars Synthesis.” Discover fascinating facts and theories about the amazing history of the Red Planet.
Christopher O'Brien's Site: Home - Our Strange Planet
Coming January 9: Co-host Christopher O’Brien joins Gene to present the return of nuclear physicist and UFO authority Stanton T. Friedman, who will cover not just the history of research into the enigma, but the possibilities that, at long last, we might be finding the evidence needed to convince mainstream science that they are real.
Christopher O'Brien's Site: Home - Our Strange Planet
Stanton T. Friedman's Site: Stanton Friedman - Home
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.
Was There a Major UFO Story in 2010?
By Gene Steinberg
It’s very common these days for pundits to speak of the highs and lows of the previous year, and perhaps to make a few resolutions about how things will be much better in the months to come. I was tempted, no doubt, to do the very same thing, but the real question is whether 2011 will be a year in which UFO research leaves the realm of entertainment and oddball hobbies and is finally taken seriously by mainstream science.
Certainly there were some promising developments. As a few countries released their previously secret UFO documents, you had to wonder if some sort of national or global disclosure was at hand. But most of the cases didn’t reveal smoking guns that would cement forever the conviction that there’s something real behind these unusual events.
The publication of Leslie Kean’s long-awaited book, “UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go On the Record,” contained lots of meat and potatoes for readers who had previously not taken the subject seriously. While there was nothing in that book that you’d consider revelatory, the book’s presence on The New York Times best-seller list, ahead of many of the usual “tell-all” and conservative political tomes, clearly demonstrates a lot of pent-up interest in the subject.
Another press conference at the National Press Club, this time covering UFOs observed in the vicinity of nuclear installations, again helped elevate the discussion beyond the fringe of cooks and charlatans, and made it seem once again a credible topic for serious investigation.
Unfortunately, there have been other books and other press conferences that were perhaps equally as compelling that, in the end, failed to change anything. So if I feel only slightly optimistic, you know why.
Over the years, I’ve seen loads of promise, but little in the way of realization. Sometimes I feel I am reliving the 1950s, when Major Donald E. Keyhoe promised that the truth about the flying saucers was out there, and that he would continue to work tirelessly to make sure that the government reveals the truth. His truth was that UFOs were extraterrestrial visitors who came to Earth for reasons known only to themselves. But Keyhoe left this plane of existence with little change in the situation.
Over the years, interest in UFOs has moved in cycles. When the Condon Report put the kibosh on alleged serious interest on the part of UFOs by the U.S. government, things died down for several years. That is, until the UFO sighting waves of the 1970s brought the subject front and center all over again.
I saw quite a bit of interest through the early 1990s, and let’s not forget the Phoenix Lights in 1997, which I somehow missed. I was busy writing technology books at the time, and had taken one of my occasional vacations from the UFO field.
The big problem these days is, if you see a UFO, to whom do you send your report? At one time, MUFON, a carryover from the early UFO organizations in terms of its approach to collecting and investigating sightings, was the place to go. But they seldom seem to actually do any meaningful research, beyond collecting some basic facts about a case. That said, their site contains a number of interesting articles and reports, to be found at: MUFON.
Other organizations, including the Center for UFO Studies, founded by the late Dr. J. Allen Hynek, haven’t been terribly active in recent years, although the organization is still apparently operational. Renamed the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies, you can find more information at: Center for UFO Studies.
Peter Davenport’s National UFO Reporting Center appears more active in recent months, following a move to new headquarters. This might be the place to go if you’ve seen a UFO, and you can find them at: National UFO Reporting Center. They have a special telephone hotline for recent encounters, and an online reporting form for older cases.
Granted, I’ve emphasized U.S.-based organizations. There are countless others around the planet that promise to be more active and responsive to current UFO reports, particularly if the facts are compelling.
The best possible outcome, though, would be for more organizations to work together to sift through the data and try to examine trends and evidence. There are loads of individuals in the lone wolf category who keep close tabs on their own work, and aren’t always forthcoming about sharing information.
Will that begin to change in 2011? Forgive me if I remain pessimistic about the prospects.
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!