Texas ‘UFO’ was part of camera function?

By Steve Hammons

(This article also appears on American Chronicle and on the "After Disclosure" website.)

The unusual image taken by an outdoor motion-triggered, infrared “game camera” in Texas may not have been a hovering Frisbee-shaped UFO as the camera’s owner first thought.

Further analysis now indicates the image was due to an aspect of the camera’s function.

TV station KXAS-NBC 5 in Fort Worth reported about the odd photo on Aug. 25, 2010, and other media outlets carried the story along with the photo, in which a horizontal line of lights seemed to be in the background.

Even Field & Stream, the classic outdoor, hunting and fishing magazine, noted the photo case on its website in an Aug. 30 article titled “Trail Cams Capture Everything, Including UFOs.”

A passing deer had set of the camera, and Archer City resident Lisa Brock-Piekarski told KXAS reporter Omar Villafranca that "What I see looks almost like a Frisbee. You see several lights going around, and they're all symmetrical and lit up, and it just looks like an object in the sky."

After analysis of the photo by the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), an investigative organization, Villafranca reported Aug. 30 that “The odd lights hovering over the North Texas sky snapped by a motion-activated game camera weren't from outer space. UFO investigators with the Mutual UFO Network say it was just a camera problem.”

MUFON’s Fletcher L. Gray told Villafranca that the camera itself resulted in the odd photo. "For some unknown reason, the camera shutter was remaining open, and the infrared strobe fired it would catch a bank of lights. The strobe has 14 LED-type bulbs across and with five bulbs vertical, with a total of 70 LED bulbs. If you look at the photo of what was called a UFO, you will count 14 lights that matches the 14 bulbs in the camera."

INTERPRETING WHAT WE SEE

The misidentification of something strange-looking in a photo or in the skies by eyewitnesses is not uncommon. In fact, experienced UFO researchers say that the majority of sightings can be explained in some logical way as stars, human-made aircraft or other unique conditions involving light, clouds or other factors.

In this recent case, hunter and camera-owner Brock-Piekarski seemed truly puzzled by what looked like a hovering object. "There's nothing back there but trees and sky. There's no hills, no buildings, nothing back there. It's all flat."

On the surface, it appeared as though the camera caught the image of an object low in the sky behind an unsuspecting deer.

Sometimes people may see something and think it could be an unusual spacecraft of some kind. In other instances, witnesses observe something and readily admit they do not know what it was.

It is a known psychological phenomenon that the human mind may often try to interpret or understand what it perceives. We may automatically start “filling in the blanks,” consciously or unconsciously, when we see something that does not fit our preconceived beliefs, have not previously experienced or have inadequate information to make a definite determination.

In this case, the horizontal line of lights apparently led the camera’s owner to see a Frisbee-shaped object.

While many such cases are honest mistakes by witnesses, other such stories can be intentional hoaxes.

RETURN OF THE PHOENIX UFO

Back on April 22, 2008, an Associated Press news article told the story of strange mysterious lights seen by residents in Phoenix, Arizona.

The AP reported that, "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."

Residents in the Phoenix metro region were psychologically sensitive to mysterious lights in the sky. The March 13, 1997, “Phoenix lights” UFO incident had been witnessed by thousands, including the state’s then-governor. Many people said they saw not only odd lights, but huge, solid, V-shaped craft slowly and silently cruising over Phoenix.

In the subsequent 2008 case, witnesses in north Phoenix said the lights hovered in a somewhat stationary location, then moved to the east.

Local TV and radio stations as well as the daily newspaper posted video and photos on their websites the next day. Even a local newspaper reporter saw the lights. One citizen said he saw three jets flying toward the odd lights. Officials at the small Deer Valley Airport nearby also reported the lights.

Police and media outlets received dozens of calls. The FAA, Luke Air Force Base and officials at the main Sky Harbor International Airport were queried about the lights and could not explain them.

However, a couple of days later, a local TV station reported that they had solved the mystery. A north Phoenix resident had seen his neighbor launch four helium balloons with flares attached from his backyard.

After further investigation, it was determined that the man tied the flares and balloons together with fishing line. This allowed them to move in somewhat different configurations.

The perpetrator eventually admitted the prank, and it was noted that the flares could have come down started a fire. However, he was not charged with a crime by police.

ILLUSION AND REALITY

After this incident, some media commentators seemed to say that this proved that sightings of apparent unusual spacecraft or other UFOs are all mistaken.

However, had residents reported spaceships and alien visitors from another planet? No.

News reports said dozens of people observed and reported four bright red lights in the sky that were visible at around 8 p.m. for approximately 15 minutes. Witnesses also said the lights' configurations slowly changed in various ways, then faded out.

Witnesses were accurate about all of those factual elements. The witnesses’ observations, as reported to the media, were truthful and consistent with the facts – which turned out to be flares tied to balloons and linked with fishing line.

When “debunkers” paint all sightings with same brush, they are either making a point that is uninformed, or they, too, are trying to perpetrate a hoax of sorts.

Although most sightings have natural, logical explanations, it also seems clear that many sightings and encounters are something much more unusual and valid.

Solid and luminous objects that sometimes appear to be a craft have been reported by reliable peace officers, military personnel, pilots and other credible witnesses.

The 1997 Phoenix lights case is one example. The many Stephenville, Texas, sightings during 2008 are another. The Chicago O'Hare airport incident in 2006 is also an interesting case. There are many others.

The misidentifications, pranks and intentionally phony photos point out that we should be neutral observers, not jump to conclusions and beware of overactive imaginations in ourselves and others.

All lights in the sky or seemingly unusual objects are not extraterrestrial spacecraft. However, all UFOs do not seem to be camera malfunctions, flares or balloons.

NBC News space writer: New UFO book wrong on pilot reports

By Steve Hammons

(This article also appears on American Chronicle).

An Aug. 27, 2010, commentary by NBC News space analyst James Oberg about the new book by journalist Leslie Kean, UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go on the Record, seems thought-provoking.

The article, posted on MSNBC.com, is titled “UFO book based on questionable foundation.”

Oberg is a 22-year veteran of Houston’s NASA Mission Control in Houston and has written books himself on the subjects of space exploration and space policy.

A main element of his article is that military and civilian pilots are not necessarily the reliable observers we might think them to be.

Oberg asks, “If we trust pilots to carry us through the air safely, and to guard our nation’s skies, then why can't we trust what they tell us about their encounters with unidentified flying objects?”

When UFOs are sighted and sometimes officially reported, he also asks, “And because the primary witnesses are pilots, the accounts are considered more credible than run-of-the-mill UFO reports. But are they really?”

PILOTS NOT ALWAYS GOOD WITNESSES?

Oberg wrote, “Kean asserts that pilots are the best describers of aerial phenomena. ‘They represent the world’s best-trained observers of everything that flies,’ she writes. ‘What better source for data on UFOs is there? ... [They] are among the least likely of any group of witnesses to fabricate or exaggerate reports of strange sightings.’”

Oberg also noted, “Experienced UFO investigators realize that pilots, who instinctively and quite properly interpret visual phenomena in the most hazardous terms, are not dispassionate observers. For pilots, a split-second diagnosis can be a matter of life or death – and so they're inclined to overestimate the potential threats posed by what they see.”

This might raise a question: Even though a pilot would be obviously concerned about a safety threat to their aircraft, passengers and themselves, does that mean they are typically misunderstanding what they see?

He adds, “One of the world’s first genuine UFO investigators, Allen Hynek of Northwestern University, came to believe that some encounters really could have otherworldly causes. But he was much more skeptical about the reliability of pilot testimony.”

Hynek is certainly a widely-respected individual. At the same time, some people might say that because he was employed by the U.S. government during the “Project Blue Book” years, he may have had various sensitive responsibilities that could have included explaining away or “debunking” UFO sightings.

Oberg reports that a Russian UFO research effort also determined that pilots can make errors in their sightings of object in the air, including of military or weather balloons.

He also notes that Ronald Fisher at the International Forensic Research Institute at Florida International University in Miami believes that witnesses, including pilots, can sometimes interpret “raw sensory impressions” in ways that could be inaccurate.

Oberg quotes Fisher as saying, “Once they start focusing on their interpretation, that will color the memory of their perceptions. Pilots are susceptible to overinterpretation, especially of vague, rapid and unclear experiences.”

We could reasonably conclude that there are some or even many cases where military and civilian pilots misinterpreted what they saw.

However, there seem to be many UFO incidents involving pilots where this does not appear to be the case.

WHAT ARE PILOTS SEEING?

Oberg also points out that, “UFOs are often reported as maneuvering intelligently, and Kean argues that a particularity of the different types of maneuvers reported by pilots serves as proof that UFOs are real and are acting with intelligence.”

“But that logic actually ends up supporting the idea that a pilot's circumstances affect what he or she reports seeing,” he says.

Oberg quotes Kean’s book from her passage that states, "One crucial point I have noted, which is shown in Weinstein’s study, is that a UFO's behavior tends to depend on whether the encounter involves a military aircraft or a civilian passenger plane," according to Kean.

Oberg explains that the “Weinstein List” is a 2001 study of 1,300 pilot UFO reports from French researcher named Dominique Weinstein.

He also says that Kean wrote in her book, "Neutrality usually seems the general rule with commercial airlines or private planes, whereas an active interaction often occurs between UFOs and military aircraft. Military pilots usually described the movements of UFOs as they would air maneuvers of conventional aircraft, using terms such as follows, flees, acute turns, in formation, close collision, and aerial combat."

Oberg also quotes from Kean’s book, "These incidents clearly demonstrate that in no way are these examples of natural events, but rather that UFOs are phenomena with a deliberate behavior. The physical nature of UFOs has been proved."

However, Oberg has another point of view. “But a much simpler explanation makes more sense: The difference is due to ‘observer bias.’ People see what they expect to see, and combat pilots expect to encounter combative bogies. Civilian pilots mostly fear accidental collisions.”

Oberg says, “The different behavior that is perceived by the two categories of pilots doesn't necessarily mean the unidentified flying objects themselves behave differently. It's more likely that different kinds of pilots draw upon differently developed instincts as they react to perceived threats – and thus they bring different interpretations to stimuli that are actually similar.”

Of course, this does not address the issue that many civilian pilots are also former military pilots.

Additionally, Oberg continues to make his overall point that pilots are just not consistently reliable observers – at least when it comes to strange objects in the sky, such as UFOs.

Oberg wrote that, “UFO reports that are linked to rocket launches or booster re-entries are relatively easy to explain, because the location and timing of the events can be correlated with the accounts from startled and mistaken witnesses. For other stimuli, such as fireball meteors, secret (or illegal) aircraft operations or natural atmospheric displays, documentation of their transitory existence usually doesn't exist.”

In other words, he appears to make the point that just because a pilot sighting cannot be explained, it does not make it an extraterrestrial spacecraft or some other highly unusual phenomena.

“If investigators are unable to find the explanation for a particular UFO case, that doesn't constitute proof that the case is unexplainable,” Oberg wrote. “Not finding Jimmy Hoffa isn't proof he must be on Mars,” he said.

Oberg concludes his article on the same track by saying, “So the ‘not proven’ assessment makes it even more important to keep our eyes and minds open – to vigorously observe, accurately perceive, and precisely relate unusual aerial perceptions.”

He points out, “Something really new could still be discovered. Or something critically important could be masquerading, by accident or design, in a manner that leads too many people to pay too little attention.”

“Accepting every UFO claim uncritically or rejecting every claim automatically would be equally unjustified. And quite possibly, equally harmful,” he wrote.

Military, civilian pilots are key part of UFO mysteries

By Steve Hammons

(This article also appears on American Chronicle).

Thousands of sightings of unusual unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have been reported by civilian and military pilots from around the world over past decades.

It is probably safe to assume that many more pilot sightings have gone unreported, due to the risks to pilots’ reputations and jobs. Some may have been counseled that it would be best to forget what they saw.

In the U.S., many military and civilian pilots have been involved in groups seeking to research the subject of UFOs for reasons of aviation safety, national security, scientific curiosity or simply because they found the topic to be a very interesting mystery.

In her new book, UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go on the Record, journalist Leslie Kean prominently notes the roles of U.S. and international military and civilian pilots involved in the UFO phenomenon.

Pilot statements about this subject are considered credible because, like peace officers and other professionals, they are considered trained observers. They must have excellent situation awareness and are aware of how aircraft, weather phenomena, stars and other things visually appear in our skies.

And, of course, many civilian pilots are former military aviators.

MILITARY PILOTS

We know that the late U.S. senator from Arizona, Barry Goldwater, was an Air Force Reserve brigadier general and pilot who was quite interested in the UFO subject. But, he stated that when he inquired about the subject with higher military brass, and particularly about gaining access to certain buildings at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, he was strongly told to back off.

Another Arizonan, former governor Fife Symington, was also an Air Force officer and pilot. He came forward in 2007 and said that he had witnessed the March 13, 1997, so-called "Phoenix lights" incident.

In fact, it was Leslie Kean who broke the story about Symington’s admission in her exclusive March 18, 2007, article on the former governor’s statements.

Kean wrote that Symington said he saw a large triangular "craft of unknown origin" with lights. "It was dramatic. And it couldn't have been flares because it was too symmetrical. It had a geometric outline, a constant shape," Symington told Kean.

Another interesting case was the so-called "Coyne incident" over Mansfield, Ohio, on Oct. 18, 1973. In that case, four members of the Army Reserve were in their military helicopter flying from Columbus to Cleveland. The case is named after the pilot and aircraft commander Capt. Lawrence J. Coyne.

A UFO was first seen on the horizon by a crew member. Then, it approached and flew in very close proximity to their chopper. At one critical point, the pilot feared a collision and promptly positioned the chopper's controls for a quick descent.

However, interestingly, the chopper's altimeter showed that it was actually gaining altitude.

Coyne has been quoted as saying, "We looked up and saw it stopped right over us. It had a big, gray metallic-looking hull about 60 feet long. It was shaped like an airfoil or a streamlined fat cigar. There was a red light on the front. The leading edge glowed red a short distance back from the nose. There was a center dome. A green light at the rear reflected on the hull." Coyne also said the green light swiveled like a spotlight and beamed through the canopy of his craft, bathing the cabin in green light.

This very well-documented case included a formal report made by the chopper crew for the Army Reserve.

The crew included pilot and aircraft commander Coyne, a 19-year veteran of the Army Reserve. The co-pilot was Lt. Arrigo Jezzi. The others onboard were crew chief Specialist 5 Robert Yanacek and flight medic Sgt. John Healey.

OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE

Basic research of open source intelligence (OSINT) on the Web will easily bring up many details of the many sightings by military and civilian pilots, as well as other highly credible witnesses.

But, rather than go into details of the history of pilot sightings, which are very significant and provide valuable insight, a story that is fictional might bring the issue to us in a more intimate and interesting way. And, as we know, many a truth can be told through fiction.

In fact, according to some theories, Hollywood has been involved in a gradual public preparedness or acclimation effort for decades, creating movies and TV shows that are helping us get ready to accept a surprising situation related to UFOs.

Other media platforms can also help in preparing the public for possibilities or probabilities of this kind.

In my novel Mission Into Light, a civilian named Mike Green is recruited into a small, secret, joint-service research team called the Joint Reconnaissance Study Group (JRSG). Shortly after he arrives in San Diego and gets oriented, he and two other JRSG members are sent by Navy helicopter from North Island Naval Air Station to Army Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona.

Their group commanding officer, Air Force Colonel Tom O’Brien gives tells Mike about his first assignment with the JRSG. The following is from Mission Into Light:

“By dinner I want you, Thompson, and MacNeil to be on a chopper for Fort Huachuca.”

“What’s the plan for the Huachuca trip, colonel?”

“You, Thompson, and MacNeil will set up a base station at Huachuca. MacNeil arranged for living and office quarters on the post. From there we have several areas of interest to explore. Roswell, New Mexico, and you know why. Sedona, Arizona, and the Four Corners area.”

By four-thirty the late afternoon sun was heading toward its evening rendezvous with the Pacific Ocean.

At the bachelor officers quarters, Mike was adding his luggage to Army Special Forces Colonel Ed Thompson's and Army Special Forces Captain Bill MacNeil’s personal gear in the trunk of a Navy-issue car.

“That’s everything, right?” Thompson asked.

“Yes, sir,” Mike reported.

With MacNeil driving, the three headed along the harbor to the downtown area and across the long, high span of the Coronado Bay bridge to Coronado Island. A Marine at the gate of North Island Naval Air Station examined the security sticker on the car’s windshield, saluted and waved them through.

MacNeil drove to a nearby helicopter squadron building and parked. Two men in Navy flight suits walked out and shook hands. This Navy chopper crew was taking them to Arizona.

When their bags and gear were loaded on the Navy chopper, and all five men on board, the pilots started the engine and the rotor blades came to life. The little craft lifted off and gently rose over San Diego Bay and the City of San Diego. They then headed east, away from the late afternoon sun that was slowly descending toward the Pacific’s horizon.

Ahead, in the east, it was growing darker. The ocean and metropolitan San Diego began to turn to countryside, then pine-covered mountains.

As day turned to evening, the chopper flew over the agricultural Imperial Valley east of San Diego County, and then toward the Colorado River. Entering Arizona air space, the pilots changed course from due east to south-southeast.

Team Two talked with the two pilots as the darkness of the Sonoran Desert enveloped them. Millions of stars were above. Below, the giant saguaro cactus stood watch over the desert. Coyotes prowled the night.

Inside the chopper, dim instrument lights gave the pilots faces an eerie glow.

“So you guys are getting stationed at Huachuca?” the young co-pilot asked.

“Temporary duty,” Thompson answered.

“I like the ocean and the beach myself,” the young Navy lieutenant said. “San Diego’s a great station for me. This desert’s a little too dry for my taste.”

The pilot, a lieutenant commander, had been preoccupied with the instruments. Calmly, he tapped the co-pilot on the shoulder and pointed at the dark night ahead.

“What’s that, Brown?”

“Sir?”

“There, those lights.”

The pilot pointed again.

By now Thompson, MacNeil, and Mike were looking over the shoulders of the pilots. Two lights in the distance were swaying in a gentle to-and-fro, and changing colors slightly from blue to red.

“What the hell is that?” Thompson asked.

The pilot now looked concerned.

“I don’t know, colonel.”

As all five men were watching intently, the two lights gently came to a stop. The pilot slowed the chopper.

“Holy shit!” yelled the co-pilot as the two lights shot straight up at an incredible speed. In no more than three seconds they were gone.

The five looked at each other and also searched the sky for signs of the lights. Only stars were visible.

“UFO,” the pilot said calmly.

“What are you saying commander?” Ed Thompson asked.

“Unidentified flying object, sir.”

“What kind?”

“Unknown, colonel. It’s not the first one I’ve seen. As a matter of fact, that one was too far away to make further identification. If you fly a lot, you sometimes see them. Pilots swap stories about them. Carefully. It’s a sensitive area, sir.”

“Well, son of a gun. That’s something all right,” MacNeil added, his mouth hanging open slightly.

Mike Green and the young co-pilot were almost too stunned and excited to talk.

“How much longer to Fort Huachuca?” Mike asked.

“We’re passing near Tucson now,” the pilot answered. “Another half-hour and we’ll be on the ground. Fellas, it doesn’t help a pilot’s career to make a big thing out of a UFO or two. As far as I’m concerned, for the record, I saw a couple of lights.”

“We understand,” Thompson said. “Off the record, what do you think they were?”

“Could be our own experimental craft. Could be extraterrestrial. Who knows? There’s a lot of talk in the aviation community about what’s going on. The pilots in World War Two called them ‘foo fighters.’ You two guys are Special Forces, right? I thought you had the inside intel on spook programs.”

“What makes you think those lights might be part of a covert operation?” Mike asked the pilot.

“It’s just that there are a lot of stories circulating about UFOs, Area 51 in Nevada, flying saucer crashes in the desert, that kind of thing. I’m not a UFO nut, but I’m not stupid either. Okay, men, we’re about fifteen minutes from Huachuca.”

As the pilot and co-pilot made radio contact with the Army post, Mike, Thompson, and MacNeil settled back for the landing. No more moving lights could be seen the night sky.

The chopper landed on a section of the base airstrip reserved for helicopters. An Army Humvee pulled up as the chopper blades came to a rest and Team Two stepped out onto the tarmac.

“Colonel Thompson?” the driver asked.

“That’s me. You’re Captain Baker?”

“Yes sir. If you’ll load your gear in the Humvee, I’ll take you to your quarters.”

After saying good-bye to their chopper pilots, the three men got into the Humvee and were driven to an officers quarters building. They had their own rooms, which were similar to the Navy BOQ at Point Loma, Mike thought. Government-issue Motel 6. After unpacking, they met in Thompson’s room.

“They have an office ready for us. We’ll check that out tomorrow. MacNeil, first thing in the morning I want you to get two vehicles for our use. You and Green will be driving to Roswell, New Mexico. We may want you to leave day after tomorrow. I’ll be calling the old man in the morning. Any questions? Well, let’s hit the hay.”

Back in his room, Mike noticed it was almost ten o’clock. The adrenalin from the flight had now dissipated. After a hot shower, he fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, the men discussed their mission over breakfast.

“Baker says the New Mexico state line is a stone’s throw away. We’ll check out the office they’ve given us and get the cars. I’ll call the old man in San Diego and we’ll just settle-in a little bit.”

“You going to tell him about the lights we saw, Ed?” MacNeil asked through a mouthful of hash browns.

“Hell, yes. This is a key part of our research. It may even mean more than we realize now. That may not be the last UFO sighting of this project. We don’t have to worry as much as that Navy chopper pilot about getting our wings clipped for reporting strange happenings."

Prominent journalist not up to speed on UFO situation?

By Steve Hammons

(This article also appears on American Chronicle).

Journalists who have a reputation as solid investigators with open minds, common sense and constructive viewpoints may show excessive arrogance when it comes to unconventional phenomena such as UFOs, advanced human awareness (extrasensory perception) and other leading-edge areas of research.

A case in point is the Aug. 20, 2010, column by David Corn, posted on PoliticsDaily.com, in his “Deep Background” article titled “Where Are All the UFO Photos?”

Corn is Washington bureau chief of Mother Jones magazine and was The Nation magazine’s Washington editor for twenty years. He has written for many major American newspapers, magazines and online platforms.

He begins his article with a common but reportedly erroneous premise – that no legitimate photos have been taken of anomalous objects in the sky.

Corn wrote, “In recent years, the world has exploded with photographic and video equipment. There are about 5 billion cell phones in circulation throughout the world – many, if not most, equipped with still and/or video cameras.”

“And there are millions, if not billions, of easy-to-use video cameras in circulation, as well as billions of still-picture cameras. Essentially, billions of people are able to snap or otherwise shoot the least bit interesting thing that happens at a moment's notice,” Corn wrote.

“So with all this gear in use, I'm wondering, why has no one captured clear and unambiguous evidence of UFOs from outer space? And why have none of the humans abducted by aliens flipped out their Flip video cameras and shot a minute or two of the historic moment – and later uploaded it to YouTube?” he asks.

More in-depth research by Corn, and by any other interested researchers, would strongly indicate that not only have many credible photos of highly unusual objects in the sky been taken, but other factors that may or may not be in the public domain support theories that highly unusual objects in the sky are real.

PSYCHOLOGICAL DENIAL AND ARROGANCE

Corn is the co-author of Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War. Is he demonstrating his own hubris now – excessive pride or self-confidence, or arrogance?

Or, as a progressive journalist, does he feel a need to be “conservative” on this topic? Is he simply coming across as a know-it-all?

In these questions we get to the psychological aspect of the UFO phenomena and other unconventional scientific topics. Denial and a reluctance to think outside of the box can be a real dilemma for journalists, scientists, defense experts and people in many walks of life.

Yet, it is a common trait that is particularly evident in relation to certain unconventional subjects.

Corn continues in his column with the statement, “As each year goes by in our easy-to-record era with no hard video or photographic proof, we have to ponder the possibility (or probability) that there are no UFOs visiting from out there.”

Again, he disregards the many credible photos that are part of the public record and is not taking into consideration photos not in the public domain, going back to World War II aircraft gun-camera photos of unusual “foo fighters.”

Additionally, non-photographic credible witness testimony, a large amount of solid information and many reasonable investigative indications on the subject of UFOs are apparently not taken into account by Corn.

Has he done his research?

He writes, “One key part of the grand swirl was UFOs: Roswell, Area 51, crop circles, cattle mutilations, men in black, abductions, Chariot of the Gods, and the government cover up of all this. Secret government seemed to be the name of the game. And what could be a bigger secret?”

“But nothing undermines conspiracy theorizing better than reporting. And after reporting in Washington for over two decades, I came to the conclusion that the government is generally not capable of mounting extensive and complex, years-long conspiracies that transcend administrations. The bureaucrats are just not that good, and risk-averse political leaders often don't have the guts to do so,” according to Corn.

EFFECTIVE, ACCURATE JOURNALISM

Corn might want to read the new book by respected journalist Leslie Kean, UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go on the Record. The book is recommended and praised by credible scientists, science journalists and others.

Significant comments about the value of Kean’s book come from Michio Kaku, Ph.D., author of Physics of the Impossible; Rudy Schild, Ph.D., Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Miles O’Brien, former CNN space/science correspondent; Neal Lane, Ph.D., Rice University; former director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Don Donderi, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, McGill University (Ret.); John L. Petersen, founder & president of The Arlington Institute; Harold E. Puthoff, Ph.D., director of The Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin.

Also weighing in to compliment Kean’s book are Jean-Claude Ribes, Ph.D., Paris Observatory (Ret.); Stuart Appelle, Ph.D., dean of the School of Science and Mathematics, State University of New York, Brockport; Christopher C. Green MD, Ph.D., Harper University Hospital, Wayne State University School of Medicine; and Mark Rodeghier, Ph.D., scientific director of the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS).

Kean’s thorough professional reporting on this subject far surpasses Corn’s apparent limited mindset on the topic of possible or probable visitation to Earth of other intelligent beings.

If he reads the book, Corn will see that there are many fine details and sensitive elements of the security measures that might have been established around the World War II era to deal with a scenario such as extraterrestrial and/or extra-dimensional visitors to our planet.

If Corn conducts his own more rigorous research using a robust variety of sources and resources, he might shed some of his own hubris and develop a more sophisticated and constructive perspective on this topic.

Psychological denial, ridicule and closed minds are probably not helpful for our human societies on planet Earth.

Now may be the time for further readiness, preparation, acclimation and education for all of us about this significant area of discussion.

It is undoubtedly a complex and sensitive area that has ramifications that could be far-reaching and profound. In fact, the unfolding nature of our understanding about the Universe or multi-verse, and our very consciousness, may be difficult and challenging.

Responsible journalists may want to step up to the plate and exchange denial and hubris for thorough research and greater insight. This is useful not only for journalists themselves, but also for the public who rely on today’s journalism for a legitimate source of information and perspective.

Journalist’s new book, planned movie examine UFO questions

By Steve Hammons

(This article also appears on American Chronicle).

Two new examinations of the UFO situation may provide increased insight and understanding for much larger audiences.

Journalist Leslie Kean’s book UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go on the Record goes on sale Aug. 10, 2010, and is being praised as thorough and professional reporting on this mysterious topic.

The planned feature film Majic Men is based on the research and books of physicist Stanton Friedman and investigator Donald R. Schmitt. Producers Don Most and Bryce Zabel are helping lead this project.

Kean’s book and the Majic Men movie, along with an increasing number of responsible, intelligent and fascinating media explorations of the UFO subject, are sure to improve public awareness and expand our perception of the possibilities involved.

By doing so, our readiness and preparedness to deal with certain possible or probable situations of this kind will be enhanced.

CREDIBLE JOURNALISM

Kean has worked as a journalist for major newspapers and has a rich background in investigative journalism. She has had a longstanding interest in the UFO phenomena, having conducted in-depth research on the subject for a decade or more.

As the book title indicates, she focused on interviews with high-level government officials from the U.S. and other countries as well as the American and international aviation community, military and civilian.

She provides more solid facts that further inform us about something real that is going on regarding UFOs.

The apparent secrecy and security surrounding this mysterious topic presented significant challenges even for an experienced investigative journalist like Kean. Human development, scientific advancement, international relations, national security or even planetary security are reported to be possible elements of this puzzling situation.

Her book description notes that, “Throughout, she presents irrefutable evidence that unknown flying objects – metallic, luminous, and seemingly able to maneuver in ways that defy the laws of physics – actually exist.”

Kean’s book has received praise from scientists, scholars, journalists and others.

Well-known physicist and TV science host Michio Kaku, Ph.D., wrote, "At last, a serious and thoughtful book about this controversial subject. Skeptics and true believers will find a treasure trove of insightful and eye opening information. This book is bound to set the gold standard for UFO research."

Another respected physicist, Harold E. “Hal” Puthoff, Ph.D., said, “In these pages we are confronted head-on by the UFO phenomenon as revealed firsthand by highly credible government officials and military aviation experts. Their credibility and integrity cannot be questioned, and their firsthand observations cannot be ignored.”

He also added, “Leslie Kean provides a challenging analysis and she writes with penetrating depth and insight. The revelations in this book constitute a watershed event in lifting the taboo against rational discourse about this controversial subject.” Puthoff is director of The Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin.

John L. Petersen, founder and president of The Arlington Institute also pointed out that, “In an area of study where there aren’t many, this is a serious book. It is credible, clear, and compelling, without any farfetched jumps in logic and assumption. Leslie Kean not only makes the case for, but calls for, a whole new concrete and realistic perspective on UFOs that has more honesty and integrity than any other that I have read. This is a book for anyone with an open mind.”

Christopher C. “Kit” Green, MD, Ph.D., of Harper University Hospital and Ohio’s Wayne State University School of Medicine, also gave the book a thumbs-up. "Leslie Kean’s astonishing book is the finest piece of investigative journalism ever written on this subject. She has an incomparable ability to ‘give voice’ to a constituency of exceptionally qualified and unbiased first-hand observers. They are not from the fringe, not groupies, and not delusional.”

Green noted, “Rather, they are high-level military, intelligence, aerospace, and government officials who speak with authority while providing reports that document actual, physical craft. Kean’s book represents the first important step toward a new U.S. government openness about UFOs. It brings forward a reality otherwise buried for far too long inside official mystery, and elevates the discourse above that of small-minded public discussions."

MOVIE ON INVESTIGATIONS, INVESTIGATORS

The Majic Men film project is based on the lives of Stanton Friedman and Donald R. Schmitt and their years of research into the so-called Roswell incident and circumstances involved in UFOs.

Schmitt and co-author Thomas J. Carey wrote the book Witness to Roswell, released in 2007 with an update in 2009. Friedman’s book Top Secret/MAJIC was published in 1997 and updated in 2005.

The titles of the book and movie reference an alleged secret group formed by U.S. President Harry Truman following the Roswell incident. The group is rumored to have been called Majestic, Majestic-12, MJ-12, Majestic Agency for Joint Intelligence or, simply MAJIC. There have also been indications of a security clearance level called MAJIC.

Stellar Productions, a southern California production company, has acquired rights to the stories of Friedman’s and Schmitt’s investigations.

According to a July 2, 2010 press release, Bryce Zabel, president and writer/producer at Stellar said, "Our film is about two down-to-Earth guys who are chasing a story that is literally out-of-this-world. Both Friedman and Schmitt are underdog American heroes, men who hate being lied to and will bear almost any burden to get at the truth."

The press release also explains that the film will focus on lives of Schmitt and Friedman “as they continue investigations from the late 1970s to our near-present day, revealing how the original UFO secret was handled. What they discover is an intense five-year-period from the Roswell crash of 1947 through the briefing of President Dwight Eisenhower in 1952.”

“The screenplay for Majic Men will be written by Zabel, winner of the 2008 Writers Guild of America award for the Hallmark miniseries, Pandemic,” according to the press release. “He has written feature film scripts for Warner Bros., Universal, Fox, Disney, and New Line.”

“His work in the UFO field includes creating the NBC drama series, Dark Skies (scheduled for DVD release in January 2011), writing and producing the Sci-Fi Channel original film Official Denial, and working on the development team of the Spielberg series, Taken.”

The press release also noted, “The production team's Don Most, although best-known for his work on the popular sitcom Happy Days, is also a long-time activist in the movement to end UFO secrecy. He recently produced and directed two feature films, Last Best Sunday and Moola.”

Most said, "Majic Men is as much about the investigators as it is the investigation. Audiences are going to find both their hearts and their minds opened when they watch it."

“Stellar Productions may partner with another production company or studio to develop the Majic Men project. Additionally, a new non-fiction book, also titled Majic Men, is expected to coincide with the release of any future film,” according to the press release.

For more information, visit the website of Kean’s book and the Majic Men website.