THE PARACAST NEWSLETTER
September 16, 2012
The Paracast Explores The Future of Ufology with Nick Redfern
Special Announcement: 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.
Please Send a Donation to The Paracast: Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough to pay your humble hosts decent wages. Also, we do not receive any revenue from the ads placed on the show by our network or local stations. So we hope you're able 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 and utility bills. 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, at the bottom of the sidebar on the right. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) theparacast (dot) com.
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 author and Paracast guest co-host Nick Redfern for a return visit. During this discussion, Nick will detail his own investigation into reports of possible UFO crashes in 1953 in Kingman, AZ, and a recent article he wrote for Mysterious Universe magazine, entitled 'The Future of Ufology."
Christopher O'Brien's Site: Our Strange Planet
Nick Redfern's Site: Nick Redfern's World of Whatever...
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.
About History Repeating Itself, Itself
By Gene Steinberg
In the course of my interview with Nick Redfern for this week’s episode of The Paracast, I said that I wondered what the late Major Donald E. Keyhoe would have thought had he seen how the UFO field turned out in the years after his death in 1988. In the early days, he believed there’d be a quick admission by the U.S. government that we were being visited by extraterrestrials.
Back the 1950s, Keyhoe referred to the powers in control of the secret as the “Silence Group,” and he strongly believed they were naïve to withhold the truth about the flying saucers from the American public. In his books of that era, you could see where he had an almost childishly optimistic view of politicians, that a member of Congress would, if given reason to hold hearings on the subject, honestly try to bring the truth to the public. He seemed to fail to grasp the mundane political considerations that involve being elected to public office, and holding on to one’s position.
Keyhoe’s hopes and dreams came closest to being realized in 1966, when physicist Edward Condon was charged with conducting an officially sanctioned UFO study. But Keyhoe’s dream soon became a nightmare. What became known as the Condon Report was regarded by many in the UFO community as essentially a whitewash of the subject. But it also gave the Air Force the excuse to dump Project Bluebook and move on. Officially, they were no longer interested in UFOs, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t investigations still going on behind the scenes. Or at least that’s what some people claim.
So here we are, decades later, with little to show for the efforts to unearth the truth about UFOs. Despite some compelling alternate theories, the general view in the UFO field is that we are being visited by beings from outer space. Whether they come from one planet or many is even more speculative.
Sure, UFOs do appear to demonstrate intelligent control. They can maneuver faster than our own aircraft, appear to be solid, are sometimes tracked by radar and, when they land, leave some measure of possible trace evidence. All of this appears to indicate a physical phenomenon, which would seem to vindictive the theory that Keyhoe adopted early on.
In the early days, Keyhoe was attacked in the UFO field for being decidedly reluctant to embrace reports of strange beings seen around UFOs, and most particularly claims of contact with ET. I recall an article, once, where the writer wondered just how close Keyhoe would allow a UFO to get when it came to taking a report seriously. It wasn’t the possible validity of the sighting, however, but being politically correct. Keyhoe appeared to worry whether a sighting might seem too sensational, thus making it more difficult to get mainstream scientists and officialdom to take the subject seriously. But in those days, he was still hoping for successful Congressional hearings.
This doesn’t mean that his goals died with him. There are still efforts afoot to encourage the governments of the Earth to disclose what they know. Around the world, some countries have actually released reams of UFO data, although possible security-related information is redacted, and it may well be that the most compelling cases are still being kept under wraps.
So it’s not as if we’re going anywhere.
In the meantime, UFO clubs around the world continue to collect data. After that aborted effort to work with secretive multimillionaire Robert Bigelow, it appears that the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) is still keeping on. Their monthly magazine continues to include mostly current cases, along with regular commentaries from a number of stalwarts in the field, such as Stanton T. Friedman. The existence of UFOs is never disputed, and it appears that MUFON unquestioningly accepts the extraterrestrial theory. It’s either/or, and not a question of seeking the most viable theory based on the evidence.
But you have to wonder how much data we need to really get a handle on what’s going on. Even if there was but one compelling case with lots of eyewitness testimony, a plausible photograph and some trace evidence, it would clearly indicate that something strange was going on. But there are probably hundreds of thousands of sightings. A small portion of those cases remain unidentified, and they form the crux of the ongoing mystery.
Yes, I suppose the climate has changed. When the media reports a UFO sighting, they seem less inclined to laugh it off. UFO reality shows on TV seem to get decent audiences, although it’s not as if the entertainment industry gives the subject due justice. The TV series “Chasing UFOs,” for example, mostly employed the tired techniques of reality shows and the “Paranormal Activity” movies. There was annoying night photography, night goggles, lots of irritating close-ups and excited gasps, but, in the end, precious little illumination when it came to getting a handle on the mystery.
So I have to echo others when I suggest that the overall picture for what we call Ufology isn’t encouraging. The enigma remains a step ahead of us, ever tantalizing, but impossible to fully understand. At the same time, people who spend a reasonable amount of their free time investigating these things are left on the fringe, fighting for attention and relevance. This doesn’t mean they aren’t serious about what they do, nor does it mean they don’t have the ability to investigate and reach reasonable conclusions about their work.
Yes, maybe the governments of Earth know what it’s all about and must be somehow forced to reveal the secret, assuming it’s a secret we’re prepared to accept. But if that secret has been kept for decades, the clamorings of thousands of UFO believers isn’t going to change anything. It may be up to the UFOs themselves, whatever they may be, to provide the final resolution to the mystery. That may not happen soon – or ever.
The Paracast Copyright 1999-2012 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!
September 16, 2012
The Paracast Explores The Future of Ufology with Nick Redfern
Special Announcement: 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.
Please Send a Donation to The Paracast: Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough to pay your humble hosts decent wages. Also, we do not receive any revenue from the ads placed on the show by our network or local stations. So we hope you're able 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 and utility bills. 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, at the bottom of the sidebar on the right. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) theparacast (dot) com.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 author and Paracast guest co-host Nick Redfern for a return visit. During this discussion, Nick will detail his own investigation into reports of possible UFO crashes in 1953 in Kingman, AZ, and a recent article he wrote for Mysterious Universe magazine, entitled 'The Future of Ufology."
Christopher O'Brien's Site: Our Strange Planet
Nick Redfern's Site: Nick Redfern's World of Whatever...
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.
About History Repeating Itself, Itself
By Gene Steinberg
In the course of my interview with Nick Redfern for this week’s episode of The Paracast, I said that I wondered what the late Major Donald E. Keyhoe would have thought had he seen how the UFO field turned out in the years after his death in 1988. In the early days, he believed there’d be a quick admission by the U.S. government that we were being visited by extraterrestrials.
Back the 1950s, Keyhoe referred to the powers in control of the secret as the “Silence Group,” and he strongly believed they were naïve to withhold the truth about the flying saucers from the American public. In his books of that era, you could see where he had an almost childishly optimistic view of politicians, that a member of Congress would, if given reason to hold hearings on the subject, honestly try to bring the truth to the public. He seemed to fail to grasp the mundane political considerations that involve being elected to public office, and holding on to one’s position.
Keyhoe’s hopes and dreams came closest to being realized in 1966, when physicist Edward Condon was charged with conducting an officially sanctioned UFO study. But Keyhoe’s dream soon became a nightmare. What became known as the Condon Report was regarded by many in the UFO community as essentially a whitewash of the subject. But it also gave the Air Force the excuse to dump Project Bluebook and move on. Officially, they were no longer interested in UFOs, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t investigations still going on behind the scenes. Or at least that’s what some people claim.
So here we are, decades later, with little to show for the efforts to unearth the truth about UFOs. Despite some compelling alternate theories, the general view in the UFO field is that we are being visited by beings from outer space. Whether they come from one planet or many is even more speculative.
Sure, UFOs do appear to demonstrate intelligent control. They can maneuver faster than our own aircraft, appear to be solid, are sometimes tracked by radar and, when they land, leave some measure of possible trace evidence. All of this appears to indicate a physical phenomenon, which would seem to vindictive the theory that Keyhoe adopted early on.
In the early days, Keyhoe was attacked in the UFO field for being decidedly reluctant to embrace reports of strange beings seen around UFOs, and most particularly claims of contact with ET. I recall an article, once, where the writer wondered just how close Keyhoe would allow a UFO to get when it came to taking a report seriously. It wasn’t the possible validity of the sighting, however, but being politically correct. Keyhoe appeared to worry whether a sighting might seem too sensational, thus making it more difficult to get mainstream scientists and officialdom to take the subject seriously. But in those days, he was still hoping for successful Congressional hearings.
This doesn’t mean that his goals died with him. There are still efforts afoot to encourage the governments of the Earth to disclose what they know. Around the world, some countries have actually released reams of UFO data, although possible security-related information is redacted, and it may well be that the most compelling cases are still being kept under wraps.
So it’s not as if we’re going anywhere.
In the meantime, UFO clubs around the world continue to collect data. After that aborted effort to work with secretive multimillionaire Robert Bigelow, it appears that the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) is still keeping on. Their monthly magazine continues to include mostly current cases, along with regular commentaries from a number of stalwarts in the field, such as Stanton T. Friedman. The existence of UFOs is never disputed, and it appears that MUFON unquestioningly accepts the extraterrestrial theory. It’s either/or, and not a question of seeking the most viable theory based on the evidence.
But you have to wonder how much data we need to really get a handle on what’s going on. Even if there was but one compelling case with lots of eyewitness testimony, a plausible photograph and some trace evidence, it would clearly indicate that something strange was going on. But there are probably hundreds of thousands of sightings. A small portion of those cases remain unidentified, and they form the crux of the ongoing mystery.
Yes, I suppose the climate has changed. When the media reports a UFO sighting, they seem less inclined to laugh it off. UFO reality shows on TV seem to get decent audiences, although it’s not as if the entertainment industry gives the subject due justice. The TV series “Chasing UFOs,” for example, mostly employed the tired techniques of reality shows and the “Paranormal Activity” movies. There was annoying night photography, night goggles, lots of irritating close-ups and excited gasps, but, in the end, precious little illumination when it came to getting a handle on the mystery.
So I have to echo others when I suggest that the overall picture for what we call Ufology isn’t encouraging. The enigma remains a step ahead of us, ever tantalizing, but impossible to fully understand. At the same time, people who spend a reasonable amount of their free time investigating these things are left on the fringe, fighting for attention and relevance. This doesn’t mean they aren’t serious about what they do, nor does it mean they don’t have the ability to investigate and reach reasonable conclusions about their work.
Yes, maybe the governments of Earth know what it’s all about and must be somehow forced to reveal the secret, assuming it’s a secret we’re prepared to accept. But if that secret has been kept for decades, the clamorings of thousands of UFO believers isn’t going to change anything. It may be up to the UFOs themselves, whatever they may be, to provide the final resolution to the mystery. That may not happen soon – or ever.
The Paracast Copyright 1999-2012 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!
