Richard Dolan and the Roswell Slides

a reply to: -Blackout-

I am not entirely certain, but I think at a certain point it was decided to lead the UFO community down a blind alley. At this point the entire "field" of UFOlogy actually does come across as a complete joke. Originally, there was always interesting sightings and stories, but it became contaminated with phony stories and legitimate leaks, and so muddying the waters completely seems to be what has now occurred. No UFO contact has taken place, no advanced technology has been implemented and shared, and those who have based their careers on all of this stuff seem to be treading water and getting tired...

a reply to: skyblueworld

Poor comparison if that's what you were making.

The comparison is to building a "career" on research which is nothing more that supporting second, third, or no hand information.

The comparison is to attaching oneself to anything which may support one's position. Even if it's Jaime.

The comparison is to having such a strong confirmation bias that the idea of attempting to disprove (read "null hypothesis") the claims of extraordinary evidence is never considered. "Analysis of the body", indeed. No body was analyzed but Ricky said it was. Extensively.

originally posted by: -Blackout-
a reply to: skyblueworld

While that very well maybe true, he does have some faction work to do and fix. I think a lot of people (me included) will forgive him for this, however, his future actions will be under a microscope now and if he pulls something else that is similar, then nobody will trust or respect him anymore.

I also posted two of those quotes above........

I never read all the thread before i posted them.

Dolan has head firmly screwed on, I'm sure he's not worried at all.

a reply to: skyblueworld

I'm sure he's not worried at all.

PT Barnum wasn't either.
For good reason.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: skyblueworld

I'm sure he's not worried at all.

PT Barnum wasn't either.
For good reason.

You've laid all your eggs in the same basket on this topic/ufology. Belittling a person as a con artist because of this one event is your choice, a wrong one but yours either way.

Enjoy your day phage, not much more can be said on this thread that already hasn't been.

a reply to: skyblueworld

You've laid all your eggs in the same basket on this topic/ufology.

It's not my basket.

originally posted by: skyblueworld

You've laid all your eggs in the same basket on this topic/ufology. Belittling a person as a con artist because of this one event is your choice, a wrong one but yours either way.

Enjoy your day phage, not much more can be said on this thread that already hasn't been.

Very much agree with you, skyblueworld.

Firstly, there are a lot of "debunkers" rubbing their hands in delight, making an appearance in many forums and calling for (a) the head of Dolan and (b) the end of "ufology". They will disguise themselves as either "believers" or "serious researchers".

Secondly, some criticize Dolan's involvement given the lack of information about the trap...er...the slides. Well, critics are also very much baseless and lack important information about both Dolan's participation and what went behind the scenes (as some said, the "behind the behind the curtains").

As can be seen from some posts above (dismissive of what Stanton Friedman has been showing for years), there's not much more happening here than this.

Now:

everyone makes mistakes. True.

Thing is: everyone SHOULD learn from those mistakes. I also see a lot of people patting the back of Dolan and others, all the while calling for "lets forget, forgive and move on"...and that will not work, it will only sink "ufology" even more.

Something needs to be done. Some characters need to go out with the bath water - not the baby, but those shady, greedy characters. And there are more than enough of those.

The whole community is filled with people who spend their time cooking the most unusual theories, based on misinterpreted data, and it needs to shove them out instead of asking them to come to radio and podcast shows.

To that effect, and that's why lots of us trust in Dolan, I recall a KGRA radio show about "giant skeletons" and "nephilim" being found "all over the world". Richard Dolan's response to that (and Chase K.'s too) was cautious and inquisitive, with persistent questions to the guest (the book author) about the "data" and the "findings". That attitude (Dolan's) is not that of a man which lowers himself to scrap a few bucks out of a "alien slide show".

I'll say again, and have said so in KGRA's chatroom to Chase K., the "ufo" community needs higher standards, less "experts", better practices, better methodologies...and better people. Scrap the old and tired, the gullible, the gold-diggers, be ruthless about them (and that includes getting rid of some talk show hosts). Otherwise, all the effort by Friedman, Knapp and even Dolan himself will go down the drain.

Finally, a word of warning in regards to how Science and any scientist is being treated these days in radios/shows related to the paranormal and UFO's. The amount of nonsense spouted by many guests/authors/"researchers"/chatroom members is mindboggling, with people swallowing any theory without the slightest hint of analytical thinking. Corporations may have a hold on scientific research (they do) and many avenues are blocked for this or that reason, but there are many scientists (old, new) who fight to do credible research and work. Putting these men and women in the same basket as crackpots and those who refuse to look at new data is reckless and shameful - and sadly, that's what's been happening in "alternative thinking" circles (as if these circles have had any participation in how science and technology is nowadays).

No matter how much he tries to distance himself from the Roswell Slides fiasco now, here is what Richard Dolan had to say about them when he arrived in Mexico City for the BeWitness con job on May 5th -

youtu.be...

I understand that it's hard when your hero's are shown to be something less. But Dolan has a long history of backing hoaxes.

a reply to: LiteraryJourney

Not my hero. You confuse "hero worship" with having respect for someone. Not surprising, though.

So, "Dolan has a long history of backing hoaxes. " Back that up, please.

EDIT: just seen your "video".

Nothing new, Dolan saying "he had a feeling" that this and that, though he admitted the possibility of uncertainty. And the "[the slides] are compelling".

A mistake, and up until now, no one proved otherwise.

originally posted by: corsair00
a reply to: -Blackout-
At this point the entire "field" of UFOlogy actually does come across as a complete joke. Originally, there was always interesting sightings and stories, but it became contaminated with phony stories and legitimate leaks, and so muddying the waters completely seems to be what has now occurred. No UFO contact has taken place, no advanced technology has been implemented and shared, and those who have based their careers on all of this stuff seem to be treading water and getting tired...

I think I disagree with the point of the "field" coming across as a joke and I shall tell you why.

The Roswell Slides Research Group which did the deblurring technique contained at least one serious UFO researcher, one Isaac Koi.

I think, if anything, from an objective point of view this should actually reinforce the point that there are, in fact, very diligent people working in the field.

Just my opinion of course.

originally posted by: AdmireTheDistance
I think he's just as guilty and as much of a charlatain as anyone else. But that's just my opinion....

There is a phenomenon among deer hunters called "buck fever" where their enthusiasm overwhelms their ability to reason. I think Dolan is so eager to find "proof" that his ability to be skeptical was compromised.

a reply to: skyblueworld

Frankly, that should have been his first clue that something was off-kilter. He should have demanded to see at least one of the slides before committing himself to the trip. It's only common sense. Especially in this field when hoaxes are a dime a dozen.

a reply to: LiteraryJourney

Dolan has a "Long History" of backing hoaxes? Have proof of that? Able to post several examples?

a reply to: -Blackout-

Already did. On this thread in fact. Go to page 1. Plus, he aligns himself with fools like Maussan, Moulton-Howe & Romanek. And btw, we can agree to disagree. I'm not trying to change anybody's mind about him. Just expressing my personal opinion of him.

a reply to: LiteraryJourney

A lot of the UFO field is putting blind faith into it. On the surface, any supposed "incident" or "story" has a starting point and isn't known as a "hoax" at that point. Its only known as a hoax after the fact once its been disproved as the community gets more information on it. Its easy to point fingers after the fact. But if you're going to study a fringe subject like UFOs, then you better be prepared to step into some very muddy waters and be chastised along the way for doing what you do.

There isn't a single Ufologist who hasn't been chastised or called out at some point and time. Even the great Stanton Friedman is chastised and called out today for his continued Majestic-12 papers research. Richard Dolan isn't alone in this, not by a long shot.

I also think that some people mistake the word "support" with "investigation" when it comes to the UFO topic. Every so called "UFO investigator" has their own style and method when it comes to getting to the truth on a certain matter. So just because one of them is "associated" with an eyewitness, incident or report, it doesn't necessarily mean that they believe in the case. It just means that they took interest in it and believe that it calls for further investigation....because its what investigators do. Also, any red blooded investigator that is serious about their craft often times do not take someone elses word on what they are investigating. They want to get to the truth on their own. So perhaps this is why a lot of them stick around and linger on certain incidents when its been called and "proved" to be a hoax elsewhere.

Some folks forget that people like Dolan are investigators. They do not create these lies and hoaxes. They investigate them. So yes, naturally, they'll be "associated" with these types of bogus incidents from time to time, but it hardly means "guilt by association".

....I understand that it's hard when your hero's are shown to be something less. But Dolan has a long history of backing hoaxes.

Just recently he DID admit that the two astronaut Gordon Cooper items highlighted in "The Day Before Disclosure" were both bogus. His excuse was that everybody else he knew had believed in them too.

originally posted by: -Blackout-
a reply to: LiteraryJourney

Dolan has a "Long History" of backing hoaxes? Have proof of that? Able to post several examples?

Yep.

He backed the hoax story that astronaut Gordon Cooper had seen a UFO on his Mercury-9 space flight in 1963.

He backed the 'Ferrando interview' quotations where Cooper allegedly admitted massive government coverups, and seeing a landing site in Florida. The interview was entirely fictitious and Cooper himself had denounced it since about 1979, but Dolan decided it was authentic because he saw it copied all over the Internet.

a reply to: JimOberg

Did he actually "back them"? Or was he merely investigating them and trying to come to his own conclusion? Has Dolan actually came out and said that they were authentic? If so, care to provide any links and direct Dolan quotes where he says that these incidents were "real" ?

originally posted by: -Blackout-
a reply to: JimOberg

Did he actually "back them"? Or was he merely investigating them and trying to come to his own conclusion? Has Dolan actually came out and said that they were authentic? If so, care to provide any links and direct Dolan quotes where he says that these incidents were "real" ?

They're reported as authentic in 'The Day Before Disclosure'.

a reply to: JimOberg



This?

Dolan doesn't even mention Cooper in that video. He doesn't even discuss that incident. All he discusses when hes on, is just the history of the subject and certain sightings and incidents....he doesn't say "Hey, this actually happened" - He just gives an overview so to speak.

Unless you're mistaking him for someone else?