Why I HATE MUFON and other UFO orgs

[zorgon]

Why I HATE MUFON and other UFO orgs LOL

In this day and age where EVERYONE (almost ) has a cell phone with an excellent camera... it amazes me that we still get crappy photos of UFO's  They can do selfies... they can post clear pics of what they had for lunch, but when it comes to UFO's  all of a sudden they are crappy

Like THIS ONE

UFO swims through the London sky
Posted by: Jason McClellan  April 29, 2014   0




Collage of still images taken from the witness's video. (Credit: Mixtris Ufo-Images)

As the Daily Mirror describes, the witness saw the aerial object at approximately 1:30 p.m. in north London. The witness posted photos of the UFO to his Facebook account with the following description:

I captured this object a couple of streets away from where I live. The object appeared black in colour and was rotating as it moved along. I captured nearly 5 minutes of video before I lost sight of it floating in the direction of Highbury & Islington. I'm not sure what this object is. I thought it was a balloon, but there appears to be a light on it.

According to the witness, this UFO was a half mile away and approximately five hundred to one thousand feet off the ground.

A witness recorded video of a UFO floating in the sky above London, England on the afternoon of Monday, April 28.

http://www.openminds.tv/ufo-swims-london-sky/27284

[zorgon]

 All those cell phone cameras that take high res photos of what you had for lunch to share and THIS is what we get? LOL It's a BALLOON people Call it what it is... not ALIENS ... not UFO... it's a Flying Shark Blimp WHY is this in the UFO files? 



Can buy one on AMAZON  Air Swimmers Remote Control Flying Shark  $39.99

[zorgon]

WITH REGRET – WHY I MUST LEAVE MUFON COMPLETELY
Posted on: July 22nd, 2017
by James Clarkson

With Regret – Why I Must Leave MUFON Completely

I am addressing this letter to all MUFON State Directors and Members of the Board. I joined MUFON in 1987 in Washington State where I have lived since 1977 when I was honorably discharged from the Army. Recently I resigned from my position as Washington State MUFON Director for reason that will be explained. Chase Kloetzke asked me if I would remain as an FI, STAR Team member and investigator for the Special Assignments Team. Hesitantly, I agreed to remain out of respect for her. Shortly after that, I heard about the MUFON Inner Circle as part of the disclosures from Jan Harzan when he was interviewed by Kevin Randle. For the reasons explained below I believe I must leave MUFON altogether.

Since I am certain that most of you know very little about me, I will tell you that after I arrived in Washington state on 1975, I completed a 20-year career as a police sergeant with numerous assignments such as fatal accident team supervisor and detective sergeant. I have also spent 2 years as a child abuse detective and 10 years as a state fraud investigator. On a parallel path, I have had a lifelong commitment to trying to explore the UFO Mystery.

Given the situation that I am addressing, where I live is extremely relevant to my decision to quit MUFON. I live in Olympia in Thurston County in Washington State; Olympia is 19 miles from Yelm, WA, the location of the world headquarters of the cult leader, JZ Knight AKA Ramtha, who is arguably the richest and most powerful member of the MUFON Inner Circle. I am painfully aware of all the negative consequences that may arise from the influence of those in the MUFON Inner Circle.

I did not know JZ Knight's role in MUFON until after I heard the Kevin Randle interview of Jan Harzan, not long after I resigned as a MUFON State Director. Given the power and influence of JZ Knight, and not knowing how much influence she truly has in MUFON, I may be taking a risk by daring to voice a concern about her Inner Circle status. At the same time, I will not have my reputation in this field compromised by affiliating with a rich and powerful cult leader who is now a member of the MUFON Inner Circle.

To fully understand my position, I would ask that the reader should study two web articles and then return to this letter:

http://kevinrandle.blogspot.com/2017/06/mufon-racism-and-dodging-questions.html
http://www.alternet.org/belief/ramtha-new-age-cult-leader-unleashes-drunken-racist-homophobic-rants-large-following

Right after the recent resignation of another MUFON State Director and charter member, Rich Hoffman, I resigned my directorship because of long-term burnout and a growing sense that MUFON as a serious UFO investigative organization no longer exists. I suspect that I am not the only State Director suffering from a deep malaise while watching MUFON become an income-generating enterprise. The triggering event for me was the lack of an immediate dismissal of John Ventre from his State Directorship after his racist outburst on Facebook, or at least an immediate statement that Ventre's comments were not acceptable coming from a leader of MUFON.

Because of what I am about to explain, remaining in MUFON in any capacity is morally unacceptable. Simply, I will not place my reputation as an Investigator and Researcher into the hands of JZ Knight or other mysterious people who have purchased a position of influence at the highest levels of MUFON. And from the Kevin Randle interview I have learned that John Ventre is still an Inner Circle member. He may also be appointed to any number of key positions in the future. Before you pass judgment on my reaction to the disclosure that JZ Knight is a member of the MUFON elite, please consider that you do not live in her immediate shadow. You are not privy to the local news that I am.

I communicated directly with Rich Hoffman after he had said his goodbyes, and he told me that he was worn out trying to seek better treatment of field investigators and state directors by the leaders of MUFON; he said he was just worn out from trying. If you want the specifics, then you must ask him. I also resigned because I have had the sense for a long time that no matter how often I promoted MUFON over many years during numerous UFO lectures, in my books, lectures, and elsewhere, I would remain "Unacknowledged." I don't pretend I am better than anyone else, but any work horse in harness would like to be given an apple occasionally and be patted on the head.

I think I am not a lot different than other State Directors who devote hundreds of hours to running on the CMS Hamster Wheel, who spend their own money, time and effort to promote MUFON to the public. One of the criticisms I have of MUFON is that if you are not a Jaime Maussan or a Steven Greer, or someone with money to donate, then you are just one of the cogs in the machine. You do your job until you wear out and then you are replaced. Even State agencies as bureaucratic as they are, will give you a certificate and a pin for longevity.

For the last 9 years I have been the Washington State Director. I have personally investigated over 750 cases for MUFON; I have assisted in the investigation of countless others, recruiting and training Field Investigators and by assisting Peter Davenport of the National UFO Reporting Center and William Puckett of UFOs Northwest. I have lectured at major conferences across the country and once in Paris. I have appeared on countless internet radio interviews, a TV gig or two and I have written two books. I have always proudly talked about my position in MUFON. Right now, I have a YouTube interview which garnered over 19,000 views in 4 weeks. But I really believe I could walk in with a Gray on each arm and hand out pieces of memory metal as souvenirs, but in MUFON I would be invisible. I am living proof that "No man is a prophet in his own kingdom." It is hard to watch an organization that you once served proudly become an income-generating entertainment company. And then you just can't do it anymore.

It is not my way to draw attention to my background or accomplishments. There are many in MUFON with far greater than mine. I am describing myself fully so that others may relate to how disconnected I have felt while working as a State Director while watching MUFON move away from being an investigative organization to what will probably be a UFO entertainment franchise business. I draw that conclusion because I was one of the six State Directors who was interviewed at length by a business consultant.

That in-depth interview may be summarized simply: Have you incorporated your MUFON organization? How much income do you generate as a MUFON State organization, and how much can you donate?

I am hoping that this letter may be a catalyst for real change in MUFON's direction if it is not already too late. The influence of the money-worshipping corporate mentality is already damaging our country like cancer; what is happening to MUFON doesn't seem much different.

It appears the focus is so concentrated on income generation that anything like investigative integrity is just an anachronism. Caring about investigative integrity has become a nuisance. I am providing evidence in the form of one example.

The Special Assignments Team (SAT) was asked to investigate "part" of a very dubious 1946 UFO Crash case submitted by Paola Harris. Who ever heard of partially investigating a UFO report, especially when the key piece of evidence is a cast aluminum windmill pump part that is being presented as an artifact stolen from the interior of a crashed UFO in 1945? The SAT found critical investigative failures. She claimed the site was deliberately planted with noxious weeds that were genetically modified by the Government to deter UFO researchers from exploring the alleged crash site, and then on Harris' own YouTube videos, we see the same group walking through the weeds wearing shorts. Apparently, they no longer needed to wear the full body isolation suits that look so "scientific" on camera. And the result? We got to watch Harris be given special status and an award at the Symposium. I have attached a report with evidence to support this statement. Please note that Frank Kimbler supplied the scientific data and he gave me full permission to use it as I see fit. I know that he would appreciate its inclusion herein. This is one example of many.

Within the Kevin Randle interview the reader is left with the suggestion that being a member of the Inner Circle is just about receiving a few perks. That was implied so that none of the readers would be too alarmed by having to imagine what happens when a cult leader who channels a 35,000-year-old Lemurian Warrior named Ramtha ascends to a position of authority in MUFON. I would point out that Marie Malzahn was an Inner Circle member of MUFON who worked as the Director of Investigations replacing Chuck Reever in 2010. So, every State Director should contemplate what happens if Ramtha is running UFO Investigations for MUFON, or if there are even stranger developments arising from recruitments to key positions in MUFON from the Inner Circle elite.

I know this situation has the potential for very bad outcomes because in 2011 when I was trying to assist an excellent new FI regain access to CMS after she was arbitrarily locked out, Director Malzahn ordered me to obey her or else. I chose the "or else." After I returned in 2012 at the request of Dave MacDonald, I made peace with Ms. Malzahn. In 2013, she asked me if I could carry a gun in Nevada to help guard Dr. Steven Greer who requested armed bodyguards at the Symposium. Somewhere along the way she must have offended someone who had real influence because little was heard from her after that.

I will end with a cautionary tale to point out that the rest of the UFO community may not be quite as sold on MUFON's supremacy in this field as we are led to believe. In 2010 my wife inherited a trip to Paris and while we were there I presented to Les Repas Ufologique. I told the story of my friend June Crain and immediately sold all my books. The Parisian Ufologists were very gracious and welcoming. The only disquieting moments occurred when they commented that they had not trusted MUFON for a long time. This has been a recurring theme in various places I have visited over the years; I could build trust personally with the audience and other researchers but there are always many people who don't believe MUFON lives up to its avowed mission. The newest version of this arose on the Internet after the John Ventre scandal and the Kevin Randle interview; MUFON is now being called MUFONINO – MUFON In Name Only.

The value of MUFON has always been its reputation for integrity. But every time we endorse the Greer's, the Maussan's, the JZ Knight's, and all the rest who will push anything for a buck, then MUFON has that much less integrity to lose. I know all the arguments; you must give the public what it wants to generate the most Symposium tickets sales. When you argue from a business perspective, the intangibles such as integrity, reputation or honor become sadly irrelevant.

It would be great if this is not true. I will always help anyone who asks me to assist their investigation whether they are in MUFON or not. It is with regret that I am resigning from MUFON, but I don't see that I have an honorable alternative. We should all be on the same side and not divided into Elites and the Subservient. Thank you for reading this. I have tried to be as honest as I know how.

Respectfully,

James E. Clarkson
Former MUFON State Director
Career UFO Researcher


http://jamesclarksonufo.com/ufo-news/with-regret-why-i-must-leave-mufon-completely

[zorgon]

SCIENCE HAS LEFT THE BUILDING – THE HISTORIC MUFON 2017 SYMPOSIUM AND HOW THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Posted on: July 22nd, 2017
by James Clarkson

Science has left the building – The Historic MUFON 2017 Symposium and How the Show Must Go On

This morning I opened my computer and immediately took a powerful two punch combination on the jaw. Someone I respect highly in the field of UFO Investigation was praising the victorious opening of the 2017 MUFON Symposium where Corey Goode and his secret career in the Space Army is the major attraction. Ticket sales and attendance are stellar; stories that are wildly sensational with no supporting evidence are the flavor of the day. Hearing this researcher praise the "historic" 2017 MUFON Symposium, I wondered what kind of Jim Jones Kool-Aid they were serving in Las Vegas. How this praise of the Corey Goode 2017 MUFON Honorarium is reconciled with the now cliché mission statement of MUFON is the subject of this article: MUFON – The scientific investigation of UFOs for the benefit of humanity. Requiescat in pace.

The punch that knocked me out of my chair and on to the floor was when I opened my e-mail. I received an announcement from Robert Powell, MUFON Director of Scientific Research – He resigned and is leaving MUFON right before this year's MUFON Symposium began. Here is a quote from the MUFON website about some of the major work he has accomplished for MUFON and the field of Ufology:

Robert Powell joined MUFON in 2006 and has been the Director of Research at MUFON since 2007. He helped establish and develop MUFON's Science Review Board and is its current leader. He is a Texas state section director and an active Field Investigator in the state of Texas having completed over 120 investigations and is a MUFON STAR Team member.

His background also includes 28 years of engineering management work in the semi-conductor industry and managing a state-of-the-art chemistry laboratory and managing a Research and Development group that worked on nanotechnology using atomic force microscopes, near-field optical microscopy, and other techniques. His departure signals that the last dissenting voice has left MUFON management. He has been a voice of reason and his integrity as a scientist was holding back MUFON leadership from its push to make MUFON into a million dollar enterprise.

His resignation is a statement of protest about the speaker selection of the current Symposium. After communicating with him today and in the light of the departure of Rich Hoffman who was a member of MUFON since its beginning in 1969, it is very clear that these are "historical" times for MUFON and Ufology. Powell found himself alone trying to persuade Jan Harzan and the Board not to choose the Secret Space Program as the theme of the 2017 Symposium. Rich Hoffman before he quit felt himself alone and losing the battle to help State Directors and Field Investigators.

If you believe as I do, that for many years MUFON had a proud place in the field of UFO Investigation, then the Corey Goode MUFON 2017 Symposium is historical in the same sense that history was made when the Titanic hit the iceberg on that fateful night on April 15, 1912. There will be survivors in the water and some may be rescued, but the mighty ship will sail no more. It may take a while to sink, but as a serious investigative organization, I don't see how they will convince anyone but themselves that MUFON is reputable. As a UFO entertainment company – it may do very well thanks to unprovable claims like those of Corey Goode, Jaime Maussan, and others.

But let's don't confuse the issues. The 2017 MUFON Symposium was held in a beautiful venue outside of Las Vegas. There are many very dedicated people in MUFON and I know they work diligently on reported UFOs, and once a year they get to meet, completely at their own expense with no discounts for anybody. It is very difficult to attend such an event for much less than about $2,000 if you live any distance away. For many dedicated people in MUFON that cost is out of their reach. But the flow of money, energy, and resources to MUFON Headquarters is a one-way street. The monetary, business side of MUFON is the dark side.

In fairness, the economic argument is that a large national organization cannot continue unless it has an experienced corporate manager like Jan Harzan. And just like so many corporations across the world that pay high salaries and dividends to those at the top, their compensation becomes the primary driving issue behind all decision-making. Infrastructure improvement in the form of a faster, modern server for the MUFON Case Management System, some investment in the cost of major investigations, perhaps a discount incentive for State Directors who donate hundreds of hours continually – these are issues that are paid lip service, but they are never realized. Like so many corporations the original vision of their founders is lost in the necessities of the marketplace and the supreme commandment that revenue must be increased at all costs. The public is fickle and shallow. They must be continually titillated or they lose interest. This is a sad reality.

Perhaps it is not possible for a large-scale UFO investigative organization to exist any longer if it maintains rigorous research standards and investigative integrity. Pointing out how implausible Corey Goode's Time Travel Resume is, simply isn't any fun. The public wants whatever is sensational, not what is objectively true. Robert Powell's departure from MUFON is very much like the departure of the last real scientist from Trump's cabinet. Once rid of all that pesky "science stuff," then the Hollow Earth and the Secret Space Armada will help sell tickets for many years to come. At least this way what is important will continue – the revenue stream to MUFON headquarters.

Not long after Jan Harzan became the MUFON CEO in 2013 he hired a business consulting firm. All the State Directors completed a lengthy written questionnaire about their MUFON state organizations. Six directors were interviewed at length by telephone and I was one of them. The questions were not about problems recruiting investigators, coping with the costs of renting venues for meetings, an antiquated computer system or burdensome reporting forms. Instead the questions always came back to one theme: How much revenue do you get from your MUFON organization and how much can you donate to headquarters?

Two things come to mind when I think about the Corey Goode phenomena: the first is a delightful book I read to my children by Dr. Suess titled The Big Brag. To succeed in telling a whopper you just must outdo all the other liars. The second is an anecdote from my police career. We were called to a disorder in a local nightclub at closing. We were told that a dangerously out of control Vietnam Vet was behind the bar and he was threatening to kill anyone who went back there. The employees were fearful. We asked if anyone knew his name and the name Bob Richards was given, a well-known local belligerent drunk.

We called out his name. He answered loudly from behind the bar and then began threatening to kill any of us who approached him because he claimed to be ex-Special Forces from Vietnam. One of the officers yelled out, "If you're Bob Richards from southside, wouldn't you have been about 12 years old when the Vietnam War happened?" There was a long silence and moments later we were leading Bob Richards away in handcuffs without resistance. The point: To be important, he needed people to believe his story. It worked as long as no one could prove that it was untrue. The story is so much more effective if you can't prove it one way or the other. And Corey Goode has created a Big Brag that no one can challenge, more especially now that he has been honored by MUFON. The details he provides are delightfully derivative from numerous Contactee testimonies over many years. PT Barnum would love Mr. Goode.

Goode claims to have had a 20-year career with the Secret Space program and because of time travel, in our timeline he was only gone for a moment. No one can ever prove or disprove anything he claims. His only fear is the competition like Jaime Maussan and the Peruvian Plaster of Paris Alien Mummy. If you believe Goode's claims without question, I can make you a great deal on the Space Needle in Seattle, which is a camouflaged galactic star cruiser parked on its tower for emergency deployment. Presenters like Goode will help sell Symposium tickets for years to come; their credibility will never be damaged by something annoying, like evidence.

My own experience with the MUFON Special Assignments Team (SAT) taught me the same lesson repeatedly: if your investigation does not endorse the spectacular claims of any witness whose story is of commercial interest to Jan Harzan, then your conclusions will be ignored by management. The only criteria for being given the stage in MUFON is whether or the story has enough "sizzle to sell."

The Special Assignments Team (SAT) was asked in 2015 to investigate "part" of a very dubious UFO Crash case submitted by Paola Harris. Who ever heard of partially investigating a UFO report, especially when the key piece of evidence is a cast aluminum windmill pump part that is being presented as an artifact stolen from the interior of a crashed UFO in 1945? The SAT found critical investigative failures. She claimed the site was deliberately planted with noxious weeds that were genetically modified by the Government to deter UFO researchers from exploring the alleged crash site, and then on Harris' own YouTube videos, we see the same group walking through the weeds wearing shorts. Apparently, they no longer needed to wear the full body isolation suits that look so "scientific" on camera. Frank Kimbler, who is a scientific researcher from Roswell, pointed out that the claims of Harris' elderly witness were not supported by the evidence. The SAT agreed. But such a finding doesn't sell Symposium tickets. And the result? We got to watch Harris be given special status and an award for investigative excellence at the 2016 Symposium. This is one example of many.

Scientific research and investigative integrity are still attempted by many state directors and field investigators, but those qualities are irrelevant to management decision-making. They are the loyal crew who haven't yet realized their ship is no longer seaworthy. The departure of Robert Powell signals the end of an era when MUFON aspired to seriously investigate the UFO Mystery. Now it is all for show. Keep the lights low and the circus noisy, and the show will continue.

With Rich Hoffman and Robert Powell gone, Science, Reason and Investigative Integrity have left the building for the good of increased revenue. JZ Knight aka Ramtha with all her wealth and power is now guiding the MUFON Inner Circle; nothing stands in the way of MUFON becoming the greatest UFO Show on Earth.

http://jamesclarksonufo.com/articles-and-commentary/science-has-left-the-building-the-historic-mufon-2017-symposium-and-how-the-show-must-go-on

[zorgon]

Well there you go  Just what I have been saying all along and right form the mouth of the Director...

Below are some of the comments that article received. One is from Michael Salla himself

Tim Brigham says:
July 22, 2017 at 7:00 pm
The deserved backlash against this foolishness from MUFON is something I am thankful to see. Wonderful article!

Mike Ridout says:
July 22, 2017 at 9:39 pm
James you have hit it out of the park so to speak . Am a Field Investigator and knew when Rich left that it was time to put the life boats in the water. With Robert gone and yourself I expect to see and steady stream of people exiting as calliope music gets louder and the sideshow acts get more outrageous along with the claims. As you said there are some good people FI'S SD's but how long before they depart. So as it come time to renew it maybe time to hit the sidelines or look for another team or possibly free agency.
Very good writing . Thank you

Paul Stonehill says:
July 22, 2017 at 10:36 pm
I am in agreement. I wanted to present information about Russian/Soviet and Chinese space programs. But I was turned down. After seeing the speakers roster I guess I should be proud I was.

Edsel Brown says:
July 23, 2017 at 2:43 am
With all due respect!
People that have seen, experienced first hand sightings, involvement with UFO'S or extra terrestrials, need a fully respected, accountable serious investigative body to stand strong and speak out while continuing to uphold evidence of a more factual nature!
Not go diving head first into wild unproven stories provided by a limited few! Not to say they are totally without merit, but with no hard factual evidence to back it up other than hearsay, you will be subjecting all others to more ridicule and doubt "although there is sufficient evidence" indicating there is a real phenomenon which includes physical evidence!
MUFON became what it is through the hard work and experiences of many people, some if which may have paid the ultimate sacrifice! Do not betray them!

Reply
James Clarkson says:
July 23, 2017 at 10:00 am
Please know that it broke my heart to watch what has happened. I don't believe I have to prove my deep commitment to this research and to MUFON. When I quit my State Director position in Washington State, I first found a lady with a strong independent spirit to take my place. I have kept her fully informed about what she is getting into. Abraham Lincoln said, "A house divided against itself shall not stand." That is MUFON right now.

I am proud of my work in MUFON and in this field but sometimes someone has to jump on the grenade. And it truly seems to me that the hard work of the State Directors and the Field Investigators is simply ignored in the pursuit of bigger salaries for those at the top. That is what is heartbreaking. America is becoming universally "corporate." Anything for profit and nothing else matters. It is very sad to see this in MUFON.


Tony Sandy says:
July 24, 2017 at 7:30 am
Sad day indeed as it is not just MUFON but as the last writer surmised, to the end of civilization as we know it. In the UK bread and circus's is also the current norm. Truth and quality has given way to a stingy minded pursuit of personal wealth and disregard for reality. Grenfell Tower in London and the interference by the courts, in the Charlie Gard case, show scant regard for hope, individual rights or even the scientific pursuit of truth (that ugly word again) in favour of protecting precious egos and big bucks. I despair that the lazy and the crazy have taken over the asylum


William Greer says:
July 24, 2017 at 7:22 pm
Before the Corey Goode story, wasn't MUFON run by a bunch nut jobs? Wasn't MUFON already the "greatest UFO Show on Earth?"

Tony Sandy says:
July 25, 2017 at 4:17 am
MUFON has gone from a science based organisation to an entertainment company overnight (send in the clowns). Reading the Albert Rosales series on humanoid encounters, one is struck by the consistency of events and descriptions of craft and beings. Some seem friendly and benevolent, offering lifts to their home world, where others seem to be more animalistic in their nature and actions (devilish / supernatural), treating human beings like cattle. Some leave traces of their visit, others do not (non-physical events? out of synch with our world?). His books are excellent as comparative studies of time and place, in this area of expertise.

This is all about attention addiction as opposed to 'paying attention' and learning from the unknown (the scientific method). You see it in TV soap operas, where everything starts off as simple and ordinary, graduating to more complex, sordid and violent events, to increase ratings (think also of countries and their inhabitants (mentioning no names) like America and The Middle East, at present).


karl weathers says:
July 25, 2017 at 2:08 pm
I attended this years Synposium because it was in Las Vegas and something to do. It was comparable to a WWE event. Actually WWE might contain some form of reality compared to the Shit-posium. It was sad seeing Richard Dolan as the only person trying to speak common sense and proof.

The other speakers offered fairy tale stories without a shred of evidence to back up. I will take a lot for Mufon to regain any form of credibility after this event and the act of embracing a sideshow over actual presentations based on evidence.

I still cant believe how many people are embracing corey goode and his story. Sad day for Ufology.
R.I.P. Common sense. May you 1 day return.

James Clarkson says:
July 25, 2017 at 5:26 pm
You have very succinctly described what I am hearing from many others. This is a sad day for MUFON and serious UFO investigation. Thank you for your comments.

Michael Salla says:
July 27, 2017 at 9:34 am
The problem with Mr Clarkson's post is that assumes the study of UFOs is exclusively a scientific problem requiring rigorous investigation and analysis. That is not correct. The UFO phenomenon has from the beginning been a political and national security problem. Donald Keyhoe recognized this in his 1955 book, the Flying Saucer Conspiracy. Bringing the study of UFOs out of the dark ages of an illusory exclusive scientific study, into the modern era of a complex political/national security problem with many facets is to be welcomed. Jan Harzan did the right thing in inviting Corey Goode, William Tompkins, etc., to present their testimonies and evidence. Yes, documentary evidence was presented.

James Clarkson says:
July 27, 2017 at 9:55 am
I pride myself in always being willing to learn so I certainly admit that the conventional scientific method applied to the UFO Mystery is not working well at all. One of the most basic problems is that the phenomena cannot be reproduced at will for study and because when you step outside of the norm in mainstream science you may lose funding, tenure, employment, etc. My question about people like Corey Goode, etc. when they are given the stage at MUFON is how does the general public or anyone know the difference between the genuine article and a conman?

Barbara S Delozier says:
July 30, 2017 at 6:39 pm
I read your article with great interest, James, and thank you for posting for us. I have had an on-again, off-again relationship with MUFON. The basic idea of offering a central place to report unusual anomalies is an excellent one, particularly when there is an abundance of folks who wish to volunteer in investigations; but somehow, 'politics' wriggles its way in between common sense and actual investigation.

Corey Goode has been around for a long time, along with Andrew Basiago, Andy Pero, James Casbolt, Al Bialek, Dan Burish ... all alleged to have super-intelligence of ET activities in connection with the Military. Charles Hall also added to the fray with his experiences at Nellis AFB and Tall Whites. All make for exciting reading, but none have hard-core proof.

MUFON touts itself as a scientifically based investigative organization. If there is 'no proof' of Corey Goode's experiences, it just doesn't seem cohesive to include his word as factual. The Mandela Effect is not proven, rather, has been debunked as a type of mass hypnosis of created memories. Even 'things' we see with our own eyes may be suspect, particularly in view of the Gulf Breeze sighting (Hynek was right, of course) which went on for years before the discovery of pie tins and lights in Ed Walter's attic. With so many 'real' sightings, it would seem unnecessary to 'fake it' — yet, it happens. And this is where MUFON lost a lot of its credibility, in my humble opinion.

My wish for you is to keep up your hard work. We know the truth is really out there. It takes patience and thick skin to continue and you have both. Warmest blessings, James.

Ben Moss says:
August 4, 2017 at 5:04 am
Update on 2017 MUFON Symposium
by Ben Moss, CFI, STI
July 2017
I see no reason to go into any detail concerning the ongoing social media attacks on MUFON with regards to certain post as well as the Symposium's "Secret Space Program" theme. Suffice it to say that a simple look on Facebook will cover a lot of people's thoughts on this, and needs no repeating here.

I did notice a very large crowd compared to other events, and perhaps the location in Las Vegas had something to do with that.

The JW Marriott, where the event was held, is a beautiful resort, occupying, I was told, about 50 acres. I mainly attended to network, and I managed to donate a nice sum to the Casino located there. Losing 12 hands in a row on Blackjack should have alerted me that Lady Luck had abandoned me for good.

I had the opportunity to speak privately with several speakers. For the subject matter involved, I was impressed by the credentials of several individuals, despite some of the very far out topics discussed.

As my cordial friend Richard Dolan, and others, have pointed out, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There was little of that. Now here comes the crux: Do you want to sacrifice science and research to pack an event to make it successful? Does MUFON have an obligation to promote a scientifically based Symposium full of White Papers and technical verifiable data that would surely bring in only about 1/4th of the actual attendees? For a nonprofit, that is a tough question.

Personally, I like to speak on topics that can be investigated, using facts, evidence, witness testimony, and no guessing or conjecture. Seven people telling the same story does not make it true, if your evidence is each other. Many of the talks were about things that cannot be verified. I was listening to one speaker, of whom I was not familiar, and I left after 5 minutes when he said "that's when we signed the treaty with the Draconian Reptilians."

Sorry, but before I can relate to that type of claim, I must prove to myself that ET is here. I have not been able to do that yet, but it is at the top of my list. I want to know what is flying around in our skies displaying advanced propulsion technology.

As a MUFON Investigator, it's like me saying that "Santa is real and alive because I get presents under my tree and millions of people believe in him".

When one makes exotic claims of time travel, multiple ET races, and age regression, my Spider Sense starts tingling. Why would very intelligent people with solid work backgrounds and advanced degrees make such claims? Well, I can think of a few reasons off the top of my head.

Press, notoriety, money and fame. (Maybe)
Delusional thinking, possible mental illness. (Maybe and doubtful)
They REALLY believe what they are saying. (Could be true)
They had an extremely vivid dream, mistaking it for real events. (Also, could be true)
All, some, or none of the above. (Likely)

I do not run MUFON, nor have a say in what they deem as a good topic for our annual conference. I do know that a purely science based, technical white papers presentation would be poorly attended. People like the 'wow' factor, as seen on reality TV. It ain't science, but it can be entertaining.
The talk I really enjoyed, as well as the banter among speakers, came from Richard Dolan. He asked the right questions without attacking anyone, and simply agreed to disagree with others in a cordial way. He carefully spoke in a way that created distance between him and other's messages, without disparaging anyone.

The hateful, holier than thou talk is well supplied by the many Facebook and Twitter post, and as most of us experience and know, there are a lot of armchair cowards on Social Media who attack anyone they disagree with, but never attend a UFO event and certainly do not have the balls to speak face to face with the subject of their attacks. Depending on who your talking to, that could be painful.

It is way too easy to sit back, many times anonymously, and harass and insult people you disagree with. It is harder, takes some effort, to go out and do your own due diligence and research on the topic of Ufology.

Instead of shooting the messenger, contribute in a way that adds to the conversation, instead of proving that your mind is closed and only your opinion counts. And if you have an opinion, back it up with some facts or at least a hint of some scientific research, instead of quoting Wikipedia or Google.

I believe many online attacks are simply done to promote the antagonist Podcast, website, book or whatever else they are selling. In other words, it is really all about them, and not about those of whom they speak.

I had the chance to talk with many of the people who traveled a long way to see this event, several of which could barely walk without assistance, much less fly thousands of miles to get there. I believe at least 17 different countries were represented by attendee's. They had a willingness to listen, spend hard earned time and money, to pursue and engage in what is a PASSION for so many. Congratulations to all who came or watched on the live tv feed.

As always, MUFON put on quite a show, and despite some technical issues, it was an interesting time and a well-run Symposium. There is a lot of work behind the scenes to run such a large, well-attended event, so kudo's to Jan Harzan, Marketa, MUFON and all of the other volunteers who worked hard to put this together and run this show.

Sometimes, I only see some of my good friends in Ufology at this event. People like Richard Dolan, Travis Walton, Phoenix MUFON, and MUFONs several employees and volunteers, Jeremy Ray, Chris O'Brien, Paul David, Florida and Colorado MUFON, and many others were well met, and are the nicest people in the world.

To make change, you must be part of the solution and not part of the problem. It is easy to speak poorly of someone you never met and do not know, it takes effort to engage someone, listen to their views, and debate them logically and calmly.

It has been said so many times, but the message is lost in translation, and it is; 'Can't we all get along, even when we agree to disagree?"

James Clarkson says:
August 4, 2017 at 10:33 pm
I really am not quite sure how to address your comments. I can tell you that I have had eyewitness reports from several State Directors, SSD's and others who attended the Symposium. One of them told me about a moment when Andrew Basiago was talking about seeing flowers on Mars with human faces. He looked at his fellow MUFON Investigator and said, "This is what it looks like when you reach the bottom." In context he was talking about being in the bottom level of hell. Others commented that they were not sure whether or not a couple of the presenters are sane.

Are you implying that after being in MUFON for 29 years that I am not aware of how many talented, qualified, very honest investigators there are in MUFON? If so you are presuming a lot. I am also well acquainted with Richard Dolan, Travis Walton and many more. I am proud to know these people. I have presented along side of many of them and any or all of them would be welcome in my home.

My respect for the people IN MUFON is why I chose to make a strong public statement. Someone needed to say something. Another former MUFON SD, who will never go back either, once told me that if you stay silent in the face of what is unacceptable, you are like a Mafia wife. There are many very pleasant aspects to any Symposium where you get to meet the people in this field. That is why I have attended four different UFO conferences this year.

Rich Hoffman resigned because he was asking for a few changes that would benefit the average SD or FI. He fought that battle until he didn't see any point in fighting any longer. Robert Powell resigned – who knows if the position of Director of Scientific Research will even be filled? He did it because he sensed that MUFON had reached a point where he could go no further and remain true to his principles as a scientist.

We live in an age where everyone is bombarded with multiple sources competing for your attention, your brand loyalty, and your money.People don't want to think, just react to whatever is hot and sizzling, sexy and popular. It's all about Form without Substance. You are right, and so is Jan Harzan – a pure research driven Symposium is probably not economically viable. What is wrong with honoring the wildest of speculations with no corroboration is what lengths you will have to go to next Symposium. Now that the restraints are off and the dissenting voices have been removed or silenced – what will the difference be between MUFON and the SCI-FI Channel? It doesn't matter what you say, only that enough people are paying attention. Our connection to the best continuous sources of information in known history has produced a society of anti-intellectuals and anti-scientists. I know more than They do because I read it on the Internet so I don't have to evaluate anything.

But I don't think I am alone in this: I like a little Evidence with my UFO Story. If the MUFON organization doesn't have investigative integrity, then what has it become?

I am glad you got to renew your acquaintances in such a great location; I was there in 2013. I understand the band on the deck of the Titanic played beautifully for quite awhile.
If you can stay in MUFON and become someone who asks difficult questions and stays true to the tenets of Investigation – that you always act in good faith and that you exercise your objective ability to reason, then I am guessing you will one day understand what I wrote much more fully.

Terry Tibando says:
August 12, 2017 at 3:30 pm
I used to belong to APRO and I saw what happened to this organization and to NICAP and CUFOS, all of them became defunct, impotent and taken over by covert elements of the military and the intelligence communities.

I have stated on many occasions that the same thing would happen (if it has not already occurred long ago) that MUFON would go the same way as the rest of these UFO organizations. Why? Because the military industrial intelligence complex does not like competition when it comes to investigating the UFO/ETI phenomenon! Discoveries and Breakthroughs, sometimes have a habit of becoming mainstream science and no longer in control of the power players like the wealthy corporate elite!

In every case of a major UFO organization that attracts thousands of people from diverse backgrounds, the downfall of those groups are from infiltration by MIIC positioning themselves in the top echelons of that organization. They learn what they need to know about the top leaders, their weakness and strengths, and then begin to look for kinks in the chain of command, mismanagement of finances and poor leadership or direction of the organization. Then they create dissension within the ranks so that people begin bickering which could lead to full in-house fighting, squabbling, questioning every decision made and eventually with people pulling away or quitting entirely taking with them valuable human resources profits, and/or equipment and documents!
This has occurred within Dr. Steven Greer's CSETI organization on at least one occasion that I know of, but it failed to have the desired effect because Greer keeps his organization small and his senior member advisors, even smaller! The CSETI groups or CE-5 groups around the planet are self organized and inspired by Dr Greer's training sessions, lectures, writings, books, Youtube videos and movies. thus, it is more difficult to infiltrate these groups without sound an alarm to all other groups globally!

Nowhere in the world, except in the US does the government, military, and the intelligence communities and agencies exert so much effort to keep this phenomenon off the public's radar, primarily because they know the advantages and the implications of acquiring and possessing alien technology which can be weaponized and used against one's enemies or against one's own people!
By promoting or giving opportunity and support to known disinformants or to poorly researched work and investigations in the UFO Community is to corrupt the UFO database and thus devalue Ufology into a UFO Ghetto devoid of its most brilliant thinkers, academicians, researchers and it primary supporters from the public sector.

MUFON may have had it day in the sun and without support in some way from the public, its dried husk of a corpse will be relegated to the dung heap of UFO history!

SOF says:
August 13, 2017 at 5:50 am
I dare say I call this another symbolic sign of what's happening to civilization.

The days of doing what was right for noble causes like science and education were long dead. What we are seeing now is the final stage that we are ending the present human story.

Another great analysis that would go into deeper aspects of this and we as a species are in decay: http://thomassheridanofficialblog.blogspot.sg/2016/01/the-long-sleep-of-death-is-creeping.html

Frank Kimbler says:
August 14, 2017 at 8:23 pm
When it comes to the study of UFOs there is a group of people that thrive on sensationalism mostly because it makes the flat green aliens in their wallets and purses very fat. Most of them read the latest and greatest material on the subject then place a fanciful spin to the story and rehash it for the dim-wits with deep pockets. Remember the old TV show Outer Limits "For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear".

I seriously think that quote from Outer Limits just about sums it all up.

I'm writing this from my inter-dimensional lab a mile below the surface in Antarctica. The lab was constructed with guidance from the people of Aldebaran, 68 light years from Earth. The lab is an amazing complex of photonic holographic science intertwined intimately with Krell thought control. The energy source powering the lab sits on a shelf. The generator is is less than a foot tall and made mostly of glass. The technology for this incredible device has come from many civilizations. It is the culmination of the best that every light being can contribute to the universe. In celebration of this great inter-dimensional achievement a name is displayed on the glass generator. It says simply "Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey. I await MUFON to sign me up for there next symposium.

James Clarkson says:
August 14, 2017 at 9:44 pm
I cannot top this for originality. Mr. Basiago will want you as a script writer if Corey Goode doesn't outbid him. I think if given the choice you should probably write for Andrew Basiago. When he gets elected President in 2020, you will be rewarded with an important cabinet position. Meanwhile, we are sending you two dozen flowers with human faces from the surface of Mars.

Kevin White says:
August 15, 2017 at 8:03 pm
Hey, hey now....I just bought the Space Needle last week from a guy on the street. I have a hand-written certificate to prove it!

Seriously though, great article and completely agree with you. While I was not at the MUFON convention, I have seen Corey Goode and David Wilcock at Contact in the Desert. Not at all impressed by Goode. He has all the trappings of a charlatan and was probably put out there by someone with power to spread disinformation. Wilcock is okay as long as Goode is not around. However, one of these guys appears to be the puppeteer for the other one – just not sure which one has his hand up the other one's exhaust pipe.....
Thanks for the great article!

Wilson Woodburn says:
May 4, 2018 at 4:42 am
Why did you feel it was the right decision to choose Goode as a purview expanding seque for M.U.F.O.N.? Have you since seen the documentary "presented as evidence"? If so, what were you thoughts from an investigative perspective? Could the evidence presented in the documentary hold up under intense scrutiny? If not, would you be willing to further explain to me your opinion expressed in your comment?

I realize this reply is about a year later. I am currently researching my own feelings about becoming more deeply involved with MUFON. For 20 years, it was my desire to become a field investigator. I started to study the manual then life happened taking care of my babies and my grandma. Two years ago I finally made time for myself to peruse this dream only to question that decision. Please know that my questions to you are not incendiary but meant to solicit more of your opinion simply for my own research. Thank you.

James Clarkson says:
May 4, 2018 at 8:56 am
First, it is customary when making an inquiry to introduce yourself, or to make a polite compliment and then segue into your questions. But I will try to answer your questions. I am not familiar with a documentary titled "Presented as Evidence." Evidence has to be properly documented with its provenance established. It must be verifiable to some degree. In the field of Ufology, I admit this is very hard to come by.

Admittedly, when it comes to Corey Goode, Andrew Basiago, and others, you either buy into their narrative or you don't. Fun stories and wild speculation are just that. I am willing to speculate but I make it very clear when I am stepping over that line as an intellectual exercise or for the fun of it. What you can't do is to sell memberships and symposium tickets on the basis that you represent the gold standard for scientific investigation, and then give center stage to alleged witnesses who conveniently have undergone time travel, been taken to Mars to fight a war, seen flowers with human faces, etc. You also can't pander to people who practice rascism which MUFON has also done. Please note that the new director of Scientific Research for MUFON has also quit in disgust because he was lied to by Harzan and the Board – John Ventre is still in a key MUFON leadership role.

When you add on my disgust with the actual function of the MUFON Special Assignments Team, which is only appreciated by Mr. Harzan when they produce a result that provides a good photo op or a marketable article, you might begin to see where I am coming from. Further, I reached the end of my rope with the unprofessional antics of the Inner Circle.

You can have a good time in MUFON if your local chapter is well established and basically independent of headquarters. And if you are also able to tolerate an endless stream of LITS cases and you don't look too close at where the good cases go.

I just read an article yesterday that is extremely detailed and describes precisely what makes most aspects of current Ufology repellant to me. It's worth the time. It's from 2017 but not much has changed. It is called "Losing Contact in the Desert – the 2017 Fake Over of American Ufology." Here is the link: http://little-giant.org/articles/contact

When MUFON lowered itself to being just another UFO carnival, I had to leave after 30 years and many thousands of volunteer hours, and having investigated around a thousand cases directly.
Sincerely, James

http://jamesclarksonufo.com/articles-and-commentary/science-has-left-the-building-the-historic-mufon-2017-symposium-and-how-the-show-must-go-on