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From: Jenny Randles <nufon@currantbun.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 18:25:42 +0100
Fwd Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 22:31:29 -0400
Subject: Re: Filer's Files #27 - 99


>Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 08:54:44 -0600
>To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
>From: Bobbie Felder <jilain@plinet.com>
>Subject: Re: Filer's Files #27 - 99

>At 08:38 AM 7/14/99 -0400, you wrote:

>>Subject: Re: Filer's Files #27 - 99
>>From: Mark Cashman <mcashman@ix.netcom.com>
>>Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 14:03:44 -0400
>>To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>

><snip>

>>Firmage is just another ACC. A lot of hot air taking us for a
>>ride to nowhere.

>Perhaps so, but this one is sitting on a million bucks or so.
>That makes him a desirable commodity on anyone's podium,
>especially around fund raising time :)

>Bobbie

Hi,

Thought I would add a different view here - as someone who
frankly would not have known Joe Firmage from Joe Soap before I
got to the MUFON conference. Although I did pass a few comments
on UpDates last week about turkeys voting for Christmas, which I
had best elaborate upon!

Firmage was an impressive speaker. No doubt. His ideas struck a
chord with new age thinkers who have a scientific bent.
Certainly. I enjoyed his talk immensely - as a talk - but, for
me, it was far from the UFO highlight of the conference.

Most people I saw afterwards told me they understood about one
tenth of what Firmage said (which barely mentioned UFOs and was
mostly a philosophy of how he sees science in 50 years time). So
why give him such an ovation, I asked? Because, most told, me
he's a real brave guy willing to risk all and stand up for
ufology.

The same thing happened at MIT in l992 when John Mack made his
debut. The abductees present gave him the sort of reception
you'd expect for a newly elected president. The motive was
similar. Here was a hero who would save ufology. It didnt
happen. Nice as Mack is. Useful as his support is proving. He
knows as much (or as little) as we all do and ultimately will
founder against the same rocks we do of seeking to prove
impossible things and battling to decipher confusing,
irreconcilable differences between the evidence.

And so Firmage. He's an astute man. He  is not and I suspect
never will be a ufologist. He is a techologist who wants to
build a new future and use some UFO ideology. But he made
perfectly clear, to those who were listening, that he is not
interested in funding UFO investigations because that job has
been done. Frankly, I got the impression listening to him he was
actually saying - great work chaps. You've kept the camp fires
burning whilst I grew up, made my millions, and saw how this
field is a gold mine for new technology research. Now, with all
my thanks for what you have done, go off and enjoy the sun in
the happy retirement home for worn out ufologists. The day of
UFO investigation is dead. The day of the science/technocrat is
here.

Now he did not actually say all of this (he did say some and I
read the rest in between the lines - perhaos rightly, perhaps
wrongly). Nor am I criticising him for it. He's doing what he
wants to do and what he thinks is right and funding UFO research
just isnt really on his agenda because its not what he's about.
Yes, he may offer some of that. But the last I saw of Richard
Hall he was sad because Firmage had not appeared at a meeting in
which he was going to ask for some money to publish 'The UFO
Evidence Part Two'. 'He was a no show' was how a depressed
looking Richard put it.

Now maybe after I left Joe came up trumps and helped Richard out
here. If so good on him and it would be a terrific gesture to
ufology.  That UFO Evidence (scandalously turned down by major
publishers whilst they print some utter twaddle on UFOs instead)
needs to be seen. Of course, its not Firmage's business to do it
for us and we should not expect him to be a philanthropist and I
am certainly not saying he is wicked if he has decided not to
fund this book. He could have many good reasons and other places
to put his money.

My point is that there might be an unrealistic expectation of
what Firmage can or will do. He has a very obvious agenda and it
intersects with mainstream ufology not as much as most of those
cheering seemed to believe. In fact, if he is hailed by the
media, feted by ufology and becomes the new leader of the field
I suspect its something he wont want because it could intefere
with his other ambitions. Some scientists, for instance, will
not want to play footsie with ufologists. So he might be better
off distancing himself.  It will also drag attention away from
the ego ridden UFO leaders (yes there are some out there) and if
they get less requests to appear on TV because Firmage is the
new public face of ufology, how long before the knives are out?
I predict mutterings (utter garbage as they will be) that
'Firmage is a government plant' beginning once ufology senses
the reality of things. Dont worry Joe when they do. Its a sign
that folk are really worried about what you are saying. The day
people dont invent such yarns about you is the day to wonder if
you have stopped doing anything worthwhile!

As such, what I meant was, that ufologists (the turkeys) could
be voting for Chistmas (thinking it is the start of a great,
prosperous future) when in truth Firmage will do his own things
that may in some ways signal the death of traditional ufology.
After all if he does what he says, uses UFO technology to build
spaceships for everyones garage within a few years, who the heck
will care about the Piddletown UFO Clubs annual report of how
many pink lights were seen over the local park.

So, I found his talk entertaining but also disturbing. I found
Firmage a pleasant, friendly chap, whose vigour and clearly
honest intentions are of appeal but a man wjo is obviously
intelligent and with calculated plans. So he wont be here just
to help us - nor, indeed, primarily to help us. Dont forget
that. I dont think he has any aspiration to harm ufology, let
alone not aid it all he can. But I suspect part of the Firmage
effect could be a lot more negative than most folk are right now
hoping it will be.

But then what do I know? Hopefully, I'll be proved completely
wrong and he will fund dozens of major UFO initiatives, open up
a new golden age where we are all taken seriously and we can do
all those amazing projects we would start tomorrow if we had the
power, money and prestige.

Sorry, I have to go, a pig just landed on my roof.

Best wishes,

Jenny Randles