Although dated July 1986, Magonia number 23 was, according to the notebook I recorded such things in, actually posted out to subscribers in August. Such were the delights and delays of publishing a small magazine!
I notice a sad coincidence so soon after the death of Hilary Evans, that 25 years ago we were recording the death of J. Allen Hynek. In their very different ways these two people were central to the way 'ufology' subsequently developed.
The main article in this issue was Peter Rogerson's mammoth 'Taken to the Limits', in some ways the definitive Magonia article. Impossible to summarise (read it HERE) it examined the cultural power of the UFO myth, and how UFOs insinuated themselves into the gaps in society: between wilderness and habitat, and supernatural and natural; always liminal, on the borders of existence, observation and belief. As an example Peter argues that the classic abduction scenario of the car on the lonely road represents an intrusion of 'habitat' - the car representing the daylight world of machines and factories - into the 'wildeness' - the empty countryside, forest or mountain.
Other intrusion of habitat into wilderness are more subtle: the the trailer parks on the edges of American cities, the council estates pushed away onto the fringes of British cities - both classic locations for UFO sightings and poltergeists. Peter's article is complex, and provoked some derision from more nuts-and-bolts readers, but reading it again from today's perspective it's possible to see just how prescient he was in some of his analysis.
Peter Rogerson's regular 'Northern Echoes' column developed some of the ideas from his previous piece, and looked at one particular topic that might structure part of the psychological element to the 'psychosocial' hypothesis, the phenomenon of 'fantasy proneness'. This condition, according to a study by Theodore X. Barker and Sheryl C. Wilson, affects about 4% of the population who:
"... although otherwise perfectly normal, fantasise much of the time. They experience these fantasies "as real as real" and exhibit syndromes such as an ability to hallucinate voluntarily, and profound hypnogogic imagery, as well as presenting superb hypnotic fantasy related performances and vivid memories of life experiences..."
I think this was the first time the idea of 'fantasy proneness' was introduced into mainstream UFO discussion, and obviously has a great deal of relevance to the growth of the abduction story. It also led to the development of the concept of "virtual experience", a number of instances of which we reported in later issues of Magonia.
The second major piece in this issues was an article by Christopher Allan and Steuart Campbell, [not yet online] which finally exposed Patrick Moore as being 'Cedric Allingham', the author of the first British 'contactee' book. It is an excellent piece of detective work, which created quite a lot of media coverage, making it possibly the only time Magonia featured simultaneously in the New Scientist and the tabloid Star! To this day Moore denies the identification.
The 'Second Look' feature contained Robert Morrell's criticism of John Harney's evaluation of Galileo, and Harney's response.
And finally.. you're probably all wondering did Magonia's racing tip for the Epsom Derby from issue number 22 bear fruit? Yes it did, second favourite Shahrastani came in first at a useful 11/2. Unfortunately no-one at Magonia put any money on it. Talk about not having the courage of your convictions!
I notice a sad coincidence so soon after the death of Hilary Evans, that 25 years ago we were recording the death of J. Allen Hynek. In their very different ways these two people were central to the way 'ufology' subsequently developed.
The main article in this issue was Peter Rogerson's mammoth 'Taken to the Limits', in some ways the definitive Magonia article. Impossible to summarise (read it HERE) it examined the cultural power of the UFO myth, and how UFOs insinuated themselves into the gaps in society: between wilderness and habitat, and supernatural and natural; always liminal, on the borders of existence, observation and belief. As an example Peter argues that the classic abduction scenario of the car on the lonely road represents an intrusion of 'habitat' - the car representing the daylight world of machines and factories - into the 'wildeness' - the empty countryside, forest or mountain.
Other intrusion of habitat into wilderness are more subtle: the the trailer parks on the edges of American cities, the council estates pushed away onto the fringes of British cities - both classic locations for UFO sightings and poltergeists. Peter's article is complex, and provoked some derision from more nuts-and-bolts readers, but reading it again from today's perspective it's possible to see just how prescient he was in some of his analysis.
Peter Rogerson's regular 'Northern Echoes' column developed some of the ideas from his previous piece, and looked at one particular topic that might structure part of the psychological element to the 'psychosocial' hypothesis, the phenomenon of 'fantasy proneness'. This condition, according to a study by Theodore X. Barker and Sheryl C. Wilson, affects about 4% of the population who:
"... although otherwise perfectly normal, fantasise much of the time. They experience these fantasies "as real as real" and exhibit syndromes such as an ability to hallucinate voluntarily, and profound hypnogogic imagery, as well as presenting superb hypnotic fantasy related performances and vivid memories of life experiences..."
I think this was the first time the idea of 'fantasy proneness' was introduced into mainstream UFO discussion, and obviously has a great deal of relevance to the growth of the abduction story. It also led to the development of the concept of "virtual experience", a number of instances of which we reported in later issues of Magonia.
The second major piece in this issues was an article by Christopher Allan and Steuart Campbell, [not yet online] which finally exposed Patrick Moore as being 'Cedric Allingham', the author of the first British 'contactee' book. It is an excellent piece of detective work, which created quite a lot of media coverage, making it possibly the only time Magonia featured simultaneously in the New Scientist and the tabloid Star! To this day Moore denies the identification.
The 'Second Look' feature contained Robert Morrell's criticism of John Harney's evaluation of Galileo, and Harney's response.
And finally.. you're probably all wondering did Magonia's racing tip for the Epsom Derby from issue number 22 bear fruit? Yes it did, second favourite Shahrastani came in first at a useful 11/2. Unfortunately no-one at Magonia put any money on it. Talk about not having the courage of your convictions!
Origin: outer-space-guests.blogspot.com
Time: 10:00 p.m.
I was on my way get behind from a associates position and seen dependable inquisitive lights in the night sky in Maple Ridge on the Lougheed involvement 216th. I couldn't call my d?colletage extended up looking for too yearn for in the night sky at them as I was on my bicycle and that's very bad not to call your eyes on the track for too yearn for flatten even though passage was light.
I got frenzied equally I witnessed about 3 globular objects red/orange in color virtually strictly greater than me. I would say about 500 feet greater than me. It was very effective.
I herd under them and can no longer see them. I was dejected my cell receiver was late at night, so I can not go for pictures and what's more I was in isolation which ready me jerky and required to get semi-detached as I was on my cycle, in advance I would run closed by the side of track upright to espy them.
Bring a unlimited day! :)
"IF Personality HAS WITNESSED THE LIGHTS/OBJECTS, Oblige Compel ME AN EMAIL Among Documentation OF Seeing that YOU SAW. Oblige Accelerate TO Appear THE Calendar day AND Item AND Arrangement. (TOWN/CITY - Call for OR Area) AND AS Further Incident AS Discretionary."
"VIKE Side NOTE: I do delightful sighting reports from somewhere in the world, and I post all of the reports I delightful here: HTTP://THE-V-FACTOR-PARANORMAL.BLOGSPOT.COM/"
Brian Vike.
Box 1091
Houston, British Columbia, Canada.
Email: "sighting@telus.net" or "b vike@telus.net"
"THE VIKE Side - HOUSTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA CENTRE FOR UFO Labor. CANADIAN UFO Examiner BRIAN VIKE."
Balthaser will also be emcee at the 11th Annual Aztec New Mexico UFO Symposium www.aztecufo.com March 28-30, 2008. He has been involved every year since 1997, as either a speaker or emcee for the annual event, which is sponsored by the friends of the Aztec Public Library. Balthaser thinks this years list of speakers is the best ever invited to the event, and will include: Stanton Friedman, Jesse Marcel Jr., Timothy Good. Ted Phillips, Ken Storch, James Carrion and Scott Ramsey. The alleged Aztec crash occurred in March 1948, 9 months after the Roswell Incident.
Balthaser has also been asked to speak at the Roswell Festival scheduled for July 2008.
See Also:
Flying Saucers Returning To Aztec, New Mexico!
Seek The Truth, Says UFO Expert, "Dennis Balthaser"
SHARE YOUR UFO EXPERIENCE
Grab this Headline Animator
Gradual News-The Bigfoot Hoax-"Bigfoot" fails DNA test
Why is it several tie soul positive goofball has to put on the ape excuse and recoil the bigfoot sightings all over again?Is it our famine to castle in the sky that we are not alone? Individual we neighboring a plan that we are dubious of mankind and famine no matter which else to grab too?
Gradual News-"Bigfoot" fails DNA test " Appropriately newborn hoax!
PALO ALTO, California (Reuters) - Bigfoot remainder as indefinable as perpetually.
Have a row from tests on traditional fabric from thought remainder of one of the magical half-ape and half-human creatures, finished conventional at a news conference on Friday justifiable after the claimed discovery swept the Internet, one-time to catch its existence.
Its spread was fuelled by a photograph of a hairy bestow, facial expression a plank comparable to a covered with hair full-body monkey excuse, satisfied during a container nearly a refrigerator.
One of the two samples of DNA assumed to catch the existence of the Bigfoot came from a human and the other was 96 percent from an opossum, according to Flippant Nelson, a scientist at the Academy of Minnesota who performed the DNA aspect.
Bigfoot creatures are assumed to live in the forests of the U.S. Pacific Northwest. An opossum is a marsupial about the measurements of a house cat.
Have a row of the DNA tests were bare in an announcement from Nelson and distributed at the Palo Alto, California, news conference justifiable by Tom Biscardi, throng of a paper online radio show about the Bigfoot.
Whichever about were Matthew Whitton and Strain Dyer, the two who say they revealed the Bigfoot carcass occasion climbing in the woods of northern Georgia. They in addition are co-owners of a detached house that offers Bigfoot merchandise.
Nevertheless the skeptical photo and the corporate interests of the thought discoverers, the Bigfoot deed drew receptiveness from Australia to Europe and invariable The New York Become old.
Biscardi assumed the DNA samples may not embrace been in use really and may embrace been troublesome, and that he would last among an autopsy of the thought Bigfoot remainder, recently in a freezer at an clandestine recommendation.
(Newspaper journalism by Clare Baldwin in Palo Alto; inscription by Jim Christie; bowdlerization by Mary Milliken and Peter Henderson)
Encounters Next The Furtive
Origin: alienspress.blogspot.com
"Occam's razor (moreover in print as Ockham's razor and in Latin lex parsimoniae) is a credit of penny-pinching, cutback, or shortness recycled in analytical devised by William of Ockham (c. 1287-1347). It states that among differing hypotheses, the one before the fewest assumptions call for be privileged. Other, elder complex solutions may in essence backing nip, but-in the famine of certainty-the excluding assumptions that are ready, the outperform."
Ockham's Blade (Occam's Blade) and Tightfistedness - Working class methods recycled by Skeptics to tell believers that a soul is the least achievable explanation or individuals Bigfoot tracks are knowingly elder achievable to be a hoax or misidentification than a real being. Moreover of these methods are recycled to critically compare multiple explanations and establish which is most methodical. And there's nobody one-sidedness before that! But these by yourself work at whatever time you use them anyway and horizontal also put forward are limits. Curb out what Industrial Wise person Massimo Pigliucci has to say about the use of Ockham's Blade in paranormal claims:
"Philosophers repeatedly focus on to this as the credit of cutback, having the status of scientists intellect to warrant it penny-pinching. Pseudo-skeptics invoke it the complete time they plea to exile out of hand claims of juicy phenomena (after all, to invoke the "juicy" is by definition unparsimonious, so put forward).
Offer is a bother before all of this, quiet, of which I was reminded hardly having the status of reading an old paper by my unite Elliot Profound, one of the most piercing offering philosophers of biology... Analogously, suggests Profound, the round about uses of Ockham's razor foothold no metaphysical or methodical overall credit in common - nonetheless what various scientists, skeptics and horizontal philosophers begin to wage...
So, Ockham's razor is a sharp but not overall bit, and needs to be wielded before the generous observation due to the particular forward. For skeptics, this means that one cannot annihilate flying saucers entirely in the role of they are an explanation less than achievable to be the nip than, say, a meteor ephemeral by ."
Like most land wage of Ockham's razor they wage of the common express, "the down-to-earth solutions is repeatedly the best" or slightly departure of that. At all other examples are:
"If you foothold two theories that apiece justify the observed facts, also you call for use the simplest until elder evidence comes floor"
"The simplest explanation for slightly phenomenon is elder achievable to be unqualified than elder complex explanations."
"If you foothold two equally achievable solutions to a bother, choose the simplest."
"The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most achievable to be nip."
All of these explanations are successfully elder in line before penny-pinching than Ockham's Blade, even as put forward is slightly analyze on this . A outperform definition for Ockham's Blade, as it is sensible in the mechanical fork, is "at whatever time you foothold two differing theories that tag severe the enormously predictions, the simpler one is the outperform." Diverse imprint of this is "all matter being equivalent, the simplest flood back is repeatedly the best."
So what's the difference?
The last two interpretations of Ockham's Blade claim the factor that the conjecture call for equally justify the phenomenon. Let me offer you occurrence. Let's glance at a deer. Feigned for a minute the mechanical frequent has not acknowledged the existence of deer. Regular hunters and eyewitnesses foothold reported seeing a rock luxuriant being on four legs, before light dyed fur that they focus on to as a deer. Plus, sinister tracks from the being foothold been at once. So let's glance at two not obligatory explanations for this zany being.
THE CRYPTID HYPOTHESIS:
The deer is in fact a real being that has not been cataloged. Onlooker reports and recorded tracks are fixed before an undiscovered animal.
THE Sober HYPOTHESIS:
Eyewitnesses mistook other plants take pleasure in coyotes, wolves or horizontal logs and foliage as a "deer." These sightings are just a case of sinful form.
Do you leisure activity what one-sidedness before these hypotheses? No matter which is not here. The reasonable conjecture does not note for the tracks, by yourself for the outsider accounts. This may begin take pleasure in a not a lot muddle, but I repeatedly associate pseudo-skeptics conception this error: They collapse to speech key spirit of a phenomenon in their explanation, and that is a big problem!
Like one of the hypotheses/explanations does not note for all of the elements of a phenomenon they foothold an privilege. This handle can be recycled to reduce exhausting to justify spirit of a paranormal phenomenon. For suit a Individualist who believes alien abduction experiences are waking thoughts weight reduce the accounts at whatever time the witness was up and about as that would request slightly new explanation. Diverse example; a Individualist can take to court to justify Mothman as Sandhill Heave sightings, but reduce accounts of flushed red eyes in the role of this emblematic is harder to justify. Summon up these are entirely examples, not an unqualified astound of authentic explanations!
By play in this, the Individualist has destabilized the certainty of Ockham's Blade. They foothold companionless the very constructive item that the hypotheses call for justify the phenomenon equally. Flaw to do this is cheating! Now I come across most Skeptics do this unsuspectingly, after all this slow application of Ockham's Blade comes from the top: At all of the most piercing paranormal Skeptics unjustifiably custom Ockham's Blade and the rest pursue argument. We'll get taking part in slightly other considerations before Ockham's Blade in a minute, but let's talk for the moment about Tightfistedness.
Tightfistedness
As I said or else, slightly sources character Tightfistedness the enormously as Ockham's Blade, but put forward is analyze. Such as this is my article ;) I'm departure to side before individuals that limit Tightfistedness fork from Ockham's Blade. Do you reminisce all individuals phrases best quality that I said weren't Ockham's Blade take pleasure in "the simplest solution is repeatedly the best?" These are penny-pinching. Ockham's Blade is recycled to appraise innovative explanations for the enormously phenomena having the status of Tightfistedness is recycled to choose together with fork theories/explanations that collapse innovative outcome . If you're disordered don't fearfulness, clearness on Ockham's Blade. This is related to evaluating paranormal claims having the status of Tightfistedness has a innovative sense.
Outstanding CONSIDERATIONS
We got including the definition of Ockham's Blade and the ethics of monotonous, but we're not done yet. Offer are elder ways Ockham's Blade can attack to the one-sidedness hypothesis:
1. Major Facilitate
One of the oath issues before Ockham's Blade is how to limit relieve. Express wish one explanation is simpler than dissimilar may begin straightforward, but let's glance at how this can be sensible. Here's an occurrence from one of my gofer shows, Torrent Monsters:
An ultralight Follow the map describes an Alligator Gar he spotted before an approximate extent of 14 feet. No Alligator Gar of this amount has been puzzled in recent history, but the fossil transcript indicates that they can find this vast. So almost certainly put forward is a 14 foot Alligator Gar in this remote conduit in Texas. Diverse not obligatory explanation is that it was misidentification of a vast object take pleasure in a log. Oddly, the time the Gar was observed at possibly will foothold caused the pilot to palpably overstate the amount. And of course the ultralight pilot possibly will be lying. If we custom Occam's Blade, which conjecture is simpler? Did the pilot see a 14 foot alligator gar, something else, a smaller Alligator Gar, or did he tag the story up? Decisive which explanation is simpler in an impartial way is redoubtable.
One common sense to establish which explanation is simpler is to pass the receipt of assumptions. The explanation before the least assumptions is careful the most achievable. But horizontal this is a big overcast area in the role of not all assumptions are equivalent.
The deduction that Bigfoot exists is unavoidably a director deduction than group saw a black seize. How knowingly director, I don't know; that is undecided. The attack is shaping relieve in an tolerant or impartial way is petulant. A well-written conjecture is one way to tag this process easier, and I'll talk elder about that less than.
2. Push Bias/Legitimate Testimony
Bumpily, anecdotal evidence call for be careful at whatever time applying Ockham's Blade to paranormal claims. This is not in line before the mechanical sense which does not swallow anecdotal evidence. But these paranormal cases are in fact set by the spirit witnesses justify. Minus this evidence repeatedly leaves us before short or nobody to compare our explanations in opposition to. As well as in which does that set out us? Some witnesses before acutely fluky experiences that we understandably reduce in the role of that is the go. This line of work call for take to court to supply answers to the inhabitants.
If we were to reduce anecdotal accounts of Bigfoot we are no more before slightly faint photos and track, yet these anecdotal accounts supply irritating information. And this does not put half-starved defect on the Individualist either. Offer is no methodical clarification why a Individualist cannot dispense a pretty good explanation for these anecdotal accounts, after all we are not holding these explanations to the characteristic of mechanical testing: Out cold Ockham's Blade the doubting Thomas does not foothold to backing the complete witness successfully saw a Black Corner for this to be a authenticated explanation. If this was mechanical stale, I'd ethical that anecdotal evidence is not proof, but for a Heuristic sense take pleasure in Ockham's Blade, this type of evidence is basic for profit investigation.
Contingent claims call for link up and be refined in topic to be included. One or two cases, or precise cases before very innovative details, would not be authenticated for deliberate. Plainly the benchmark is touchy.
3. Unfinished Idea Clock
You call for perpetually try to abide as various explanations as not obligatory. Never limit yourself to two hypotheses/explanations. Carry on in keep an eye on that it is not obligatory to foothold no nip explanations. For suit, say you want to glance taking part in outsider accounts of red flushed eyes in the forest. One explanation may be slightly new being take pleasure in a werewolf before sinister flushed red eyes is the effect. Diverse explanation is that the red flushed eyes is from the astound of light off of an display animal's eye, perhaps a deer.
We use Ockham's Blade to appraise these two explanations and establish that the light astound from an display animal conjecture is elder achievable. But we've screwed up, in the role of we've bungled to character that these flushed red eyes were successfully tail-lights from a vehicle! In this case Ockham's Blade unkind to the one-sidedness conjecture in the role of it never had the nip one.
4. Poorly Sure Idea
A hard in print conjecture can palpably imitation the consequence. Hypotheses analyzed by Ockham's Blade call for be precise. Summon up it is lanky to foothold multiple hypotheses before less important variations. This is a outperform classification than a elder total conjecture to cover all angles.
Fairly of a conjecture that states understandably Bigfoot exists we call for get taking part in the details:
"Bigfoot is a real being, achievable a preschooler of Gigantopithecus. Onlooker reports show very uniform spirit in Bigfoot and moreover attack to area adaptions. In Florida the Pig Ape has crave grainy stand up to supply thoughtfulness from the partnership foliage. In Nepal and Tibet the Yeti has thick feeble fur which allows it to infusion in having the status of traversing the snow-covered Himalayas. Bigfoot would foothold evolved from Gigantopithecus to get taller thick stand up and the feature to utilization primarily heart. These adaptations agree to it to make it in cooler-climates before excluding food sources.
1. Bigfoot public sizes do not foothold to be vastly vast. North American Bigfoot populations possibly will be less than than 5,000. This would note for the lack of sediment. Plus discovering the sediment of predators in the sad is very bloody. Black Corner sediment are not often found restriction at whatever time they are killed including creepy means.
2. A preschooler of Gigantopithecus would foothold 100,000 existence to divide up to a colder become rough. Unconventional primates can utilization heart. It is not a seep for an evolved vast reproduce to be able to endure off of a predominately heart food.
3. To the same extent put forward are cases of hoaxes, hundreds of heavy-duty path castings foothold been at once. Plus Dr. Melba Ketchum claims to foothold identified a new reproduce DNA sequence in a at once stand up middle.
4. The thousands of outsider reports foothold stunning portrait in the details of Bigfoot: They all report very uniform characteristics! Regular of these reports are ready by possibly eyewitnesses before nobody to whack from sharing out their stories. Sightings of these creatures has occurred for hundreds of existence open that Bigfoot has been brusquely for a fluctuate crave time. It is not a hardly alleged parable .
Summon up the relieve enterprise on attack one? The down-to-earth conjecture that Bigfoot is a real being has one deduction, that Bigfoot is real. We can try to break it down elder, but that leads to other issues. But my lingering conjecture on the whole says the enormously thing, but it has precise, smaller assumptions. This gives the belief that Bigfoot is a real being a knowingly outperform opportunity to perceive in opposition to other explanations and makes figuring out the assumptions, knowingly easier.
But this moreover places of interest the factor of weighing assumptions. My down-to-earth Bigfoot is real conjecture has one deduction, having the status of my precise conjecture has precise. Does that tag my Bigfoot is real conjecture simpler? Ceiling land would ethical that the precise explanation is knowingly outperform and elder achievable. A great conjecture call for speech the inventive criticisms.
5. Duhem Dissertation
This attack is a short elder easier said than done. The Duhem discourse on the whole says an empirical test of any conjecture requires precise LP assumptions. Like you do a mechanical test of a conjecture the test moreover relies on assumptions take pleasure in the test resources is effective anyway and voguish an flattering level of lenience and other assumptions. In sudden a nip conjecture can be weathered and swing out one-sidedness due to false resources, bad review, an unaccounted irregular or dissimilar enterprise. This is why science requires repeatability. I'll let Massimo Pigliucci justify how this is related to Ockham's Razor:
"Analogously, suggests Profound, the round about uses of Ockham's razor foothold no metaphysical or methodical overall credit in common - nonetheless what various scientists, skeptics and horizontal philosophers begin to wage...So, Ockham's razor is a sharp but not overall bit, and needs to be wielded before the generous observation due to the particular forward. For skeptics, this means that one cannot annihilate flying saucers entirely in the role of they are an explanation less than achievable to be the nip than, say, a meteor ephemeral by... Offer is no shortcut for a severe investigation of the world, plus the spelling out of our release, and repeatedly new, hypotheses and assumptions. ."
In sudden the belief that we call for be judging innovative paranormal explanations by which is most down-to-earth, is not methodical. Unless we foothold evidence to say, for the case of Bigfoot, a down-to-earth solution is elder repeatedly to be nip, that it is an vital indispensable of developed lifeforms, also this is not authenticated. That means in slightly cases Ockham's Blade has no substance worldly. Plus science decision in general disturb explanations that use display mechanical indispensable are elder down-to-earth and consequently elder achievable to be nip. But put forward are various examples of mechanical theory that were far along proved one-sidedness having the status of the elder nihilist or juicy theory took its soul.
Leave-taking replacement to my precise Bigfoot conjecture put forward are a grow shrink of assumptions in the role of these are areas in which science disagrees or we lack research. Outstanding research or innovative outcome can tag my Bigfoot conjecture knowingly simpler (excluding assumptions) than the suspicious explanations of misidentification and hoaxes. So relieve of an explanation depends on how knowingly related research can be sensible to an explanation. If one explanation has been explored ornately before lot's of mechanical support, it decision most repeatedly be careful simpler than the conjecture that has very short mechanical research of the about assumptions. Justly Ockham's Blade does note for this before the "all matter equivalent item," but, as various philosophers support, all matter are never equivalent at whatever time evaluating differing explanations! Restless yet?
6. All matter Harmonized Order
I talked about this via the article so I'm not departure to go taking part in detail once again. But reminisce all matter are never equivalent. Ockham's Blade decision perpetually set out a grow shrink of mistake horizontal at whatever time it is sensible intently, which it not often is in cases of the paranormal.
Orders FOR Passing through OCKHAM'S Blade
1. Do your training. I associate that various Skeptics are impolite of paranormal phenomena entirely as various paranormal investigators are impolite of mechanical come within reach of. Alter sure you come across the unrefined or else you try to appraise it before Ockham's Blade.
2. Explain all of your work. In science outcome essential be replicated. Explain your work so others can guarantee put forward were no errors.
3. To synchronize any level of responsibility in your investigation you compulsion to list your criteria for what is careful authorized evidence and how relieve decision be severe.
4. Use well-developed explanations/hypotheses and don't limit it to two.
5. Do not cherry-pick data! If you want to check crop circles, alien abduction experiences or Bigfoot you compulsion to hold in your arms a fantastic limb of the acceptable evidence. That means hundreds or thousands of outsider reports and coarse evidence. Appear in this anyway takes a astounding receipt of work! It cannot be finished by citing 4-5 accounts in a sudden article.
Desirable application of Ockham's Blade is a lot of work! Feline science and short of money methodical arguments constructed from armchairs to show to be false the paranormal are not adequate. I foothold no bother before arm-chair review, but if you're departure to do it do it right!
Like a paranormal investigator uses devices and claims to be mechanical but doesn't use generous mechanical methods, it is pseudo-science. Like a Individualist (or self) uses Ockham's Blade defective reputation to the issues I've outlined trendy, it is pseudo-logic.
In disappearing entirely reminisce that Ockham's Blade, horizontal at whatever time sensible very intently, can and decision be one-sidedness. And let us all be very clear that truth is not the enormously as mechanical fact: In fact something can unavoidably be incomparable but not verifiable in science. And let's moreover be clear that Ockham's Blade isn't horizontal a gauzy sense to establish mechanical fact, that is no more to mechanical stale and careful, well thought-out deem. Ockham's Blade is an innovative "go of thumb" to reach a decision paranormal claims, but the certainty and common application leaves knowingly to be pleasing.
1. "Razoring Ockham's Blade." Massimo Pigliucci. http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2011/05/razoring-ockhams-razor.html
2. "In the role of is Occam's Blade." Phil Gibbs. http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/occam.html
3. "Bigfoot Phenomenon." Matt Brady. http://theparanormalanalyst.com/bigfoot/
nor do any of the rest of we sea peons.Bruce Maccabee has on paper an preference retelling of these 1950 era sightings, photos, and triangulations in the New Mexico area in a paper entitled NCP-13: Silver Sands Cinema, Mirarchi, and Lie over Shine. The NCP refers to the "Nuclear Draw Lie over" on Fran Ridge's NICAP site.These are a set of pictures from the USAF microfilms as well. The set was tiring by a natural from Holloman AFB at Datil NM on February 24/25 1950. These pictures were approved onto Dr Lincoln LaPaz for his criticize. LaPaz possibly will see that they were not gift of the Skinned Fireballs mystery [visually so], but, regardless of they seemed to be feasibly tall objects, his bordering criticize of the films indicated a]. too snub for the Moon and too elevated for Venus, at that moment not tall. Past history information indicated that the object was plainly in concentration, and at that moment not a groggy star. The object was disparagingly a round pale light, very first-rate, which immersed in particular thrust, but undescribed [at lowest amount as I have an effect]. The pictures are intended "unexplained". Seeing that do they tell us? At lowest amount that observers were seeing real objects/lights in a wrap up area of New Mexico in that hall. And, at that moment that "no matter which" was departure on."From sublime to ridiculous? John Timmerman was hosting the CUFOS UFO picture carry out in San Bernardino CA in 1991, equally particular persons gave him this photograph. Who knows what the story was, as it did not develop in the typed transcripts that I recycled for GRASS-ROOTS UFOS." On the endorse of the photo were annotations take pleasure in "#3 of 5", Demanding altitude: 5200 ft; Coarse speed: 2960mph; Type: infrared; Ionized gas: He, Ag, Mg, miasma [Helium; Silver; Magnesium]; Fog Formation: ozone; "Absolutely two operators on assignment"; "July 3, 1950".Durable for TV plays, I think. Not hurtful to us. Imaginations Away!That's it for this one family tree
surround to go normal Mom. Defend the skies. Social gathering may be comment you....
Reference: lights-in-sky.blogspot.com
Sure, Neil. I'm just a simple Kentucky boy. That's all. I have no degrees on my wall. I don't consider myself an 'expert' on anything. Just an ordinary fellow who's experienced more than his share of the extraordinary.
2) You wrote the fantastic Mysterious Kentucky which concentrated on local phenomena, please tell the readers the kind of things which happen locally.
The area where I was born and raised in Western Ky is what's known by paranormal and Fortean investigators as a 'window' area. A place where multiple unexplained phenomena tend to overlap, and these places are scattered throughout the Bluegrass State. As a result many of the residents of the commonwealth have been exposed to mysteries such as UFOs, Bigfoot and other strange creatures, Spectral activity, animal mutilation, Skyfalls, Black Panther sightings...the list goes on and on. Fortean activities like these have been happening in Ky. since before the first white settlers set foot here and, in fact, might even be said to be 'on the rise' for the last few years.
3) Your main interest is cryptozoology, what are your thoughts on the recent Georgia Bigfoot corpse fiasco?
I honestly don't believe that I've ever seen such ridiculously pedantic behaviour from two grown men in my life. Shameful. I never for a minute thought they had a Bigfoot body because, quite honestly, I don't believe these things can be killed, but my poker player instincts told me that something was going on. They seemed to be controlling the situation just as planned, and content with the way things were going. Perhaps the only result they had in mind was portraying the cryptozoology field in a bad light, or besmirching or ruining certain researchers reputations. However, I think what they succeeded in actually doing was showing to the world (and particularly the money-men in the various entertainment mediums) the massive amount of public interest in the Bigfoot mystery. Everyone wanted to believe. Everyone. I think that this interest will soon begin to be exploited more thoroughly in the very near future.
4) You made a fine documentary regarding the Dogman legend, please can you tell us a little about the legend and why you decided to make a film ?
Simply because the Dogman phenomenon is too often overlooked by the public. Everyone's heard a hundred Bigfoot stories, but not so much is ever heard about the werewolf subject. And that's really what this is all about. An ancient enigma, steadfast, dangerous and terrifying, with a new name. It's very possible these creatures can be dangerous, even deadly, and the people really have a right to know these things. Those that dare to believe anyway.
5) Many 'monsters' sighted around the world appear to be folklore or based on eye-witness sightings, but in the case of a dogman-type creature, it seems there were actual murders, please tell us more ?
'Alleged' murders. I can't say for sure the killings took place. On the other hand, I see no reason to disbelieve the primary witness in the Dogman Murders. She seemed honest, sincere and very upset as she recounted her tale for John (Johnsen of 'Grendel Films) and I. She also seemed like an observant and reliable witness. If the murders did take place, and I suspect they did, then a highly elaborate and very effective cover up was implemented there in Livingston County, Ky. This is not so unbelievable either when you consider the millions of tourist dollars generated in the LBL area every year that would be jeopardized were this information made public. When we visited the scene of the alleged murders we found a fairly intricate series of abandoned underground bunkers - which really concretes the notion that the government was involved in some way after the fact. What didn't make it onto the dvd were other eyewitness testimonies of werewolf activity in the vicinity. I can tell you for a fact that there are other people in the area who believe that the documented murders are not the only ones committed there attributed to the Beast of LBL.
6) Do you think the Dogman is a flesh and blood creature or a more complex entity ?
I think the Dogman's a more complex entity. Surely. And the truth of all this lies within our own hearts if we don't deny or ignore it.
7) Do descriptions of the Dogman, given by witnesses match up or is there an inconsistency suggesting confusion ?
They match up well for the most part. There seem to be two types of these creatures. The Dogman is basically a hairy man with a dog or wolf's, head and claws. The Mandog, on the other hand, is a large dog that walks and runs upright (although both have the capability of also running quadrupedally). Very different creatures as the Dogman has shoulders and human-like legs, although some have also been reported as having lupine legs bent backwards. Surprisingly, only a few reports that I've read mention tails.
8) Do you believe the Dogman is any relation, or the same animal as the Bray Road Beast of Wisconsin ?
Yes. These things have been seen all over the world for thousands of years. They are all related, I'm sure. What they are, of course, is a matter of debate.
9) You've had a strange encounter with Bigfoot. I've always believed such creatures are an undiscovered primate but you beg to differ, explain ?
I think we need to keep in mind that Bigfoot is merely one aspect of the larger 'Beastman' puzzle. We have the apemen, sure, but we also have dogmen, lizardmen, frogmen, mothmen, birdmen, batmen...the list is almost endless. In some instances like the 'Spottsville Monster' case we have more than one anthropomorphic creature prowling around the same location! Logically, there seems no possibility that all these creatures could merely be undiscovered hominiods living alongside us in the modern world. In some cases these apemen have been described as having supernatural powers and linked with other phenoms like UFOs and hauntings. I've experienced this connection personally and know that its real. And, if even one of these creatures can be linked with anything supernatural, then I think all of them is, at the very least, suspect by association.
10) These ethereal monsters seem to date back since the dawn of mankind.Do you think such mysterious creatures will ever be explained ?
They already are as far as I'm concerned. I've looked into these mysteries for 25 years but it really only takes 1 or 2 to form a basic opinion of what's going on. There's only one logical conclusion and it's inescapable, really. The key is to ask the right questions with an open mind and don't censure the answers to fit some preconceived notion. Let the facts lead where they may. I just want to say that the truth is, indeed, out there.
11) Why doesn't the government spend money or show any interest in cryptid research ?
Most likely because the government already knows what they are, as well as their purpose in the grand scheme of things. And I'm speaking about the more bizarre type cryptids here, not undiscovered species of oxen in Sumatra. Bigfoot, Nessie, Mothman, El Chupacabras, the staples of cryptozoology which, ironically, seem to be more zooform in nature than actual, flesh and blood animals.
12) Which cryptid out there is likely to be found in the next few years ?
There are still millions of species left to discover out there. As of this moment, every one of them are cryptids. I think the most likely ones are the ones that live in water. It's really no stretch at all to envision all manner of aquatic anomalies which may soon be washed ashore or caught in a net. This has already happened many times throughout history but now, in the technologically advanced modern world, there is instant communication and less chance that the next big zoological discovery will be lost or ignored.
13) Many books describe areas of high strangeness which seem hot spots for both mysterious creatures, UFOs, spook lights etc. Do you believe there is a connection ?
Logically speaking, the fact that all these things can and do manifest themselves in the same area during the same time betrays the connection. Glaringly, in my opinion. Each of these enigmas seem to be designed, most cunningly, to illicit a specific reaction or emotional response from the witness. These encounters often result in a paradigm shift for the witnesses, a broadening of their notions of the very nature of the universe. These new beliefs can be very telling if you know what to look for.
14) Are you planning to write any more books ?
Yes. Right now I'm working on "The Inhumanoids: Real Encounters With Beings That Can't Exist", and I also have the beginnings of several more stirring around. Plenty to write about, that's for sure.
15) How often do you get out into the field ?
As often as possible on a weekly salary. This season has been my most inactive one in years due to some personal issues, but I love getting out and chasing down stories of cryptids and other Fortean phenomena. There's really nothing like it.
16) If the Dogman is an ethereal form, why would it murder a family of four, and why have no other murders taken place ?
Well, I honestly can't even begin to attempt to explain the motivations of such a terrible creature as the 'Beast of LBL'. Perhaps it was simply hungry. Or evil. My guess is both. And, as I mentioned earlier, there are those there who believe that this thing has killed before. And will again.
17) Thank you for your time Bart, anything else you'd like to add ?
I'd just like to urge everyone interested in these topics to keep an open mind. Obviously, you can't believe everything you hear, but neither should you discount the data you don't understand. I'd also like to leave this warning: One mystery leads to another...and the truth doesn't come without a price. Happy Hunting!
Credit: anomalies-in-backyard.blogspot.com
La foto, la cual tiene la fecha del 5 de Julio del a~no pasado, habr'ia sido tomada por una c'amara de seguridad en el sitio de extracci'on de petroleo en Eagle Ford, San Antonio, Texas.
Charles Stansburge, un veterano investigador de la MUFON, declar'o que la foto ha pasado dos ex'amenes de autenticidad. "Si se trata de una broma, alguien gast'o un mont'on de dinero para montarla. No es una foto adulterada. Es un platillo de 60 pies de di'ametro sobrevolando la zona", dijo el investigador.
Otros avistamientos inexplicables han sido reportados en el 'area de Eagle Ford, incluyendo reportes de algunos trabajadores del campo petrol'ifero que vieron misteriosas luces en el firmamento nocturno en d'ias consecutivos de Octubre del a~no pasado.
Stansburge est'a seguro que su investigaci'on sobre esta fotograf'ia y otros avistamientos en Eagle Ford, arrojar'an m'as datos. "Todo lo que podemos hacer, es documentar lo que encontramos", dijo.
Reference: chupacabra-digest.blogspot.com
However, I take away as technology moves direct we may brag to take on in believing in the alien ufo phenomena, time we may upright be on the trace of alien fed technology in advance, what I am slogan alien encounters wont be so dim if ourselves were not as profoundly excellent to any such extraterrestrial life forms themselves?
Governments beating the fact that present-day is immature alien beings among us? This is zip new, I bet an assortment of former ancient civilizations has perfect the incredibly thing sooner than too among present-day guy civilians. The refuse to accept is why ?Perhaps the fall of an assortment of former ancient customs is due to in imitation of a dispute in imitation of alien beings or maybe alien confrontations in imitation of former civilizations it was a shock to the system and rebellions ensued among the culture v disloyalty culture caused by alien strategy therefore maybe this is why the bar happened in the abolition of an assortment of former civilization? Atmosphere present-day be brand new nonconformist in imitation of them in imitation of this planets biggest customs habitually ?
Why is that I run into so much?
- Keith Ranville
keith ranville@hotmail.com
http://oakislandtreasurenewsarchives.blogspot.com/
UFO TYPE: A single, white, glowing object that made a large circular path rapidly and repeatedly in the sky.
SIGHTING DURATION: The phenomenon was seen at a couple of different locations during at least 20 minutes in the second sighting.
DATE: First one: October or November 2011; second one: 2/6/15.
TIME: First one: about 7 PM; second one: about 7 PM also.
PLACE: Salem, Oregon.
WITNESS: Charlotte King.
Here is Charlotte's emailed account augmented by our phone conversation.
First sighting:
After the [first] investigation [you did[ [Case Report: Salem Maneuvering Orb-like UFOs], I continued to watch for unusual things. I saw something just before my mom passed in 2011. I was leaving her home I believe it was October or November [2011] and looked up in the sky. It was about 7 PM on what I believe was a Friday, not sure on that one. I saw what appeared to be search lights moving, which in itself is not unusual, but these lights were above the clouds and moving in a fast pattern. The pattern was large and there was no sound. I continued to watch them driving home on NE Cordon Road, and once I arrived home, I did not see them anymore. [It is] approximately 6 miles from my Mom's house to mine, straight down NE Cordon Road.
The next day I called the airport and did not get [any information that would explain the mystery] so I went online to see if any of the car lots, etc., had been celebrating a grand opening. etc. Nothing jumped out on that [explanation] so on the following Monday, I contacted the [Salem] company that rents the large search lights to see if anyone in Salem had been using them on Friday and they said "no." So I called the National Guard, the attachment at the Salem airport. I spoke to someone and asked if they had been up Friday night and they said just a minute and a man came to the phone, (sorry I did not write down his name), and he said he lived off NE Cordon Road and he had seen the same thing I did and he had no idea what it was, but it was not a helicopter.
Second sighting:
[On] Friday, February 6, 2015, I was on Lancaster Drive, heading north. I needed to stop at the Kaiser Permanente office on Lancaster. It was just prior to 7 PM. I looked out of my car window and saw what looked like search lights. I went into the office and according to the receipt I have [from my purchase], it was time stamped at 7:17, so the object was visible for at least 22 minutes. When I came out of the Kaiser office, the lights were still clearly visible. They were in the exact same place as they were before [in my previous sighting of 2011]: two miles between my mom's house and the Kaiser office. I made a note of the direction. They were due west. The thing that bothers me about these sightings, which could be search lights, is there is no sign of a beam going up into the sky like search lights do. The cloud cover was dense and the ceiling was low.
As I watched the clouds, I could clearly see the lights moving in a circular pattern, going round and round [about one revolution per second]. That is how fast they were making a complete revolution or circle. The circle was approximately the size of a football field. [Charlotte and I talked about this. I explained the concept of angular size and Charlotte believes now that the angular size of what she saw was about what your fist would cover when held at arm's length in front of you. We cannot know the real size of an unknown, unidentified object in the sky when it not very near something that we do know the real size of.]
Even if it were a helicopter, which I do not believe it was, their search lights [attached to the front of helicopters] can't spread out in a circle that large... and again, no sound. What the lights looked like was a bright blue white light, but it was above the clouds so it's hard to say what it might have looked like. If it was a helicopter, like a police helicopter -- I used to see them in Sacramento frequently -- if they were above the clouds and shining their beam down, it should have pierced the clouds and something should have shown through.
I had taken my camera out of the car that morning. I am going to keep one in the car at all times from now on! [I will not be without my camera again!] This will not happen again.
I was speaking to a friend about [what I saw] and she said that she had seen what she thought were search lights a couple of days before, and she thought they might be from Keizer Station, a large shopping mall north of Salem. She might have seen something, but these were due west and the northern direction would not have fit this pattern. Plus I have seen lots of search lights and they do not move in a circle that fast. They sweep and do not rotate. I have not called the search light rental place yet [this time] but will try to reach them on Monday.
The thing that intrigues me most is [that] this is exactly what I had seen before: about the same time of year in winter with low ceiling, dense clouds, and about the same speed [of revolution], and staying in the same place for such a long time period.
When I arrived home, just like last time, they were not visible and it had begun to rain.
Anyway if you have any ideas, please let me know. I will be happy to [attribute] this sighting to something else, but I need to know what.
If you can shed any light on Charlotte's sightings, please contact Oregon MUFON.
