Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Authentic Book Of Ultra-Terrestrial Contacts



In a new article at UFO Digest, Sean Casteel begins:

"There has always been a semantic problem about just what to call the UFO occupants. For the most part, the generally agreed on term is 'aliens,' though everyone from Whitley Strieber to the late Budd Hopkins believed the term is inadequate to accurately describe just whom we are dealing with in such cases.

"Timothy Green Beckley of Global Communications recently published a book called 'The Authentic Book Of Ultra-Terrestrial Contacts' in which he argues that the UFO community should be open to calling the creatures from the unknown 'Ultra-Terrestrials' and that we should more closely examine the idea that they come from right here on Earth.

"The term 'Ultra-Terrestrials' did not originate with Beckley, who referred me to an article on a website called 'Unexplained Mysteries,' specifically a piece written by Ken Korczak called 'Ultra-Terrestrials: Do They Walk Among Us?'”

And here's the link to the complete article.

MIB vs Non-MIB



As I demonstrate in my latest post for Mysterious Universe, not all Men in Black are actually Men in Black...

Monday, July 30, 2012

Amazingly Roswell-like!



Dr. Dave Clarke has an excellent new post at his blog that you should not miss. And, if you do, I'll send the MIB around "for a chat."

This is a very good article that tells us a great deal about how real events can become mixed in with folklore, rumor and much more - to the point where a tale of near-Roswell proportions develops.

Dave begins like this:

"Picture the scene: A shepherd visiting a remote area stumbles upon strange wreckage strewn across the ground which could be the remains of a crashed spaceship. The debris consists of pieces of unusual metal and strange drawings. On reporting his find at the local police station, search teams and military personnel descend on the area. The wreckage disappears – no one knows where – and civilians are told to ‘keep quiet about it.’

"You are probably thinking ‘Roswell, New Mexico, 1947’.

"But no, this incident occurred in the Scottish Highlands one spring morning in 1962. It has uncanny links to its American cousin, even down to the ‘cover story’ used hide the true identity and purpose of the ‘crashed spaceship.’"

And here's where you can find the complete article on what I am very tempted to call "McRoswell."

But, that wouldn't be politically correct, would it? Well, I've never been a fan of political correctness anyway...

One final thing: who doubts that, fifty years from now, there will be no less than seventeen books available on this affair? It will be discussed in hallowed tones where the UFO faithful gather. And the Ministry of Defense will try and lay it all to rest with confusing tales of weather balloons and (when the "bodies" angle finally surfaces, as it inevitably will one day) crash-test dummies.

The new Roswell: surely destined to become the same as the old one! Methinks that means it's time to slit my wrists!



Lurking in the River Lea



In a cool new piece of online footage, great mate Richard Freeman of the Center for Fortean Zoology goes on a quest to seek out the strange creature of England's River Lea...

Is there an alligator on the loose? A marauding crocodile? A goliath-sized catfish? Will Richard solve the mystery? Or will he become the next unfortunate victim of the Lovecraftian nightmare?

Well, you'll have to see for yourself!

And for those Forteans out there who have an interest in so-called "Window Areas," my 1999 book, Cosmic Crashes, includes a section on British Ministry of Defense files on the alleged crash of a UFO in the very same River Lea in 1964!

It's a funny old world...

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Random Encounters With The Unusual

"Random encounters with the unusual is a repository for the oddities that me and Mrs J have encountered on our travels, which we find interesting or amusing in some way. Have a look, maybe you will find something interesting," says blogger Paul Jackson.

This is not a blog solely focused upon Forteana, but is an excellent, varied, entertaining and highly intriguing blog that is filled with fascinating folklore, cool photos and much humor. Oh, yes, and downright, surreal weirdness too!

Paul has only recently established the blog, but it already has a cool identity and vibe, and it's one that I would urge you to keep checking out!

The Cryptos Conundrum - Reviewed

Over at Silver Screen Saucers, Shepherd Johnson reviews the new novel, The Cryptos Conundrum, from CIA man Chase Brandon. If you have been following the recent controversy, you'll know much of the background to this novel and why it has been the subject of so much debate. If you haven't, until now, well, you're in for a world of intrigue!

Here's the link to Johnson's review. And I'll give you a clue on the nature of his review: he's not impressed!

Wolfen, Wulver, Whitley and Wolfmen



Karl Shuker has a very cool new post over at his blog on the subject of Werewolves, Wulver, Whitley Strieber's The Wolfen, and much more.

If, like me, tales of Werewolves in the real world fascinate you, check it out!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

An Essex Beast



For devotees of cryptozoological-fiction, you may want to get hold of a copy of Martin Black's Beast - The Beast of Essex.

As the author notes:

"Beast - The Beast of Essex is a relatively short modern mystery thriller based upon real life experiences, eyewitness accounts and written statements that have been accumulated during the period from 1989 to 2010. It commences with the activities of an animal research centre located in Essex back in the mid to late eighties with information taken from web based forums and articles reported in local and national newspapers. The focus then switches to a group of beer loving friends who try to incorporate their passion for their chosen sport (cycling) into their weekly work routine. This brings them into conflict with an unknown danger that has been living and evolving in the Essex countryside for the last two decades. It’s not all serious though, there’s an element of humour to lighten the mood where applicable."

Here's where you can find just about all the info you'll need on the book.

Those Damned Dogs!


This weekend's Lair of the Beasts column from me at Mania.com focuses on one of Britain's oldest and most legendary of all strange creatures: the glowing-eyed black dog.

I start out like this:

"For centuries, the ghostly Black Dog, or Devil Dog, has been an integral part of British folklore and mythology, as well as the world of monster-hunting. Generally described as being much larger than any normal hound, its coat is utterly black, its eyes blaze like fiery, red-hot coals, and its appearance and presence is often perceived as an ominous portent of disaster, tragedy, and death. In other words, the Black Dog of Britain is the grim reaper in animal form."

And here's the complete post.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Beware of the Duppie!



And what, you might very well ask, is the Duppie? Well, the answer to that question can be found by checking out the latest article from Dr. Bob Curran, which can be found in the Creature of the Month section at New Page Books' blog. In fact, right here!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

A Pyramids/Pentagon Lecture


On Saturday, September 29, I'll be lecturing on my book, The Pyramids and the Pentagon at the Austin, Texas-based Austin Center for Spiritual Living at 5555 North Lamar, Suite D-117.

The event will run from 7PM to 9PM and should be a good one. And if you're coming along, let me know!

Here's all the info...

Monstrous Killers

From today's Anomalist:

"Have Vietnam¹s Wildmen Killed Humans? Cryptomundo. Loren Coleman shares a story from artist Jeff H. Johnson concerning reports of wildmen seeking revenge for the killing of their kind in Vietnam. There is an equally disturbing story in the comments about US soldiers in Vietnam having to recover bodies quickly because "apes" would come out of the forest and eat them. As the commenter says, "there are no apes in Vietnam". Coleman points out that there could very well be a lot more of these sorts of stories from that part of the world but we will likely never hear them."

Singing for England

Nope, don't worry, I'm not the one singing. That's something to spare just about everyone! I'm talking about the anthems chosen for the England football team in the World Cup and Euro. And it's the subject of my latest Top 10 for EHow.co.uk.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

A Cinema of Secrets



One of the many reasons I like living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area is that it's filled with history, strange secrets and deep intrigue. And far more than a few of those issues relate to the JFK assassination of 1963.

This looks like a couple of shots of me hanging out at an old theatre, right? Well, you're correct! But, this is no ordinary theatre. This is that theatre. You know, the one where Lee Harvey Oswald got arrested after killing (or not killing!) the president on that fateful day.

And in the almost half a century that has now gone by since the infamous murder took place, the place has really not changed at all.

I'll perhaps load a few more images of intrigue from the DFW area over the next few weeks...


Not Mick and Keith

Over at Mysterious Universe I take a look at a certain bunch of rolling stones...

A Curious Kitty


This is one of the strangest stories I have come across in a while, to say the very least. A "Witch's Familiar" perhaps...?

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Sex and Mysticism Pt. 2

Last week, I posted here a link to an insightful new article at Intrepid Magazine from good friend Red Pill Junkie on the sexual components of Fortean encounters. And as RPJ noted, there are far more than a few of them!

Well, now RPJ is back with Part 2 of his study, which you can find right here and which again demonstrates and reinforces the fact that even though it's an area that many researchers avoid, probably because of having prudish upbringings and repressed lives (that bit of bait should provoke a few comments, hopefully), there is an undeniable link between paranormal phenomena and sexual energy.

I will refrain from making any juvenile comments about the article being particularly titillating...

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Aztec UFO Controversy



Well, I'm back online a day earlier than anticipated after lecturing down in Houston yesterday - which was a fine time, thanks to a very cool group, Paranormal Planet.

So, it's now back to work, blogging etc.

I have a new post up at Mysterious Universe, the subject of which is the infamous and controversial alleged UFO crash at Hart Canyon, Aztec, New Mexico in 1948.

Although this is a case that tends to split people into two camps - those who think the event really occurred and those who conclude it was all a gigantic hoax - there is a third possibility: that elements of the secret world of officialdom played a role in promoting the event, for very obscure reasons...

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Going Offline For A Few Days

I'll be offline and on the road for the next few days, but should be back here by Tuesday. So, there will be no posts while I'm away and I'll moderate/publish any received comments when I get back.

Names, Games and Forteana



My latest post at Mysterious Universe - titled The Game of the Name - covers a weird topic: the way in which certain names seem to crop up time and again in Fortean circles.

Of course, many researchers might say that this is simply a case of looking for connections and - finally - finding them.

But, I'm not so sure that's always the case.

Sometimes it does seem that definitive weird shit is afoot.

Anyway, here's the article, about which you can form your own opinion...

And, in this case, it deals with a group of Wild Men and a Wildman (you'll see what I mean).

When Bigfoot And UFOs Meet


For most Ufologists and Cryptozoologists, when it comes to their research it's a case of under no circumstances must the two be allowed to cross paths - EVER! Well, too bad. There are far more than a few reports of profound Bigfoot high-strangeness out there, and a substantial number are connected to UFOs - like it or like it not.

One of the people who has commented on this matter is Fortean author, Ronan Coghlan. And on the matter of Ronan's views, here's how my latest Lair of the Beasts post at Mania.com on this very issue begins:

"Right now, I am putting the final touches to a new book – to be titled Wildman! – that will be an in-depth and extensive study of a very strange and controversial subject: Bigfoot in Britain. Not a subject that you hear too much about, but one that very much exists. It is, however, the nature of that existence that is important. Many researchers of the phenomenon are convinced that people do see such creatures in the UK, but that they are not the flesh and blood beasts they appear to be. One of the people I have interviewed extensively for Wildman! is Ronan Coghlan, the author of a number of acclaimed books, including A Dictionary of Cryptozoology and – with Gary Cunningham – The Mystery Animals of Ireland."

And here's the complete article.

Friday, July 20, 2012

A Crashed UFO or a Government "Plant"?



Have UFOs really crashed to earth, as per Roswell? I don't know. What I do know, however, is that the subject has been ripe, for years, for manipulation by those at an official level and for reasons that range from bizarre to obscure.

And, here's one example: my latest post at Mysterious Universe on a famous (maybe infamous would be better!) UFO crash that almost certainly was not a crash. But, it may have been even weirder...

Thursday, July 19, 2012

The Breaking Cases app



Brad and Sherry Steiger have a brand new iPhone app that you can download - for free - that covers just about every conspiracy under the sun! So, if apps and cover-ups are your thing, here's all the info:

Brad and Sherry Steiger's The Breaking Cases app:

Welcome to The Breaking Cases app where you work with conspiracy researchers Brad Steiger and Sherry Steiger to bring to light the latest threats and uncover the newest attacks on our liberties and, maybe, help quash them before they have a chance to grow.

Startling allegations. Suppressed evidence. Missing witnesses. Assassinations. Cover-ups and threats. Documented connections to even deeper intrigue. Allusions to the New World Order. Coincidences? too many to be mere coincidence? American history is replete with warnings of hidden plots by the Illuminati, the Freemasons, the Zionists, the Roman Catholics, the Communists, World Bankers, the Secret Government, and Extra-Terrestrial Invaders, to name a few.

Under the Breaking Cases tab, this App allows you to break conspiracies as they are hatched and expose new groups as they are formed. Share your comments with conspiracy researchers Brad and Sherry Steiger. Tell them what you know on the latest threats and help uncover the newest attacks on our liberties before they have a chance to grow. Simply leave your comments on a growing list of topics or start a new investigation by submitting your Breaking Case to Brad and Sherry Steiger. Remember to let Brad and Sherry know where you learned about the conspiracy or secret society--an article in the newspaper, a website, a magazine, etc. The only way to crush these secret plots is to bring the facts to light!

Under the Conspiracies tab and under the Secret Societies tab, this App provides a thorough examination of historical topics to more current issues that you can unlock, including:

* Historical riddles—the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, Noah’s Ark, the Sphinx, alchemy, the true relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and the churches dedicated to the Black Madonna.

* Classified background on U.S. presidents—from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Barack H. Obama, and their advisors.

* Powerful secret societies and groups—the Knights Templar, Freemasons, Illuminati, the Triads, the Rosicrucians, the Skull and Bones Society, Scientology, the Falun Gong, the New World Order, and Lightning from the East.

* Government cover-ups—electronic spying, the John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations, Area 51, extraterrestrial invaders, black helicopters, satellite snooping, FEMA, the Global Bank, and the Trilateral Commission.

* Terrible secrets—the BP oil spill, Unit 731 and germ experiments, the 2011 tsunami in Japan, and Hurricane Katrina.

* Science mysteries—biochip implants, genetic manipulation, weather control, mad cow disease, AIDS/HIV, West Nile virus, and the bizarre Morgellons disease.

Here are some of the topics covered: Alien Abductions, Area 51, Reverse Engineering, Big Brother, Biomagnetic Weapons, Central Intelligence Agency , CIA, Contrails, Chemtrails, Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA, Fish and Bird Kills on Massive Scale, Free and Accepted Order of Freemasons, HAARP, Illuminati, John F. Kennedy Assassination, Knights Templar, MK-ULTRA, New World Order, NWO, One World Government, Roswell, Ruby Ridge, Scientists’ Suspicious Deaths , Scientology Temple of Set, UFO Cover-ups. Unit 731, U.S. Government’s Secret Experiments on Its Citizens, Jesse Ventura, Vril Society, Waco. Weather Control and Manipulation, X-Files

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Sci-Fi Worlds: New Book



For those into science-fiction, Richard Thomas has a new book out right now on that very subject titled Sci-Fi Worlds: Doctor Who, Doomwatch, Battlestar Galactica And Other Cult TV Shows.

Since I wrote a book titled Science Fiction Secrets a few years ago, Richard interviewed me for his new title, along with numerous others, as you'll see below.

Here's the publicity blurb for the book:

Internationally renowned blogger and writer on the paranormal, science fiction and conspiracy theories, Richard Thomas takes the reader on a tour through the galaxy of sci-fi worlds that have dominated our TV screens over the past 50 years. Along the way he interviews Nick Redfern, Nick Pope, Lex Gigeroff and others.

In this fascinating ebook, Richard Thomas explores the deeper meanings behind some of our best loved TV science-fiction shows. He looks at Dr Who, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Doomwatch, and many others. He explores the themes used in the programmes, from time travel to transhumanism and explains some of the hidden meanings of the visual imagery shown on screen.

Contents
* Introduction
* The Eleven Faces of The Doctor
* A History of the Cybermen
* William Hartnell Back in Time
* Nick Pope: Interview With A Real Man In Black
* Interview With Nick Redfern - Author of Science Fiction Secrets
* Interview With Richard Holland - Author of Haunted Wales
* Interview With Richard Freeman of the Centre for Fortean Zoology
* Interview with Lance Parkin - Author of A History: An Unauthorised History of the Doctor Who Universe
* Interview With Lex Gigeroff: Lexx Co-Writer/Actor
* Battlestar Galactica
* Rise of the Planet of the Apes
* Secret Society Symbolism In Ridley Scott's Blade Runner And Other Sci-Fi Films
* Nigel Kneale
* Interview With Scott Burditt - Webmaster of Doomwatch.org
* Transhumanism in Doomwatch
* Interview With Dean Haglund - Star of The X-Files And The Lone Gunmen
* Conclusions

About the Author
Richard Thomas is a freelance feature writer specialising in Fortean subjects. Richard has written for high street magazines, including Alien Worlds Magazine, Paranormal Magazine and UFO Matrix Magazine. He is also a blogger for UFOMystic and Binnall of America. In addition to writing about the paranormal and unexplained, Richard also writes a column entitled “Big Day Out” for the South Wales Evening Post, Wales’ largest circulation newspaper. His first book PARA-NEWS - UFOs, Conspiracy Theories, Cryptozoology and much much more was published by Bretwalda Books in May 2011 as an ebook.
 
 

Owlzilla!


Maybe you have seen this, or maybe you haven't. Either way it's provoking a great deal of debate within cryptozoological circles. What is it? Well, that depends. There are really only two options: it's either a giant-sized owl or it's an entertaining piece of photoshopped fakery.

And here it is: Owlzilla!

My opinion? Given that the location in question is south Texas, I think England's Owlman took a very wrong turn after a drunken night on the town...

Sputnik Down?



Over at the BBC's website, there's a fascinating new story involving the British Royal Air Force and, allegedly, a Soviet Sputnik satellite, or a spy-balloon, or, well how really knows? It begins as follows:

"A former RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team leader has told how he sought evidence that a Russian satellite crashed in the Highlands 50 years ago. David 'Heavy' Whalley was intrigued by a story from the 1960s that a shepherd found the remains of a Sputnik on a moor above Ardgay in Sutherland. An RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team member sent to the scene later told Mr Whalley of finding unusual debris. Team members involved were allegedly told to 'keep quiet' about it."

And here's the complete article on a case that I'm sure will soon be championed in some quarters as a "British Roswell." And the last thing we need is another bloody case dragging on for 65-years!!


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Mac Tonnies' Blog Preserved



This is excellent news from Mike Clelland: the late Mac Tonnies' Posthuman Blues blog has been preserved in its entirety.

After Mac's very tragic, early death in 2009, a lot of people wondered what would become of Mac's blog, his work, photos and more. Well, now we have an answer: it's all safely preserved thanks to the dedicated work of Mark Platner.

Check out Mike C's post for all the info on this breaking development.

That's me and Mac in late 2006 in the Halifax, Nova Scotia offices of Paul Kimball.

Sex and Mysticism



Red Pill Junkie regularly posts comments here and he also writes for Intrepid mag. His latest post for them - Eros & Ufos: The Repressed Sexual Aspect of Mystical Experiences (Part 1) - kicks off as follows:

"UFO polls have been all the rage lately, and not just in the US. Last month a local Panamanian newspaper published the results of a survey conducted among 1200 people between June 7th & 20th, and some of the results they obtained were far more interesting –and provocative!– than the ones reported by Nat Geo.

"Of the 6% who claimed to have witnessed a unidentified flying object, 37% also reported an increase in their sexual appetite immediately after the sighting. There were other results obtained by the poll, but as you can probably imagine it was this particular figure the thing caught the attention of the Latin American media, which proceeded to treat it with the customary level of seriousness they felt the topic deserved –EXTRA! UFOS ARE THE BEST APHRODISIAC.

"Those of us who have dared to study the UFO field however, are able to go beyond the giggle factor. For we know that as much as some try to repress it, the truth is there’s an undeniable relationship between the human libido and the Fortean world."

And here's the full article, which I definitely recommend, as it's an aspect of Forteana that far too many steer away from.

Mystics, Mandrakes and Micah



Micah Hanks has an excellent new post at Mysterious Universe that begins as follows:

"For some of us, the strange and unusual will tend to crop up even when we aren’t looking for it. A fine example occurred over the weekend, while a friend and I were visiting a display at a local garden; to our surprise, the trip became delightfully weird and macabre, as it turned out that what I thought would be a display on exotic insect species ended up dealing instead with different varieties of poisonous and carnivorous plants.

"As a child, I used to love to grow Venus Flytraps and pitcher-plants, both of which have evolved various clever ways of extracting extra nutrients by capturing and digesting insects. Several varieties of carnivorous plants appeared at the exhibit, which had been themed around a Victorian set design reminiscent of the old 'murder mystery' tales of yesteryear. In addition to carnivorous and poisonous offerings, one area also featured hallucinogenic plant varieties, with references to the often DMT-rich ayahuasca imbibed by different native groups in South America."

And here's the complete article, which makes for great reading!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Beasts of Mexico: In Print


A friend told me about this book yesterday: Mexican Bestiary by David Bowles. If, like me, you're into Cryptozoology, as the cover image suggests this looks to be a good one.

From the publisher: "Who protects our precious fields of corn? What leaps from the darkness when you least suspect it? Which spirit waits for little kids by rivers and lakes? From the ahuizotl to the xocoyoles—and all the imps, ghosts and witches in between—this illustrated bilingual encyclopedia tells you just what you need to know about the things that go bump in the night in Mexico and the US Southwest."

You can find out a great deal more about David Bowles and his Mexican Bestiary at this link.

Randle, Roswell and Reality TV



Check out Kevin Randle's excellent new blog-post which - like my recent "Ten Commandments" piece - demonstrates why Reality TV is doing nothing positive for Ufology.

Actually, I have vowed never to call it Reality TV again. It can only be "Reality" TV from now on. Or, "Complete Bollocks TV."

When it was new and fresh, and done well, this particular genre worked very well. But, like a rock band well past its prime and now just treading water, it's time for it to go.

I sincerely hope (but I doubt it will ever happen) that there will be a backlash against "Reality" TV and either it will be no more, or, it will be done the way it can be done and should be done. All it takes is one thing to get ir right: ethics.

More on Roswell Disclosures



Robbie Graham has a new post at his Silver Screen Saucers blog that raises some excellent issues on the recent Chase Brandon/Roswell saga...

UFOs and Porton Down



My latest post at Mysterious Universe tells the weird story of the UFO connection to a certain sensitive installation in the UK.

It begins like this...

"On the night of January 23, 1974, an enigmatic and unresolved event occurred on the Berwyn Mountains range in North Wales, United Kingdom that, for some within the UFO research community, has come to be known as the definitive British Roswell. Researcher Andy Roberts stated of this mysterious affair (in his book, UFO Down!): 'The claim was that a UFO piloted by extraterrestrials crashed, or was shot down, on the mountain known as Cader Berwyn and that the alien crew, some still alive, were whisked off to a secret military installation in the south of England for study.'

"That secret military installation was said to be none other than Porton Down. Beyond any shadow of doubt, one of the most secretive of all government-connected installations situated within the confines of the United Kingdom, Porton Down can be found in the green and pleasant county of Wiltshire, and its overwhelmingly-classified work focuses to a very significant degree on exotic viruses, chemical- and biological-warfare."



Sunday, July 15, 2012

Witnesses to the Unsolved


A few weeks ago, I was sent by Patrick Huyghe of Anomalist Books a review copy of their recently-published title, Witnesses to the Unsolved: Prominent Psychic Detectives and Mediums Explore Our Most Haunting Mysteries by Edward Olshaker, about who we're told:

"EDWARD OLSHAKER is a longtime freelance journalist whose articles and commentaries on current events and historical issues have appeared in History News Network, The New York Times, The Gainesville Sun, and numerous other publications. He broke the story of Florida prisoner John Merritt’s alleged wrongful murder conviction and quest for DNA testing and a new trial. Witnesses to the Unsolved was an Independent Publisher Book Awards finalist and a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year finalist."

As readers of my books and and blogs will know, I don't do much research and writing in the fields of (a) life after death; and (b) ghosts and specters - the main reason being that I get tired very quickly of reading tale after tale of "ghostly nuns," "phantom monks," and haunted houses.

There's nothing wrong with such things, but they just don't catch my attention in the same way that Cryptozoology and Ufology do. So, for me, at least, I tend to restrict my reading on such matters to those books where I feel something new and significant has been added to the controversy - rather than those releases that just churn out tale after tale of supernatural terror with the minimum of comment or analysis.

And, fortunately, Witnesses to the Unsolved does not fall into this latter category. Rather, it is a refreshingly different, informative, open-minded and highly thought-provoking book.

As its sub-title makes clear, Olshaker's work is a study of psychics who have used their skills and talents to try and resolve a number of deaths, all high-profile, many shrouded in deep mystery, and a great deal - in varying fashions - linked to swirling conspiracy, cover-up and political intrigue.

Before I get to the subject-matter as a whole, I should stress that one of the chief reasons I enjoyed the book was because it's written without any attempt to force any particular views, theories, ideas etc down the throats of the readers. It's researched, written and presented by a man - Olshaker - who is clearly fascinated by such issues and who presents his data in level-headed, journalistic fashion.

So, with that said, what of the contents? Well, the first thing to note is the excellent Foreword from paranormal authority, Colin Wilson, which really sets the scene for the stories that follow and offers the reader a fine insight into what makes a psychic detective.

Then we're on to Olshaker's Prologue, which is a solid and unbiased summary of the phenomenon under the microscope, and which is then followed by the author's background section on the various psychics whose case-studies are related, including Robert Cracknell, the author of The Lonely Sense, and Janet Cyford, who penned The Ring of Chairs: A Medium's Story.

Now to those case-studies: For me, the most fascinating section of the book was that dealing with the controversial and mysterious deaths of CIA men, William Colby (in 1996) and John A. Paisley (in 1978). This is a fantastically involved and intriguing part of Witnesses to the Unsolved, which suggests the truths behind the deaths of both men - allegedly, at least, both on/in the water and both steeped in controversy - are very far removed from what the public and the media were told.

Were the bodies of the men found even those of Colby and Paisley at all? What dark secrets of an intelligence-based nature were they in possession of? Questions like these are asked - and answered - as the psychic detectives get on to the stories.

Political intrigue runs deep too: the seemingly never-ending saga of Vincent Foster, big-money and Bill Clinton gets the psychic treatment and opens up a real can of worms - as does the affair of Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and a certain, highly suspicious plane crash, which is also addressed at length by our team.

The death of Kurt Cobain - as well as those of other significant figures in the Grunge music scene of the early 1990s - is discussed, along with theories relative to suicide or something else.

Also deeply fascinating - but highly disturbing, too - are those matters our psychics find when they pursue the truth concerning (a) the controversy-filled deaths of certain environmental activists; (b) people that had sought the truth about American POWs who may have been left behind in Vietnam; (c) Martin Luther King; and (d) the extremely strange and unsettling matter of the "Markle Massacre."

The latter is truly one of those almost sinister "you couldn't make it up"-type cases that Olshaker tells in skillful and notable fashion.

Of course - just as with the CIA's so-called "Remote Viewers" - the findings of the psychic detectives will be viewed by many as hard fact, by others as genuinely unsolved mystery, and by some as opinion and theory.

But, the important factor is that Olshaker does not demand you accept this or that. Instead, he carefully offers the cases, data, victims and investigators and - when that is all done - succeeds in making a strong case that the conclusions of the various psychics (who are as much the focal point of the book as the deaths under the microscope) should not - and indeed, cannot, be dismissed.

Something weird and significant does appear to be going on. And it may very well concern messages from the grave relative to nothing less than cold-blooded murder.

Coming across rather like a real-life study of the so-called "Pre-Cogs" of Minority Report (albeit from the perspective of deaths that have occurred, rather than ones that will occur), Witnesses to the Unsolved is a book that will be in your mind and thoughts for a long while after you have finished reading it - which, in my view, is always a good sign of a fine, well-done book.

Reviewing Real Wolfmen



In a new post at Mysterious Universe, I begin with the following words on a certain, new book that - if you're into werewolves - you really must buy!

"If I was to ask you what two words are most relevant to the phenomenon of werewolves and lycanthropes you might well say “Full” and “Moon.” Or, “Silver” and “Bullet.” Well, you’re definitely on the right track, but I say those two words are “Linda” and “Godfrey”! Yep, not only is Linda the most well-known chronicler of all-things wolfman-themed, but she’s certainly the most prolific one, too. Check out her track record to date: The Beast of Bray Road; Hunting the American Werewolf; Werewolves; and The Michigan Dogman. And, not forgetting Weird Wisconsin and Monsters of Wisconsin – both of which contain insightful data on such creepy critters. But, now for the news: Linda is back with yet another book on the subject. Its title: Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern America."

And here's my full review of Linda's book...

Friday, July 13, 2012

Ufological Appearances


If there's one thing that pisses me off about UFO conferences, it's when the organizer tentatively asks me something along the lines of: "So, what are you going to wear for your lecture, Nick?"

Granted, it doesn't happen every time. But, it certainly does 4 or 5 times per year. And it gets asked because I hate suits, they are not me, and I won't dress like I'm going to a bloody funeral just because I'm speaking on stage about aliens. It's total bollocks.

But certain gig organizers - who know I'm hardly a fan of suits - think it's somehow going to detract from what I'm saying if I lack a tie, and - instead - turn up in black t-shirt and black jeans, which is complete and utter crap!

The fact is, however - as you can see from this shockingly awful photo above - way back in 1998, when this picture was taken, even I donned a suit and tie now and again.

For a mercifully very short while, I was under that mistaken and idiotic belief that tie and suit on stage while talking about aliens = credibility.

But, I remember, at the time, one of my mates saying to me something like: "Nick, why the hell are you wearing a suit? You never wear a suit!"

No I didn't, aside from a year or so when - around 97/98 - I did, to my utter regret. And it's to my regret for two reasons:

1. I hate suits. I hate ties. Simple!

2. I find it utterly laughable that there are people who think if you wear a suit to talk about aliens, UFOs, abductions, crop circles etc, that dressing like a bank-manager-meets -a-funeral-director is somehow going to add to credibility.

Get real! This is Ufology! Outside of our community the subject has barely any credibility - and a suit won't change that!

The fact is that unless we can deliver the ufological goods (a definitive smoking-gun, a bit of alien DNA, the accelerator pedal from the Roswell craft, or...well, the list goes on), no-one outside of our little community is going to pay any attention to us, no matter what we wear!

But whole swathes of Ufology think it does matter! Amazing! No, actually. It's amazingly dumb. Evidence, and only evidence will ever legitimize Ufology for the vast majority of the people and the media.

It matters not a bit what you wear to talk about your particular area of research. Why? Because of the very fact you are talking about UFOs!!!

And that's why the 1998 Nick of above doesn't exist anymore (thankfully he barely existed for a year or so), and the Nick of just about every year before 1997 and after 1998 (and as shown in the 2011 photo below) does exist.

If you're a UFO researcher or author and you get asked to do a lecture, fine. And if you like to wear a suit and tie on stage then fine; wear the damn things. But don't wear them because you think it's going to somehow advance and help the ufological cause.

Anyone who disagrees, please line up for a good punch in the face to knock some sense into you.

UFOs & Government: New Book


This just in from Anomalist Books:

"Get ready: UFOs are about to make history. Governments have been concerned about UFO sighting reports since WWII, but historians have never made a concerted attempt to understand their often contradictory responses to the phenomenon. How could something of such potential technological and national security consequence have left no visible trace in the history books?

"Whether it’s a conspiracy or not, the subject has been marginalized to such an extent that it’s as if the military never acted with alarm on the heels of a UFO sighting, as if the intelligence community never took up the issue behind closed doors, as if government research and development efforts never attempted to duplicate the phenomenon. But they have.

"So now a collection of veteran UFO historians and researchers have attempted to address this historical oversight with the publication of a new book entitled UFOs and Government: A Historical Inquiry. The authors have spent more than four years researching thousands of government documents and archives in order to present a work of historical scholarship on the U.S. government’s bungling response to the UFO phenomenon. How and why the U.S. government—and other governments around the world—have dealt with the UFO phenomenon during most of a century is the focus of this historical inquiry.

"The remarkable story explains much that is new, or at least not commonly known, about the seriousness with which the military and intelligence communities approached the UFO problem internally. It also reveals how the subject became treated as if it were a triviality, and why the United States government deemed it wise to treat it so.

"Though the book focuses primarily on the U.S. government’s response to the UFO phenomenon—revealing how bureaucracies fight amongst themselves, protect themselves, and in the end fail to serve the public—also included is the treatment of the subject by the governments of Sweden, Australia, France, Spain, and other countries.

"The book’s international cast of authors was headed by Michael Swords, a retired professor at Western Michigan University with an extensive knowledge of UFO history, and managed by Robert Powell, director of research at the Mutual UFO Network."

On The Trail Of The Saucer Spies



One of the most intriguing disclosures contained in the newly-surfaced Ministry of Defense files on UFOs is the reference to people in the UK-based UFO research field who had been secretly watched by officialdom.

The National Archive summarizes this information as follows:

"File DEFE 24/1984/1 (p294) contains a 1996 Parliamentary Question from Martin Redmond MP asking on how many occasions MI6 and GCHQ have monitored UFO investigations. This was interpreted to mean 'have the agencies been keeping watch on UFOlogists.' A background briefing says 'neither agency in fact undertakes such activity, though GCHQ cannot rule out the possibility' they had monitored 'in other contexts individuals who have made a study of UFOs'. The MP was told the government do not comment on the intelligence and security agencies (p298). File DEFE 24/1987/1 (p262-65) reveals that in 1997 Special Branch took an interest in a UFOlogist who became obsessed with rumours of a secret UFO facility beneath RAF Rudloe Manor in Wiltshire. The base had become known as the British equivalent of the secret US military airbase 'Area 51' among conspiracy theorists. An internal note said 'Special Branch…do not believe he poses a specific threat to security, but they are alert to the risk that others may use him as a conduit for their activities.'"

Well, since the summary fails to note the names of the people in question, I will.

Back in 1997, Robin Cole, of Cheltenham, England - the home to GCHQ (the Government Communications Headquarters) - wrote a fascinating report on the agency's involvement in the UFO phenomenon. And, for those who may not be aware, GCHQ is the UK equivalent of the US National Security Agency.

After Cole's report was published, he was visited by two representatives of the UK's Special Branch. And since the pair announced their visit in advance (via a phone-call), Robin had the sense to clandestinely set up his tape-recorder in his living-room and taped the entire conversation, much of which revolved around Special Branch's interest in a UFO researcher and Crop Circle maker named Matthew Williams - who just happens to be the "UFOlogist who became obsessed" with RAF Rudloe Manor, as referenced by National Archives staff above. And that's Matt below, photographed by me in Vegas four or five years ago:


I wrote extensively about the very (and I do mean VERY) weird affair of Cole and Williams in my 2006 book, On the Trail of the Saucer Spies, including the Special Branch saga as it related to both Matt and Robin.

It's an extremely strange story filled with phone and house surveillance, possibly illegal entry into someone's home, the Royal Air Force's Provost and Security Services, and much, much more.

At the time the book was published, certain people in Ufology said it was laughable to think that Special Branch and GCHQ might be involved in watching UFO researchers (even tangentially), but I'm very pleased to see that six years after On the Trail of the Saucer Spies was written, the files finally demonstrate the story was correct.

And Matt and Robin were far from alone in being watched - and that goes for UFO researchers on both sides of the Atlantic...

Thursday, July 12, 2012

The Prime-Minister, the Government, the Book...


Yep, this is an absolute 100 percent, bona fide, shameless, outrageous (etc, etc) plug for my book A Covert Agenda - the one that seemingly attracted the attention of a few people in the British Ministry of Defense and Prime Minister Tony Blair's office in 1997.

While the original UK edition is still available (even, technically, in "new" condition), it is not actually being reprinted anymore and hasn't been for a very long time.

However, the US edition (pictured) is still in print.

Published by Cosimo, you can find all the info on A Covert Agenda right here.

End of shameless plug!

Knock, Knock, Who's There? Bigfoot!



In a new post at her blog, Linda Godfrey (The Beast of Bray Road, Real Wolfmen) begins...

"If a tree branch falls in the forest …

"Sunday, July 8, 2012, at about 7:30 PM, I decided to take a short hike in a little area of southern Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine area that I’ve walked for about 19 years without incident. While strolling along next to a deep kettle, a huge bowl-shaped depression left by the last glacier, I noticed three young saplings had been bent over by someone or something to form a perfect rainbow-styled arch. I know this sort of formation can happen naturally, but some people believe Bigfoot creates these tree sculptures for various reasons. Anyway, it made me start wondering if this could be a good habitat for a Sasquatch.

"That gave me the idea to pick up a stick and bang on a nearby tree a few times, just as a lark. I’ve never been sure about the efficacy of having a crowd of Bigfoot hunters pounding trees en masse, but I think it might not seem so much of a threatening invasion if there are only one or two people hitting a tree – keeping in mind that we still don’t know for sure what such knocks might mean to a ‘Squatch."

Well, Linda got an answer to those knocks - and a pretty amazing one too!

More on the Blair Story



Here's a couple of additional items on this new release of UFO files in Britain - one from England's Daily Telegraph newspaper, and the other from Dr. Dave Clarke's site, which is without doubt the most accurate and detailed account of the affair.

And I've already had an email arrive this morning from what is clearly a paid-up member of the tinfoil hat brigade, ranting on about me being one of (what else?) "them." I suspect this means I'm supposed to work for "the government."

It says a lot about certain people in Ufology when I try and open a few doors to get the files released and I end up - 15 years later - getting this (copy-pasted below without corrections from me to the shitty spelling and punctuation):

"If they read youer book then they must have spoken to you about it. Theres a belief you wree part of the process of getting people ready and these files prove it."

Er...no. No-one spoke to me, and no I'm not "getting people ready" for anything. Although, if I ever meet this fool I may get them ready for a broken jaw.

I wrote A Covert Agenda 15 years ago, and thought that - because the book contained official papers on UFOs, many of which had not been seen publicly before - it might be a good idea to send a copy to Blair in the hope - even the remote hope - that it could, in theory, lead to a positive development or several. And that's it.

In fact, since I heard no more - beyond receiving a standard reply along the lines of: "Thank you for your book, blah, blah, blah..." - I forgot about the whole thing until yesterday, when I was told about the files and the references contained in them to my book.

That won't stop the tin-foil terrors from coming up with additional claims, I'm sure. If they do, I'll be sure to post them here.

Me, UFOs and Tony Blair!



Back in 1997, when my first book, A Covert Agenda, was published, a copy of it was sent to the then British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

And, since the book contained pretty much all the then-very-limited amount of official UFO documentation in the public domain, I sent a letter with the book, along the lines of: "Oi, Tony! Give us the Government's UFO files!"

Well, it seems this provoked a bit of a back and forth debate behind-closed-doors about the book, some of which related to an extract from A Covert Agenda that appeared in England's People newspaper, as well as a couple of other items.

The newly-released documents (which I now have) aren't in any way spectacular, nor do they demonstrate anything more than a cursory glance at the book, and probably a weary sigh or several from the suits in the Ministry of Defense! But, they're worth a look.

And here's the story from the BBC.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

More Roswell/CIA Debate



Kevin Randle wades into the new controversy surrounding Roswell and the CIA and makes some good points in the process. Kevin's view, in his own words: "Crapola."

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Men of Mystery


Here's a new book I was sent a review copy of last week: Men of Mystery: Nikola Tesla and Otis T. Carr by Tim Beckley and Tim Swartz.

One of the things that fascinates me about Forteana is not just the phenomenon, but the people in it. Yeah, most of us are relatively normal (in varying degrees! LOL), but there are always those for who the term "eccentric" was made. And I don't mean that as a bad thing at all: eccentricity can be a very positive thing in a world that expects us all to conform more and more as each day passes.

And two people who certainly fit the bill in the weird stakes are Tesla and Carr, whose lives and careers the Two-Tims do a fine job of addressing, studying and revealing.

As far as the former is concerned, we get a reprint of Michael X's Tesla: Man of Mystery, which was originally published in 1992 and offers a good, solid and insightful look at the man, his life, career, patents, inventions and the mystique and mystery that dominates his legend to this very day.

We are also treated to Tesla's very own autobiography which provides a massive amount of data not just on his work, but his childhood, upbringing and much more.

Then there is Otis T. Carr...

A definitive "character" who I wrote about in my Contactees book, he was a man who fitted perfectly in the domain of 1950s Saucerology. Eccentric and controversial (he championed the whole "Free Energy Technology" field of the day) Carr ended up in the slammer for his troubles and left a legacy filled with questions, debate and much more.

And if you want to find out more about Carr, then Men of Mystery is the perfect place to find it, as we get treated to such hard-to-find items as an article on the man from a 1958 issue of Fate; an extract on Carr from Margaret Storm's Return of the Dove; a priceless - and at times unintentionally hilarious - transcript of an interview with Carr on the Long John Nebel Show; and some cool, old photos and artwork.

Of course, in view of the above, what Men of Mystery does is not just inform us on the lives of Tesla and Carr, but massively entertain us in the process, too.

Modern day Ufology is never this much fun!

Monday, July 9, 2012

My Cover Gets Blown



Well, over at the Intrepid Magazine blog, Red Pill Junkie finally blows my cover, and the secret is out! But which theory is the truth...?

Saturday, July 7, 2012

High Strangeness in '77

At his Twilight Language blog, Loren Coleman delves into the overwhelming weirdness of 1977.

As Loren notes of that long-gone year: "It may have been a milestone point of change, coming on a synchromystic Jungian wave of passions and promises."

Now you know what you have to do: READ ON!

The 10 Commandments of Paranormal TV


All Praise The Great God Of Night-Vision, For He Doth Rule Paranormal TV

Would it be possible - just once will be fine! - to see a supernatural, paranormal or Fortean-themed "Reality TV" show that offers the viewer at least a bit of originality?

It's almost like there's a book that all the writers, directors and producers consult before they lazily crank out the latest piece of tat. Perhaps there is...

Here are, as I see them anyway, the Ten Commandments of supernatural on-screen "entertainment" (in no particular order). There's nothing positive about these commandments, however. Unless you view "predictable" and "tedious" as having merit - which I don't.

1. Thou shalt always have thy team comprised of more men than women. The former should generally sport some form of headwear (either a baseball cap or something befitting Indiana Jones). The latter should always be kept away from Manna from Heaven and the food of the gods. Anorexic-looking, in other words.

2. Ensure that thy cast doth drive a flashy all-terrain vehicle rather than a car. If that same vehicle can be filled with lots of cameras, weird-looking devices and advanced technologies - and bountiful shots of such items can be captured for the viewer - ye will reap rewards beyond thy imagination (that's to say you will get your expenses paid a week early).

3. Lest ye risk facing the wrath of the Almighty (in this case the TV channel that is funding the show), thou shalt secure a great deal of night-vision footage. And not for any particular reason, aside from, well, it's night-vision footage and everyone else's show has it, so why not thy heroes, too?

4. To avoid forever being plunged into the heart of some hellish realm, ensure that at least every 5 minutes one of thy cast members utters a variation of the following words (which must always be whispered, rather than spoken or shouted): "What the hell was that?!" "Did you hear that?!" "What the f**k is that?!" "Can you see that?!"

5. Take careful steps never to forget that, when a commercial break doth loom large on the horizon, thou shalt build up the atmosphere with something that appears mysterious, but - Lo and Behold! - after the break, thy team will resolve the matter in down to earth, jokey, semi-relieved style.

6. Verily, in the commercials that promote the show in the hours before it is broadcast, always be careful to ensure that at least one person's words are edited in a fashion that takes them totally out of their original context.

7. Stress to thy heroes of the hour (or half an hour, depending on budget) that at some point they must speak in an out of breath fashion, and if this can be done while running from something terrible (but actually non-existent), ye will all be granted entrance into the next joyous realm of existence (or, as it's also known: Season Two).

8. Never forget that haunted houses and creature-infested woods should not be entered into until the sun has set and darkness is upon both ye and the land. Daylight shootings will provoke a wrath of unimaginable horror. Its almost unspeakable name is: Falling Ratings.

9. Do thy utmost to make sure the team comes across as more learned and intelligent than the witnesses they encounter on their journey towards enlightenment.

10. And, finally, the most important commandment of all, and one of definitive behind-the-scenes proportions: when trying to secure the services of people to appear on thy show, always ensure that the researcher whose job it is to phone the witnesses, authors and investigators reads the following sacred verse: "Hi, I'm [Insert Name] from the [Insert Name] Channel. We would like to interview your for our show [Yep, again: Insert Name]. But, unfortunately, we can't pay you as we don't have much of a budget [Yes, you do, you lying prick]. But it will be good publicity for you, we'll try and pay all your airfare, and we'll even buy you a coke. How's that sound?"

Production companies: unless ye wish to forever burn in the fiery pit (the definition of which is: failure to secure a second season), pay careful heed to the above and never stray from the pathway to  glory on high. Nah, screw it: just go and forever burn in the fiery pit.