"The Shroud of Turin is much older than suggested by radiocarbon dating carried out in the 1980s, according to a new study in a peer-reviewed journal". Happy Easter UFOMM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4210369.stm
The UFO community has been at war, a war that we are losing. “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it” are famous words by Santayana and, in many ways, this should be the motto of the UFO community. The Gulf Breese flap is a prime example of losing the battle of the hearts and minds of the public because of our own narrow investigative focus. To emphasize what I mean let me ask any UFO history buff one question: Can you name another witness in the Gulf Breeze flap other than Ed Walters? There were at least two hundred and fifty of them.
The example of how a fantastic UFO flap with hundreds of witnesses, dozens of video and photos was reduced to one man’s controversial account is a classic in UFO investigative shortsightedness. This case demonstrates how poorly we treat our witnesses. The vast majority of the other UFO witnesses’ evidence in Gulf Breeze was lost in the ether of UFO history leaving only one central figure: Ed Walters.
How hard would it have been for the debunkers t
o take on 250 + witnesses in real time with dozens of videos and photos? This case should have never been focused on Ed Walters. In fact, we should never focus on any individual in a flap even though the evidence from that person may appear sensational. The case in Gulf Breeze would have been a resounding psychological success, if the public investigators in the UFO community had continually brought the focus back to the 250 witnesses by any honest means possible.
Did anyone see the Gulf Breeze “Unsolved Mysteries” episode? In the beginning of the report they had assembled a room full of Gulf Breeze UFO witnesses. I never forgot that scene, it was that powerful. But as so apply put on this Billy Both UFO Blog:
“World-wide attention was drawn to the UFO mystery in 1987 by one wave of sightings, those which occurred over Gulf Breeze, Florida. These were much more than just sighting reports-the sightings were accompanied by many photographs and videos. The majority of the attention was on one Ed Walters, a contractor from the area, who took extraordinarily clear photographs of UFOs.
Walters' First Sighting:
Walters claimed that his first sighting of a UFO occurred on November 11, 1987. He was working in his living room late at night when he noticed a light shining through the window. He immediately went outside to find the source of the light. He saw a glowing object which was only partially visible because of a large pine tree in his yard. He moved to get a better look at the object-now he noticed that the object was shaped like a top…
Walters reputation would receive a big boost from MUFON, the world's largest UFO organization. After hearing about Walters' photographs and sightings, they began a full blown investigation into the Gulf Breeze story. After they completed an initial look into the evidence that Walters had, they were convinced that he and his evidence was genuine.”
http://ufos.about.com/od/visualproofphotosvideo/p/gulfbreeze.htm
How many of you out there in UFO land have ever seen the videos and photos of the other witnesses ? The UFO researchers had focused on the most sensational of the witnesses, Ed Walters, and that’s just what the debunking community wanted.
No matter what you believe about Ed Walters, the controversy around him effectively shut down the powerful message of the Gulf Breeze flap and its implication. Here we had “ two hundred and fifty UFO witnesses videoing and taking photos of UFO objects. How do you explain that?
The controversy around Ed’s photogra
phs, the model in his home, and around his book all helped to water down the power of what happened at Gulf Breeze. These accusations were all instituted by debunkers who had a field day. The debunkers only had to deal with Ed Walters credibility instead of what might have been- 250 plus very insulted witnesses.
We can learn from our UFO history. What if Gulf Breeze happened today? There will be other big UFO flaps; we all know it. We need to handle them smarter with a more effective public message. A flap is an extremely potent message when it continues to be the center of the UFO investigation . This should be a no brainer. We need to make sure every credible witness is treated equally in a flap. We can learn from our mistakes we can make sure in the future that any UFO flap’s is investigated so that the combined witnesses, and their possible photos and video evidence will be presented publically and equally researched by our investigators.
Joseph Capp
UFO Media Matters
Video Clips: Gulf Breeze Flap Vs Individual Sighting notice any investigative difference?
I remember the show that presented the many witnesses - including their photos and videos. But, I suspect the average Jane/Joe would not have been interested enough to notice.
ReplyDeleteI'd wondered at the time the ufo figure was found (a little too conviently it seemed) if it was a 'plant'.
Walters pics held up under scrutiny to the best of my recollection.
Great blog entry!
Dear Brownie,
ReplyDeleteYou make me point. Here we are discussing Ed Walters. What we should be discussing is what happened to the dozens of photos and videos by the other witnesses. When you make a star all the players become lost in the background. A flap for me should be investigated differently. When u are trying to get people to listen to what you have to say. A powerful presentation helps a great deal. When your in a war you bring all your guns to the table. We should investigate a flap as a group experience not allowing anyone to be singled out. This way the debunkers and the media have to deal with a group. It's hard to set up a group of different people.
Thanks Brownie
Joe
UFOMM
Concerning the Gulf Breeze sightings , apparently this is a area or areas of activity recently observed by us Human Kind;
ReplyDeleteApparently, this is a area as seen from space where the silhouette of the earth is the Florida Coast and the Gulf of Mexico and the Yuctan area, apparently their are tracks from Florida either the sea side or the Gulf side where the UFO enters our planet and manuvers in and around the Gulf to the Yuctan and other, in my opionion a landing zone entering this planet to proceed to other areas and area's of interest, us,them and the real MCCoy, commandeered UFO's by the UFO-nauts who are attempting, apparently to follow the UFO,(TRACK), and are giving us a light show, (possible attempts at communications with UFO's in area's), sometimes monitoring the comming's and going's of the UFO, who may be stopping by this area for various reasons and since, the increase in activities besides contact here on this planet perhaps just a fly-by or perhaps the area's having a meet-up some-where out their, and are in a holding pattern to their destination's. More sky watchers will help, but what is needed is observers out at sea and in the air, a very difficult proposition even if resources are available. Opinion; UFO Q and A
UFOQandA@si.rr.com
Dear Bernard,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. It does seem that there is still activity there. I'm hoping the next good UFO flap will be done with a completely different investigative technique, one of shock and awe. Here is the group I dare you to call them a liar public presentation.
thanks
Joe
UFOMM
Excellent post here Joe. You are absolutely right on in your criticism of, as it turns out, much of what passes for UFO investigation. If you surf around the net, with it's signal to noise ratio, what you see reported and rereported is the high strangeness cases that are, in reality, very poorly investigated (if at all).
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is: it's not as if theres not already a model for investigation. Standard police procedure just about anywhere calls for interviewing and taking statements from ALL witnesses to crime, collect ALL the evidence. Investigators are taught to avoid making any early "opinions" and handle any inquiry impartially and thoroughly. Then when ALL the data is acquired do the careful analysis.
I've always said that UFO witnesses ought to be offered an empathetic and nonjudgmental hearing of their story. This is, for many, a major life event. But in handling and analyzing the data we need to be our own best/worst skeptics and carefully look at what the data actually says and avoid cherry picking. What I see a lot of in UFOlogy is folks letting their preconceived ideas drive the data collection instead of the other way around. Gulf Breeze is a case in point.
Dear Mydoc,
ReplyDeleteYes to everything you have said. Could you imagine a defense attorney having hundreds of credible witnesses and only using one in a very important case.
Maybe if we keep the interest up on changing things, things will start to change
Thanks again
Joe
UFOMM
Have you read this?
ReplyDelete"UFO(s) stories and dreams ~ Pensacola"
http://wikiwix.com/cache/display.php?url=http://ufopensacola.blogspot.com
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI haven't but I will
Joe
UFOMM
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ReplyDelete