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News Briefs 25-07-2007

News was slow today so I made a lot of it up.

Quote of the Day:

“Come Fairies, take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame!”

W.B. Yeats

  1. Stratford-Upon-Avon
    That video is really interesting. It almost looks as if the lights are forming an arrow, pointing to a place in the ground…

    —–
    It’s not the depth of the rabbit hole that bugs me…
    It’s all the rabbit SH*T you stumble over on your way down!!!

    Red Pill Junkie

    1. Stratford-Upon-Avon
      in addition, this quote ffrom the story … something you hear or read in the media accounts almost constantly when covering a sighting..
      “Although Air Traffic Control reported no unusual activity, some witnesses were convinced they were witnessing an extra-terrestrial spectacle.” or the often quoted, nothing was pick-up on radar … as if that still actually matters. If a sighting were of a “craft” built by some visitor … from where ever … This might well have been a valid comment in the 60s or 70s, considering that stealth technology was not widely known by the general public and not yet implimented by defense forces here in the United States. However, with platforms like the B-2, F-117 now part of the inventory, why would such technology been foreign to what can be assumed would be an advanced culture (if these “craft” were indeed “spacecraft” or any type of “craft”?
      That comment in stories over the last couple of decades always amazes me.
      In the other story listed today, concerning the sighting the passenger made from an airliner … another item that ALWAYS seems present in these media reports is a reference to — in this case “the twilight zone” … or x-files, or sci-fi books or magazines, etc. I have seen that in most all cases, even those that are throughout very good, to decent reporting. It is as if that is a “mandatory phrase” or comment that needs to be included.
      Those two items have always puzzled me.

      Dale

        1. and let’s not forget
          The inevitable Billy Meier photo placed in the web page of the article, to remind us all that “we want to believe” 😉

          —–
          It’s not the depth of the rabbit hole that bugs me…
          It’s all the rabbit SH*T you stumble over on your way down!!!

          Red Pill Junkie

          1. I wonder .. always have if
            I wonder .. always have if this isn’t some tension relief … or way of indicating … no matter how impressed the reporter was with the incident … “… if I report it straight … gee, readers .. or views will think of me a some ‘ufo-nut’ …. I wonder how different all would have been, had journalists just reported it as it is or was … letting the merits of the story carry it one direction or another.
            Long ago, I produced a documentary on the Montauk Project .. and as such had chance to interview many of the main characters in that story .. I don’t know if I ever gave it much credibility … but even in making the peice, I felt it was up to my listeners to deciede that (it was for radio, so it was audio … thank goodness, as their appearance would have sunk their story right there.)
            Interestingly, a couple of years later, at a UFO conference, I met a documentary producer who worked in the video medium … we were talking over sdrinks, as he had produced a similar project for video, about the issue of credibility. He indicated to me that almost from the get-go, he had had the urge to set the camera on automatic and leave the room. But, like me, felt … hey, our job was just to allow them to tell their story .. WITHOUT the editorial judgements.
            Looking back on my 25 year career in journalism … I can honestly say that I was fortunate enough to have spent that time when journalism was still a credible profession (albeit the tail end of the era)
            Sadly, it has changed .. and not for the better. The last year I taught journalism, one of the primary “push” areas was that of “journalistic ethics” …

            Dale

            Dale

    2. Good video
      I’m particularly impressed with the point-of-view, the cameraperson catches both the UFOs and the party-goers watching the lights and pointing. It’s interesting how phenomena such as UFOs and crop circles (the Alton-Barnes circle that appeared within 90 minutes earlier this month) intensify throughout July in the Northern Hemisphere. There may be something to Midsummer afterall.

      1. Psychodrama
        Hi Rick,
        If I’m anywhere near right on my idea of the UFO being a kind of global ‘psychodrama’, similar to the poltergeist, but infected by culture, then July is the wind-down to summer, where political stories decline, and the media is on the lookout for stories.
        In the UK we call it the ‘silly season.’
        Now, I’m not saying the media is the explanation, but that if the media points culture in this direction, could the psychodrama be cranked up to provide the incidences?

        Reality, like time, is relative to the observer

        Anthony North

      2. I have watched it again…
        I have watched it again… and it is interesting to watch the reactions of the party goers … not so much the four that were most interested (the ones to the left that appear to be in discussion about the objects) but the ones that were just passing by. The appear to glance back … and then just walk off.
        The one blonde lady was interesting .. the one who was center right … her firend to the right spent good periods of time watching and she would only give it short glances.
        It is too bad, in a way that the angle of vision wasn’t wider .. heck, we’ve all seen UFO footage .. but it was also an interesting character study. 🙂 just kidding … this is excellent footage.

        1. Audio
          There’s no audio, which is a big disappointment. It’d be helpful to hear what people are saying — and if there are helicopter noises. 😉

          Watching the partygoers is the best gauge of the video’s authenticity. The lights are definitely real, right there, in the sky, and not CGI or special fx — several people are watching the lights, one lady pointing them out to several friends. Another person seated in front of the cameraman is filming the lights on their own camera. The two women closest to the cameraman seem oblivious though, and many others continue drinking and socialising without giving the lights even a brief glance.

          2:47 seconds in. There are six people in view. Two men to the left, two women centre, and two women right. The women on the right have their backs to the UFOs and are ignoring them. The two women in the centre are watching the lights and pointing out how the fifth UFO joined the other four. One of them is filming the UFOs on her camera. The two men on the right are ignoring the lights, and don’t look up when the two women point to the UFOs.

          So the news reporting 100 partygoers standing hypnotised by the UFOs for half an hour is exaggerated — most of the people in camera view didn’t even look up at the lights! Half a dozen people at most were seen to be looking up at the lights. Granted, the footage was only 3 minutes long, not half an hour.

          But the lack of audio is frustrating, I’d like to hear the cameraman’s commentary, and people around him talking about the UFOs. Witnesses say there was no noise, and i’d that backed up by the footage.

          1. Stratford
            I’ve been having a think about the Stratford lights. Providing it isn’t a hoax, and I don’t think it is – says me with everything crossed – what could have caused it?
            First of all, you got to look at the weather. The UK has been experiencing over a month of unusual rainfall. Around the time of the sighting, a large area just south of Stratford had 2 month’s rainfall in a couple of hours, resulting in large parts of six counties being deluged.
            The worst floods in living memory, the Severn, Thames and Avon all burst their banks in numerous places. It is presently turning into a humanitarian emergency as the water remains.
            This unusual weather will have been causing acute electromagnetic disturbances in the atmosphere, which suggest it could all be a load of BOLs.
            Balls of Light phenomena has often been associated with such electromagnetic disturbances, and some investigations – such as at Hessledan and Piedmont, among others – have suggested a form of ‘intentionality’ in their actions. Synchronous movements have been recorded, as if they are reacting to human observation.
            Culture and natural phenomena can, I’m sure, work together at times. So could a cultural aspect be placed on the timing? Certainly. It was bang in the middle of Harry Potter fervour. It was perhaps inevitable that something ‘magical’ would occur. And where would be the most likely site for such synchronicity regarding the biggest selling success story in English ‘literature’? How about above Shakespeare’s birthplace.
            Yes, this is all speculative – I’m thinking on the hoof. But as Fatima showed, when atmospheric phenomena meets the right human fervour, even the Sun can dance.

            Reality, like time, is relative to the observer

            Anthony North

          2. I keep thinking of
            I keep thinking of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. 😉

            Partygoers weren’t the only witnesses. Other residents of S-U-A observed the lights, as did motorists passing through. All reported no noise, so the helicopter theory is out. Flares, lanterns, balloons, pinyatas are also invalid — the way the fifth UFO moved to the other four, which remained in formation, just isn’t possible if they’re plastic bags being blown about by the wind.

            It’s the real deal, definitely not a hoax. The timing grabs me, a few weeks after the Alton-Barnes crop circle (and orbs of light have forever been witnessed around circles).

            Or it might’ve been a Quidditch match.

          3. location ?
            I’m not familiar with the location, can someone tell me where this is? So I can look at it with Google Earth?

            Somwthing that a person not familiar with UK localities could identify, that would be especially helpful 🙂

            —-
            The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question of whether a submarine can swim.

            (Edsger Dijkstra)

          4. thanks
            I’m familiar with the cultural significance, just didn’t know where it was, other that “somewhere in England”

            —-
            The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question of whether a submarine can swim.

            (Edsger Dijkstra)

          5. air fields
            There seems to be one active air field close to there, and at least 3 others that I found in 3 minutes. Probably left over from WW2, they look overgrown with vegitation. In one case, it looks like a tree farm on the old runways. The one that looks active is to the south-west, and it looks like there are some historic aircraft parked on the grass there. A musem of sorts perhaps?

            So that could be a few of many reasons for the lights:

            – slow aircraft going to the remaining active airfield
            – aircraft going to other airfields that I haven’t found
            – alien air/spacecraft checking why there are so many airfields
            – and of course, something else

            Not entirely unrelated, there is this:

            If you are bored, you can look at the Frankfurt airport on Google Earth. This is at about N 50 02 51 and E 8 35 15

            If you follow the runways to the right you will see 3 planes, 747s with the same markings. You can also see the shadows of those planes, to the left and a little bit up.

            You can also see 1 shadow, without an associated plane, at a cross of taxiways.

            The planes look bigger, from left to right. And the apparent distance is increasing slightly.

            So this looks lik a sequence of pictures, stiched together, of the same airplane taking off and gaining altitude and speed. With no intent of deception, I’m pretty sure.

            —-
            The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question of whether a submarine can swim.

            (Edsger Dijkstra)

          6. well … true.. the audio ..
            well … true.. the audio .. would have been a big help …
            the two girls to the right … the blonde in particular … it is PURE speculation on my part, but watch how she would look, the turn away, and then seems compeled to look back, more like sneeking a glance — seems very uncomfortable with it.
            But thanks to the computer and the internet … we are really becomming slackers when it comes to research.
            But I am in a horrid mood and found myself slipping into something totally unrelated. the comments concerning this have been good ones … more to do with bloggers and sceptics … who do all the “anaylsis” from the comfort of a chair and computer screen.
            As to “100s” could have been … camera’s field of vision is not proof or disproof of that.

          7. a little frustrating
            There are many thousands of photographs and videos of UFOs, and UMLs (Unidentified Moving Lights).

            I am still waiting for the first one that does NOT lack some critical quality. Here it is the audio. Often it is the focus.

            But Rick is correct, it would be quite interesting to hear why some people notice these lights, and others see them but don’t find them interesting.

            —-
            The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question of whether a submarine can swim.

            (Edsger Dijkstra)

          8. Reality
            Reality, like time, is relative to the observer

            Hi Earthling,
            By-line comes first, for it maybe answers the problem.
            Over decades I’ve read about, and personally experienced, phenomena until it’s coming out of my ears. And the nearest I can come to an answer to your question is to look at testimonies from people who have been hypnotised.
            Depending upon their inner ‘values’, what they experience can be totally believed by them, to people having a suspicion that this is just not real.
            I think much phenomena works on the same level. What these people are seeing is counter to their values on what they expect to see, so it will enter their minds in differing ways, dependent upon their ‘reality filters’, as it were.

          9. yes, but
            I’m probably saying close to the same thing, simpler perhaps, but anyway:

            Some things have the be seen to be believed, some things have to believed to be seen.

            Apart from that, many party-goers are so focused on the social interaction that they would not find it interesting if the moon crashed on the earth. So disinterest party people are no evidence of anything, and no counter-evidence.

            My other point remains – there are these very many records of stuff like this, and ALL of them are missing some critical information. That is what I meant by “frustrating”.

            —-
            The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question of whether a submarine can swim.

            (Edsger Dijkstra)

          10. Nature of the experience
            I think it is the nature of such things that they are missing in vital respects. I’d say if this wasn’t a factor, the paranormal/UFOlogy, etc, would no longer be a mystery.
            I suppose we can look at it in several ways. Hoaxes, etc, would have to be ‘fleeting’ like this. A lot of stage magic apes the process.
            Alternatively, if these things occur, and are best defined, in a kind of ‘altered state’, then it would all be hazy. The grasp on reality would not be complete.
            Then again, when recording such events, the person recording it would be excited and confused, or why are they recording it?
            In such circumstances, even professionals can make mistakes.

            I’m certain of only one thing. Nothing is certain.

            Anthony North

          11. Local UFO Groups
            I’ve just had a trawl round the local UFO Group websites. As far as I can tell there’s a great big nothing on this. Might have missed some. A bit worrying.

            I’m fanatical about moderation

            Anthony North

          12. hazy
            Another interesting part is that these lights are almost always described as “orbs”. I suppose in contrast with point-like lights.

            Now, any point-like light will look a lot bigger because of haze. It’s called “glare”. You can’t get away from it.

            I posted something about the local airports, in a different part of this thread.

            —-
            The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question of whether a submarine can swim.

            (Edsger Dijkstra)

          13. Orb
            Orb is a description often given to BOLs. They seem to glow, brightly enough, but not intensely. They’ve had many names over the centuries – will o’the wisp, fairy lights, etc. Some researchers think they’re the same as ball lightning. If it – they – exist.

            I’m fanatical about moderation

            Anthony North

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