Erich von Däniken rode the big chariot back to mothership last Saturday at age 90.
I hadn’t heard. Well no matter his crimes against reason he was somebody’s father, grandfather, husband, so I can express my condolences to his family.
Just for the record I am compelled to add that most of VD’s ideas about Ancient Astronauts were ripped off from an earlier, unfortunately much less well known book written by a French journalist, Louis Pauwels, and a French physicist, Jacques Bergier in 1960, entitled ** you do not have permission to see this link **. This book, still an entertaining read, was the wellspring of ideas that later seeped into popular culture, like Ancient Astronauts, Nazi Occultism, Secret Societies, alchemy, astrology, alternative history, etc, etc etc. However in their work they extolled the virtues of what they called Réalisme Fantastique , deliberately intertwining the natural and magical to produce a “poetic” truth. Sadly their rather more sophisticated and whimsical approach was lost on later disciples of these subjects. Von Daniken laughed all the way to the bank but they wrote the better book.
** you do not have permission to see this link **
Here’s a white paper published in the journal Astrobiology.
Abstract
Obama almost gave the game away.
** you do not have permission to see this link **
In a not completely unrelated matter I’ve been watching X-Files reruns on an Atlanta free TV broadcast channel available here in semi-rural Georgia. I only originally began to watch the show in the second or third year of its existence and I assumed the TV-free life upon my move to DC before the show ended so its been interesting to fill in the blanks. My take is that the show peaked early and ran waaay past its appropriate expiration date. (Eight seasons!) The show’s dominant UFO conspiracy mythology was the least interesting aspect of the show. I liked the standalone shows best. Frequently terrific writing early on (especially season three) and excellent soundtrack music. Its end was pretty awful, like your old Uncle Buster lying there in hospice for three years hooked up to tubes. (Maybe there should be a rule. TV series can only last three seasons. Get on with it and then move on. If you can’t think of anything new then maybe that’s your clue that it’s time to enter another profession.)
I’ve voiced my logical objections to aliens regularly visiting our orb earlier in this thread so I won’t repeat myself. Conspiracy culture tells us more about our own psychology than anything about the possibility of alien life. It is equal parts fascinating and depressing to see how it has penetrated mainstream American culture. That paranoiac mood captured so well by the X-Files is an interesting place to visit but I sure as hell don’t want to live there. But I suppose it is easier to believe that the universe is out to get you rather than accept the fact that the universe doesn’t give a flying *&*& that you’re alive. But who cares about the universe? We notice each other and we care for each other.
Obama almost gave the game away.
** you do not have permission to see this link **
Although I’m glad he clarified his views, in the end it doesn’t matter much as people who believe are going to believe no matter what.
Its end was pretty awful, like your old Uncle Buster lying there in hospice for three years hooked up to tubes.
Perfect way of describing it.
(Maybe there should be a rule. TV series can only last three seasons. Get on with it and then move on. If you can’t think of anything new then maybe that’s your clue that it’s time to enter another profession.)
I’d certainly be in favor of the rule.
I’ve taken a liking to limited series – about 8 episodes in all.
I’ve taken a liking to limited series…
The principle I was taught was that the story you tell should be the single most important thing that will ever happen to your characters. But even the concept of the ongoing (never-ending?) series has metastasized into the Science Fiction & Fantasy book genres. My heart sinks a little when someone recommends a book and I see the title and then, Volume 1 of the Lah-de-dah Series. It’s gotten to the point where “standalone” books are treated like freakish atavisms.
I think it traces back at least in part to the success of the Lord of the Rings “trilogy”. Which of course wasn’t a true “trilogy”, but a single novel published in three volumes because of its length. And of course, marketing. It’s just easier for publishers to sell a known commodity than have to seek out a new audience every time they publish a book. I’ll chalk it up to AHDH but I just don’t have the patience to commit to a series. Say it once why say it again?
I think the reason a lot of TV series last so long is because they incorporate story “arcs”. Aside from the specific details of each episode there is an overarching narrative. On the other hand, the practice back in the old days was for each episode to be self-contained. Each episode began as if it were the first. This is why Captain Kirk had to save the universe every friggin’ week. This is why if any of the men in the Cartwright family in the show Bonanza had a love interest you knew the poor females were doomed before the end of the episode.
The story arc of the X-Files was the existence of a government conspiracy to hide the reality of alien contact. The revelations were dribbled out over the length of the series. How could it have not been disappointing? Especially since the assumptions you’re required to make to depict this possibility are internally contradictory and well-nigh incoherent. See my earlier discussion in this thread but essentially the aliens are required to be simultaneously highly advanced and rather stupid. (You have the technology to get from one star system to another, but you can’t fly a saucer around without crashing everywhere? The single aspect of storytelling I most despise is when the writer has their characters do something stupid merely to advance the plot.)
The resolving revelation in the X-Files I would have liked to have seen is what apparently happened in real life, that the UFO phenomenon turns out to have been an Intelligence Agency disinformation campaign, a cover for Cold War shenanigans. They didn’t conceal it, they created it! The ultimate mind-f*ck. The UFO true believers turn out to be the dupes.
Paul Anthony Wallis is a researcher, speaker and author on spirituality and mysticism. He is a healing practitioner and has worked as a theological educator and as an Archdeacon for the Anglican Church in Australia.
Reason for posting video: Paul Anthony Wallis refutes the claim that we have not had contact with alien and extraterrestrial life. The video is posted for discussion purposes. Is his history accurate, Steve Campbell, author of Historical Accuracy asks. His sources are credible. So, @Robert do not blame me because I am unable to disprove him, the government, the military, pilots, etc. I look forward to your convincing evidence that have kept you from agreeing with this former Archdeacon for the Anglican Church and author of numerous books.
Paul Anthony Wallis:
If this information is disrupting your theology because your theology depends on the universe being empty…
then I’ll point you to my book The Eden Conspiracy: Ancient Memories of E.T. Contact and the Bible before God.
Amazon Rating: 4.7 stars averaged from 1,317 ratings, 82% 5 stars, 14% 4 stars
Bruce said:
Could have a UFO series where the big reveal is that the wave of UFO encounters is because the aliens are experiencing a drug problem and the UFO encounters are joy riding teenagers.
There is no shortage of possible imaginative scenarios that could play out.
Personally, I love the idea of juiced-up spaceships.
The grooviest UFO related TV show was in fact titled ** you do not have permission to see this link ** produced in England in 1969 though not syndicated in the States until 1971. It was produced by the same team that came out earlier with outer space related shows for kids involving filmed marionettes (you know, puppets) named Fireball XL-5 and Thunderbirds. Does anybody but me remember this stuff?
It was decided to do a live action show though one could argue the acting did not actually improve a whole helluva lot. It also was ostensibly aimed at older folks and intended to be socially relevant. Shows referred to issues like drug use and drug addiction, interracial marriage, and so forth. I must say it really captures a moment in time. If it had been made a year earlier or a year later it would have been a completely different show.
Fortunately the episodes are available on YouTube. If you have some free time check out a couple episodes and see what you think. It’s a mess but in a good, weird kind of way. As I said the only way to adequately describe it is, groovy.
It concerns a secret defense organization called SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization) hidden beneath a movie studio with submarines, space stations and a moonbase at its disposal. Its location was a budget saving measure. In order to avoid expensive sets they just filmed interiors at the studio where the TV show was produced. You’ll also notice that everyone, not just the aliens, seems to be wearing wigs and hair pieces. Apparently this was also a cost saving measure since they couldn’t afford a regular makeup department. This aspect is highlighted by the infamous hot space babes in their cat suits and purple wigs. (Absolutely no explanation is offered as to why the outfits. When they’re off duty the winsome young ladies are depicted in normal garb sans wigs. It was a 1969 person’s idea of a groovy uniform I guess.)
If any of this begins to ring a bell note that the next show from these folks was SPACE:1999, starring Martin Landau. That one is a bit more well known but it was a Star Trek ripoff and much less interesting. Not to mention it’s absolutely goofy premise that the Moon had left orbit and the people trapped at Moonbase Apha hitched a ride and zipped around the universe. (The part neither me nor my friends could figure out was how it got from star to star so fast and then could slow down long enough to have an episode in each solar system. I guess you had to be there.)
As Stephen King once wrote, every meal doesn’t have to be haute cuisine and to enjoy a lot of popular culture it helps to have a taste for baloney.
If this information is disrupting your theology because your theology depends on the universe being empty…
Steefen, it saddens me that you have not bothered to actually read any of my posts since I have never claimed that the universe is “empty” nor do I start with that as an article of faith. I have merely pointed out the lack of evidence for extraterrestrial visitations, an article of faith you do seem to start with.
…do not blame me because I am unable to disprove him, the government, the military, pilots, etc. I look forward to your convincing evidence…
As a self-proclaimed “Argumentation Specialist” you seem oddly unaware of how argumentation actually works. The responsibility is on the one making the claim to support that claim with evidence. You claim that extraterrestrials have visited earth. This claim obligates you to support that claim. I’m not making a claim. I’m simply pointing out that you haven’t made your case. And I have described just why the motivations given to aliens for coming and doing what you claim they are doing here don’t make much sense.
I’ll be interested to see what the Prez comes out with. The first question that occurs to me though is, if it’s so easy for him to release these “secret” UFO files because of the “public interest” then why can’t he just release all those other files he is sitting on that also have the “public interest”?
THE INVADERS
In Color.
A Quinn Martin production.
Oh yeah. One of the things that distinguished this show for me was that during its run my dad broke down and bought a color TV! Before that it was a big ole black & white set that was such a huge piece of furniture that an eight year old boy could have slept on top of it. (And what’s more you had to get up off your ** you do not have permission to see this link ** and walk over to the set to change the channels. These young folk today don’t realize how easy they have it.) I can remember how magical it was to see the flying saucers in color.
How convenient that the aliens just burned up whenever they got shot. But couldn’t they be wounded? Seems like every shot was a kill shot. Even Marshall Matt Dillon wasn’t that good.
I think the intro sequence was the best part of the show. The problem was that although the particulars changed every week, each show had the same, identical plot. David Vincent investigates some evidence of alien activity. He encounters other witnesses and/or discovers evidence of some alien plot. By the end of the show the alien plot is foiled but the witnesses and/or the evidence are destroyed. If the other witnesses manage to survive they vow to fight on against the aliens. The show only lasted two seasons but really, where else could you go with the scenario? At the end of every episode you were right back where you started. (At least somebody pulled the plug. The X-Files went on for eight seasons!)
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