UFOs, visitors are here – situation mysterious, says author

By Steve Hammons

Well-known author Whitley Strieber’s April 26 entry in the “Whitley’s Journal” section of his Web site provides interesting reading about “disclosure” on UFOs and visitation to Earth by other intelligent beings.

In his entry titled “A New World, If We Can Take It,” Strieber writes that, “the primary directions contact will take are two.”

“First, and most important, it will be between individuals and the visitors, without any institutional barrier such as some NASA or Air Force officials directing our actions or laws restricting or channeling contact.”

“Second, it will involve scientists working publicly on data that can be readily obtained in dozens of different ways, to make sense of contact in terms that are meaningful to us,” Strieber says.

Strieber has a long track record of providing meaningful and valuable perspectives on subjects from global climate change to human consciousness to UFOs and visitation by intelligent beings.

Although he wrote several good novels earlier in his career, his 1987 book Communion thrust him into the public eye more than ever. The book described his apparent contact with intelligent beings who appeared to be extraterrestrial and/or extra-dimensional. Several of his subsequent books continued the exploration of these topics.

Strieber’s under-appreciated 1989 novel Majestic presented an insightful scenario about what may have taken place surrounding the alleged 1947 Roswell incident.

GRASSROOTS CONTACT

What is some of Strieber’s other current thinking on these kinds of unusual subjects? He writes that the apparent “shoot ‘em down” UFO policy of the U.S. government was counterproductive.

Strieber seems to feel that this kind of stance by the U.S. government reflected a blocking of contact between humans and visiting beings.

This apparent governmental position “has blocked our evolutionary path and left us trapped on a planet that is becoming unable to support us and could, more or less at any time, start malfunctioning in ways that could induce a massive dieback of our species,” Strieber writes.

In a hopeful view, he also suggests that we can optimize this kind of contact.

Strieber writes, “Of course there is another chance. But it does not involve our existing authorities and institutions. In fact, it has nothing to do with institutional authority except insofar as it must stand aside in order for contact to proceed.”

He says, “As matters now stand, if there was an admission at the highest levels of the U.S. government similar to that already made by numerous other governments, there will follow an effort to manage information flow by directing the media to NASA, the U.S. Air Force and such quasi-governmental groups as the MUFON leadership. However, these groups probably have little to nothing of any value to offer.”

“The release of the much vaunted ‘secret knowledge’ supposedly in possession of the US government probably doesn't much matter,” he writes.

“It has most likely been obtained, for the most part, by people who lacked any real ability to interact with our visitors, and not only has little value, it might even be tainted by inaccuracies, incorrect conclusions and falsehoods that are designed to make us feel a need to hide behind the authority of the very institutions that would be releasing the supposed 'bombshells,' in an effort to terrify us into preserving them,” says Strieber.

When he says “for the most part,” Strieber might be hinting that he has a bit of faith that some U.S. military, intelligence and scientific personnel may have developed the appropriate insight about the scenario, or at least a constructive perspective.

Strieber appears to favor a more democratic and grassroots approach, suggesting that the academic community, scientists, researchers, journalists, investigators and average people become more involved in the situation.

According to Strieber, “If, in addition to the end of official denial and the constant scrambling of armed aircraft, there comes a properly constituted and new effort to understand by scientists who work outside of the U.S. government – for example, in the academic community – then there will also be a response.”

“The more accurate the conclusions that enter scientific culture, the richer and more complex the visitors' reaction to them will become. Useful understanding will lead to the appearance of more information,” he states.

DOLPHINS AND EXTRATERRESTRIALS

But how do we follow Strieber’s advice? This alleged situation of UFOs and visiting beings does not seem to be widely accepted at this time in the scientific community, the news media, some government circles or the general public.

Or, maybe it is just unclear how accepted some version of this scenario is. It seems to be steadily evolving.

Strieber provides the following guidance: “In reality, the way the visitors function and what happens to people in their proximity suggests that they perceive the world very, very differently from the way we do.”

“For example, when you are face to face with the small gray beings that form such a large part of the presence we see, and figure so extensively in its folklore, there is no sense that you are with people. Rather, it's like being with animals who are much more intelligent than you are. This is because there is absolutely no cultural familiarity at all. None.”

Strieber makes a possibly very useful comparison to humans and dolphins (cetaceans), and our comparative intelligence and consciousness. He notes, “How can officials engage with somebody whose meaning lies beyond a gap far more vast than that between us and, say, dolphins?”

“We haven't the slightest idea what cetaceans may be saying to each other, or even what language means to them, if anything. And our visitors – even those who appear to engage with us verbally – are far, far more different from us than any earthly species.”

For those wishing to explore this aspect, there has been extensive research on dolphins that is well-documented and available on the Web. The work of John C. Lilly, M.D., is especially useful. Interestingly, Lilly investigated not only dolphin consciousness, but human consciousness as well.

Strieber notes that human consciousness, perception and awareness are part of the situation. He might be implying that our thinking logical minds can be combined with our alternative perceptions such as dreaming states, intuition and the human “sixth sense” to understand and deal with such a scenario.

He seems to recognize that government officials are in a difficult situation. There may be no easy answers about what approaches would be best. It is a complex and mysterious dilemma, at least to most people – and apparently including Strieber.

As he and others have pointed out, maybe it is supposed to be a mystery.

However, in his journal entry, Strieber ponders the day when a government official might announce, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have known for some time that a nonhuman intelligence appears to be present here. Beyond that, we have learned little of any value. Our own forces will now stand down, in the hope and expectation that the people and public sector science can learn more, and gain for mankind the value that appears to be available to us."

Read Strieber's entire journal entry at UnknownCountry.com.

New book examines West Virginia UFOs, strange encounters

By Steve Hammons

West Virginia journalist Kyle Lovern brings us a straightforward, down-to-earth and amazing picture of UFO encounters and other mysteries from his home state in his new book Appalachian Case Study: UFO Sightings, Alien Encounters.

An award-winning writer born and raised in West Virginia, Lovern uses his professional experience from newspaper and radio work in his interviews with other West Virginians about their unusual UFO sightings and other experiences in the Appalachian Mountain region.

He chronicles sixteen separate incidents in which average people came into contact with UFOs, strange creatures and other mysterious situations.

In some cases, Lovern’s interview subjects told him of events long ago – in their childhoods for some of the people. Other accounts reported more recent incidents.

He points out that he used only the most credible cases from highly-reliable witnesses.

At 98 pages in length, the book gets to the point and reports facts and witness accounts in ways that are convincing and very interesting.

SIGHTING AND ENCOUNTER CASES

Most of the book is structured with chapters focusing on each of the 16 cases, although Lovern includes relevant background material at the beginning and end of the book.

In “Sighting One,” 18-year-old Dave, who would later be drafted for the Vietnam War, spots a large somewhat triangular UFO while hunting in the woods. Years later, he has another surprising encounter and may have experienced “missing time.”

“Sighting Two” tells the story of a couple, Bill and Jane, who see a large cigar-shape object. At the same time, their truck engine and electrical system malfunction mysteriously.

In “Sighting Three,” readers learn about the story of a Walt, a man who was 6 years old in 1952 when a bright multi-colored UFO hovered over his rural home. Although his mother witnessed it too, his father seemed in a daze of some kind and did not respond to the extraordinary event.

The sixteen cases are all unique in various ways.

One is a 1966 too-close sighting of the anomalous creature known as the “Mothman” that was seen by many witnesses in West Virginia in the 1960s.

In another incident, a witness named Mary tells of when she was 16 years old in 1955 and saw several cigar-shaped lights flying at tremendous speed over her home in southern West Virginia.

After reading all of Lovern’s 16 cases, readers will get a good picture of the many unusual sightings and fascinating encounters over the decades experienced by West Virginians from all walks of life.

The author notes that West Virginia is not far from Washington, D.C., to the east, or from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to the west in southwestern Ohio where UFO activities have reportedly taken place over the years.

Lovern wonders if these might be factors related to West Virginia sightings.

In a sense, Lovern’s focus on West Virginia can be seen as a microcosm of other parts of the Appalachian Mountain region as well as other unique areas of the U.S. and the world. Ancient legends of UFOs and visitors from elsewhere are found in many cultures around the globe.

Although we think of modern-day UFO sightings as beginning with the “foo fighters” spotted by U.S. air crews during World War II, other research indicates that UFOs were spotted over the U.S. in the 1800s and possibly going back in history for centuries.

MOUNTAIN STATE MYSTERIES

Is there anything else about West Virginia worth looking at when it comes to mysterious phenomena?

The Appalachian Mountain range, sometimes referred to as the Allegheny Mountains, extends approximately 1,500 miles from Alabama north to Newfoundland, Canada.

However, we most often think of the Appalachian region in terms of the southern part of the range, which runs through the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, although portions of the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Georgia.

Spanish explorers in Florida in 1528 encountered a tribe whose name was interpreted as or referred to as the Appalachee, which evolved into the word Appalachia and identified the mountain range to the north.

Many people today think of Appalachia as an economically stressed region known for coal mining and rural mountain life. However, the region has a very rich and ancient history.

West Virginia and the Appalachian region were the homelands of many Native American Indian tribes. Indians who lived West Virginia and the surrounding region include the Shawnee, Mingo and Cherokee. Native Americans had lived there for thousands of years.

Europeans first came to the region primarily in the 1700s and included explorers and settlers of English, Scottish, Scots-Irish – Celtic backgrounds.

In those days, many marriages between these Europeans and Indians occurred. The significant genetic merging of these groups is evident today as many families from the region recall Indian ancestry in the family tree.

The Celtic traditions and Native American Indian cultures both have been a focus of interest by some researchers in regard to unique modes of thinking and awareness, and possibly “anomalous cognition,” a term referring to unique kinds of human perception and experiences.

Lovern’s second book on UFOs and unusual phenomena is due out later this summer. If it is anything like Appalachian Case Study: UFO Sightings, Alien Encounters, it is sure to be a level-headed and factual look at situations that we do not fully understand at this time.

By reading Lovern’s books and getting more information from many sources, we can become more aware of unusual things going on around us, and within us.

Former astronaut says Roswell UFO crash true

By Steve Hammons

According to a CNN report April 20, 2009, former astronaut Edgar Mitchell told an audience at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., that the basic story of a 1947 UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico, is true.

Mitchell was an astronaut on the Apollo 14 mission to the moon in 1971 and he spoke at the National Press Club after the fifth annual X-Conference, an event focused on research involving UFOs.

CNN reported that Mitchell told journalists that there is firm knowledge that extraterrestrial life exists and this information is being held back from the general public in the U.S. and internationally.

Mitchell was raised in Roswell and knew many of the townspeople there. He said they confided to him years later about what they knew, although they had been told to keep the information quiet.

In addition, Mitchell said that about 10 years ago a Navy admiral working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed to him that a UFO had crashed at Roswell.

Citing the existence of evidence, Mitchell stated, “No, we're not alone.”

ROSWELL AND SECURITY

Mitchell’s statements are not surprising to many researchers and average citizens. Other people might find Mitchell’s comments unsettling because there is also a natural skepticism about claims of UFOs and visitation to Earth by beings from other planets (and/or dimensions).

Claims of this kind coming from a respected and highly-trained person like Mitchell are not easily dismissed.

Information about an alleged crash of a spacecraft piloted by intelligent beings has been around for decades. Books, articles, movies and TV shows have told the story.

However, thinking about the possible reality of such a situation leads to many other questions: What else has happened in the area of UFOs? Have we made contact with other civilizations visiting our planet? Are they friend or foe? Can they help us solve some of the problems of the human race? Why has there been so much secrecy?

In the many accounts and tales about the Roswell incident, it is often noted that in the summer of 1947 the U.S. had just ended a devastating period during World War II. Military secrecy and security had been of the utmost importance during the war.

Some of the first people to learn about the Roswell crash were Army Air Corps (forerunner of the U.S. Air Force) personnel from the nearby Roswell Army Air Field, including intelligence officers.

Despite an intriguing press release that was issued to the media by the RAAF public information officer about a flying saucer being obtained by base officials, higher command quickly dismissed the story as a case of mistaken identity – the debris found was actually a weather balloon-type device, news reporters were told.

Behind the scenes of such a scenario, it would be logical to consider that the Truman administration, Pentagon and intelligence officials would have been shocked and concerned, both about the incident itself and the psychological, emotional and social ramifications for Americans.

ACCLIMATION THEN AND NOW

Are we any more psychologically prepared today than in 1947? Mitchell seems to think so. And so do many other researchers.

Despite the perceived need for robust security reportedly involved in the Roswell incident and subsequent developments, some researchers say that the American public has slowly and steadily received “acclimation” to get used to the idea of extraterrestrial visitors.

Some of this acclimation has allegedly been through the entertainment media and in fictional form as well as the management of information carefully released in indirect ways to the public.

American kids raised on TV and movies since the 1950s have become used to the idea of extraterrestrials coming to Earth. Of course, a real-life situation takes exciting movie adventures to another level and could naturally cause anxiety.

We humans don’t have a great track record getting along with each other, let alone extraterrestrial beings who might be quite different from ourselves.

In addition to strange visitors, the situation could be quite complex. Our understanding of science and nature, the Universe, spirituality and even the human race itself could be given quite a shock.

If Mitchell is accurate in his statements, then certainly much has been learned since 1947 by people who have been given the task of handling such an important and complex situation. How much information is the public able to understand and accept? Is it good news or bad news, or a mixture of both?

If the Roswell incident was real, as Mitchell claims, what has been going on since that time related to extraterrestrial visitors? Were some of the security measures, scientific research and other activities questionable – either by human officials or visitors?

One thing seems clear, Mitchell has moved the ball forward on acclimation of our society and people internationally about the possibility, or probability, that the human race and Earth are being visited from elsewhere and that we need to prepare ourselves.

PBS launches Native American Indian TV saga 'We Shall Remain' April 13

By Steve Hammons

A five-part TV program on the Public Broadcasting System’s (PBS) “American Experience” series begins Monday, April 13, and will continue on subsequent Mondays through May 11.

The groundbreaking presentation, “We Shall Remain,” looks at American history since the arrival of Europeans from the Native American Indian points of view.

The five segments of the program include: “After the Mayflower” (part one, April 13), “Tecumseh’s Vision” (part two, April 20), “Trail of Tears” (part three, April 27), “Geronimo” (part four, May 4) and “Wounded Knee” (part five, May 11).

The award-winning filmmakers involved include Chris Eyre, Ric Burns, Dustinn Craig, Stanley Nelson and executive producers Mark Samels and Sharon Grimberg, according to the “We Shall Remain” Web site.

The TV series itself is part of a larger effort that includes a nationwide community involvement campaign involving Native American Indian communities, organizations and radio stations.

In addition the overall project involves coordination and outreach with and through public television stations, universities, schools, libraries and museums.

Related activities and events include special screenings, lectures, discussions and conferences. A comprehensive teacher’s guide for social studies curriculum has also been developed.

SEGMENTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY

The “We Shall Remain” Web site provides overviews of the program that briefly describe each show.

In part one, “After the Mayflower,” viewers go back to 1621 when the Wampanoa people in New England made a treaty with the new settlers – the Pilgrims. A few decades later, war erupts between regional Indians and the English.

Part two, “Tecumseh’s Vision,” covers the Indian leader Tecumseh who helped coordinate a joint resistance involving many tribes against the European invaders in their land.

“Trail of Tears,” part three, takes us to the horrible tragedy experienced by the Cherokee people of the Southeast and Appalachian Mountain region. After adapting to the white man’s ways, including much intermarriage, most Cherokee were forced from their ancestral homeland to western lands.

The fourth segment, “Geronimo,” then shows us the same struggle years later as settlers and the authority of the United States government moved into the American Southwest.

Finally, part five, “Wounded Knee,” brings us to contemporary times and the 1973 incident involving demands of the American Indian Movement for justice.

The “We Shall Remain” Web site calls the project “an unprecedented collaboration between Native and non-Native filmmakers and involves Native advisors and scholars at all levels of the project.”

The program “could not have been made without the extensive involvement of Native people. In addition to the involvement of Native directors, producers and professional actors, the production teams reached out to Native communities to cast dozens of non-professional actors who brought a wealth of knowledge about their cultures to the set,” according the program’s Web site.

COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL EXPERIENCE

The program’s Web site also includes detailed information on the many activities and efforts associated with the TV series itself.

A trailer, information on the cast and crew, feature videos and a photo gallery are available on the site. Lists of, and links to coalitions, groups and supporters who will “plan and sponsor activities that promote understanding of local Native history and contemporary life” can also be found there.

The many planned local events around the country include a featured event at Northeastern State University (NSU) in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on April 14. The evening’s activities will feature an advance screening of the “Trail of Tears” segment.

Actor Wes Studi, who appears in the program, and executive producer Sharon Grimberg will be present. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith, the Cherokee National Youth Choir and local cast members will also be in attendance.

The activities are hosted by Indian University Scholars Society (IUSS) and sponsors include the NSU Office of Academic Affairs, NSU Center for Tribal Studies and Cherokee Nation.

Other endeavors associated with “We Shall Remain” include educational resources that “incorporate video segments from the five documentaries into social studies resources, offering both viewing and comprehension aids and classroom activities,” according to the program’s online site.

“This resource will inspire and support teachers to integrate Native history and issues into their curricula and encourage them to present Native history as an integral part of American history,” the site explained.

The National Library Initiative involved with the program is a joint effort with the American Library Association (ALA) and “to build awareness of the series among librarians, Native organizations, scholars and writers.”

In addition, “A library event kit developed specifically for public, college, school, and tribal libraries will be distributed to 17,000 public libraries, as well as to all tribal libraries. Features include storytelling days, Native literature reading circles, cross-cultural art projects for youth, discussion forums, guidelines for evaluating media about Native peoples, and an extensive bibliography of book, film and Internet resources,” according to the program’s site.

Exclusive corporate funding for “We Shall Remain” was provided by Liberty Mutual, with major funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Additional Funding was provided by National Endowment for the Humanities, Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, Kalliopeia Foundation, Gretchen Stone Cook Charitable Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Public TV station WGBH in Boston produces the “American Experience” series.

For more information, visit the "We Shall Remain" Web site at:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/

Ancient American Indian legends include mystical woman, UFO visitors

By Steve Hammons

Does current scientific understanding have connections with ancient accounts of mystical and metaphysical phenomena?

When we hear modern scientists discussing parallel dimensions and mysterious discoveries, can we draw any conclusions about traditional legends of the “First Americans,” Native American Indians?

As we read about the stories from the Hopi and other tribes about visitors from the stars, do we wonder if there is an association with modern-day reports of UFOs?

In 2005, NASA helped promote “Sun-Earth Day,” an observation and celebration that happens on or near the spring equinox each year.

As part of this activity, the NASA Web site featured the section “Ancient Observations, Timeless Knowledge” and a sub-section called “Native American Connections.”

MYSTICAL WOMAN, SACRED PIPE

Among the Native American Indian scholars, astronauts and others featured on the site, a brief biographical overview of Joseph Chasing Horse is included.

The NASA site explains that Chasing Horse is a Lakota and “ambassador to the United Nations for the Lakota Sioux Nations, an ordained Sundance chief and a descendant of the great spiritual leader, Crazy Horse.”

The NASA site also notes that, “With expertise in the fields of educational and environmental issues, he has worked with NASA. As a cross cultural consultant he has assisted JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) in developing Lakota Star Knowledge curriculum. He also serves as liaison between NASA and many traditional Indian communities …”

In addition, the NASA site points out that Chasing Horse, “serves as emissary to … the nineteenth caretaker of the sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe.”

What is the White Buffalo Calf Pipe, and what meaning does it have for us today?

From other online resources, we can learn about the time long past – said to be 2,000 years ago – when a mystical being came to the Lakota. Her name was White Buffalo Calf Woman.

Other Native American Indian tribes reportedly have similar legends of such a being.

According to Chasing Horse, “They say a cloud came down from the sky, and off of the cloud stepped the white buffalo calf. As it rolled onto the earth, the calf stood up and became this beautiful young woman who was carrying the sacred bundle in her hand.”

“She spent four days among our people and taught them about the sacred bundle, the meaning of it.”

“When she was done teaching all our people, she left the way she came. She went out of the circle, and as she was leaving she turned and told our people that she would return one day for the sacred bundle. And she left the sacred bundle, which we still have to this very day,” Chasing Horse said.

“The sacred bundle is known as the White Buffalo Calf pipe because it was brought by the White Buffalo Calf Woman. It is kept in a sacred place … by a man who is known as the keeper of the White Buffalo Calf pipe.”

Chasing Horse tells us, “When White Buffalo Calf Woman promised to return again, she made some prophecies at that time. One of those prophesies was that the birth of a white buffalo calf would be a sign that it would be near the time when she would return again to purify the world. What she meant by that was that she would bring back harmony again and balance, spiritually.”

CONNECTING THE DOTS

As the human race struggles today with many problems and challenges around the world, we might find valuable information in ancient accounts, such as that of the White Buffalo Calf Woman and the sacred pipe.

Here in North America, we have many direct links to the ancient perceptions of Native American Indian peoples. Not only do we have a vast array of historical literature and tribal stories available, but millions of Americans today have Indian ancestry.

In addition to single-tribe full-blood Indians, many people are a mix of two or more tribes. Other Americans have a diverse blend of European and Indian bloodlines. Black and Hispanic Americans also often have Native American Indian DNA within their genetic backgrounds.

In fact, this reality may be not fully understood because many American families do not even remember those long-ago Indian ancestors far back in the family tree.

But, could greater awareness associated with this situation be emerging now? Is the consciousness that people like Joseph Chasing Horse describes rising in America today?

Research into DNA mapping is really just beginning, as are the connections between our DNA, consciousness and even more unconventional theories about human genetics.

Significant scientific discoveries in many fields seem to be pointing toward unusual and surprising developments that make connections between our modern world and ancient understanding. These connections cross different fields of study. They provide a more cohesive picture derived from joint studies and observations.

They may fit in to a new kind of transcendent awareness about Nature and the reality around us and within us.

As we consider the possibilities of emerging new consciousness and understanding, we might wonder about the ancient Lakota reports of the White Buffalo Calf Woman.

Does she represent the qualities of Nature, Earth and the Universe (or “multiverse”) that we are reconnecting with today?

Will she be returning soon? And if so, how?

Visit the NASA Native American Connections site at: http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2005/na/

Book 'Hunt for the Skinwalker' is investigation of the unknown

By Steve Hammons

The non-fiction book Hunt for the Skinwalker, published in 2005, is a fascinating account of a scientific research team's investigation into unusual phenomena at a remote Utah ranch.

Written by research scientist Colm A. Kelleher, Ph.D., and award-winning investigative journalist George Knapp, the book takes readers on an exciting, mysterious and somewhat frightening adventure into the unknown.

The full title is Hunt for the Skinwalker: Science Confronts the Unexplained at a Remote Utah Ranch.

The book begins as a cattle-ranching family is getting settled into their new 480-acre spread in northeastern Utah, where they had moved from New Mexico.

It's a lovely place, perfect for their high-quality registered cattle and a lifestyle living close to the land in a rural setting.

Before long, very unusual things begin to happen. Odd, oversized wolf-like creatures come around the ranch. Stranger still, the animals seem impervious to bullets.

Items from everyday utensils to work tools disappear, only to show up later in different locations.

Cattle are found mutilated consistent with other such cases in the West and Midwest.

Small glowing orbs and larger UFO-like craft hover and zip around the ranch.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

RESEARCH TEAM ARRIVES

Kelleher and a scientific investigative team from a group called the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS) arrived at the ranch to conduct extensive research on the strange goings-on. They reported to a NIDS scientific advisory board.

In fact, NIDS eventually buys the ranch from the family, who by that time has had more than enough of the many odd events. The family moves off the ranch and the investigative team moves in.

However, the family also wants to understand what was going on and assists the researchers, giving detailed accounts of what they have observed and experienced.

It doesn't take long for the researchers to learn that odd things had been going on at the ranch for decades or maybe centuries.

The local Ute Indians believed that the ranch was "in the path of the skinwalker," an evil entity. The Utes stayed away from the area on which the ranch was located.

The Utes, as well as Navajo and other tribes use the term "skinwalker" to describe an Indian who has delved into evil witchery and dark magic. In Indian lore, a skinwalker can assume the form of other animals.

Hence, the Utes in the region near the ranch traditionally considered at least some of the bizarre things going on there as the work of a skinwalker.

Tales among the local Utes about strange happenings in the area of the ranch go back at least 15 generations, according to the investigators.

Kelleher and the researchers also noted that the region's Indian tribes have had conflicts and wars over the centuries, as well as with the Spanish and Americans. Black "Buffalo Soldiers" of the U.S. Cavalry were stationed in the area.

INVESTIGATING THE SITUATION

Armed with a variety of high-tech instruments, the researchers set up observation stations, at times peering through night-vision equipment and taking scientific measurements on the environment at the ranch.

They, too, observed and experienced strange and sometimes frightening incidents that they could not explain.

A unique aspect of the odd activities on the ranch was that they did not neatly fit into single categories of unusual phenomena we read about or see on TV. There were multiple kinds of mysterious situations.

The ranch seemed to be some kind of intersection with other dimensions and a site of several different kinds of anomalous activity.

In addition to the lights and UFOs flying around the ranch (sometimes with apparent crew members onboard) there were unidentified creatures like the large wolf-like animal. There also seemed to be creatures present that could not be visually seen.

The many mischievous and trickster-like incidents were apparently harmless, but bizarre and sometimes quite amazing.

Though the ranch family was quite shook up and frightened out of their wits at times, the research team was more objective and actually sought out the unusual events so they could investigate them.

The anomalous activity decreased during the months and years the researchers monitored the ranch, yet there were still intermittent cases of very unusual events that were hard to fathom.

Did the odd phenomena "lay low" somewhat while the researchers were investigating? It seemed so.

Still, there was enough reliable multiple witness testimony to convince the team that many people in the area of the ranch and in the region had experienced truly unusual situations.

Also explored in the book are other locations in the U.S. and around the world that seem to be centers for similar kinds of mysterious events and encounters. Some are in the American Southwest, in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Others are overseas.

MYSTERIES REMAIN

After several years of gathering information in and about the region, interviewing witnesses and local people, staking out the ranch day and night, conducting police-like evidentiary investigations, applying a wide range of scientific measurement equipment and experiencing very strange incidents first hand, Kelleher and the research team seemed to come to some tentative general conclusions.

Among the apparent conclusions: Anomalous events were actually occurring in the ranch area. This situation had been reported for many generations by the Utes and others.

The events were varied and spanned a range of what we think of as ancient and modern mysteries of different kinds.

In addition, something about the physics of the ranch seemed to indicate a kind of traffic between unseen dimensions.

There seemed to be an intelligence or many different intelligences at work.

Indian tribes such as the Utes interpreted and explained the phenomena in their own cultural context. The research team tried to apply modern knowledge and perspectives from a variety of scientific disciplines, while accepting that the Indians' experiences and legends were quite valuable in the investigation.

Was the ranch a site of wormholes that connect different dimensions? Where extraterrestrials somehow able to fly their UFOs into and out of the ranch area more easily? Did wild creatures from other worlds also slip in and out through invisible portals? Did our normal laws of physics cease to completely apply at the ranch?

The researchers could not find enough hard scientific proof to completely answer these questions, though they tried their best to get hard data and evidence.

However, when taken together, the account by Kelleher and Knapp in Hunt for the Skinwalker presents an amazing experience into very strange mysteries.

For scientists, including social scientists, researchers and investigators of all kinds, the information in the book poses intriguing questions and suggests a few startling possible answers.

Readers of all kinds can thoroughly enjoy the fast-paced adventures and thoughtful information in Hunt for the Skinwalker.

UFO hoaxes can teach us about UFO realities

By Steve Hammons

The recent UFO hoax in New Jersey could be educational in several ways.

We might try to understand the thinking of the two men who have admitted to the hoax. We might also learn more about the complex overall situation related to UFOs.

The two men who launched helium-filled balloons with common road flares attached to them did it because, according to Associated Press reports, they wanted "to debunk so-called UFO experts."

Chris Russo, 29, and Joe Rudy, 28, will be charged with disorderly conduct, according to the Morris County prosecutor. The men launched the balloons in January and February, triggering "UFO" sightings.

Dozens of residents called police, distracting officers from serious public safety duties. The flares could have caused fires and also "interfered with air traffic," the AP quoted prosecutor Robert Bianchi as saying.

It could be argued that motorists could have been distracted and this could have led to serious traffic accidents.

This hoax is not unique. In April 2008, a very similar case occurred in Phoenix, Arizona, the site of the March 13, 1997, "Phoenix lights" UFO incident.

PHOENIX LIGHTS RETURN?

On April 22, 2008, the AP carried a story about mysterious lights seen by residents.

"Red colored lights that formed a square and then a triangle were seen floating over north Phoenix. The lights were visible for about 13 minutes around 8 p.m. Monday," the AP reported.

According to witnesses, the lights then moved to the east. Phoenix TV and radio stations as well as the daily newspaper posted video and photos on their Web sites the following morning.

Anne Ryman, a reporter for the Phoenix daily newspaper, witnessed the lights too, it was reported. One witness says he saw three jets flying in the direction of the unusual lights, according to the newspaper.

A local TV station reported, "Phoenix police and media outlets were flooded with calls Monday night" after residents saw the strange lights.

Another TV station said that officials from the small Deer Valley Airport in north Phoenix "saw the lights approximately 4 miles south of the airport and that the lights were rising as they watched."

Luke Air Force Base officials told news media representatives that none of their jets were in the sky that night.

Personnel at the main airport, Sky Harbor International, could not explain the lights, according to news reports.

The FAA and Phoenix Police were contacted by the news media and also were not able to explain the lights.

According to various news reports, dozens of people saw the red lights and stated they appeared to be in a diamond shape, changing to a square shape.

Weird! Was it the same huge craft from March 13, 1997, coming back for another visit?

Was it some kind of anomalous Native American spirit orbs or other strange lights seen around ancient Indian sites in the Phoenix area?

BALLOONS, FLARES AND FISHING LINE

Shortly after this story broke, a very down-to-Earth explanation surfaced. A local TV station was following up on a report that a resident of north Phoenix launched four helium balloons with flares attached.

A neighbor saw the whole thing.

The perpetrator eventually admitted it and was not charged by police, though it was pointed out that his flares could have come down and caused a brush fire or structure fire.

As it turns out, he tied the flares and balloons together with fishing line, which allowed them to move and form various configurations.

As the Phoenix-area news media and national news outlets reported that a local resident launched balloons with flares attached to them, some writers, reporters and social commentators started jumping to conclusions or tried to "spin" the incident, consciously or unconsciously.

A few writers and commentators seem to indicate that Phoenix residents reported extraterrestrial spaceships and arriving visitors from other planets, which was not the case.

According to news reports, dozens of Phoenix citizens observed and reported four bright red lights in the sky that were visible at around 8 p.m. for approximately 15 minutes. The lights' configurations slowly changed in various ways, then faded out.

Witnesses were accurate about all of those facts. Those observations were consistent with the facts about flares tied to balloons and linked with fishing line.

ARE DEBUNKERS ALSO HOAXERS?

When skeptics, debunkers and various writers and commentators who make fun of the idea of visitation to Earth by extraterrestrial and/or extra-dimensional visitors deal with a hoax case, they sometimes generalize about the hundreds of other valid sightings and encounters.

Do these pundits want to think that they know it all and that the average person out there is stupid or gullible?

Debunkers sometimes then interpret a prank to paint all unusual sightings or encounters with the same brush. They try to indicate that all UFO sightings are things such as balloons and flares, or maybe delusions of the foolish public.

It is true that many or most sightings have logical and natural explanations. And some sightings are probably the result of overactive imaginations.

At the same time, it is evident to people who have done basic research on this subject that many sightings and encounters are something much more.

Solid objects or craft as well as lights of various kinds have been seen and reported by reliable military personnel, pilots, peace officers and other kinds of credible witnesses over past years and decades.

The March 13, 1997, Phoenix lights case is a good example. The many Stephenville, Texas, incidents of 2008 are another. The Chicago O'Hare airport sighting is yet another fascinating case along with many, many others.

There have even been sightings reported in the 1800s and in previous centuries.

In many cases, several eyewitnesses reported seeing the same thing.

If we open our minds and take a look, we will find credible research and literature indicating that a real situation faces us involving highly unusual factors.

Some people also draw the conclusion that there seem to be discreet government and military responses and programs involving this situation. These areas may be considered classified by officials and very sensitive.

The many hoaxes and pranks teach us that it is helpful to be a neutral observer and look at facts and evidence about things like UFOs and extraterrestrial visitation.

All lights in the sky are not ET spacecraft, angels or other unconventional phenomena.

At the same time, all unidentified flying objects not flares, balloons or swamp gas.

We can take a look at our perceptions and psychology about these various factors.

If we look deeper into the apparent circumstances, we may find that there is also a need for some level of governmental security about the situation. If this is legitimate, many Americans will respect it.

If it is true that there is an ongoing effort regarding "acclimation" and preparing us for surprising facts about these circumstances, we might want to be open to new information and viewpoints.

New movie ‘Alien Trespass’ explores ‘50s UFO views, public acclimation

By Steve Hammons

The new movie Alien Trespass opens in theatres Friday, April 3, and its value for audiences now may be below our conscious radar.

When watching Alien Trespass, we might wonder about the intentions of producer and director R.W. Goodwin, and writers James Swift and Steven P. Fisher in making this 1950s-type UFO movie.

Goodwin contributed to more than 100 episodes of “The X-Files” so we know he has a sophisticated understanding of many current questions about UFOs and government activities related to them.

Did Goodwin, Swift and Fisher intend to make fun of these old movies, create a nostalgic tribute of sorts, or what?

Alien Trespass seems to have both overt and subtle elements of both – and maybe more intriguing aspects too.

MEDIA AND SOCIETY

Understanding the flavor of these ‘50s-era UFO movies may be just as important recognizing the social impact of movies in the ‘50s about World War II and the Cold War. These films framed the military and geopolitical world for us at that time and even affect us now.

We know that media platforms of the ‘50s and subsequent decades have shaped our perception on many subjects, including UFOs and extraterrestrial and/or extra-dimensional visitation.

An interesting question may be: Were these media efforts themselves shaped by something beyond simple human imagination, Hollywood creativity and entertainment business savvy?

The fact that the federal government teamed-up with Hollywood during World War II and beyond is well documented.

There are also reports and indications that Hollywood has long been linked to official government military and intelligence efforts to acclimate the American public about the nature of the UFO situation.

These kinds of accounts claim that a discreet effort to educate and acclimate the public was begun on the topic of extraterrestrial visitation to Earth based on information that had come to the attention of government, military and intelligence officials.

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

As we view Alien Trespass, we might remember that during the ‘50s, if there were actual government responses and preparedness regarding a possible UFO scenario, then scientific, military and intelligence activities would naturally include preparing or acclimating Americans and people internationally.

Of course, not all movies or TV shows about alien invaders were part of some coordinated program, just as all war movies were not part of Pentagon activities.

Still, one way or the other, movies like this had significant effects on kids, teens and adults about the possibilities of alien encounters.

It might be that Alien Trespass helps us get an overall societal perspective on the body of general awareness and perception about UFOs and intelligent visitation to Earth.

Current news, discussions and research about these topics range from very serious (though often behind-the-scenes) scientific investigation to UFO hoaxes and debunkers of various kinds.

Whether there are ongoing U.S. and international military and intelligence activities along these lines is difficult to say, though reasonable open-source information seems to indicate this possibility or probability.

There may also be very complex and sensitive aspects that span the alleged 1947 Roswell incident, to 1950s UFO/alien movies that Alien Trespass explores, to discreet activities that are ongoing now.

SILLY AND SERIOUS

As we watch the Alien Trespass astronomer character played by Eric McCormack have his consciousness altered by an alien named Urp, who borrows McCormack’s body for a secret mission, it might be useful to think more deeply about the human mind, telepathy, ESP and mind control.

The astronomer’s wife, played by Jody Thompson, soon finds that her husband has a changed personality and has become something other than he was before – an experience shared by many married couples. It also dovetails with the apparent continuing development of human consciousness.

When we see Urp explain to the waitress Tammy (Jenni Baird) that he seeks a human-hating (and human-eating) alien Ghota, it might be worthwhile to consider the rumors that there actually may be both friendly and hostile extraterrestrial/extra-dimensional visitors in our midst.

It’s no wonder that Urp starts to feel a human-like attraction for Baird. Both she and Thompson provide more than enough sex appeal to satisfy both humans and extraterrestrials. These beautiful women remind us of some of the things that are right with the human race.

As local cops Dan Lauria and Robert Patrick try to deal with the unfolding situation, it might be interesting to wonder how modern-day public safety officials would handle a UFO or ET incident.

Alien Trespass can be enjoyed and appreciated on many levels, if we open our minds to the topics it touches upon. Like many things in life, the value of this film is in the eye of the beholder.

So, get your movie ticket, popcorn and open mind ready for a fun trip back to the future with Alien Trespass.

Are we prepared for public UFO encounters?

By Steve Hammons

Is the U.S. prepared for public, daylight, high-profile UFO encounters?

Do average adults, teens and children have adequate mental and emotional preparedness for visible and indisputable extraterrestrial and/or inter-dimensional visitation?

Are our public health and safety officials ready to handle possible ramifications of such an event?

To explore these important questions, it may be instructive to look at the March 13, 1997, so-called "Phoenix lights" case.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPAREDNESS

When the Phoenix lights incident took place, it was early evening and already dark. This undoubtedly minimized the number of residents who actually observed what was reported to be a huge V-shaped object with large lights underneath.

If this had occurred during daylight, would there have been more anxiety by the public?

In many alleged UFO cases, an object quickly zips by at high speed and is gone in the blink of an eye.

In other cases, sightings or encounters reportedly occur in isolated regions, where there are few human witnesses.

Since the object over Phoenix in 1997 was said to be very large, slow-moving and maintained a fairly low altitude, it would have been very visible over a length of time by millions of people if seen during daylight.

Feelings of anxiety would be very normal on the part of people who were seeing something they had never seen before. Their first impressions might be that there were two main explanations for such a large unidentified object: a U.S. craft or a ship piloted by non-humans.

Once the thought process considered both options and concluded that the latter explanation was more likely, more natural questions might come to mind.

The relatively few Phoenix residents who experienced these feelings and thoughts in 1997 would be multiplied by millions.

Feelings of fear or panic can be contagious, spreading rapidly to create a human social climate. This would be a concern for public health and safety officials, and for the general public if a significant daylight UFO event were to occur over a major city.

THEN AND NOW

It can be argued that concerns of this kind may be part of the reasons for the alleged secrecy of the U.S. Government's handling of the UFO situation.

In the late 1940s, the U.S. had just emerged from the trauma of World War II. As the '50s began, the Cold War with the Soviet Union commenced. Fear of attacks on U.S. soil was part of both WWII and the Cold War.

Sightings of UFOs were becoming more frequent and some Americans were naturally somewhat unsophisticated about what these might mean.

If accounts of federal government inside activities during those decades are correct, there was anxiety in Washington, D.C., about a possible invasion or infiltration of a new kind of adversary – intelligent non-human ones.

The reasonable conclusions that these visitors were probably much more advanced technologically, and possibly in other ways, than humans also would have caused government leaders to worry.

As a result, it would be logical for them react with high levels of security, secrecy and discretion regarding public reaction to such a scenario.

It could be that programs to prepare and acclimate the public on these topics was implemented.

Now, in 2009, Americans appear to be more sophisticated about the possibilities or probabilities that UFOs and other anomalous phenomena may be real, and may be something quite complex, sensitive and unusual.

Movies, TV shows, books and other media platforms have tackled the themes of unusual situations such as UFOs and extraterrestrial visitation to our planet. Sometimes the visitors are friendly, sometimes hostile, and sometimes fairly neutral.

Maybe this is also the case in real life.

For most of us, the situation is unclear and we can only evaluate the available information and use our own intelligence, common sense and gut feelings to try to get an understanding of what might be going on.

Considering all the possibilities and outcomes from something like a daylight version of the Phoenix lights incident might help our communities and society prepare for that kind of contingency.