Get A Room...

There's a new 2-part article from me at Mysterious Universe, on a weird saga of hotel-room secrets, government agents, the military, and ESP...

Here's part 1.

And here's part 2.

The story begins...

"There can be no doubt that strange things go on in hotel rooms. But, they don’t get much stranger than something that went down in the Arlington, Virginia, Marriott Hotel – on U.S. Highway 1 – in August 1957. It’s a bizarre story of paranormal phenomena (or, perhaps more correctly, alleged paranormal phenomena), a couple of teenage psychics, an employee of a local railway company, and the U.S. Intelligence community! Yep, it’s time for one of those “stranger than fiction” accounts.

"It all began on July 16, 1957. That was the date on which Alan H. Belmont, the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Domestic Intelligence Division, prepared a document with the eye-catching title of “Extra Sensory Perception.” It was a document circulated to senior FBI personnel, including Assistant Director Cartha DeLoach. Belmont wrote: “One of our agents attended a private exhibition of extra sensory perception given by Mr. William Foos at American Legion Headquarters in Washington, D.C.”

My Cynical Views on UFO Disclosure

No, I'm not a fan...


And here's how my Mysterious Universe article begins...

"There can be no doubt that the issue of so-called 'UFO disclosure' is one of the hottest topics within the UFO field. Frankly, I don’t think it’s going to happen. Ever. And I’m utterly tired of people saying something like 'It’s coming next year.' And then when next year comes, and nothing happens, it becomes the next year. Then it becomes the year after that. And so on. I wish I could say I find the matter of disclosure awe-inspiring. But no. It’s just yawn-inspiring. Prove to us it’s coming on a specific date or shut the hell up with your ever-changing dates until you do know!

"One of the reasons why I doubt disclosure is on the horizon is because we’ve seen and heard all this before. That’s right: for decades people have claimed 'the truth is coming,' and you know what? It never, ever does. The problem today is that so many people in Ufology simply aren’t aware that we’ve gone through all this time and again. I could reel of literally a dozen or so examples dating back to the early 1950s. But, for space purposes, I’ll focus on a couple of perfect examples from the 1970s."

Illuminations: UFOs & Parapsychology

Check out the new release from Anomalist Books: Illuminations: The UFO Experience as a Parapsychological Event by Eric Ouellet.

And it looks to be a very good one!

Here's the book description:

What if UFO experiences are the result of large-scale, unconscious, psychic forces?
Parapsychology and UFOlogy are like oil and water. They just don’t mix, despite the decades-long efforts of some highly respected researchers to call attention to the paranormal or parapsychological aspects of UFO events. In Illuminations, sociologist Eric Ouellet offers a novel approach to a phenomenon that has thus far resisted all other efforts to explain it, be it as extraterrestrial craft, time travelers, secret government projects, or natural phenomena.
Combining research in parapsychology, sociology, and UFOlogy, Ouellet provides a thought provoking reassessment of several well-known UFO cases, including the Washington, DC, UFO wave of 1952, the Betty and Barney Hill abduction of 1961, the Rendlesham UFO incident of 1980, and the Belgian UFO wave of 1989-1991. While not claiming to have the final solution to the UFO mystery, he offers much food for thought and a refreshing outlook on a stubbornly elusive phenomenon.

About the Author:

ERIC OUELLET is professor of Defence Studies at the Royal Military College of Canada, and at the Canadian Forces College (Canada’s Joint Staff and War College). He has a Ph.D. in sociology from York University (Toronto, Canada), and he is the liaison officer for Canada with the Parapsychological Association. He has published parapsychological work in the Australian Journal of Psychology, EdgeScience, and the Bulletin Métapsychique. His other research works focus on military sociology and war studies.

Contents Foreword by Jenny Randles
Introduction
Section One: Studying UFOs
Chapter 1. What Is Known About UFOs
Chapter 2. Paranormal Research and UFOs
Chapter 3. The Parapsychological Hypothesis
Section Two: Explaining UFO Anomalies
Chapter 4. The 1952 Washington D.C. UFO Wave
Chapter 5. The Belgian UFO Wave of 1989-1991
Chapter 6. The Rendlesham UFO Incident of 1980
Section Three: Complex UFO Encounters
Chapter 7. The Canadian UFO Wave of 1966-1967
Chapter 8. The Barney and Betty Hill Story Revisited
Chapter 9. The Political Sociology of Alien Encounters
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Glossary
Reference Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the Author

What they're saying:

“Parapsychological approaches in this field are rare: your contribution is precious, and it is very timely.” —Jacques Vallée, author of The Invisible College

“As a sociologist and a UFO witness, plus, importantly, a parapsychological researcher, Eric Ouellet ticks all the boxes to appreciate the bagatelle of curiosities that I have encountered in the field during 40 years of UFO investigation.” — Jenny Randles, author of Mind Monsters

Animals Seen on UFOs

This new article from me is on a subject that doesn't get touched upon too often. Perhaps because it's a seriously weird subject! Here's how it starts...

"At his UFO Conjecture(s) blog, Rich Reynolds has a very interesting recent article titled: “UFO sightings with creatures having octopus-like appendages.” The title is, of course, self-explanatory. But it got me thinking about something similar: the significant number of UFO reports I have on file in which strange and out of place animals appear to play significant parts."

"We’ll start with a famous UFO abduction/contactee incident from 1980. It’s an incident that occurred in the pre-dawn hours of a November morning, in the old English town of Todmorden, Yorkshire. The witness was a then-serving policeman, Alan Godfrey. His experience – of seeing a UFO-style craft on a stretch of road, of being taken on-board the craft, and of having interaction with various entities – is a complex one."

The Ghost of a Mammoth?

A very, very weird story of a ghostly mammoth...

Mysterious Deaths, Microbiology, and Viruses

Yep, another one for Mysterious Universe - suspicious deaths in the field of microbiology. Here's the opening 2 paragraphs...

"Last week I wrote an article on mysterious deaths associated with a UK company called Marconi Electronic Systems. Today MES exists as a component of BAE Systems Electronics Limited. Its work includes the development of futuristic weaponry, spy-satellite technology, and much more. As for those deaths, they occurred over a period of time that spanned the early 1970s to the early 1990s. It’s intriguing – but also disturbing – to note that something eerily similar began at the dawning of the 21st century. This time, however, the deaths were linked to the field of microbiology.

"From the final months of 2001 to mid-2005, numerous people employed in the elite field of microbiology – which is defined as the study of organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, such as bacteria and viruses – died under circumstances that some within the media and government came to view as highly suspicious and deeply disturbing in nature. It would be impossible to list all of the deaths in a single article. However, a summary of a number of cases will let you see what was afoot."

Birds, Death, and the Afterlife

That's the subject of another new Mysterious Universe article me. And here's how it starts:

"The first few months of 2010 were overshadowed by my mother’s increasingly worsening state of health. She was, at the time, suffering from one of the most horrific and destructive conditions around: Alzheimer’s Disease. Worse still, she had been diagnosed with it while she was only in her late fifties. Fourteen years after the diagnosis, my mom lost her fight with Alzheimer’s, dying from its effects in the summer.

"Just like almost everyone who has lost someone, my family and I mourned a passing and celebrated a life. There was, however, something very odd which occurred at the time of my mother’s death. It’s something I have never forgotten. On one particular morning, at my dad’s place in England, we were sitting in the living-room when our conversation was briefly brought to a sudden end. By a loud, single thump. It clearly came from somewhere outside.

The Problem of the British Bigfoot: Food

Been busy on deadlines for the past week, which is why there hasn't been much going on here. But, back to normal now. And so there are a few new things to post, including a Mysterious Universe article on Bigfoot in Britain - which is a very controversial issue and which is clearly not a flesh and blood animal. Which is the point of the article. It starts like this:

"For centuries reports have surfaced from numerous parts of the UK of what can only be described as 'wild men' and 'British Bigfoot.' The cases are problematic because the idea that such things could exist in the UK is utterly ridiculous. The size (or, rather, the lack of size) of the UK dictates that entire colonies of huge apes simply cannot live alongside around 60 million people and never get identified, uncovered, or killed. And we should note too that there is nothing – at all – in the fossil record to show that the UK has ever been the home of apes of gorilla-size and upwards.

"What makes the story even more problematic is that the vast majority of the people who claim to have encountered such things in the UK come across as very lucid, normal, and down to earth. They just want an answer to what it was they encountered. In other words, we have credible people talking about incredible things that simply cannot exist. At least, not in the UK they can’t. So, people are definitely seeing something; I do want to stress that. In previous articles and books, however, I have made my position clear that I think Bigfoot is a creature of paranormal proportions."

Here's the article.

Close Encounters of the Octopus Kind

At his UFO Conjecture(s) blog, Rich Reynolds has a very interesting article on UFO incidents involving octopus-like creatures.

Cthulhu lives?

Thought-Forms and a Giant Spider

"Is it possible that the human mind has the ability to create strange forms of life that can act independently of the creator? It’s an intriguing question. For those who are unaware of the concept, it goes as follows. We all possess the powers and skills to imagine something into life. Providing we learn how to do so, of course. This gets to the heart of what are known as thought-forms.

"Imagine, for example, focusing your mind on a large, marauding werewolf with glowing red eyes.
Across days, weeks, and even months, you visualize it – in your mind – getting stronger, and more and more “real” by the day. Finally, the monster becomes so powerful that it breaks free of your mind. In a strange and still-poorly-understood fashion the chains of the mind are gone and the beast suddenly materializes in the real world. Your werewolf – admittedly, in an odd state of what passes for reality – is now on the loose, and possibly even out of your control. There are numerous such reports of people creating thought-forms and later wishing they had left matters well alone.

Here's the full article...

Time-Travel Controversies

I tackle the controversial issue of time-travel at Mysterious Universe:

"A few days ago I was interviewed on a Canadian morning radio show about my research into so-called 'cryptids.' We’re talking about the Chupacabra, lake-monsters, Mothman, and so on. During the course of the interview the host – in a very lighthearted fashion – asked me if I thought it was possible that what people are seeing might be animals extinct in our world today, but which are time-traveling back and forth from the periods when they were alive. Because that’s the kind of question daytime radio asks, right?

"I told the host I’m actually quite open to the idea that at least some of our cryptids may originate in other realms, or dimensions, of existence. Which had him momentarily stuck for words, I’m pleased to say. But, I added, that’s very different to imagining Bigfoot has a Delorean-style time-machine to traverse countless millennia. Even I have limits on what’s feasible and what isn’t. Well, most of the time I do. Okay, some of the time. So, I said it was pretty unlikely. Even though, admittedly, I have to say I have heard a few stories broadly along those lines."

Here's the link.

Men in Black: Coming In September...

Profiling the Russian Chupacabra

My new book, Chupacabra Road Trip, focuses primarily on my expeditions to seek out the legendary chupacabra across Puerto Rico, the United States, and Mexico, and from 2004 to the present day.

As I also note in the book, however, there is no shortage of reports of the Goat-Sucker from Russia – an issue that often gets eclipsed by the exploits of the far more famous Puerto Rican original.

Check it out.

The Mystery Of A Man Who Shot Himself

There's a new Mysterious Universe article from me on a certain, strange death back in the early 1970s. Here's how it starts:

"Back in June of this year I wrote an article here at Mysterious Universe titled 'The Mystery of the Marconi Deaths.' It began as follows (QUOTE): “To many, it might sound like the ultimate plot-line of the equally ultimate conspiracy-thriller: dozens of scientists and technicians – all working on highly-classified programs, and all linked to one, particular company – dead under highly controversial and unusual circumstances.

“It’s a controversy that ran from the early 1980s to 1991 and remains unresolved to this very day. And it all revolves around the top secret work of a company called Marconi Electronic Systems, but which, today, exists as a part of BAE Systems Electronics Limited. Its work includes the development of futuristic weaponry and spy-satellite technology.” (END OF QUOTE.)

Chupacabra Road Trip

Although the official publication date of my new book, Chupacabra Road Trip, is still a couple of weeks away, copies are now surfacing...

The Liquidation of UFO Researchers

"Otto Binder – who died on October 13, 1974, at the age of sixty-three – is most remembered for his work in the field of superhero comic-books. He wrote for DC Comics’ “World’s Finest Comics” and “Mystery in Space,” Marvel Comics’ “Young Allies,” and Fawcett Comics’ “Bulletman,” amongst many others. As someone who finds superhero stuff to be utterly ridiculous, I’m pleased that Binder did more than just focus his time on spandex, cloaks, masks, and stupid “super-powers.” He was also the editor of Space World and had a deep interest in UFOs. In 1967, Binder’s book What We Really Know About Flying Saucers was published.

"All of which brings me to the crux of this article. In May 1971, Binder penned a feature for Saga magazine. Its title was “Liquidation of the UFO Researchers.” As you might guess – and guess correctly – the article was focused upon alleged mysterious deaths within the field of Ufology. It began in eye-catching fashion..."

Here's the complete article from me, at Mysterious Universe.

Putting a Stupid Story to Rest

Anyone who says the late alien abduction researcher, John E. Mack, was murdered is an idiot. He was not. I still get messages and emails from people telling me his death was suspicious. It wasn't. It was a tragic accident. There's a new article from me on all this at Mysterious Universe. I don't expect it to sway the paranoid crowd though...

MInd-Games and UFOs

Another new one from me. This one on the manipulation of UFO researchers, and of witnesses too. It begins like this...

"February 1958 was an interesting time in Ufology. It was when a Brazilian UFO researcher, Dr. Olavo Fontes, received a very strange and ominous visit. The details were spelled out in a letter that Fontes wrote to US UFO researcher, Coral Lorenzen, on February 27. According to the man himself, he had received a visit at his place of work from two men who flashed credentials that identified them as working in an intelligence arm of the Brazilian Navy. One of the men reportedly said to Fontes: 'You know too much about things you weren’t entitled to know.' And, just for good measure, the man added: 'We don’t like that.'

"The two men then proceeded to completely contradict themselves by reeling off a bunch of presumably highly classified data on UFOs! Clearly, someone was playing mind-games with Fontes. Despite having warned Fontes about the perils of possessing secret UFO material, they then went on to tell him that at the time of the meeting, February 1958, no less than six alien spacecraft had crashed to earth. Three of them had come down in the United States, an extensively damaged one had crashed somewhere in the Sahara Desert, another one was recovered at an undisclosed location in Scandinavia, and an almost pristine flying saucer was retrieved by military personnel in the UK."

UFOs, Radar, and Operation Bulldog

"Operation Bulldog – held in September 1949, and overseen by the UK’s Fighter Command and Bomber Command – was a show of strength to the Soviets. It demonstrated that the West could take swift and decisive action in the event the Russians flexed their muscles a bit too much. And, for good measure, the operation also involved the air-forces of the United States, Belgium, France, and Holland. The Soviets took careful and concerned notice, which was the whole point. It appears it was not just the Russians that kept a beady eye on the military maneuvers. Just possibly, entities from another world did likewise.

"At the time Bulldog was held, the late J.R. Oliver was a radar-operator at a British Royal Air Force base called Sandwich, which was situated in the English county of Kent. Oliver said: “Even so long ago, it was almost impossible to fly a glider across the [English] Channel without it being plotted. The exercise was structured in such a way that the technical resources and personnel of the defensive screen were stretched to the limit.”

And here's my complete article...

Paranormal Book Lists

Over at Mysterious Universe there are a few new list-style posts from me:

1. On my favorite UFO books;

2. On five cool cryptozoology books;

3. On ten books that I think need to be written (part 1 and part 2).

John Keel: Ahead of His Time

There's another new Mysterious Universe article from me.

This one on how John Keel, way back in the 1960s and 1970s, was talking about certain aspects of the UFO phenomenon/alien abduction controversy  that most people weren't even thinking about until the 1980s.

We're talking about abducted women, hybrid babies, and even the Black-Eyed Children...

Cecil the Lion and Bigfoot

Over at Mysterious Universe, I speculate on what the response might be if proof of Bigfoot is found as a result of some hunter killing it, in Cecil the lion style.

Capturing an Orang Pendek

There are a couple of new Mysterious Universe articles from me.

The first is on why I think Sumatra's resident, mysterious ape - the Orang Pendek - will likely be identified in the next years...

The second is a profile on a certain, infamous, Puerto Rican monster. Nope, not the Chupacabra, but the Moca Vampire...