Branching Out: Honing In On Specific Aspects of Reported UFOs and Related Phenomena

Our research interests may change as our horizons widen. This may ironically come about through honing in on specific aspects of reported UFOs and related phenomena such as alleged alien abduction. Focusing on finer points can result in studying potentially important yet often overlooked subject matter. In my experience, a working knowledge of some of the following topics is essential to understanding various theories and explanations offered. Whether or not we choose to pursue such theories, we simply will not understand them if we remain uninformed.

By Jack Brewer ufotrail.blogspot.com 12-14-16

Psychological Trauma

This is square one. It may very well be among the most significant and least understood aspects of the UFO community. In my admittedly professionally unqualified opinion, symptoms of psychological trauma and the related emotional distress account for the vast majority of reports of alien abduction, high strangeness, military abductees (MILABS), targeted individuals (TIs) and similar titles applied. I have come to the conclusion we must accept that to be the case in order to proceed rationally and credibly.

That stated, I do not consider myself entitled to tell people what did or did not happen to them. People may interpret experiences as they choose and discuss them as they see fit. Psychological and physiological conditions, relevant as they may be, do not account for all reports. As researchers, we are best served to proceed cautiously, professionally, and respectfully.

Hypnotist Barbara Lamb, who "helps" people learn they are ET-human hybrids and presents them at conferences

Challenges arise when self-described investigators put forth witness testimonies as supportive of a preferred hypothesis, such as alleged alien abduction and/or military abduction, while refusing to entertain alternative, more likely possibilities. Similar challenges arise when organizations, such as the Mutual UFO Network and the International UFO Congress, offer such researchers (or the human subjects of their research) platforms to promote their interpretations while claiming to be dedicated to scientific study. Doing so tends to take the witness narration more into public scrutiny, as it arguably should at that point. At the least, the professional research process requires questioning the methodologies of the "researchers" involved once they play the science card. That bleeds into issues of ethics and integrity as have been explored on this blog at length, and I'm sure we will consider them more in the future.

My current point, please, is that if we do not make intentional efforts to adequately understand such inherently human conditions as emotional trauma and false memories, and how they pertain to ufology, we are left with substantially incomplete renderings of the very topic we claim to pursue. It is a given that many reports involve incorrect interpretations, so it is only reasonable to acknowledge that to be the case while taking the responsibility to learn more about how they manifest and encouraging others to do the same.

Additional reading:

Coping with Emotional and Psychological Trauma, helpguide.org

How childhood trauma could affect your life expectancy, relationships and mental health, Independent

Ethics of Exploring the Fringe, Part One: Sharon Weinberger and Nigel Watson on Responsible Reporting, The UFO Trail

Ethics of Exploring the Fringe, Part Two: Mark Pilkington on Deception Operations, Witness Claims and More, The UFO Trail

False Memories

I recently browsed some UFO discussion forums and discovered participants who remain terribly under informed about topics such as memory functions and dynamics surrounding hypnosis. If you're considering reasons ufology gains no traction, this is a huge one.

Witness testimony is the least reliable form of evidence. I'm more than willing to reiterate it's not my place to accept and reject claims of personal experiences, but if we want to present testimonies as indicative of a preferred hypothesis, collaborating evidence is extremely helpful.

The work of such experts as Loftus, Shaw, Morgan, and what has now become the accepted paradigm of the entire scientific community demonstrates memories are riddled with inaccuracies. It's a characteristic of human memory. It's also been demonstrated again and again how easily people can be led to form memories of events that never happened.

Point for emphasis: A hypnosis subject does not have to be intentionally led in order to produce false memories. It can occur during a biased, ill advised hypnotic search for memories of aliens. Actually, it's extremely likely. That's a big part of the point. The same can be said for (non-hypnosis) interviews conducted by overeager "investigators."

Additional reading:

Memory Distortion and False Memory Creation, Elizabeth Loftus, PhD

People Can Be Convinced They Committed a Crime That Never Happened, Association for Psychological Science

Most of us recall events that never happened, Unexplained Mysteries

Classified Flying Objects

We've heard UFO witnesses explain, "It wasn't any kind of craft like I've ever seen. It couldn't have been one of ours."

The Lockheed Martin P-791 is an experimental aerostatic/aerodynamic hybrid airship

It should be apparent that unless a person is up on classified aircraft and related advancements, they're not in a position to offer such an assessment. There have been fascinating developments in manned and unmanned aerial vehicles over the years, and our eyes might play tricks on us when we see things we're not used to seeing, such as planes refueling during flight. Did you know, for instance, NOVA reported reported in 2013 about an airplane wing that changes shape as it flies?

At the risk of sounding cynical, this point has long perplexed me. I find it difficult to identify anything other than cultural conditioning (scifi, movies, questionable talk radio, etc.) as a primary reason one would suspect a flying object not to be made by humans.

To try to offer some context, isn't it kind of like not knowing the make and model of an automobile that drives past and then jumping to the conclusion it must have been manufactured by non-human beings? What would lead a person to think such a thing about aircraft? The answer to that question would be movies like Star Wars and stories like Lonnie Zamora, but I think my point is valid: If it's flying around and it's a physical craft, one should suppose it's made by humans until substantial reasons arise to think differently.

Additional reading:

One Nation Under Drones, The UFO Trail

Thought Drones Were New to the Skies? Think Again, The UFO Trail

One of Those Posts About Validated Conspiracy Theories, The UFO Trail

Intelligence Community

The problem with discussing the influence of the intelligence community in ufology is that many people who would challenge its significance do not have a working knowledge of its history and circumstances. While it is admittedly difficult to identify cause and effect in the often nebulous and confusing intersections of the intel and UFO communities, that doesn't change the fact many interested in the latter know nearly nothing about the former, and it doesn't change the fact those intersections are indeed easy to demonstrate.

What's more, the lack of knowledge of or interest in the IC is found throughout both demographics of what we might term believers and skeptics. It's okay if they're not interested, but it's unbecoming to attempt to argue about topics that they are obviously unequipped to meaningfully discuss in the first place.

In order to add constructively to such discussions, one should not only make efforts to understand specific points presented by others, but activities and context of the applicable era as well. Recent developments in the U.S. intelligence community serve as excellent examples of ways volatile and dramatic situations may arise, as well as the importance of understanding their significance when exploring events that surround them.

Additional reading:

Influence of the Intelligence Community in Ufology, The UFO Trail

Psy Ops and Mind Control: Then, Now and the UFO Community, The UFO Trail

In closing, I'd like to add that the same dynamics could be applied virtually across the board to UFO research: If it's not something you're interested in, and you haven't spent time researching it, perhaps you shouldn't try to explain it to others.

For example, my interest in UFOs - literal reports of unidentified flying objects - has admittedly decreased significantly in recent years. I have come to be much more intrigued by cultural aspects of ufology. You therefore won't find me going on at length about something I choose not to pursue and I recognize as an area in which others develop a substantial knowledge base.

I identify the differences between things I suspect and things which can be demonstrated to be factual. I'm willing to change my mind when facts dictate. I most respect the work and actions of others who show abilities to do the same, and those are the people I'm most willing to learn from and with. Partisan arguing is unbecoming and unproductive on either side of the aisle. Most importantly, it's not on the path to truth.

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See Also:

The Greys Have Been Framed: Exploitation in the UFO Community

Hypnosis, the Intelligence Community and Ufology

UFO Phenomenon and Psychopathology : A Case Study

REPORT YOUR UFO EXPERIENCE

Emerging Technologies Could Make or Break Alien Abduction Cases

Excerpt from Chapter 5 of The Greys Have Been Framed:
Exploitation in the UFO Community

Tyler Kokjohn, who holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, warned the UFO community that investigators' hypotheses should be tested and evolve accordingly, not chronically remain stagnant and unchallenged.1 Such tests could include the use of emerging genetic analysis technologies that could swiftly and cost effectively identify alleged genomic adulterations. Nonetheless, opportunities for such testing appears to be of minimal interest to investigators of alleged alien abduction who would potentially benefit enormously from the results. It seems reasonable to suspect such investigators failed to foresee and were unprepared for the current era in which scientific advances would allow them to actually validate or negate their fantastic claims. Rather than eagerly seek the potential validation of hypotheses, investigators often seem instead to fear those very tests and what the results would actually indicate.

By Jack Brewer ufotrail.blogspot.com 4-2-16

Microbiologist works with DNA samples

Addressing the alleged disappearing fetus syndrome of abduction lore, Kokjohn explained that, during gestation, mother and fetus exchange cells which may remain for years or even decades after birth or termination of pregnancy.² Powerful genetic analysis methods now allow examination of such circumstances via a simple blood draw from the mother. This would obviously enable investigators claiming to know such women, as well as those who claim to have experienced such occurrences, to attempt to obtain supporting physical evidence. It is reasonable to critically question their apparent collective lack of interest.

Podcaster and former publisher of UFO Magazine Don Ecker addressed the topic of alleged missing pregnancies during an online discussion in early 2011.³ He explained that during the 1990's he and his wife knew a practicing gynecologist, Dr. Richard Neal. The doctor was very familiar with the work of Hopkins and Jacobs, Ecker indicated, including the alleged missing fetus syndrome. The gynecologist wanted to try to scientifically establish the extents of validity of the reported circumstances. He requested that Ecker and his wife introduce him to Hopkins and Jacobs, which they did. Explaining what happened next, Ecker wrote:

After the intro Neal told Hopkins and Jacobs that what he wanted to do was to interface with "abductees" that Hopkins and Jacobs were working with, that claimed having been pregnant and then the fetus disappeared. Neal wanted to speak and share information with the abductees [sic] doctors of record. The bottom line? (and I am not suggesting anything beyond what I am saying here...) neither Hopkins nor Jacobs had any interest in working with Neal nor introducing him to any of these abductees.

Ufology hypnotists and investigators continue to regularly make claims that have long since worn old in their simultaneous sensational content and complete lack of supporting physical evidence. In 2013 I emailed Barbara Lamb and inquired about her pending MUFON appearance in which she was scheduled to discuss her claim that “ET-human hybrids are real and they are here.”⁴ According to a series of MUFON promotional emails that were circulating and contained the assertion, Lamb had hypnotically regressed over 900 people, some of which, with her “help,” discovered themselves to be ET-human hybrids.

Barbara Lamb

When asked via email if medical tests were conducted by qualified third parties on such alleged hybrids, Lamb replied that she was in a huge rush and provided minimal information during a subsequent exchange of messages. When urged to directly address if physical exams were conducted, and if any such data was available for public review, she ceased corresponding.

I also emailed Jan Harzan, eventual executive director of MUFON, about the matter. At the time of my emails, which was March, 2013, Harzan held a MUFON leadership role in Southern California, where Lamb was scheduled to appear at the time. I pointed out that MUFON emails were distributed containing assertions of the reality of ET-human hybrids and that Lamb claimed to personally know some of them. I asked Harzan to please comment on how an organization such as MUFON, claiming to be dedicated to scientific study, could promote such unsubstantiated and fantastic claims. He failed to respond to multiple emails.

I caught up with David Jacobs at the 2012 Ozark UFO Conference. The resulting interview was included in my three-part blog post, The Bizarre World of Doctor David Jacobs: An Interview and Review.⁵

Jacobs claimed, among other things, that hybrids have progressed through multiple stages. He was apparently referring to hybrids created directly by aliens and housed somewhere in Alien Land, as opposed to those that seemingly have birth certificates and participate in hypnosis sessions with Barbara Lamb. At this point, he asserted, they are “human in every way except for sleep cycle and ability to control others.”

Those are obviously some extremely questionable claims, considering we have no reasons to believe any of the beings have ever been physically examined. As a matter of fact, they cannot be demonstrated to so much as exist, but that did not stop Jacobs from confidently purporting to be qualified to inform me of their physical and mental conditions.

Jacobs may have been implying there were no reasons to attempt to obtain DNA and related evidence of the beings because they had become so similar to humans. Some people of course found that stance to be a rather convenient way of keeping one's hypothesis non-falsifiable, even if it does not actually make sense. I wrote at the time that I found such a notion – hybrids being physiologically nearly identical to humans - to be mentally unhealthy. I might add that I found it an insult to intelligence.

I urged Jacobs to comment on how he could perpetually be unable to obtain physical evidence of hybrids allegedly using a computer at the home of Elizabeth, one of his research subjects as described earlier. He offered me excuses such as Elizabeth lived 125 miles away from him, and that the curtains on the windows of her home did not allow anyone to see inside. He also mentioned there would be no fingerprints for some unspecified reason or other. I remain very unconvinced and found the lines of reasoning to be absurdly inadequate, as well as rather irrational directions to take.

The person lives 125 miles away and their curtains don't allow anyone to see inside? That's what makes it impossible to obtain supporting physical evidence of ET-human hybrids frequenting the premises? I will reiterate that I found many of Jacobs' claims to be insults to intelligence.

*       *       *       *

Jacobs has continued his assertions that a currently active wave of hybrids is virtually indistinguishable from human beings, at least physically.⁶ While that conveniently makes points related to purpose and procreation more convoluted and confusing than ever, numerous additional questions continue to arise.

How old are these alleged hybrids? If they are any older than mere children, say, in their 20's or 30's, that would mean they were being developed from pretty much the outset of when Jacobs began writing and lecturing on the topic. We might reasonably ask how he missed it all this time, or why he failed to mention the circumstances until recent years.

And what kinds of vaccination programs do these aliens administer to these hybrids that are physiologically just like humans? It's potentially pretty serious from an immunology standpoint to even travel from one continent to another, so I would think being released to earth from the mother ship could stir up some pretty nasty bugs. If the hybrids are physiologically just like us, let's hope their alien handlers know more about ebola than we do.

Would the antibody profile of such a hybrid reflect the full complement of vaccinations humans currently administer to children, or would it indicate pediatric vaccines licensed and available 20 to 30 years ago? Along the same lines of considerations, each encounter with a pathogen leaves a record in the immune system, so qualified examination of forensic evidence would still prove potentially important. The antibodies of such alleged beings would help reveal how long they have been hanging around our neighborhood.

Unfortunately for David Jacobs, his assertion that some hybrids are “human in every way except for sleep cycle and ability to control others” does not exempt his hypothesis from potential validation or falsification. Forensic evidence might very well continue to be extremely important, and his failure to take advantage of cost effective technological advances now available likely speaks volumes in and of itself.

Endnotes

1). JayVay: I'm Sorry, Your Hypothesis Appears to be Dead
https://jayvay.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/im-sorry-your-hypothesis-appears-to-be-dead/

2). JayVay: Try a New Hypothesis, Sherlock
https://jayvay.wordpress.com/2014/02/18/try-a-new-hypothesis-sherlock/

3). The Paracast: Hopkins Ex-wife Dumps
http://www.theparacast.com/forum/threads/hopkins-ex-wife-dumps.7891/page-2

4). Examiner.com: Barbara Lamb and MUFON: ET-human hybrids: They are real and they are here
http://www.examiner.com/article/barbara-lamb-and-mufon-et-human-hybrids-they-are-real-and-they-are-here

5). The UFO Trail: The Bizarre World of Doctor David Jacobs: An Interview and Review, Part One of Three
http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2012/04/bizarre-world-of-doctor-david-jacobs.html

6). YouTube: Contact In The Desert - David Jacobs - New Findings In Abduction Research
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUMPDtD4hfA

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See Also:

Ufology Talking Points

The Greys Have Been Framed: Exploitation in the UFO Community

MUFON, Sham Inquiry and the Woods/Jacobs Scandal

REPORT YOUR UFO EXPERIENCE