The Paracast Newsletter
June 9, 2024
www.theparacast.com
Discover the Amazing History of Mediums and Spiritualism in the U.S. and the UK with Gerald O'Hara on The Paracast!
The Paracast is released every Sunday and available from our site, https://www.theparacast.com, your favorite podcast app, and the IRN Internet Radio Network. All episodes from 2022, 2023 and 2024 now feature better audio and fewer ads.
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 bonus podcast, After The Paracast, plus a special version of The Paracast with all the 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! Take advantage of our lowest rates ever! Act now! It's easier than ever to susbcribe! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode: Gene and cohost Tim Swartz explore the histories of mediums and spiritualism, including notable events, with Gerald O’Hara. At age 12, he bought a copy of Alan Bullock’s “A Study in Tyranny” and was intrigued by the biographical process and discovered that writers have different perspectives on the same topic. This intriguing discovery led to a life-long study of biography, religion, and the reading of history. In 2006 he launched his 1st book, “Dead Men’s Embers.” In 2007, the author’s 2nd book “Mrs. Miller’s Gift” was published to mark the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh College of Parapsychology. And in 2009, the CD and book” Mrs. Miller’s Gift CD” was published. “I Come to the Garden,” 2017 is Gerald’s fourth book, and a new edition is in preparation. "Ethel Post Parrish" is Gerald’s is the fifth book and his latest work is, "Spiritualism's Scandal: Mediumship in America." You learn more about his lengthy study of this scandal, and its implications, in this episode.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively for Paracast+ subscribers on June 9: Medium Gerald O'Hara returns to explore the fascinating wide wide world of mediums and spiritualism with Gene and cohost Tim Swartz. Topics on the agenda include, first of all, the unexpected failure of CafePress to preserve The Paracast's online store, the history of famous mediums across the ages, how mediums might do their thing, along with Tim's encounter with a medium some years back, along with the surprising results. Gene will also ask some skeptical questions about the process, and issue one of our famous skeptical challenges. O’Hara was born of "uncertain parentage" in Middlesbrough, England in 1951. Aged 12, he bought a copy of Alan Bullock’s “A Study in Tyranny” and was intrigued by the biographical process and discovered that writers have different perspectives on the same topic. This intriguing discovery led to a life-long study of biography, religion, and the reading of history. As of the recording of this episode, his latest book is, "Spiritualism's Scandal: Mediumship in America."
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.
Yet Another Roswell Column!
By Gene Steinberg
Ever since I got involved in the paranormal research game, many years ago, one thing that was always front and center to me was whether any of this stuff could be proven.
When it comes to UFOs, the most obvious solution is for a solid piece of evidence, say in the form of a crashed saucer, which would clearly demonstrate to one and all that something strange was afoot, and that perhaps we were being visited by ET. But the spaceship didn’t have to crash. A landing in a public place would be enough.
Certainly the discovery of a being that clearly was not of this Earth would also cement the deal. Obviously, DNA samples would be taken if its appearance was too human to be obviously alien. Then again, would a living ET agree to such a test, or would they prefer to demonstrate an example of advanced technology to prove what they are?
Now it’s not as if there haven’t been possibly credible reports of a saucer crash. The most legendary case is likely the Roswell episode from July of 1947.
To some, it is the ultimate proof of the presence of visitors from another planet. It has been investigated and debated for some 45 years, but without much in the way of a resolution.
Absent actual physical evidence, a huge problem is the fact that the case languished for over 30 years before the details were revealed to UFO researcher Stanton T. Friedman in the late 1970s. Even then, it took loads of work to follow up on the claims and attempt to gather evidence while confronting failing or imperfect memories and the possibly negative influences of pop culture. Worse, some people clearly wanted to get into the act and made up their own stories of what really happened. Or they chose to embellish actual experiences.
What’s more, were ET bodies found in the Roswell wreckage?
As regular listeners to The Paracast know, we’ve featured a number of episodes on Roswell over the years. I did a quick scan on our site, using our new podcast search feature, and I came up with dozens of episodes that had the word “Roswell” somewhere in the description. I stopped counting and decided to just let it be.
Now that doesn’t mean all those episodes provided consistent information on what went on back in 1947. Different guests had different views. The most consistent came from long-time investigator Kevin D. Randle, who has spent several decades trying to put the pieces together, if you’ll forgive the pun.
In the end, he’s had to sometimes revise his conclusions as he continues to examine the credibility of some key witnesses. In his 2016 book, “Roswell in the 21st Century,” he went back to the beginning, treating the evidence as that of a cold case, to see if some of what he accepted as true should be set aside as not credible.
Evidently he was less certain that actual alien bodies were found among the craft’s wreckage. Alleged eyewitness testimony that he once accepted apparently fell apart.
I won’t cite chapter and verse here. In 1,000 words or so, I couldn’t begin to cite names, dates, details. There are just too many to count.
And it’s not just the researchers. On two episodes we featured the late Dr. Jesse Marcel Jr., author of “The Roswell Legacy,” who described how, as a child, he actually handled some of the materials from the fabled crash that were brought home by his dad, Jesse Marcel Sr.
If you’re looking at our archives, the shows were broadcast on August 1, 2006 and November 16, 2008. Both are easily searched. I hesitate to post links anymore because we have occasionally changed the storage network and thus the file links are different. It’s easier just to search for them from our home page at https://www.theparacast.com
So was Dr. Marcel someone to be believed? He was certainly a creditable enough guest, and there is no reason to doubt the basic details he reported. But decades past before he had to deal with the account in public. Did the ongoing publicity about Roswell affect the memory of a child negatively? Did he extrapolate some of the details based on all those books and magazine articles about the case?
Now I do not consider myself a Roswell expert. But as much as I’ve wanted to drop the subject, it keeps coming up and will continue to do so as long as investigators continue to regard the case as a linchpin of UFO reality.
But what if the final conclusion is that Roswell was, in fact, something terrestrial, such as a crashed balloon or test aircraft? Would it demolish the saucer enigma once and for all?
Doubtful. There are far too many compelling cases that clearly demonstrate something strange is afoot even if we aren’t sure what it’s all about. That’s also plenty of reason to set Roswell aside as something that will likely never be resolved and move on.
Well, maybe I shouldn’t use the word “never.” I suppose it’s always possible someone from the Pentagon or even the White House will one day come clean with a story that vindicates Roswell believers. But I fail to see the motive behind such a revelation since it hasn’t happened so far.
It’s not even certain the U.S. government really has a crashed saucer — and possibly dead aliens — stored in a secret laboratory somewhere. The claims exist, but not the proof.
Now if the source behind UFOs revealed itself to us some day — and I do not feel terribly optimistic about the prospects — perhaps they or it will reveal the truth about the Roswell crash. If it involved an actual spacecraft of some sort of course.
It’s even possible a final answer to the UFO mystery would exclude Roswell altogether. So let’s not get our hopes too high.
One thing I’ve learned about the subject over the years is that expectations are usually dashed. Even when it seems there is the potential for a true “smoking gun,” it never seems to happen. Hints about such a thing are never realized even if it seems to come close.
In saying that, I recently began to read yet another Roswell book, but this one with a skeptical point of view. It’s from 2001, “Roswell: Inconvenient Facts and the Will to Believe” from the late Karl T. Pflock.
As you can see from the title, I don’t expect to find evidence to prove ET exists in there, but I have to appreciate that Pflock appears to have really done lots of homework in reaching his conclusions. That’s quite unlike the usual clique of UFO debunkers.
We’ll see.
In short, as much as I want to set aside the Roswell legend, it continues to haunt the UFO field.
Copyright 1999-2024 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!
June 9, 2024
www.theparacast.com
Discover the Amazing History of Mediums and Spiritualism in the U.S. and the UK with Gerald O'Hara on The Paracast!
The Paracast is released every Sunday and available from our site, https://www.theparacast.com, your favorite podcast app, and the IRN Internet Radio Network. All episodes from 2022, 2023 and 2024 now feature better audio and fewer ads.
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 bonus podcast, After The Paracast, plus a special version of The Paracast with all the 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! Take advantage of our lowest rates ever! Act now! It's easier than ever to susbcribe! For the easiest signup ever, please visit: https://www.theparacast.plus
This Week's Episode: Gene and cohost Tim Swartz explore the histories of mediums and spiritualism, including notable events, with Gerald O’Hara. At age 12, he bought a copy of Alan Bullock’s “A Study in Tyranny” and was intrigued by the biographical process and discovered that writers have different perspectives on the same topic. This intriguing discovery led to a life-long study of biography, religion, and the reading of history. In 2006 he launched his 1st book, “Dead Men’s Embers.” In 2007, the author’s 2nd book “Mrs. Miller’s Gift” was published to mark the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh College of Parapsychology. And in 2009, the CD and book” Mrs. Miller’s Gift CD” was published. “I Come to the Garden,” 2017 is Gerald’s fourth book, and a new edition is in preparation. "Ethel Post Parrish" is Gerald’s is the fifth book and his latest work is, "Spiritualism's Scandal: Mediumship in America." You learn more about his lengthy study of this scandal, and its implications, in this episode.
After The Paracast — Available exclusively for Paracast+ subscribers on June 9: Medium Gerald O'Hara returns to explore the fascinating wide wide world of mediums and spiritualism with Gene and cohost Tim Swartz. Topics on the agenda include, first of all, the unexpected failure of CafePress to preserve The Paracast's online store, the history of famous mediums across the ages, how mediums might do their thing, along with Tim's encounter with a medium some years back, along with the surprising results. Gene will also ask some skeptical questions about the process, and issue one of our famous skeptical challenges. O’Hara was born of "uncertain parentage" in Middlesbrough, England in 1951. Aged 12, he bought a copy of Alan Bullock’s “A Study in Tyranny” and was intrigued by the biographical process and discovered that writers have different perspectives on the same topic. This intriguing discovery led to a life-long study of biography, religion, and the reading of history. As of the recording of this episode, his latest book is, "Spiritualism's Scandal: Mediumship in America."
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.
Yet Another Roswell Column!
By Gene Steinberg
Ever since I got involved in the paranormal research game, many years ago, one thing that was always front and center to me was whether any of this stuff could be proven.
When it comes to UFOs, the most obvious solution is for a solid piece of evidence, say in the form of a crashed saucer, which would clearly demonstrate to one and all that something strange was afoot, and that perhaps we were being visited by ET. But the spaceship didn’t have to crash. A landing in a public place would be enough.
Certainly the discovery of a being that clearly was not of this Earth would also cement the deal. Obviously, DNA samples would be taken if its appearance was too human to be obviously alien. Then again, would a living ET agree to such a test, or would they prefer to demonstrate an example of advanced technology to prove what they are?
Now it’s not as if there haven’t been possibly credible reports of a saucer crash. The most legendary case is likely the Roswell episode from July of 1947.
To some, it is the ultimate proof of the presence of visitors from another planet. It has been investigated and debated for some 45 years, but without much in the way of a resolution.
Absent actual physical evidence, a huge problem is the fact that the case languished for over 30 years before the details were revealed to UFO researcher Stanton T. Friedman in the late 1970s. Even then, it took loads of work to follow up on the claims and attempt to gather evidence while confronting failing or imperfect memories and the possibly negative influences of pop culture. Worse, some people clearly wanted to get into the act and made up their own stories of what really happened. Or they chose to embellish actual experiences.
What’s more, were ET bodies found in the Roswell wreckage?
As regular listeners to The Paracast know, we’ve featured a number of episodes on Roswell over the years. I did a quick scan on our site, using our new podcast search feature, and I came up with dozens of episodes that had the word “Roswell” somewhere in the description. I stopped counting and decided to just let it be.
Now that doesn’t mean all those episodes provided consistent information on what went on back in 1947. Different guests had different views. The most consistent came from long-time investigator Kevin D. Randle, who has spent several decades trying to put the pieces together, if you’ll forgive the pun.
In the end, he’s had to sometimes revise his conclusions as he continues to examine the credibility of some key witnesses. In his 2016 book, “Roswell in the 21st Century,” he went back to the beginning, treating the evidence as that of a cold case, to see if some of what he accepted as true should be set aside as not credible.
Evidently he was less certain that actual alien bodies were found among the craft’s wreckage. Alleged eyewitness testimony that he once accepted apparently fell apart.
I won’t cite chapter and verse here. In 1,000 words or so, I couldn’t begin to cite names, dates, details. There are just too many to count.
And it’s not just the researchers. On two episodes we featured the late Dr. Jesse Marcel Jr., author of “The Roswell Legacy,” who described how, as a child, he actually handled some of the materials from the fabled crash that were brought home by his dad, Jesse Marcel Sr.
If you’re looking at our archives, the shows were broadcast on August 1, 2006 and November 16, 2008. Both are easily searched. I hesitate to post links anymore because we have occasionally changed the storage network and thus the file links are different. It’s easier just to search for them from our home page at https://www.theparacast.com
So was Dr. Marcel someone to be believed? He was certainly a creditable enough guest, and there is no reason to doubt the basic details he reported. But decades past before he had to deal with the account in public. Did the ongoing publicity about Roswell affect the memory of a child negatively? Did he extrapolate some of the details based on all those books and magazine articles about the case?
Now I do not consider myself a Roswell expert. But as much as I’ve wanted to drop the subject, it keeps coming up and will continue to do so as long as investigators continue to regard the case as a linchpin of UFO reality.
But what if the final conclusion is that Roswell was, in fact, something terrestrial, such as a crashed balloon or test aircraft? Would it demolish the saucer enigma once and for all?
Doubtful. There are far too many compelling cases that clearly demonstrate something strange is afoot even if we aren’t sure what it’s all about. That’s also plenty of reason to set Roswell aside as something that will likely never be resolved and move on.
Well, maybe I shouldn’t use the word “never.” I suppose it’s always possible someone from the Pentagon or even the White House will one day come clean with a story that vindicates Roswell believers. But I fail to see the motive behind such a revelation since it hasn’t happened so far.
It’s not even certain the U.S. government really has a crashed saucer — and possibly dead aliens — stored in a secret laboratory somewhere. The claims exist, but not the proof.
Now if the source behind UFOs revealed itself to us some day — and I do not feel terribly optimistic about the prospects — perhaps they or it will reveal the truth about the Roswell crash. If it involved an actual spacecraft of some sort of course.
It’s even possible a final answer to the UFO mystery would exclude Roswell altogether. So let’s not get our hopes too high.
One thing I’ve learned about the subject over the years is that expectations are usually dashed. Even when it seems there is the potential for a true “smoking gun,” it never seems to happen. Hints about such a thing are never realized even if it seems to come close.
In saying that, I recently began to read yet another Roswell book, but this one with a skeptical point of view. It’s from 2001, “Roswell: Inconvenient Facts and the Will to Believe” from the late Karl T. Pflock.
As you can see from the title, I don’t expect to find evidence to prove ET exists in there, but I have to appreciate that Pflock appears to have really done lots of homework in reaching his conclusions. That’s quite unlike the usual clique of UFO debunkers.
We’ll see.
In short, as much as I want to set aside the Roswell legend, it continues to haunt the UFO field.
Copyright 1999-2024 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!