Bill Clinton 'wouldn’t be surprised' aliens existed
The former United States president appeared on Wednesday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” He ended up discussing, among other things, extraterrestrial life.
Clinton admitted that soon after becoming president, he had his aides research Area 51, the Nevada military facility, “to make sure there was no alien down there.” He was also interested in Roswell, N.M., the site of a reputed UFO sighting in 1947, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary during Clinton’s presidency.
“I had all the Roswell papers reviewed – everything,” he told Kimmel.
“If you saw that there were aliens there, would you tell us?” Kimmel asked.
“Yeah,” Clinton said, nodding.
Given the size of the universe, and the continued discovery of new planets, Clinton believes we’re not alone.
“If we were visited someday I wouldn’t be surprised,” Clinton said. “I just hope it’s not like ‘Independence Day.’”
Clinton went on to discuss some of the potential benefits to an alien invasion, framing his argument around the 1996 sci-fi disaster movie.
“It may be the only way to unite this increasingly divided world of ours … think about all the differences among people of Earth would seem small if we feel threatened by a space invader,” Clinton said.
“That’s the whole theory of ‘Independence Day. Everybody gets together and makes nice.” - ABCNews
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The Philip Experiment - Conjuring a 'Thought-Form'
We've all been there — you freak yourself out telling stories or watching a horror movie and all of a sudden you're seeing poltergeists everywhere. But what about people who have actually caused paranormal phenomena to happen, with just the power of their brains?
One of the most famous explorations of the link between the paranormal and the mind is The Philip experiment, which tested a group's ability to "create a ghost" from a fictional narrative. These experiments have informed much of modern parapsychology, even making it into cinema. In The Quiet Ones, a group of psychology students perform experiments inspired by The Philip Experiment on a young girl, Jane Harper, who harbors unspeakable secrets, resulting in a truly terrify outcome. I looked at The Philip Experiment and spoke with a psychiatrist about whether or not telekinesis and other paranormal phenomena can be explained using what we know about the human brain.
The Philip Experiment
In the early 1970s, a group of parapsychological researchers — known as The Owen Group — from the Toronto Society for Psychical Research decided to test the theory that paranormal visitations are merely a product of the human mind by seeing if they could use their collective fear and belief to create a spirit, named Philip, and force it to manifest.
The group began by envisioning a history for Philip — they even drew his portrait. They then spent an entire year discussing Philip, meditating on his image and willing him to appear to them. In 1973, during a traditional spiritualist séance in which members placed their hands on a table and spoke and sang to Philip, he began to communicate. He began by rapping on the table, answering questions related to the history that they had created for him, and also correctly answering questions outside of his own mythology, but still within the collective knowledge of the group.
Telekinetic happenings were reported, such as the lights dimming when the group would request Philip lower them. The Philip experiment worked so well that the Owen group took him to the small screen — filming a séance in front of a live audience of fifty people, during which the table reportedly levitated. Iris Owen and Margaret Sparrow, both members of The Owen Group, also wrote a book about the experiment, called Conjuring Up Philip.
Evidence of the Paranormal?
Some saw the Philip experiment as proof that people can, with enough will power, connect with a spiritual or paranormal world, while others saw the test as proof human consciousness creates such experiences. I spoke with psychiatrist Dr. Robert Stein, about what he thinks links the paranormal and the human mind.
"What I don't believe is that there are people hanging around in the ether waiting to talk to us," he began, but went on to say that it's not as simple as saying that these things are hoaxes, or that everyone who claims to have had a paranormal experience is a fraud. Citing the frequency of simultaneous scientific discovery, and the phenomena of mass hysteria, Stein suggests that group experiences of the supernatural are either the result group projection or products of the fact that human energy — specifically ideas — are more tangible than we think.
"There is no reason to think that ideas travel any differently than, say, radio waves," he said. The same way radio waves can cross great distances, perhaps brain waves can pass through the air, creating physical, telekinetic changes in the environment and shared understanding. "There are so many examples of people around the world coming to the same conclusion at exactly the same time, it's possible that the mind is more powerful than we think."
With this in mind, there are two possible explanations for the Philip Experiment's success: either the participants were so wrapped up in their fantasy that they interpreted everyday phenomena to support their desire for a paranormal encounter, or they were actually creating a change in their environment with their brain waves. There's also a third option: that the whole thing was a hoax.
What do you think: are experiences of the paranormal the result of spirits on another plane, or is it all the result of the human mind? Tell us about your personal experiences of the paranormal, and share your theories on the matter, in the comments. To see a depiction of a parapsychological experiment, check out The Quiet Ones, from the producers of The Woman in Black, in theaters April 25. - io9
NOTE: I posted Actualizing Apparitions in 8/2012...Lon
The Unidentified & Creatures of the Outer Edge
Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women's Rights in Nineteenth-Century America
Earth Mind, Earth Memories: How Ghosts, Tulpas, Strange Lights and UFOs' Exist Inside the Mind and Memories of the Living Earth
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Another 'Chupacabras'
Jackie Stock and her husband Arlen Parma caught a strange hairless animal at their home in Ratcliffe.
The couple encountered the creature, a dark skinned hairless dog-like animal, after Parma spotted it outside on their property in Texas. "He called me to come and look, and I said 'Bubba that looks like a baby chupacabra,'" said Stock.
Local news agencies were quick to pick up on the story with headlines suggesting that the enigmatic critter was in fact the legendary chupacabra, a carnivorous quadruped said to be responsible for a spate of farm animal deaths over the last few decades.
This isn't the first case of its kind either - there have been several reports of both dead and captured chupacabra over the years. Most of these however have turned out to be more mundane animals suffering from mange, a condition that sees their fur falling out resulting in an unusual appearance.
It is thought that the creature in this case, far from being the goat-sucking predator, could in fact be little more than a hairless raccoon or possum suffering from the condition.
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Eight-Year-Old Exorcist 'Saving Brazilian Slums'
On the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro the eight-year-old daughter of a pastor is giving hope to believers in places where poverty is rife.
In the slums of San Gonzalo, people flock to a small church where Alani Santos claims to exorcise demons and cure the sick.
"When the little missionary touches you, something will happen. You will be cured," says her pastor father.
Exorcism in the poorer parts of Brazil has always formed part of Christian life, but Pentecostalism is on the rise with more churches promising a direct experience of the presence of God. In some ways, Alani is becoming the face of God to those seeking her help.
Describing how she helps people, Alani tells Vocativ: "A lot of the time I touch people, sometimes I just pray and worship and the person is cured."
Asked what the most emotional part of the services she does is, Alani says: "It's the part when I pray and God performs miracles, my dad interviews people and they say they've been cured. That's very pleasing to see."
She also describes the immense privilege she feels to be able to help people.
Alani also preaches herself. At one service she says, with her audience repeating: "I have faith that I will receive my miracle. My enemy has been defeated. I know you're going through this struggle, you have to have faith because it's only getting worse. That's because victory is coming, all you need to do is have faith and seek Jesus Lord."
Members of her congregation claim that she helped cure a man of HIV after seven years. In the video we also see her touch the forehead of a man who then collapses to the ground crying. - IB Times
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