An Australian contactee - Peter Maxwell Slattery

Hi all,

I'd like to start off this post by thanking my co-blogger, Pauline Wilson, for all the hard work she has put into making this a successful blog. I will miss her insightful comments, as well as the expressive ways that she reported on the mundane topic of Adelaide's weather.

In my own blog posts I have focused mainly on a number of specific projects. These have included researching material from the National Archives of Australia; cold cases; and from time to time such areas as contactees. In Pauline's absence, and due to reader feedback which has shown other areas are of interest to you, I will also be reporting on new books and items from a variety of magazines and journals. Pauline's vision for the blog was that it would not simply copy items from elsewhere, but wander over topics that took her interest, stopping here and there to explore, think, and comment. I like that philosophy and intend to follow it in my future posts.

Now to today's topic which is an Australian "contactee" named Peter Maxwell Slattery.

Australian Peter Maxwell Slattery has recently published two books titled "My Awakening" Parts 1 and 2.

Part 1:

"My Awakening is an account of my own paranormal and UFO experiences over the time since I was 12. In this book I document the time line of my experiences from witnessing apparitions, to seeing alien space crafts which are also known as UFOs. Come and join me on my journey into the unknown and my life changing ride, which has shaped and moulded the person I am today. Skeptic or not, my story with photographic evidence to some of my experiences will make you think. Also some names have been withheld and altered to protect their identities. So in saying that, sit back, relax and have an open mind. This is my personal UFO story."

Part 2:

"The story continues in "My Awakening Part 2" of my paranormal experiences with other worldly beings. In this book I document the time line of my experiences from seeing alien space craft which are also known as UFOs, to messages from a 5th dimensional being. This story when put together with other legitimate UFO and paranormal cases makes for the most important story ever told to mankind. So come and join me on my journey into the unknown and my life changing ride, which has shaped and moulded the person I am today. Skeptic or not, my story with photographic evidence to some of my experiences, will make you think. So in saying that, sit back, relax and have an open mind. This is my story, part 1."

A third book:

The website also reveals that there is a third book, written by Peter, and  titled "The History of Man: An Alien civilisation." " This book is about man's connection to the stars, how our existence came about and how knowledge was seeded on earth in man with an alien connection. In this book you will read what has been found during investigations of all types that point to man being in contact with aliens for thousands of years. It is now estimated that between 200 and 400 billion planets exist just in our galaxy alone. So to think we are alone would be so delusional."

Further information:

The website contains other information which expands on Peter and his thoughts:

* Peter was born in 1983
* He started having experiences in 1995
* He currently lives in Albury, New South Wales, Australia
* At age 18, near prime he saw a big light the size of a small aircraft, "flying uncontrollably over Glenroy"
* He founded the group "Investigators For The Truth"
* In November 2010 he "captured video footage of a UFO over Nail Can Hill in Albury three times in the past month"
* He took a photograph at Beechworth which shows the ghost of a young girl outside the old jail
* He investigated reports of a "shadow man" walking in and  out of the main entrance to the Yackandandah cemetery
* At Albury TAFE he saw a "ghost believed to be of a person who slipped and died on a staircase."

Shi-Ji from Merope:

On one page of the website titled "Pete's Story" we learn:

"Since 1995 Peter Maxwell Slattery has witnessed many UFOs and shadow men (which are also known as ghosts). he has also had encounters with the Greys, light blue light beings (which are a race of beings named "Elohim") and a 5th dimensional ethereal being called Shi-Ji, from the star Merope in the Pleiades.

Pete says that Shi-Ji is helping him raise his vibration frequency and that she is also awakening him to who he really is. He has been told by Shi-Ji, that he and others, all around the world, are to help raise the vibrational frequency of others and to help educate people in the E.T. reality and the spirit realm. Doing this he is told, will help awaken people for the coming spiritual and earth changes that have already started to take place.

Also he has had an insight into how God, Angels, Ghosts, UFOs, Science and all religions and the universe are all connected."

Notes:

1. Peter's website may be found here. 
2. Further information about Peter and his expereinces may be found here

.

Farewell

Dear readers,

I started up this blog over three years ago, as a way to communicate the findings of my examination of the UFO phenomenon.

During this time, the blog has been a tool to examine the subject of exopolitics; the role of aviation companies; the role of intelligence agencies; take a look at both old and new books, and much more.

In my writing, I have tried to stimulate my blog readers to think about possibilities, as well as to speculate on the origins of the UFO phenomenon.

My co-blogger, Keith Basterfield, came on board two years ago, bringing his own perspective. Keith has taken a fresh look at old Australian UFO cases, as well as reporting on his continuing search for UFO files within the National Archives of Australia. His persistent searching has led to such discoveries as the Valentich file.

However, with this post, I am going to bid you, dear readers, farewell. A recent job offer, and a change of circumstances in my personal life, means it is time to review priorities. For the present, I have decided this means ceasing my contributions to this blog. I am going to leave you in Keith's capable hands.

Thank you for all your comments about blog posts I have written, and please continue to enjoy this blog.

Recent FOI request to Australian government agencies - Air Services Australia

Hi all,

Introduction:

I am not aware of any researcher who has recently submitted a Freedom of Information request to any Australian government agency, seeking documents related to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP.) I therefore decided to submit a few requests myself. The first one was to Air Services Australia.

Who is Air Services Australia?

In Australia, up until 1995 responsibility for air safety lay with the federal government Department of Civil Aviation. In July 1995, that department was abolished and replaced with two separate government bodies, namely Air Services Australia and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

According to its website (click here) Air services Australia "Is a government owned corporation providing safe, secure, efficient and environmentally responsible services to the aviation industry." It has responsibility for:

* Airspace management
* Aeronautics information
* Aviation communication
* Radio navigation aides
* Aviation rescue and fire fighting services.

My request:

I sought access, under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 1982, to "any documents held by Air Services Australia, on the subject of "unidentified flying objects."" I would have preferred the term "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP.) " However, common usage is for the term UFO and I decided this was the most appropriate terminology for this FOI request.

The response:
The request produced a number of documents, which I will describe below.

1. Media query:

Tim Vollmer, the night Chief of Staff for the "Daily Telegraph" newspaper, emailed the media area of Air Services Australia on 30 may 2012. "As discussed the following image was taken just before 5pm on Monday at Sylvania Waters. They were facing approximately west. The photographer said there were about five witnesses. They stepped out of the boat and the UFOs were still there. He  said they were stationary for about 10-15 minutes before simply disappearing.

The Senior Advisor Communication and media emailed back on 30 may 2012. "Thanks for your email. There were no reports of unusual aircraft activity in the area, however, at just before 5pm on Monday, there were a number of commercial aircraft operating (one flying into Sydney, another through to Newcastle.)

Aircraft movements can also be viewed on our Webtrak system at http://webtrak.bksv.com/syd."

2. IFTT Australia:

There was a series of emails between P. M. Slattery of "Investigators For the Truth", a paranormal UFO Society." The first, dated 30 Mar 2012 asked the Media section "Just wondering if you know of any flights at around 8.05pm coming in from the east into Albury, NSW last night at around a 1000 feet as I got multiple calls about a UFO flying in that area for about 5 minutes last night..."

Air Services Australia responded  "There are two regularly scheduled passenger flights into Albury which arrive from that direction at about that time every night (generally between 8 and 8.30pm. With their landing lights on from around 30nm (55km) from the airport, on a clear night they would be visible for up to 10 mins on approach before landing."

3. IFTT Australia:

Email dated 30 Jul 2012. "I was hoping if there was any radar of unusual activity over the north east of Melbourne over the Hume Highway at approx 11.58pm on the 29th of July 2011..."

Email dated 31 Jul 2011. "On the 29th at 6.30pm was there any airplane flying over east of Point Cook Melbourne and also does any aircraft have 6 red lights flashing at independent times on one side. We have video and any info would..."

On 1 Aug 2011 Air Services of Australia replied " Sorry, having re-read your emails, I realised I confused your two inquiries. Our Webtrak system shows that at 6.30pm on 29 July a Cathay Pacific aircraft flew over the Altona area on approach to Melbourne airport. On 29 July at approximately 11.58pm Webtrak does not show any aircraft movement directly over the Hume Hwy, although aircraft can be seen arriving and departing from the airport."

4. "Manly Daily" newspaper;

A series of emails dated 20 Sep 2011 to 21 Sep 2011 concerning "a photo of alleged UFO." The first email is from Carleen Frost, Cumberland newspapers to Air Services Australia. "The person who took this photo says there were originally two of them but the second one flew behind the cloud. He said they were moving left to right across the sky in an irregular motion. The photo was taken at 6am on Sunday morning at Dee Why."

Air Services Australia responded "Not a UFO, unfortunately. This has been quite a common sight in skies over Sydney in recent weeks due to atmospheric conditions and we have had a  number of similar reports. It is the condensation trail of a high altitude aircraft highlighted by the rising Sun...If you enlarge the photograph and zoom in you can see the aircraft at the head of the condensation trail..."

5. Event from 2004:

This is by far the most interesting of the documents I received and is "Event report 200402393."

"District: Regional Services
Unit: Desert
Time (UTC) 2004 12 07 23:50
Status: Closed

Event description:

At time 2350 at position 190 SE APOMA, QFA790 F380 reports a WX balloon.

At time 2356 position 32 30 06 S 145 26 54 E QFA702 F400 reports unidentified object crossing west to east, reports too large to be WX balloon and speed not consistent with winds. Pilot estimates a speed of the  object to be 150-200kts. Pilot reports a WX radar return and a non-specific visual contact but no TCAS return.

Other aircraft in the vicinity QFA589 F380 and VOZ753 F370 report nothing.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Specific problem: Unidentified object.

AIRCRAFT DETAILS:

Aircraft callsign: NA
Aircraft registration: NA
Aircraft type: NA

Event response:

From verbal notification from Ops Manager.

Executive summary:

Weather balloon/unidentified aircraft report in CBA area.

From replay of audio and Eurocat only.

General information. GRIB winds in area generally 350 degrees average 55kts over vertical cross section. met balloon launched from CBA approximately 2330.

Incident specifics:

QFA790 report of Weather balloon ('a couple of thousand feet below us') was made abeam CBA (aircraft approx  10NM south of CBA, however report did not identify bearing/distance of this balloon) at 2348:40 UTC.

QFA702 reported on frequency shortly after (may or may not have heard the initial report from QFA790.)

At 2352 controller advises QFA589 and VOZ753 of weather balloon report made by QFA790. Subsequently advises QFA402 (intended QFA702) for information that  there may be a weather balloon in the VIMAB area. No immediate response. Controller asks QFA702 to confirm that they copied the message, QFA702 advises copied and contact on (weather?) radar.

At 2356:20 QFA702 reports that the "so called weather balloon" has crossed that aircraft's path but that it does not appear to be a balloon. At this stage QFA702 is approximately 80nm south of ( and tracking towards) CBA - the relative position of these aircraft suggest it is unlikely that this is the same object as reported earlier by QFA790.

QFA702 description and updates regarding contact, position, time and speed of object is consistent with that of VOZ753 (YPAB-YBBN.) As VOZ753 was  at FL370, it is likely that QFA702 TCAS did not display the target (TCAS parameters approx 2700ft?). It appears likely from review of audio and Eurocat that QFA702 acquired VOZ753 on weather radar and subsequently visually tracked this aircraft."

Comments:

Waypoint APOMA is at latitude 29 53 53S and longitude 142 40 54E

TCAS is short for traffic alert and collision avoidance system.

YBBN is Brisbane. I couldn't find an airport with the code YPAB.

Eurocat is a computerised air traffic control and management solution.

Comments are welcomed from Blog readers about any of these documents.

Salisbury and the "cover-up"

Dear readers,

I am returning to the question of, is there an "official cover-up" of the UFO phenomenon? I discussed this in an earlier post (click here.) My re-examination was triggered by my recent reading of Frank Salisbury's "The Utah UFO Display." As a researcher of longstanding, who has recently returned to this field, I wondered what his views were on this question?

In his updated book he poses the question "Is the government really in possession of all the answers? I spent over thirty years in contact with NASA personnel, including serving on three or four NASA advisory panels, and I also had close contact with those studying Mars at NASA Ames. I could never see evidence of conspiracy. At one point I asked if  NASA might fund a UFO project if I could submit a good proposal. They said they might, but I never prepared such a proposal." (p.113.)

Later, Salisbury writes "A small part of my conversion to the government-knows-all hypothesis came in a late phone-call just as I returned from the MUFON symposium in August 2009. The call was from Jean Livingston Kamal, who had worked with me in the early 1960's. She told me about her life during the 1950's before she came to work with me. Her husband was an Air Force intelligence officer, first assigned to the Holloman, New Mexico, base. He was sworn to secrecy and never confided to her what he was doing, but as time passed, he became more and more stressed, apparently by his work. He began to drink heavily, and he had a nervous breakdown. At one point, after collapsing from too much alcohol, he muttered to Jean that "UFOs are real!" The stresses led to the breakup of their marriage. Was he working on UFOs at a highly secret level - deeper than Project Sign,  Grudge or Blue Book? One evidence in favour of that idea is that he often travelled to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, which, it is now known, has been the central location for Air Force studies of UFOs." (p.148.)

Frank B Salisbury's views

Dear readers,

A day off work recently allowed me to read an updated version of a classic UFO book.

Introduction:

Frank Salisbury earned bachelor's and master's degrees in botany and biochemistry at the University of Utah. In 1955 he obtained his PhD at the California Institute of Technology. He spent time at Colorado State University; and Utah State University, including being department head of the Plant Science Department. Author, or co-author of sixteen books, he has worked on numerous projects. He retired in 1997.

One of the books which he wrote, in 1974, was titled "The Utah UFO Display." It told the story of a series of UFO sightings, in the Uintah Basin, in eastern Utah in the USA, from a scientific perspective. These sightings took place in the date range 1966-1968. At that time he was "...favourable to the possibility of extraterrestrial visitations." (p.14.)

However, by 1970 he writes "...it became more and more difficult for me to be truly scientific (i.e. objective) about UFOs." (p.15.) About 1980, he retired from UFO research. It wasn't until 2010 that he re-entered the field with an update to "The Utah UFO Display." It was published by Bonneville Books, Springvale, Utah. ISBN 978-1-59955-405-1. This post is not a review of the book, and not a look at the Unitah Basin sightings in detail.

This post:

This post is an examination of Salisbury's views on the cause of the UFO phenomenon, and how his current views have been arrived at.

In 1968 he explored details of dozens, of a variety of types of UFO sightings, many gathered by a junior high school teacher named Joseph Junior Hicks. His research included personally interviewing people who had reported sightings. Following this research "In 1974, I could not think of any reasonable explanation to account for the objects sighted in the Uintah Basin, except for extraterrestrial machines..." (p.82.)

2009:

Salisbury re-contacted Junior in 2009 and spent some time interviewing individuals, and collecting data about sightings between 1966 and 2009. He also spent some time looking into the "Skinwalker Ranch," and personally checking details contained in the book "The Hunt for the Skinwalker," written by Colm Kelleher and George Knapp. 2005. Paraview Pocket Books. New York.

Salisbury's review of Skinwalker:

Besides a series of "Deseret News" articles by Zack Van Eyck; Salisbury contacted Garth Myers, brother of Kenneth Myers who lived on the ranch for almost sixty years; had discussions with "Tom Gorman (pseudonym for the main witness), and checked accounts from Junior Hicks and some neighbours to the ranch.

What did Salisbury conclude after his research on the ranch and the unusual reports?

* He reports that "Junior Hicks has been visiting the ranch virtually from the time the witness family bought it, and he is thus able to confirm that he heard most of the accounts shortly after the events happened." (p.217.)

* Garth Myers - "...I can tell you unequivocally that up to 1992 there had never been and there never was any sign of that (UFOs and similar activity)" (p.218.) Gorman moved into the ranch in 1994.

* "...the skinwalker version of the ranch's history is badly distorted..." (p.222.)

* The Skinwalker statement that "...the greatest concentration of high strangeness has always taken place at what became the Gorman's 480 acre ranch" is not correct

* "...I assumed that Knapp had many in-depth interviews with the witness while writing the book...the witness didn't even know the book was being written about his family's experiences until skinwalker was published. And he had never met George Knapp...How's that for careful research!" (p.224.)

* "...the witness...said that many things in their book only resembled a true accounting of his experiences." (p.224.)

* "...I want to emphasis that much of Hunt for the Skinwalker is excellent.." (p.242.)

What are Salisbury's current views on UFOs?

Based on his research into the UFO sightings in the 1960's, 1970's, then from 2009; and his acceptance that there were some very unusual events at the Skinwalker ranch (despite some issues with the Skinwalker book), what are Salisbury's views today on the UFO phenomenon?

* "...the UFOs in the Uintah Basin wanted to be seen. They performed for their witnesses. They put on a display." (p.251.)

* "When we examine UFO accounts, however, we encounter events that just don't seem to fit within our understanding of natural laws." (p.253.)

* " I am very uncomfortable with the nuts-and-bolts hypothesis." (p.247.)

* "My long-held, totally unscientific gut feeling is that the intelligence behind the UFO enigma is on display; it wants to be seen by many people - who will only be believed by a few others. It wants to influence the thinking of many of us, but it wants no formal contacts nor tangible proof that would convince the skeptics. And its intelligence is great enough that it can control the situation so that we know only what it wants us to know." (p.232.)

* Speaking of Kelleher and Knapp's work in the "Hunt for the Skinwalker" Salisbury writes "They clearly lean toward the multi-dimension, parallel universe, wormhole/portal idea. And at this point, so do I..." (p.242.)

Epilogue:

Three hypotheses are presented as potential explanations for the UFO phenomenon:

1. "the Debunker Hypothesis." The phenomenon can be explained in mundane terms. "But most of us closer to the UFO field can't accept this hypothesis." (p.246.)

2. "the Nuts-and Bolts hypothesis." The ETH. "...this is the idea that comes to the public mind when UFOs are mentioned." (p.247.) Two arguments against it are a. physical laws against interstellar travel and b. "The UFOs don't act like space explorers who have found a new world." (p.247.)

3. "the Star Gate Hypothesis." They come from a parallel universe or another dimension. From earlier comments, this is the one which Salisbury currently supports. "If there are portals or wormholes between alternate realities, all consistent with laws that we simply don't yet understand, it would explain many of the outlandish goings-on hat so many have witnesses. This is the conclusion of Kelleher and Knapp in Skinwalker. It is presently my conclusion..." (p.253-254.)

Comments:

I really enjoyed reading this book and thinking about the ideas which it discusses. Salisbury appears an open minded scientist, following the evidence which he comes across. I also found his review of the Skinwalker saga of great interest. If you haven't yet read this 2010 book because you thought it was only a reprint of the 1974 book, then I would recommend you do so. There is much here to generate thought and debate.

New book alert - "Lightquest" - Andrew Collins

Dear readers,

"Lightquest" is the title of a new book by English researcher Andrew Collins (click here). The book is subtitled "Your Guide to Seeing and Interacting with UFOs, mystery lights and Plasma Intelligences." No details of publisher or an ISBN is given on the author's website, suggesting the book is self-published.

According to his website, the book is "A new way to embrace the UFO phenomenon. Lightquest is a new concept in seeing and investigating the UFO phenomenon. It sees the phenomena observed as the product of sentient light forms and light intelligences that have co-existed with humanity since time immemorial. It reveals what they are, how to see them, where to see them and what to do if you do see them. It acts also as a field guide to some of Britain and the United States' top UFO hot spots."

Have any readers read the book? Would you care to share your thoughts on it?

"The sky is alive"

Dear readers,

The UFO phenomenon generates a large number of ideas as to the origin, or causes, of the phenomenon. The September 2012 issue (FT291 pp 30-34) of the English "Fortean Times" magazine poses the question "...are many UFOs actually atmospheric creatures?" The article is written by Scott Deschaine who is listed as "...head of Customic Comic Services and Discovery Comics..."

The hypothesis:

Deschaine asks "...what if a wide range of creatures moves through the sky for part of their lives?" (p.30.)

The evidence:

The author lists a number of observations to support his hypothesis. Among them are:

1. "In 1988, a young astronomy buff saw a weird object pulsing through the London sky. She alerted police, who also saw the flying object and described it as a "jellyfish." (p.30. Source cited as Graham and Mark Birdsall: "A British Perspective 1988," The UFO Report" ed Timothy Good. Avon Books. New York. 1989 p.8.)

2. Ilinois. 1963. Glowing object seen for about an hour. (Source cited as Francis Ridge: "The Wayne City car Chase" (CEII-E-M), National Investigation Committee on Aerial Phernomena. 5 Aug 2011. www.nicap.org/austin.htm.)

3. 1891. Indiana. "...a bellowing, pulsing, wheezing monster in the sky above their town. Its glowing red "eye" floated, as it seemed to struggle. All who watched it felt it was alive." (Source cited as Gaddis, V H. "Mysterious Fires and Lights." David McKay Company Inc. NY. 1967. pp32-33.)

Parallels:

Deschaine lists "ten parallels between UFOs and marine invertebrates." These include:

* UFOs are often described as shaped like saucers and rockets or cigars. "Saucer-shaped jellyfish and rocket shaped squid area some of the most successful marine invertebrates." (p.32.)

* "Many UFO witnesses report translucent or fuzzy edges around a saucer shape. Marine invertebrates are composed mainly of the medium in which they live. Perhaps aerial inverterbrates are mainly gas and water vapour." (p.32.)

* "Many descend in a 'falling leaf' motion typical of jellyfish." (p.32.)

Th author draws comparisons between people's reactions to a "...range of symptoms when exposed to inverterbrate toxins" (p.38.) and those described by UFO witnesses - including eye irritation; reddening and swelling of skin, and paralysis.

Falls:

Forteans have long recorded falls of "Organic gelatinous material" from the skies, suggesting supportive evidence to the author.

Summary:

"The atmosphere is an incredibly varied habitat. Evidence of aerial life seems to be found in likely resource-rich habitats in the sky, at almost every level." (p.33.)