Saturday, April 12, 2008

UFO Hunters: Stephenville Lights - Fumble!

UFO Hunters (THC)
By Mike Fortson
4-10-08

Mike Fortson (C Sml)     It's with great disgust that I write this.

As one who has witnessed the fantastic, I waited with great anticipation for the UFO Hunter's episode on the "Stephenville Lights" case. What I watched was a complete fumble of the "UFO football” . . . completely out of bounds, and just out of the stadium!

As an observer to an incredibly massive unidentified object myself, I understand the great importance of telling the story of the "Stephenville Lights" openly, truthfully, and with the best witnesses available; not by triangulating a weather balloon and comment, "now that looks like a UFO!" No, it's an IFO (identified flying object i.e., a weather balloon)!

Why do they continually redefine the term, ”UFO” as an alien craft? An “unidentified aerial object” until determined otherwise, is just that, i.e., a UFO . . . not necessarily alien—period! They continually say, "that might be a UFO!". Well, if it cannot be identified at the time, it IS a UFO! Most likely not alien, but at that time, “not identified.”

I really wish the word or term UFO would just go away.

My question here is, "why did they not get the most important witnesses to this case on the show?" Where was Rick Sorrells? He has witnessed the large craft several times. Including once while deer hunting on his property in daytime! He described the massive object while looking thru his scope on his rifle! Where is this interview? Where is Steve Allen's interview? He's a licensed pilot and witnessed the lights/object first hand. Where is his interview? Where is the Angelia Joiner interview? She's the reporter who first broke the story. Why wasn't she interviewed? There are also three police officers who witnessed the large craft.... calling it a massive craft...where is that interview?

Instead the UFO Hunter's claim to have a "never-seen-before video" from Mr. Dave Coran. Except that video first was seen on the Internet on March 5, 2008. What gives here? Where is the investigating? Where is the truth?

There was a part of this so-called investigation that was intriguing.... a video of a beam of light that failed to touch the ground. Wow! Are you kidding? Now here's something incredibly unusual. Now the question is this.... did their so-called scientist try to recreate this weird incident? No. Why not? Could it be that this is known to be "highly unusual" and they knew it could not be duplicated by their pseudo-science?

So, in my eyes they failed to get the most important witnesses. They failed to explain how a beam of light that stopped short of touching the ground could happen. Instead they launched a weather balloon and claimed it to look like a UfO.

I have but one thing to say to the UFO Hunters.... PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE...stay away from the "Massive UFO Flyover of Arizona, March 13, 1997".

11 comments :

  1. If you want to know why a lot of witnesses were not on the show I suggest you check out my $tephenville article at --
    http://www.binnallofamerica.com/gm4.1.8.html

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  2. I've watched a couple of episodes of the History Channel UFO hunter show and it is a disgrace.

    No other source could discredit true UFO research any greater than this show. The so called 'investigators' are incredulous fools.

    I watched one show recently where the little bozo with the sun glasses told a young man that he thought he was a hybrid. Not only are these individuals making a mockery of serious ufo research but they are also potentially dangerous .

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  3. I completely agree....UFO Hunters undermines the credibility of the subject. The guy with the sunglasses is way out in left field. We always wait for his roundup of the show. It cracks us up. His logic baffles me. He will never live down the "hybrid" comment. That kind of garbage fuels the skeptics arguments. I wouldn't be surprised if the more paranoid viewers don't start calling him a disinformation agent.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Lesley,

    First, let me say that I respect your opinion and I know that "your intent is true"; however, please, in the future if you choose to make comment (which I appreciate and encourage) please be more expressive in your comments, rather then a "one liner and a link to another site."

    In regards to your article, I'm not sure I know where you're taking me; you quoted "Bill Birnes in saying,

    " In the face of open disclosure, however, there is always the possibility that disclosure can be bought, or witness's report can be tied up with exclusive story and photo or footage agreements that make disclosure a business rather than a news story. And that's what's been happening in Stephenville as cult-centric ufologists come to town riding on their reputations to gather up every witness and every piece of footage they can find to broadcast it on their own websites and dvds. At that point, disclosure goes private and becomes something of a business.

    Now there is a bit of irony here since Bill is the publisher of "UFO Magazine," a periodical for profit, and stars in and is listed as a producer for "UFO Hunters," executive produced by Weller/Grossman productions which I assure you isn't producing a "news program." Moreover, they "purchased" video tape regarding Stephenville. SO this is an example of the "pot calling the kettle black" in my view.

    Additionally, they (UFO Hunters)rode into town much like Bill iterates, set up shop, went on the radio to covet witnesses, filmed it and sold it to the History Channel.

    His comments are a wee bit hypocritical to be polite.

    Respectfully,
    Frank

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  5. I normally don't post links, but I didn't feel like having to type it all out here again when it was already available somewhere else, but I will now explain what I was saying since the point seems to have been missed.

    I have no problem with anyone in Ufology making money. I have made that quite clear many times, in many places. I was answering the question in the article about why certain good witnesses were not on the show. It was because they have exclusive contracts with certain "researchers" who have paid them. It certainly was not that they were being ignored or that those on the show did not want to talk to them.

    I have heard that from others aside from Bill. However, Bill was the only person who was somewhat willing to go on the record with it.

    The pot calling the kettle black? Did they purchase the video for exclusive use? I doubt it. They may have bought the right to broadcast what is copyrighted material on their TV show, but since it is available on the internet at various websites I doubt they were exclusively hogging the footage and keeping it from other researchers.

    That aside, I am not the least impressed with the footage. It looks very much like numerous laser shows I have been to, only not as good. I find nothing ETish about it, nothing beyond human capability.

    Lastly, people who think they are going to get real ufology on TV, on a 1 hour show, need to have their heads examined. We don't even get very much real news from channels that are on 24 hours a day reporting nothing but news. The mass media is for profit, not what will attract ufologists, but what will attract the mass audience. There is nothing terribly wrong with that, but people shouldn't expect too much from what is basically for entertainment purposes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Irregardless of Lesley's insult (Lastly, people who think they are going to get real ufology on TV, on a 1 hour show, need to have their heads examined.), people seriously interested in this topic need to distance themselves from this show.

    Talk about providing fodder for skeptics. This show is a disaster and only those that are gullible beyond belief would attach any credibility to it.

    It is a disgrace. And IMHO, anybody thinking TV can't do any better is a fool.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mornin' Lesley,

    You wrote:

    "I was answering the question in the article about why certain good witnesses were not on the show. It was because they have exclusive contracts with certain "researchers" who have paid them. It certainly was not that they were being ignored or that those on the show did not want to talk to them."

    To be more specific, the people in question as mentioned by Mike (Fortson) in his article, are: Ricky Sorrells, Angelia Joiner and Steve Allen.

    I interviewed, Steve Allen extensively, and correspond regularly with both he and Angelia Joiner, and I can state emphatically, that none of them have contracts with anyone, involving money or otherwise.

    You wrote:

    The pot calling the kettle black? Did they purchase the video for exclusive use? I doubt it. They may have bought the right to broadcast what is copyrighted material on their TV show, but since it is available on the internet at various websites I doubt they were exclusively hogging the footage and keeping it from other researchers.

    The answer is "yes." They did "attempt" and still are attempting to have "exclusive" title to the "Coran video," regardless of the fact that it was already broadcast by local news stations, and was/is all over the internet.

    You wrote:

    but people shouldn't expect too much from what is basically for entertainment purposes.

    Ain't that the truth!

    Cheers,
    Frank

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi CJ,

    I don't think Lesley was trying to be rude, and I think we're probably "all" in agreement here, i.e., that the "UFO Hunters" is of very poor quality, both in research and presentation and it certainly doesn't bode well for the subject matter.

    Cheers,
    Frank

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  9. Angelia Joiner writes:

    Dear Lesley,

    Frank alerted me to your comments and after I read them I'm glad he did.

    I would like to respond.

    I find it incredible that Bill would make such comments as you refer to in your article.

    I visited with Bill and Al when they were in Stephenville. You should contact those two again because they know exactly what my reasons were for not participating. I don't think they would like the reasons to be made public but I can do that if forced. I have nothing to hide.

    None of us have exclusive agreements with anyone. That wouldn't even make sense. None of us have made a dime on the sightings but plenty of people are making money off our backs, UFO Hunters included. I am speaking for Ricky Sorrells, Lee Roy Gaitan and Steve Allen. The group made me their spokesperson a long time ago.

    As far as the Coran video goes...I find it strange that you find it so mundane when UFO Hunters paid several thousand dollars for it. I can tell you for fact it was purchased with an exclusive agreement.

    You could also contact Linda Howe at earthfiles.com for her take on the events with UFO Hunters and tell her I sent you. She didn't even bother to watch Wednesday night. I just saw her at the Ozark Conference and heard many people talking about this show and had many questions directed to me about the Stephenville show. THe comments were less than desirable and I'll just leave it at that.

    I'm happy with the decision made and so are the others.

    I find your comments insulting but at the same time I realize you have been misinformed.

    I believe if MUFON had it to do over again they wouldn't participate either.

    I read your article and it seems absolutely biased.

    It's always good to get both sides of a story.

    Angelia Joiner

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  10. I just wrote a comment that didn't get posted, but may show up later so I am not purposely double posting.

    Ms. Joiner,

    I certainly was not referring to you, but to witnesses. I have a great deal of respect for you and have followed your stories since the beginning of this entire thing.

    On the other hand, I have had several people tell me that there were witnesses who wouldn't talk to them and claimed to have exclusives with other researchers. As I think I made clear in my article, if that is true it is very wrong, IMO. I didn't give any specific names of witnesses because I don't know which ones they are. The people who know this information don't want to go public with it because they don't want to cause trouble with whoever the researchers are. I did NOT hear this from Bill. I used a small piece from his article because it was the closest I could find to someone going on the record. It is possible that these witnesses were snatched up and are not publicly known because of that. I suppose it is also possible that people are lying to me, or that witnesses are lying to them. One of the reasons I wrote the article and keep spreading it is the hope of getting to the bottom of this.

    What UFO Hunters thinks has nothing to do with me. I believe the Coran video it a military/government attempt at covering up the fact that there was a huge ship. Much like the "flares" video after the Phoenix event. I also believe those "flares" to be lasers and not flares. I just don't find anything ETish about the Coran video, my husband has worked with lasers for ages and he feels the same way. Cover up or maybe even misdirection - look at the pretty lights and meanwhile a huge ship passes by in the other direction. Just my opinion.

    More than anything I am sad that I didn't explain myself well enough and that you would think I was in any way speaking about you. I am deeply sorry for that and I hope you will forgive me.

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  11. Hi Lesley,

    Angelia Joiner writes:

    Dear Lesley,

    Thanks for your honest reply. No harm done.

    I don't think you need my forgiveness but you've got it. I just wanted to be certain that the public doesn't begin to think I have an exclusive contract with anyone. Also, I didn't want that rumor going around about the primary witnesses.

    I hope you understand my position.

    If you're going to be at the X-Conference I would love to meet you.

    Angelia

    ReplyDelete

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