The Bay Area UFO EXPO (cont)
18th September, 2002.
Impressions from Nik Green
This last weekend, we took a perusal of the Bay Area UFO Expo at the
Santa Clara Marriott Hotel Conference Center. Rooms at the Marriott at
$230 a night were a tad overpriced just for the dubious privilege of a
marble-floored lobby with a few tactically placed chandeliers, so we
parked ourselves in the equally confortable but less ostentatious
Residence Inn just one mile from the Expo, which was a fully equipped
condo-like suite at one quarter the price *and* since we spent most of
the time at the Expo, we got to experience the marble floored lobby and
chandeliers as well!
All the free lectures were fascinating of course, but they really
function as "teasers" for the real meat and potatoes, namely the
"workshops", which provide the bread and butter for these speakers. But
enough information can be gleaned to whet the appetite for further
research!
On arrival, we were planning to video as much as we could and conduct a
bunch of interviews, but we soon found out that a media company had the
whole thing sewn up: they were videotaping every lecture and workshop
and had all the duping facilities right there, getting tapes and videos
available almost as soon as the presentation had finished: this was a
very organized operation. So, third party cameras were not permitted in
the conference halls during lectures and workshops and this rule was
being enforced rigidly, but we did manage to hold a few short interviews
and take some general footage of the proceedings.
Earlier in the year, we were at the EATM (Emerging Artists in Technology
and Music) and the "camera attitude" was a polar opposite: at EATM, it
was so easy to do an interview or panel: everyone, whether total
strangers, recent acquaintances or friends wanted an in, to ask all, and
tell all! Self promotion yaaay!! Here at the UFO Expo however, I got the
impression that many people were reluctant to appear on camera until one
had their confidence, if at all. I'm not implying that the attendees
were in any way *paranoid*, but perhaps this camera-shy attitude was due
to the fact that this subject is one that suffers widepread ridicule,
not only in the popular and trash press (CNN, National Inquirer Fox,
ABC, CBS, People, Weekly World News etc) but most specially in serious
scientific circles. Some "serious scientists" (the open minded variety)
*do* show up for these events, but as a rule they do *not* want to
appear on camera.
The attitude of the scientific community is always consistent in that
any theory or postulate which contradicts, or suggests "incompleteness"
in the current accepted knowledge is debunked by default. Rigorous
testing, observation, repeatability and predictability based on
exhaustively examined results are the cornerstones of good science, and
skepticism is a natural response to anything that looks odd or flouts
the rules. However, closed-mindedness and intellectual arrogance are as
much "bad science" as all those "pseudo-sciences" that are commonly
peddled within the New Age community. If scientists suddenly lost their
creative or "right-brain" input, then science would stop dead in it's
tracks and we may as well go back to the Faith Based dark ages.
UFOlogy is a classic area where science starts to stumble. The problem
is that the size of the laboratory (the universe) is too large for we
humans to examine with the rigor and detail that regular science
requires, and the phenonema occur on an unpredictable and random basis,
many of which imply intelligent control and intent. But inroads are
gradually being made and in the last 50 years a huge statistical
database has been acquired by civilian organizations with an openminded
approach as opposed to the ultra-paranoid, secretive, controlling and
manipulative approach adopted by most specially the U.S. military and
intelligence services. But when so many well-documented bizarre
incidents happen on an almost daily basis worldwide, it *does* require
serious study, as opposed to the obligatory "little green men" putdown
by the corporate media and government lackeys. There are many "UFO
Expos" throughout the world and more and more people are showing an
interest in the subject of the possibility of (intelligent) life
elsewhere. Actually, in view of some of the more recent events and
activities perpetrated by our supposed "leaders" either elected or not
(namely terrorism, recreational warfare, warfare for profit, corporate
crime, pillage, pollution, plunder and piracy), then perhaps the only
intelligent life is *outside* of this planet! Any visiting aliens would
take one look at the most visible activities conducted by the
powers-that-be on our planet, (for example the Bush Administration, the
CIA, al Qa'ida, Saddam Hussein, the Mafia, big business religion etc
etc) hold their little gray hands over those big wrap-around eyes and
mutter "these guys just ain't ready to join the "federation of planets"
yet.
This brings me to David Icke, who was the main speaking attraction of
the Bay Area UFO Expo. His workshop covered two days, and was *huge* in
its scope: the first (Saturday pm) 3 and a half hour talk was a short
personal introduction, then some of the background of his years of
research into the way the powers-that-be on this planet have organized
themselves in historical times. I read his first book "The truth will
set you free" a few years ago, and it is absolutely jam-packed with
fascinating and well documented information that the corporate media
wouldn't touch with the proverbial half-mile long barge pole. However
Icke's style of authoring doesn't put over his findings with the force
and incision that a more experienced author or journalist would employ.
This is just a personal opinion, but I feel that he would do even better
if he concentrated purely on research, and employed a co-author to
concentrate on the format and literary presentation. However, just like
a groundbreaking rockband with chops, Icke's forte comes across in his
"live" performance, as opposed to his "studio" efforts. His delivery is
unique, down-to-earth, very English, and at times highly comedic! The
subject matters he deals with are so lugubrious that humor is an
essential element to balance the gravity with some levity so as not to
depress the listener with a sense of hopelessness.
see http://www.davidicke.com
The second day's offering was 5 hours long! I have sat through many
lectures, but nothing has kept my attention like this one; at one point,
over 3 and a half hours into the proceedings, he suddenly threw the
question into the audience "shall we take a break now, or you wanna
continue for a bit more"...and everyone wanted more! The main focus of
Sunday's talk was his research into the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks. The sold-out standing-room only audience gasped in horror and
revulsion at the extraordinary and demonstrable culpability, complicity,
inconsistency and even possible involvement of the Bush Administration
and the military intelligence community in the murder of 3000 people at
the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Fact after fact
after fact, with evidence taken from such diverse sources as the White
House website (!) showed that the background and timeline of the lead
up, the event and it's aftermath were drastically different from the
whitewash and fake patriotism spewed out by the brown-nosing mainstream
corporate media weasels, which seems to be operating in a similar way to
the Iraqi media, namely government propaganda and approved copy only.
Heavy, incredible stuff, and it put a whole new meaning to the term
"axis of evil". Personally, the last thing that I would normally
acknowledge would be the possibility that the powers-that-be (including
the US Government) would be complicit (or worse) in the deaths of 3000
innocents on American soil, but when the evidence strongly indicates a
degree of guilt, and the official story falls apart so easily on just a
cursory examination, then it fills one with an overwhelming sense of
sadness, anger and frustration.
The Japanese have an expression "if you are the one that stands out, you
are the one that gets shot down". In this 'Gapped' out world, it is
so fashionable to knock "conspiracy theorists" as kooks and wackos. It
is so easy to label people with inquiring minds as *paranoid* simply
because they won't swallow the official dope. It is so easy to side with
the mainstream, it is so easy not to argue, it is so easy to be
obedient, not to question, and "go with the flow". Fear is the prime
mover; fear of being perceived as different is a very pointed stick.
This is the big stick that has been wielded for recorded millennia. It
is the most effective way to keep the human race conforming in all
aspects of life, from the mundane, such as the clothes or hairstyle one
wears, through to one's spiritual convictions, artistic expression,
political viewpoints and more. Fear of ridicule, or being seen as
un-patriotic, or being labeled as "odd", "undesirable", or even a
terrorist if the Government so designates you in secret, is most
effective in keeping the masses placated and sedated.
In medieval times, the church and religion, assisted by lack of
knowledge amongst the masses were the main arbiters of most aspects of
life on earth, and the dogma and straitjacketed conformity was enforced
by their armies, or laws that forbade alternative thought or expression.
Remember Galileo? In modern times of science, with the prevalence of
technology and availability of information, the church and religion have
lost their power monopoly, but have been joined by the new powers in the
world, namely those of globalization and private corporate control,
which is being realized currently in four discrete trading areas of the
planet (Europe, The Americas, Asia/Australasia and Africa). This is just
one step in the road to the ultimate aim of a "one world fascist
government" and cashless society, where the proverbial Orwellian Big
Brother reigns supreme, where unquestioning obedience and conformity are
the keywords, with the whole thing governed by an ivory tower elite with
the aid of unassailable military might to stomp "those who stand out".
David Icke's stand in this whole scary and horrible scenario is that
those who are hijacking the development of humanity would have no power,
if it wasn't for our individual and collective complicity. It is *our*
laugh and *our* responsibility: we have given up our power and handed it
away. We are building our own prison, and basically taking it up the ass
with barely a whisper of complaint. If we could see through the facade,
we could all just walk away, and insodoing, regain our humanity,
spirituality and integrity, and the whole sorry house of cards would
collapse in on itself. I couldn't agree more....great sentiments.
I left the Expo with mixed emotions. Too much information, too little
time to digest and evaluate. In these difficult days of being
overwhelmed by the likes of Bush, Cheney, corporate criminals, religious
maniacs, and rampant conformity, the world is a vacuum for maverick
human beings like David Icke, no matter now wild and wacky their
viewpoints. And what's more, Mr Icke is motivated by love and
compassion, a far cry from the intent of the frauds, charlatans and
mental jailers that he is doing his damnedist to expose.
18th September, 2002.
This last weekend, we took a perusal of the Bay Area UFO Expo at the
Santa Clara Marriott Hotel Conference Center. Rooms at the Marriott at
$230 a night were a tad overpriced just for the dubious privilege of a
marble-floored lobby with a few tactically placed chandaliers, so we
parked ourselves in the equally confortable but less ostentatious
Residence Inn just one mile from the Expo, which was a fully equipped
condo-like suite at one quarter the price *and* since we spent most of
the time at the Expo, we got to experience the marble floored lobby and
chandaliers as well!
All the free lectures were fascinating of course, but they really
function as "teasers" for the real meat and potatoes, namely the
"workshops", which provide the bread and butter for these speakers. But
enough information can be gleaned to whet the appetite for further
research!
On arrival, we were planning to video as much as we could and conduct a
bunch of interviews, but we soon found out that a media company had the
whole thing sewn up: they were videotaping every lecture and workshop
and had all the duping facilities right there, getting tapes and videos
available almost as soon as the presentation had finished: this was a
very organized operation. So, third party cameras were not permitted in
the conference halls during lectures and workshops and this rule was
being enforced rigidly, but we did manage to hold a few short interviews
and take some general footage of the proceedings.
Earlier in the year, we were at the EATM (Emerging Artists in Technology
and Music) and the "camera attitude" was a polar opposite: at EATM, it
was so easy to do an interview or panel: everyone, whether total
strangers, recent acquaintances or friends wanted an in, to ask all, and
tell all! Self promotion yaaay!! Here at the UFO Expo however, I got the
impression that many people were reluctant to appear on camera until one
had their confidence, if at all. I'm not implying that the attendees
were in any way *paranoid*, but perhaps this camera-shy attitude was due
to the fact that this subject is one that suffers widepread ridicule,
not only in the popular and trash press (CNN, National Inquirer Fox,
ABC, CBS, People, Weekly World News etc) but most specially in serious
scientific circles. Some "serious scientists" (the open minded variety)
*do* show up for these events, but as a rule they do *not* want to
appear on camera.
The attitude of the scientific community is always consistent in that
any theory or postulate which contradicts, or suggests "incompleteness"
in the current accepted knowledge is debunked by default. Rigorous
testing, observation, repeatability and predictability based on
exhaustively examined results are the cornerstones of good science, and
skepticism is a natural response to anything that looks odd or flouts
the rules. However, closed-mindedness and intellectual arrogance are as
much "bad science" as all those "pseudo-sciences" that are commonly
peddled within the New Age community. If scientists suddenly lost their
creative or "right-brain" input, then science would stop dead in it's
tracks and we may as well go back to the Faith Based dark ages.
UFOlogy is a classic area where science starts to stumble. The problem
is that the size of the laboratory (the universe) is too large for we
humans to examine with the rigor and detail that regular science
requires, and the phenonema occur on an unpredictable and random basis,
many of which imply intelligent control and intent. But inroads are
gradually being made and in the last 50 years a huge statistical
database has been acquired by civilian organizations with an openminded
approach as opposed to the ultra-paranoid, secretive, controlling and
manipulative approach adopted by most specially the U.S. military and
intelligence services. But when so many well-documented bizarre
incidents happen on an almost daily basis worldwide, it *does* require
serious study, as opposed to the obligatory "little green men" putdown
by the corporate media and government lackeys. There are many "UFO
Expos" throughout the world and more and more people are showing an
interest in the subject of the possibility of (intelligent) life
elsewhere. Actually, in view of some of the more recent events and
activities perpetrated by our supposed "leaders" either elected or not
(namely terrorism, recreational warfare, warfare for profit, corporate
crime, pillage, pollution, plunder and piracy), then perhaps the only
intelligent life is *outside* of this planet! Any visiting aliens would
take one look at the most visible activities conducted by the
powers-that-be on our planet, (for example the Bush Administration, the
CIA, al Qa'ida, Saddam Hussein, the Mafia, big business religion etc
etc) hold their little gray hands over those big wrap-around eyes and
mutter "these guys just ain't ready to join the "federation of planets"
yet.
This brings me to David Icke, who was the main speaking attraction of
the Bay Area UFO Expo. His workshop covered two days, and was *huge* in
its scope: the first (Saturday pm) 3 and a half hour talk was a short
personal introduction, then some of the background of his years of
research into the way the powers-that-be on this planet have organized
themselves in historical times. I read his first book "The truth will
set you free" a few years ago, and it is absolutely jam-packed with
fascinating and well documented information that the corporate media
wouldn't touch with the proverbial half-mile long barge pole. However
Icke's style of authoring doesn't put over his findings with the force
and incision that a more experienced author or journalist would employ.
This is just a personal opinion, but I feel that he would do even better
if he concentrated purely on research, and employed a co-author to
concentrate on the format and literary presentation. However, just like
a groundbreaking rockband with chops, Icke's forte comes across in his
"live" performance, as opposed to his "studio" efforts. His delivery is
unique, down-to-earth, very English, and at times highly comedic! The
subject matters he deals with are so lugubrious that humor is an
essential element to balance the gravity with some levity so as not to
depress the listener with a sense of hopelessness. see
http://www.davidicke.com
The second day's offering was 5 hours long! I have sat through many
lectures, but nothing has kept my attention like this one; at one point,
over 3 and a half hours into the proceedings, he suddenly threw the
question into the audience "shall we take a break now, or you wanna
continue for a bit more"...and everyone wanted more! The main focus of
Sunday's talk was his research into the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks. The sold-out standing-room only audience gasped in horror and
revulsion at the extraordinary and demonstrable culpability, complicity,
inconsistency and even possible involvement of the Bush Administration
and the military intelligence community in the murder of 3000 people at
the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Fact after fact
after fact, with evidence taken from such diverse sources as the White
House website (!) showed that the background and timeline of the lead
up, the event and it's aftermath were drastically different from the
whitewash and fake patriotism spewed out by the brown-nosing mainstream
corporate media weasels, which seems to be operating in a similar way to
the Iraqi media, namely government propaganda and approved copy only.
Heavy, incredible stuff, and it put a whole new meaning to the term
"axis of evil". Personally, the last thing that I would normally
acknowledge would be the possibility that the powers-that-be (including
the US Government) would be complicit (or worse) in the deaths of 3000
innocents on American soil, but when the evidence strongly indicates a
degree of guilt, and the official story falls apart so easily on just a
cursory examination, then it fills one with an overwhelming sense of
sadness, anger and frustration.
The Japanese have an expression "if you are the one that stands out, you
are the one that gets knocked down". In this 'Gapped' out world, it is
so fashionable to knock "conspiracy theorists" as kooks and wackos. It
is so easy to label people with inquiring minds as *paranoid* simply
because they won't swallow the official dope. It is so easy to side with
the mainstream, it is so easy not to argue, it is so easy to be
obedient, not to question, and "go with the flow". Fear is the prime
mover; fear of being perceived as different is a very pointed stick.
This is the big stick that has been wielded for recorded millennia. It
is the most effective way to keep the human race conforming in all
aspects of life, from the mundane, such as the clothes or hairstyle one
wears, through to one's spiritual convictions, artistic expression,
political viewpoints and more. Fear of ridicule, or being seen as
un-patriotic, or being labeled as "odd", "undesirable", or even a
terrorist if the Government so designates you in secret, is most
effective in keeping the masses placated and sedated.
In medieval times, the church and religion, assisted by lack of
knowledge amongst the masses were the main arbiters of most aspects of
life on earth, and the dogma and straitjacketed conformity was enforced
by their armies, or laws that forbade alternative thought or expression.
Remember Galileo? In modern times of science, with the prevalence of
technology and availability of information, the church and religion have
lost their power monopoly, but have been joined by the new powers in the
world, namely those of globalization and private corporate control,
which is being realized currently in four discrete trading areas of the
planet (Europe, The Americas, Asia/Australasia and Africa). This is just
one step in the road to the ultimate aim of a "one world fascist
government" and cashless society, where the proverbial Orwellian Big
Brother reigns supreme, where unquestioning obedience and conformity are
the keywords, with the whole thing governed by an ivory tower elite with
the aid of unassailable military might to stomp "those who stand out".
David Icke's stand in this whole scary and horrible scenario is that
those who are hijacking the development of humanity would have no power,
if it wasn't for our individual and collective complicity. It is *our*
laugh and *our* responsibility: we have given up our power and handed it
away. We are building our own prison, and basically taking it up the ass
with barely a whisper of complaint. If we could see through the facade,
we could all just walk away, and insodoing, regain our humanity,
spirituality and integrity, and the whole sorry house of cards would
collapse in on itself. I couldn't agree more....great sentiments.
I left the Expo with mixed emotions. Too much information, too little
time to digest and evaluate. In these difficult days of being
overwhelmed by the likes of Bush, Cheney, corporate criminals, religious
maniacs, and rampant conformity, the world is a vacuum for maverick
human beings like David Icke, no matter now wild and wacky their
viewpoints. And what's more, Mr Icke is motivated by love and
compassion, a far cry from the intent of the frauds, charlatans and
mental jailers that he is doing his damnedist to expose.
