From: dona@bilver.uucp (Don Allen) Newsgroups: alt.alien.visitors Subject: FILE: Investigator's Edge - MUFON - Part 1 Message-ID: <1993Mar15.015856.8938@bilver.uucp> Date: 15 Mar 93 01:58:56 GMT Organization: W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL Lines: 613 AREA:UFO (2524) Mon 1 Mar 93 21:52 By: Don Allen To: All Re: IEDGE --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** Courtesy of MUFONET ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Part 1 of 2: MUFONET-BBS Network - Mutual UFO Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE SERIES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Investigator's Edge series of instructional and informative files, compiled primarily for the MUFON Field Investigator, originally started out as information from Dan Wright's newsletters to State Directors, but has since included exceptional information for a number of newsletters currently being published by various State and Assistant State Directors from all over the country. Each IEDGE*.TXT file is from a newsletter submitted to the MUFONET-BBS Network by the author, or from a MUFON Member who has experience/training in a certain specialized area of scientific or humanitarian endeavor. Each file in the series is pertinent, informative and educational and is to be used as a tool by the Field Investigator to assist him/her in her field work of investigating UFO and UFO-related cases. If you feel you can contribute a bit of informative information of use for the above purpose, please either upload the file to a MUFONET-BBS Network member board, or send via U.S. Snailmail to: John Komar Administrator - MUFONET-BBS Network State Director/Tennessee - MUFON ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number 1 in a MUTUAL UFO NETWORK (MUFON) Copyright continuing MUFON series THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE 1989 ___________________________ Witness integrity is a critical area to be covered in the investigator's report, yet it is often the most difficult area to assess. Few of us have much formal education in psychology, and even that type of training might be insufficient in certain cases. Much has been said and written about hoaxed claims, which nearly always entail a dramatic close encounter story wherein the teller was the intended subject of the intruder. Other indicators to look for include: (a) precise details expressed with confidence regarding measurements, vehicle design and so forth, (b) if multiple witnesses, total agreement on all aspects of the original account, (c) instant answers to questions posed, (d) the conveyance of a message or indication of purpose by the alien intelligence, and (e) a desire for publicity by the reporting person. Some accounts are genuine despite these appearances, but they do serve as caution lights. Exaggeration and embellishment are not the same and both must be considered. The former overstates a descriptive element - proximity, size, brightness, velocity and the like - that would normally be perceived in an event of that type. If an object seen at dusk in a populated area is estimated to have been thousands of feet in the air yet a foot in diameter at arm's length, one would suspect an exaggerated apparent size. [Otherwise, police phone lines would have been jammed followed by headlines in the morning news.] Embellishment, by contrast, adds elements or details thereof that were not part of the actual observation. This might become evident when comparing original statements made immediately after the incident (to police, the investigator or someone else) with a later re-telling. For example, the object was lost from view below the tree-line and (the witness later deduces) landed. Perhaps a faint glow within the woods is added in the re-telling as well. Taking leave of the facts in either of these fashions might be quite unintentional on the part of a person who both wants to impress you, "the expert", in such matters. Thus, when questioned (s)he tends to fill in any gaps in what was truly heard and seen. Still, if repeated at various points of the account, the entire event may be called into question. A "true believer" is readily identifiable by a large crystal adorning his/her necklace, the flying saucer belt buckle, and the autographed copy of Shirley MacLaine over the mantle. Seriously, this type of individual tends to have just enough knowledge of the UFO subject to be half convincing on the surface. Certainly, randomness being a factor in the sighting annals, one of these "Children of the New Age" or just plain UFOnut may have had a real experience. However, as the sign reads on those windy mountain passes, proceed with extreme caution. If a bookcase is in view, a quick scan of its contents is always in order and may be very illuminating. In the recounting, these persons often tend to digress into a series of previous nocturnal light sightings (which sound suspiciously similar to airplanes, satellites and planets) and to offer firm opinions on the origins, purposes and/or lessons of alien visitation. For, at the heart of the true-believer mentality is a fervent desire to be in contact with mysterious forces - of the UFO variety or otherwise. By itself, this is harmless. But, being a prisoner of one's passions, IFOs are easily transformed into UFOs, and a genuine observation can trigger a delusion of meaningful communication. Lest we succumb to the temptation of seeing an abduction behind every bush, it bears reminding that there are still lots of gullible folks out there with active imaginations and a need to be part of the action. Attached is a "Survey of UFO/Metaphysical Interests," a list of questions which you and your members may find useful in sorting through matters of witness integrity. It is intended for use in those iffy cases, although the first five are suitable for general audiences. Also, investigators should be cautioned not to raise such questions until all other relevant information has been discussed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SURVEY OF UFO / METAPHYSICAL INTERESTS Date _____________________ Witness _________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 1) What books have you read on the UFO subject? ____________________________ ________________________________________________________________________. 2) Are you familiar with: Whitley Strieber? ____. Budd Hopkins? ____. Project Bluebook? ____. MJ-12? ____. 3) Have you found that tabloids (Enquirer, etc.) offer information on UFO incidents that you can't get elsewhere? ____. Do you have a favorite tabloid? ____. __________________________________________________________. 4) Where do UFO's come from? _______________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________. 5) Have you reached a conclusion as to why they are here? __________________ ________________________________________________________________________. 6) Are particular kinds of people selected for UFO encounters? _____________ ________________________________________________________________________. 7) Do you think psychic people have a better chance of seeing a UFO than others? ____. 8) Would an astrologer be able to predict the likelihood of a UFO encounter for a client? ____. 9) Do you feel you were destined to have an UFO experience? ____. Why? _____ _________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________. 10) How can UFO's go so fast? ______________________________________________. How can they just vanish into thin air? ________________________________. 11) Do you have an impression of what an alien looks like? __________________ ________________________________________________________________________. 12) Did you see the movie: "E.T." ____. "Coccoon" ____. "Starman" ____. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" ____. Do you feel these portray what aliens are really like? _________________. 13) Do you suspect that aliens live their lives much like we do? ___________. 14) Is it fair to assume that alien visitors mean us no harm? ______________. Why do you feel that way? _______________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________. 15) If you could select a friend right now to be in the same circumstance, would you want him or her to experience what you did? ____. Why? _______ ________________________________________________________________________. 16) Have you ever tried a past-life regression? ____. What did you find out? _________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________. 17) Have you attended a "channeling" session? ____. Were you impressed? _____ ________________________________________________________________________. 18) Have you ever had an episode of being outside your body? ____. What hap- pened then? ______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________. 19) Is there a particular color that has a special meaning for you? ____. Why ________________________________________________________________________. 20) Have you ever had "Tarot" cards read for you? ____. Did they turn out to be accurate? ____________________________________________________________. 21) Has anyone ever done "automatic writing" for you? ____. What did you learn? __________________________________________________________________. 22) What happens after this life is over? ___________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________. MISC. _______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ INVESTIGATOR ________________________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number 2 in a MUTUAL UFO NETWORK (MUFON) Copyright continuing MUFON series THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE 1990 ___________________________ In a recent case occurring in Florida (related below), two men standing along a road were distracted by the sudden, excited barking of numerous dogs. They then noticed bright aerial lights approaching and observed a large anomalous vehicle. On a windy night in March 1980, two women and their eight children watched as a 12 - 15 - foot object of undefined shape within a glowing aura approached and remained some 50 feet from their door, performing feats and color changes over a 2-hour period. At various points, each of three dogs was let outside, yet none appeared to notice the intruder. As noted by Allan Hendry "The UFO Handbook" (Doubleday, 1979), animals do not share the technological fantasies and anticipations of humans. Pets such as dogs and cats, moreover, possess more acute senses, most notably hearing, and can detect emanations which we cannot. [Whether an animal can detect microwaves, low-strength magnetic fields or minute static charges is not known.] Consequently, if an animal reacts during the reported observation, it is inferred that *something* was there to be sensed. The expectation that animal reactions are linked closely with UFOs is a preconception in the consciousness of the American public. To state the obvious, animals can't speak for themselves, so the interpretation of their actions is left to the human witness. Cats have been reported to arch their back, hair standing on end, at the sight of a strange airborne vehicle. Of course, the sight of a strange cat would have caused the same result. UFOs have long been linked to dogs howling, barking, or cowering. Dogs likewise howl at the moon and bark at just about anything, including the barking of other dogs. Some dogs cower whenever an adult looks at them. You should also keep in mind that pets are often closely attuned to - and influenced by - the moods of their masters. Thus, if a person is acting excitedly or fearfully at the perception of a UFO, the animals in his/her presence may well exhibit a strong response also. Hendry concludes this chapter of his excellent book with an observation: "Clearly, while animals have different motives for response to UFO and IFO stimuli than humans, the range is just as complex and baffling to sort out." We do seek to compile all the evidence available on animal reactions to genuine UFOs. When milk or egg production drops afterward, when an animal is injured or when its behavior is described as totally out of character, something physical seemingly caused it. Animal reactions will be included in our computerized records, sorting both by species and type of reaction. In Chapter VIII of the MUFON "Field Investigator's Manual", Ray Fowler reminds us that a Form 4 should be completed (and mention of the reaction included in the "Personal Account" section of the Form 1) for all anecdotal evidence. If the animal displays symptoms of residual radiation, a Form 10 should be completed and a radiological examination conducted as part of the treatment administered. Where physical evidence is apparent (e.g. an injury or significant loss of fur or feathers, the animal should be photographed and a Form 6 filled out.) A final point: The investigator should never ask a witness whether animals were present. This is a leading question and only encourages the witness to speculate on behavior that may not have been otherwise regarded as extraordinary. Reactions (or a lack of reaction) regarded as unusual at the time will in all likelihood be volunteered by the witness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number 3 in a Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) Copyright continuing MUFON series THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE 1989 ___________________________ The witness has just concluded his account of a dramatic, prolonged close encounter with an object of unusual shape, including exterior trappings. You ask that he spend a few minutes in sketching the vehicle's design. After a bit, he produces a two-dimensional, asymmetrical scrawl and says sheepishly, "Never could draw." The woman has described two identical entities in her bedroom that she was permitted to inspect in a conscious awareness for long minutes. Asked to reduce to paper what they looked like, she prepares with some care a drawing that is nevertheless remindful of a 4-year-old's rendering of Daddy. Sound familiar? Conquering such a problem is really not at all mysterious, as every major police department long ago discovered: An artist is brought in to work with the witness to reconstruct the villain's appearance. For the limited purpose of devising an accurate rendering of a craft or entity, the facilitator need not be either a professional artist nor have formal MUFON membership (though the latter is certainly preferred). At least some several million people have a marked ability in this area and have taken some classes. Frankly, given the horrible drawings that so typically accompany case reports, anyone with an acumen for drawing would be appreciated and should be utilized. The reality in our business - and in the art world generally - is that vehicles and portraits involve fundamentally different skills. So, consider the idea of having two persons available to press into duty. In that CE-1s are far more commonly reported than CE-3s or CE-4s, a person with *mechanical drawing* skill will likely be valuable more often. For the occasional entity case, someone who has had an art class in human anatomy would be the wiser selection. Certainly, someone who has both types of abilities is ideal. A few considerations in utilizing an artist: First, of course, the person must realize that, in agreeing to offer this assistance, (s)he may be called upon with no forewarning - even raised from his/her bed on occasion. Second, the drawing is to be a faithful rendering of what the witness describes, i.e. without artistic license. [Certainly, questions of the witness along the way are both appropriate and necessary.] And third, when the drawing is completed to the client's satisfaction, it should be *signed and dated* by both the client and artist. Naturally, the investigator must clarify in the case report that the drawing was made with the assistance of the person named. For the sake of objectivity, the witness should be asked to attempt a drawing without assistance before the expert is brought to bear, and that drawing, no matter how crude, should accompany the report. It cannot be overemphasized that we as an organization fail to make critical ties among UFO events occurring at different times and locations because of a lack of adequate drawing skills at the ready. Every college and most high schools in America have at least one instructor and several students able to fill this critical need. Please make a concerted effort to find one or more to assist yourself - and encourage your members to locate additional volunteer artists in their own locales. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number 4 in a MUTUAL UFO NETWORK (MUFON) Copyright continuing MUFON series THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE 1989 ___________________________ Following a prolonged encounter with a glowing bell-shaped object on her property, a woman rather suddenly began having precognitive thoughts and dreams. Unfamiliar names popped into her mind, only to be used later in the day by family members. She proceeded to the phone seconds before it began ringing, knowing who was calling. In a vivid dream, someone she knew was dying in a house fire, a fact borne out by the next day's newspaper. Soon after a lengthy encounter on their farm with small triangular-based vehicles, a couple and their best friend (who also witnessed the event) gathered one evening and shared a sense of dread that, for whatever reason, they would not be getting together again. The next evening, the husband was killed in an auto accident. These two incidents are not taken from the Time-Life book series we've all seen advertised on TV, but rather are from my personal case files. Though we cannot begin to adequately explain such occurrences, in some extended close- encounters situations, one or more of the witnesses are left with some form of ESP. This aspect of UFO experiences has, unfortunately, been rather neglected by the investigative community and probably underreported. In that a long, involved UFO encounter is likely to take multiple interviews and weeks or months to sort out, an ESP/psychic awareness may manifest itself if the investigator has the foresight to look for evidence of same. After the basic facts of the aerial event have been gathered and one is satisfied that the claim is genuine, it is proper to ask (without mentioning anything specific) that the witness record any feelings or unusual experiences considered out of place. If something does present itself in the encounter's aftermath, the witness is likely to ask those questions so common to CE episodes generally: "Why me?" and "What does it mean?" If there is no indication that the paranormal recountings are delusive, the investigator must: (1) be honest in explaining our fundamental ignorance of the basis for these effects, (2) refrain from speculating on what might happen as a result, (3) assure the person that, it most recorded cases, any paranormal effects dissipate over time, and (4) for lack of precise knowledge as to why, try to counsel the person to accept it as an inadvertent gift left behind. Perhaps most importantly, ensure an open line of communication after the investigation is finished. Without any data to support the contention, witnesses with this sort of potential would appear ideally suited for repeat encounters at some future date. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number 5 in a Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) Copyright continuing MUFON series THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE 1989 ___________________________ Anyone who has hung around the subject for awhile is bound to hear those familiar words and phrases which ought to raise an eyebrow of doubt: "silent", "in an instant", "paralyzed", "glowing", "blinding" and (my personal favorite) "disappeared". Let's examine these usages that are indicative of how excited witnesses tell their stories on first recounting. - "Silent". Was the object in question genuinely without any sound? If the witness had been a few feet directly underneath it on a still night in the hinterland, would not even a decibel of sound have noted? In writing up the investigative summary, one must be very careful to distinguish between (what are probably rare) incidents wherein, considering all the physical factors, the vehicle was genuinely silent in terms of human audio perception, as compared to cases in which the witness, for whatever reason, was unable to detect the actual sound generated by metallic parts. Most often, sheer distance was the culprit. Elements in the environment - especially wind, both as it rustles vegetation and crosses the percipient's ears - can easily wipe out a low sound. Therefore, unless the circumstances make it obvious that an anomalous object was really silent, the correct assumption is that "the witness(es) did not perceive any sound in connection with the object." - "In an instant". How long is an instant, anyway? Presumably, it splits a second, but how far? A common meteor may be said to have passed beyond the witness' view in an instant, yet we can roughly gauge its actual speed. "In no time," the vehicle was out of sight - which might be said of an F-16 on a fly-over low to the ground. Obviously, though, some time was involved, and a measurement using a stopwatch can be taken. If the moment in question cannot be so depicted, it may be fairer to convey in the write-up that the object departed at a speed apparently beyond conventional abilities and/or with no sense of acceleration. - "Paralyzed (with fear)". Was the witness genuinely immobilized from an external force? Alternately, was (s)he *psychologically* "captivated", "mesmerized", or "transfixed" due to the unexpected nature of the event? This area of close-encounter research still evokes debate, largely because of imprecise questioning by the investigator of the witness' actual state of mind during the event. -"Glowing". As with Rudolph's nose, when we read this term we assume a light source that is internal to the object in question. If the twilight sun was reflecting off the object, the proper word is "glinting". If the term "glowing" is used, it forces the physicist and engineer to consider specific possibilities. Be careful with this one. - "Blinding". Gosh, was the witness unable to perceive his/her surroundings after the incident? As an example, humans cannot look at the midday sun for more than a second or so without spots before our eyes and tears forming. Furthermore, substantial physiological damage would be done to the cornea in a matter of several seconds. Thus, that serves as a benchmark. Precisely how long was the witness able to look directly at the source, and what were the aftereffects\/ Most often, "blinding" can be downgraded to "brilliant" or just "bright". - "Disappeared". Commonly coined, it is remarked, "Then, all of a sudden it just 'disappeared' (from view)". So, what precisely happened? Did the object molecularly dematerialize? Well, okay, we have plenty of cases through the years that suggest this - although one might argue a progression into the ultra-violet or infra-red spectrum of electromagnetism. More likely in a given instance, however, the witness intended simply to say that the object simply moved beyond the horizon or otherwise out of view. Proper investigating being a learned ability, with lots of pained discoveries along the way, it is understandable that these kinds of superlatives have gone unchallenged in previous cases. If we are to make sense of our data, though, extreme care must be taken before underscoring the witness statement on those tentative points. That's a major reason why detailed questioning must follow the initial witness account. And the investigator's summary must address these factors, clarifying the intended meaning with sober rationale. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number 6 in a MUTUAL UFO NETWORK (MUFON) Copyright continuing MUFON series THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE 1990 ___________________________ On a balmy, starlit night in 1986, two men were engaged in fishing and conversation in the midst of a northern Michigan lake. Suddenly, one called the other's attention to a brilliant light approaching from the north. For nearly two minutes, they were captivated by the source passing high overhead on a straight-line course. Appearing basically white at first, the "sparkling" object took on an amber tone before it passed from view on the southern horizon. Moments later and a hundred miles to the south, several adults and teens witnessed the anomaly while lazing outside their cottage. They observed orange-ish tones and noticed two or three smaller lights "eject" from the main body, thereafter travelling in tight formation with the sparkling "mothership". As the objects passed to the west of Detroit and into Ohio, still heading south, radio and TV stations were besieged with calls. Some described the objects as no more than a thousand feet overhead. Those in more remote, quiet locales attached a slight hissing sound to what were now six or more small glowing objects in irregular formation. On and on went the intruders, observed by thousands over Kentucky and Tennessee. Less than an hour after the initial sighting, a call was placed to NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command), located on Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Without hesitation, the officer related the details of a Soviet Soyuz rocket booster reentering the atmosphere over American airspace. Several points bear mention concerning reentries. First, at any given time, NORAD's height-finder radar is tracking several _thousand_ objects that are in static or slowly decaying orbits around the earth. These range from intact satellites to pieces of debris as small as a softball. Excepting those retrieved via space shuttle, with increasing frequency each will fall through the atmosphere. Second, our planet collides with common meteors by the ton on a daily basis as well as in the form of annual meteor showers. [The latter are ice trails of ancient comets and range in size from a grain of sand to small stone.] Comparatively, then, even a softball-sized hunk of metal from an earlier exploded launch vehicle can create quite a stir as it slowly disintegrates through the atmosphere. Third, its burn is far longer than a typical shooting star also because the angle of descent is not steep. On a clear night the sighting duration is commonly about two minutes from horizon to horizon (_usually_ east-to-west, though S-N and N-S also occur). Fourth, this display evokes a variety of colors, depending on the composition of the metal and especially the altitude (thus internal heat generated) at the point it is observed. Initially, observers generally see a whit light, followed by amber/orange, and possibly other hues. Fifth, very typically in a reentry, witnesses describe a holiday "sparkler" (actually disintegration) effect, changing coloration (due to the slowing speed and increasing atmospheric density) and, quite often, a fragmenting of the main body (thus reports of a "mothership" ejecting smaller "crafts"). Sixth, reentries are nearly always seen over wide expanses, often encompassing a few or several states. Seventh, the witnesses tend to grossly underestimate the object's altitude (total disintegration usually occurs above 15,000 feet) and overestimate its actual size. Eighth, the anomaly is (logically) always said to be traveling in a straight and horizontal path overhead. Even when fragments are observed splitting from the main body, they continue along the same course (i.e. without an abrupt directional change). Whenever these characteristics are present, it is proper (and usually worthwhile) to contact Peterson AFB, asking for the public affairs office. That person will contact the NORAD facility. Being a bureaucrat myself and so suspicious about government agencies, I present the inquiry simply: "We had an event this evening in (named state(s)). Did NORAD record a reentry?" That is, the time, directional course and duration should not be offered; let them do the corroborating. If in reality the nocturnal light was a reentry, you will probably be given much detail (the particular space launch and date, moment the debris first entered the atmosphere, duration of the burn, and area where it was presumed to flame out). There are two types of events for which you will _not_ likely receive a helpful reply. One would entail secret military testing in space (e.g. SDI target practice). The other would be a genuine UFO event. Either claimed ignorance or a "can neither confirm nor deny" response is likely in those situations. Since it could be either, however, reticence to answer your questions does not necessarily imply an anomaly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number 7 in a MUTUAL UFO NETWORK (MUFON) continuing series THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE __________________________ There are an estimated 100 million cameras of all types in the hands of the American public. And so there is a grain of validity to the charge by UFO skeptics that, if our claims are valid, then more clear photos ought to surface. Countering this claim to some extent is the fact that most people own a fixed- focus camera, don't know much at all about photography and, if the camera is handy at the crucial moment, usually have slow (100 or 200 ISO) film inserted for daylight shots. Further, the great majority of camera owners don't realize that even the best flash attachment is useful only up to about 40 feet. No doubt, photography professionals smile on New year's night when tens of thousands of flashes are seen in the stands during half-time of the Orange Bowl football game. Another "flash" of ignorance occurred on a summer night in 1989 in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Two young women followed a disc-shaped object near the Pensacola Bay. When it suddenly darted in front of their car, the rider grabbed her camera and snapped a picture - with the flash on. What they received back from the processor was a massive white reflection on the film from the flash bouncing off the inside of the windshield. Occasionally, as in the situation of repeated events in the same locale, you or the witness may have a camera at the ready. In that instance, keep the following in mind: 1. If at all possible, employ a 35 mm camera, as the images on film are likely to be sharper and the background in better perspective. Inexpensive "instamatic" cameras tend to condense the actual distances of structures and terrain in the view-finder. Unless the person is quite adept with the instrument, it is best to leave it on the all-automatic setting, allowing the camera to determine distance and focus. 2. Presuming dark or nearly dark conditions, use film with a high ISO (formerly ASA) rating - at least 400. Film with an ISO of 1000 or 1600 is exclusively for low light. 3. With high-ISO film, the camera is more sensitive to motion, most importantly from the photographers own hands. One way to eliminate that inadvertent motion is to use a tripod. However, as we all know too well, genuinely anomalous objects tend to remain in one location only momentarily. So, setting up a tripod is usually impractical. In it's absence, one can minimize the motion by bracing the camera against something handy - a car roof, fence post, even the shoulder of a fellow witness. 4. Before the expected event, take a few shots of the area as a control. These can assist in the later analysis as well as argue against any claim that the anomalous image in question was hoaxed. 5. Take more than one photograph. If the light/object is moving, shoot at least once with the camera motionless, then also while panning the object (moving the camera to keep the image in the view-finder). 6. If at all possible, capture some fixed structure (e.g. part of a building, a utility pole or tree limb) in the foreground. This greatly assists the analytical effort. If the background consists only of sky, it is virtually impossible to determine the objects size and distance from the photographic image. 7. Afterward, locate the precise spot where the photographer stood. Then, carefully measure the distance from that spot to the point(s) of the fixed structure(s) shown in each frame. 8. With the witness' assistance, complete a MUFON form 8, "Photographic Cases". The camera model, it's inherent capacities and that of any accessories, as well as the type of film is critical to document for meaningful analysis. 9. If the photo/videotape was shot at night, take daylight photos of the same scene while standing at the original spot of the witness. 10. Obtain the print(s) and especially the negative(s) from the witness, ensuring that all originals will be returned unharmed. 11. Forward the original photo materials along with the Form 8 and your case report to International case director Walt Andrus. He will forward the film/tape to Dr. Bruce Maccabee or another party appropriate. Copies of all should be sent here for preliminary evaluation. By the way, keep a camera loaded at all times. You never know... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A continuing Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network "Investigator's series for Field ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Edge" No. 8 Investigators "THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE" --------------------------- [Note: This edition of the "Investigator's Edge" is from the January, 1991 issue of "GEORGIA SKYWATCH", published by GEORGIA-MUFON.] GENERAL --------- Things to keep in mind while doing investigations --------------------------------------------------- AIRCRAFT: Have a minimum of three non-flashing running lights; one on each wing tip and one at the rear. Right wing running light is green, left wing running light is red, and the rear running light is white. [Note: many aircraft also have two strobe lights, one mounted on top and on mounted below the fuselage.] There must not be more than one green running light. Blue is not used as a running light. Helicopters have the same general running light configuration as light planes. ATMOSPHERIC TURBULENCE: Can cause an object (that is near the horizon) to look distorted and magnified. AUTOKINETIC MOTION: Eye movement can cause the witness to think a stationary light or object is moving when in fact it is not. Lining the target up with two other stationary reference points can help to determine whether in fact the object is moving. When a witness says the light was moving in jerky motions-- side to side and up and down--suspect the witness is looking at a star. BALL LIGHTENING: Appears hazy or solid, spherical, oval or rod shape. Colors range from red-white with orange being the most common. It can hover, go less than 5 mph or up to 60 mph. It emits a hissing sound and when it explodes an odor of sulfa or ozone is present. It can appear after lightening strikes the ground or in midair. Ball lightening almost always appears during a thunderstorm. DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES: UFO investigators are looking very hard for consistent groups of facts, while UFO witnesses are looking for support and counseling. These are two very different objectives and can be the source of conflict between the witness and the investigator. The wise investigator will keep this in mind when dealing with witnesses. DISTANCE: Most witnesses underestimate the actual distance from the observation point to the object. ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE: Electromagnetic interference that can cause an automobile's engine to stall and can interrupt the operation of other electrical devices has sometimes been linked to UFO sighting reports. Such occurances are not limited to gasoline engines. Diesel engines such as found in trucks, boats, trains, and bulldozers have also been affected. Similar reports on airplane engines and radar equipment have also been reported. INVESTIGATOR'S DUTY TO THE WITNESS: The UFO investigator must subordinate his or her need to collect UFO information to the needs and interests of the witness. The health and well-being of the witness must ALWAYS come before the collection of UFO evidence and proof. INTERPRETATION OF WITNESS TESTIMONY: The interpretation of both free and regressed witness narratives is BEST acomplished by behavioral psychologists and other professionals skilled in the process. FEELINGS REPORTED BY WITNESSES: Feelings reported by witnesses include: (A) Being watched (B) Looking me over (C) Feeling of being observed (D) Feeling of fear (E) Feeling of anger (F) It was a beautiful experience (G) Felt happy when it happened (H) Felt object responded to witness (I) Felt the object was trying to communicate with witness PHYSICAL EXAMINATION: The number of witness reports which suggest aliens are interested in observing or manipulating the witness's sexual organs and/or otherwise conducting gynecological examinations of the witness appears to be far less than would be euggested by popular reports. More often, witnesses report examination of their heads. HIGH STRANGENESS: When a large number of witness narratives are examined, it quickly becomes obvious that the witness experience is very complicated and full of unknowns. The vast majority of witness accounts describe perceptions and experiences far stranger than any reported by mainstream abduction researchers. Do not rule out what a witness tells you because it has a high strangeness level. Because we do not know what is true, we must not edit testimony or it becomes absolutely worthless. When reporting witness testimony, do not try to make it seem credible and believable. Rather, expose it as it really is. Unless we do this we have no chance at all of getting at the truth. HYPNOSIS: Information from a regressed subject is sometimes used in the context of other evidence, but it is not itself evidence. Because regressed testimony of UFO witnesses cannot currently by confirmed by hard facts, there remains enormous difficulty with trying to use hypnotized testimony as evidence of real events, even when that testimony agrees in particulars among a group of unconnected witnesses. The primary value of hypnosis is as a counseling device. It is recommended that nobody except a professionally trained hypnotist - preferably one with the credentials of a health professional - hypnotize any UFO witness for any reason, and then only for therapeutic purposes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A continuing MUFONET-BBS Network - Mutual UFO Network series for the ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Investigator The Investigator's Edge, Number 9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [Note: Article Contributed By Colorado MUFON] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHAT'S MY TRAFFIC ? January 27, 1991 Civilian aircraft are directed and guided through the skies over the United States from take-off to landing by way of an extremely sophisticated air traffic control system. Much of this system is supported with a network of air traffic control facilities under the auspices of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Here in Colorado, an airliner departing from Denver can expect to be in communications with several facilities during the course of its flight. These air traffic control facilities perform several functions, not the least of which is to assist the pilot in maintaining a safe clearance between other aircraft. The job for both the air traffic controller and the pilot is usually made easier and safer when radar is available. Radar, however, is not a full proof system and by no stretch of the imagination guarantees a pilot or a controller that a vehicle, known or unknown can be identified. In order to acquire a better understanding of just what I mean, let's take a brief minute to educate ourselves about radar. Radar, an acronym from a term originating during World War II, is short for radio detection and ranging. It's an electronic system by which radio waves are bounced off of an object in order to determine its existence and to locate its position in relation to other objects. The radio waves that are transmitted by a radar antenna, when bounced off of an object such as an aircraft are returned to the antenna and through electronic technology "painted" on a cathode ray tube. Unfortunately, target detection is often hampered by "clutter" which is picked up on the radar screen. This "clutter" can be raindrops generated by a thunderstorm, back-scatter from the ground, or even flocks of birds. In order for an air traffic controller to perform his job and detect aircraft more effectively, radar engineers have designed a means by which the "clutter" can be suppressed. Suppressing this "clutter" unfortunately also affects the ability of a controller to see targets on the radar screen. Further advancements in radar technology as well as a necessity to provide more positive identification of aircraft has required that the air traffic system be modified. This modification has meant that aircraft flying in most types of controlled airspace are required by the FAA to have a device which transmits an assigned identification code and altitude information. This device is called a transponder. If you paid a visit to the Denver Center, which is located in Longmont, Colorado, you would have a first hand opportunity to experience how traffic is identified and controlled within the more than 200,000 square mile area under the facility's jurisdiction. An aircraft departing the Denver Stapleton airport would enter the airspace controlled by Denver Center shortly after take-off. Through electronic technology, the aircraft is painted as a target on a cathode ray tube used by the controller. From each symbol he is able to determine the aircraft identification (United 200, Delta 100 etc.), the altitude of the aircraft, and a multitude of other data to assist him with his job. If you were to listen in on his or her conversation, you might hear the pilot's transmission: "Denver Center this is American 3375 at flight level three seven zero (37,000 feet), I have high speed traffic at my 3 o'clock position (to the right of the aircraft) approximately 5 miles, at my altitude, WHAT'S MY TRAFFIC ? " The controller would peer at the scope, notice the American Airlines MD-80 symbol, but see nothing resembling a blip or target anywhere near the aircraft. His response would be: "American 3375, I have no traffic at your 3 o'clock position ". The response from the pilot might be: "Denver Center my traffic is now at my 9 o'clock position, appears to be a black, odd shaped object without any discernible markings moving at a high rate of speed. " The controller might say: " American 3375, I have no traffic at your 9'o'clock position ". With the seemingly endless amount of information available to the air traffic controller, you would think that a situation like this might not be possible. However, this occurs more often than one might think. The target viewed on the CRT at Denver Center is computerized video data and not raw radar. The information is gathered from several radar antennas scattered throughout the state of Colorado and fed into a central computer. It is then displayed as a target symbol on the CRT. If an unidentified aircraft, such as one without a transponder, or one using stealth technology wanders into controlled airspace, a controller may not pick the aircraft up on his scope. There are several reports where aircraft have penetrated controlled airspace without notifying the controlling agency. Aircraft of unknown origin, believe it or not, moving at high rates of speed, maneuvering in a manner not readily associated with anything known to man have been seen by pilots without the benefit of radar identification. In fact, Denver Center recently (December 29, 1990) contacted Colorado MUFON regarding a similar incident reported by a pilot in the airspace above Colorado. We all share the same interest and continue to search for a solution to the UFO enigma. In this instance, we were contacted by a government agency. However, for every incident where government support is freely provided, there are many situations where it is not. This is generally the result of preserving confidentiality, or as a controller recently indicated to me, not being free to release information because of government policy. Never the less, field investigators must pursue every reasonable avenue to gather and document whatever he or she learned for inclusion in the case report and, for the record. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note - This article is a slightly expanded and modified version of an article appearing in the "Colorado MUFON News" , November/December 1990 issue. Also appearing in the same issue is a summary of the incident which is referred to in this article regarding a daytime sighting made by an airline pilot over southern Colorado. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For Field Mutual UFO Network - MUFONET-BBS Network Copyright 1991 Investigators ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE, No. 10 Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AIRCRAFT LIGHTS: An Explanation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ March 2, 1991 Aircraft lights come in different sizes, shapes, and are used for several different purposes. When first developed, aircraft lights were designed to fulfill the same purpose as lights originally installed on boats or ships. A sailor observing a ship moving on the open waters at night found it difficult to determine its direction of travel or its position relative to his own. In the interest of safety, lights were located on the port side (left), starboard side (right), and one at the stern (aft) end of the ship. The colors of the lights were red, green and white respectively. That way an individual observing the ship from a distance would be able to easily determine how the ship was positioned relative to the individual and also determine its direction of travel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) require that aircraft have position or navigational lights configured in the same manner. As the pilot faces forward in the cockpit, he would find a green light on his right wing tip, a red light on his left wing tip and a white light on the tail. These position lights are required to be on for all operations, ground and flight, between the hours of official sunset and sunrise. Aside from the position or navigational lights, a variety of other lights are found on aircraft which may be of interest to those of us involved in the field of U.F.O. Investigations. Let's take a minute to look at some of these lights, their location on an aircraft and the situations under which they might be used. We need to bear in mind, as we examine these lighting systems, that aircraft vary in size and type of operation. We will therefore restrict our examination to the more common lighting systems associated with conventional aircraft. ANTICOLLISION LIGHTS Anticollision lights are used primarily to assist in assuring that an aircraft is readily seen while on the ground or in flight. These lights are generally mounted in the wing tips not far from the position lights. With most airline operated aircraft these lights are white and are generally of the strobe variety. Another type of anticollision light is red, (strobe, flashing, oscillating or rotating beacon type) and is located on top and/or underneath the fuselage (main body structure) of the aircraft. These lights are generally on for all operations, ground and flight, day and night, below 18,000 feet. At night these lights are kept on regardless of altitude. LANDING LIGHTS The aircraft landing lights are used for both illumination of the landing/ take-off area as well as for collision avoidance in flight. Landing lights, depending on the size and type of aircraft, can be mounted in a number of locations. They can be located in the left and right leading edge of the wings, on the nose gear strut, or in some cases are extended below the wings. In the case of most airline operations these lights are generally on from the time a takeoff clearance is issued until the aircraft reaches 18,000 feet or from 18,000 feet until the aircraft clears the runway after landing. RUNWAY TURNOFF LIGHTS Runway turnoff lights, sometimes referred to as taxi lights, visually assist the pilot at night when maneuvering between the terminal and the runway. These lights are either mounted on the leading edge of the wings, on the nose gear strut or some location which will provide sufficient illumination in front of the aircraft. These lights are rarely operated while the aircraft is in flight unless they are an integral part of the landing light system or unless the pilot deems it necessary for safety reasons (i.e. additional collision avoidance). WING LIGHTS In order to assist the pilot in viewing a section of the wing or engine nacelles (engine enclosures), lights are flush mounted in the fuselage and pointed outward in the appropriate direction. These lights would be operated by the pilot when he wishes to inspect the wing section or engine in the event of an abnormal situation such as icing or structural damage. LOGO LIGHTS Marketing people are always looking for creative ways to advertise or promote a product. With the airline industry, one such creative genius led to the use of logo lights on aircraft. These lights are usually mounted in the horizontal stabilizer (horizontal part of the tail) pointing in the direction of the vertical stabilizer (vertical part of the tail). Besides illuminating the logo on the tail of the aircraft, the pilot uses the logo lights for an additional means of collision avoidance. Most of the airlines require that the logo lights, if installed and operational, be turned on continuously between sunset and sunrise. UTILITY LIGHTS A number of other exterior lights may be installed on an aircraft such as cargo door lights and emergency evacuation lights. The cargo door lights illuminate the area around the cargo compartment and are generally used to assist cargo/ ramp agents in loading cargo into the aircraft. The normal procedure is to extinguish these lights once the cargo operation has been completed. Another set of lights, sometimes called evacuation lights, are used to assist passengers during an emergency evacuation from the aircraft. These are usually flush mounted into the fuselage of the aircraft adjacent to a passenger door or emergency exit. These lights are used to illuminate the evacuation area and are generally set to automatically energize in the event of an emergency. As I indicated early on in this article, most of the light configurations described here are applicable to conventional aircraft. These lighting systems may vary slightly depending on the type of aircraft, the manufacturer, and the kind of operating environment. If, as an investigator, a witness observes a lighting system typical to what was presented here, there is always the possibility that the object may be an aircraft. On the other hand, we need to document, in sufficient detail, the observation regardless of whether it coincides with an aircraft lighting system or not, for the record. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- For MUFON MUFONET-BBS Network - Mutual UFO Network Copyright 1991 Field ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mutual UFO Investigators The Investigator's Edge, No. 11 Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TEMPORAL LOBE EPILEPSY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Epilepsy...a chronic nervous disease, characterized by fits, occurring at intervals and attended by convulsive motions of the muscles and loss of consciousness. So says the dictionary, and the man-on-the-street would agree. The sort of epilepsy described above results from irregular electrical functioning in those parts of the brain that control many of the muscles. As the ability to monitor the brain's electrical activity developed, it became obvious that other parts of the brain are similarly prone to the haphazard currents that produce the physical, convulsive type of epilepsy. Of particular interest to this discussion is epilepsy of the temporal lobes of the brain. These areas control what is often called the "higher functions" of the brain/ mind. That is, "..accessing declarative memory, the conscious or active recall of not only what was learned but when and where it was acquired, and with attributing personal meaning or significance to the constant stream of sensory input." What happens when this portion of the brain suffers an epileptic event? The subject does not thrash about---the temporal lobe doesn't have any connection with the muscles. Instead, he tends to have experiences that could be called mystical or paranormal, a sense of a very special purpose in life, or he imbues unusual events with great and unrealistic meaning. These are not just vague and generalized feelings. Often they are extremely intense and at times are described as "more real than real." In some cases this form of epilepsy is so vivid and frequent that a formal psychiatric and neurological diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy is possible. But the usual case seems to present only occasional events. As with any medical condition, the person afflicted is not likely to seek help unless the condition is painful or debilitating. A positive diagnosis is possible, but a negative diagnosis is speculative at best. In other words, it is not within the state of the art of today's medical technology to say definitely that nay given patient does not have temporal lobe epilepsy. Whitley Strieber, author of Communion, Transformation, and Majestic, underwent two series of tests for temporal lobe epilepsy. Both were negative. Per the remarks above, and by his own admission, that still leaves open the option that he does suffer from the condition. But it would indicate that the condition occurs only sporadically, if at all. It is certainly to Strieber's credit that he went to such lengths to preclude a psychiatric foundation for his abduction experiences. In addition to the general symptoms listed above, there exists a set of quite intriguing specific symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy. They are as follows: 1. Paranormal/mystical experiences 2. Enhanced imaginings (especially from childhood) 3. Widening affect 4. Vestibular (floating, low frequency vibration) sensations 5. Anomalous smells 6. Intense episodes of personal meaning With this set of symptoms in mind, I reviewed the three Strieber books related to UFO's and abductions. My goal was to determine if there exists in that body of writing a clearly repeated emphasis on these topics. Communion and it's sequel Transformation can fairly be said to be continuous reiterations of symptoms 1,2,3,4 (floating) and 6. Majestic is a fictionalized rendering of the Roswell crash and it's aftermath. It should be distinguished from the previous two books, which are veridical and autobiographical. One would expect to find that Majestic presents few, if any, of the temporal lobe symptoms. This on the theory that the autobiographical abduction accounts were produced subsequent to epileptic events, but that the deliberate fiction writing would be free of the symptomology. My analysis shows that most of the symptoms are present in greatly reduced intensity in Majestic compared with the previous books. But oddly, symptom 4 is there in complete form, with both floating as well as low frequency vibrations, and so is symptom 5, which is nearly absent in the earlier works, but here erupts repeatedly, indeed, so common are references to these two symptoms in Majestic that I have systematically culled them out of the text and listed them serially below. Perhaps their concatenated, seemingly obsessive use is merely a literary device. certainly Strieber is a master of the thriller, and I will defer to him on this point, but it does seem strained and unnatural to my eye. The simple interpretation of this analysis is that Strieber is clearly suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy. As with everything else in UFOlogy, and particularly the abduction phenomenon, quick judgments are dangerous. Several other optional interpretations are possible, and I will summarize them here with the understanding that in future articles they will be expanded. First, that most if not all persons who have close encounters with UFO's suffer, among a variety of other physiological effects, disruption of the electrical functions of the brain, including the temporal lobe area. because of the peculiarities of the temporal lobe, "flashbacks" can occur throughout life after the initial triggering event. It is unlikely that monitoring of the electrical pulses of the brain would reveal the irregularities associated with clinical diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy. Second, it may be that external means of controlling or communicating with the temporal lobe regions is the means by which the aliens deal with abductees. In addition to the positive communications or signals, the process may well include generation of "noise" both during the communication and, per the remarks above, long after the communications. This option may seem absurdly speculative, but in fact it is based on laboratory work that has been carried out for several years. Subjects have had their temporal lobes excited by external electromagnetic radiations, with the result that many of them experience visions and sensations remarkably similar to the standard abduction. This will also be covered in detail in future articles. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MUFONET-BBS network - Mutual UFO network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE INVESTIGATOR'S EDGE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HANGNAIL, MAYBE! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [Contributed by Georgia MUFON] The next time you have one of those UFO sightings...in addition to looking at the UFO...note the time...direction...and stick your arm out straight forward toward the object with hand up fingers apart palm outward. Those aliens will think your waving at them. In reality you will be comparing the size of the craft to the size of your fingernails and determining the azimuth of the craft by seeing how many outstretched hands you can put between the horizon and the craft. Your little finger nail is about the size of an aspirin....and when aimed at the moon will just about cover it. The size of your thumb nail is twice that size. By knowing the distance from your eyes to your outstretched hand (take a yard stick and measure it)...and estimating the distance between you and the object...and using a little trigonometry, it is possible for you to determine the size of the object. Knowing the size of the object can be very helpful in the field investigation to follow. =END= Don --- FMail 0.92 * Origin: * On Topic? What's that? <*> Fidonet UFO Moderator (1:123/26.1) -- <*> Don Allen <*> 1:363/81.1 - Fidonet #1 - Homebody BBS dona@bilver.uucp - Internet 1:363/29.8 - Fidonet #2 - Gourmet Delight 88:4205/1.1 - MUFON Network 1:3607/20.2 -- Odyssey - Alabama UFO Net NSA grep food: Aviary, Ed Dames, Los Alamos - Majestic - Jason - RIIA - UN