Global UFO watch website ideas wanted

Ok, here goes:

I've been into the UFO/alien subject for a long time, but as yet not in any really serious way. I read books and research when I have the time, and as I already run a Tarot website and am a mother, it doesn't leave me a huge amount of spare time to get into it all as much as some others can, and to date, my life has been chugging along just fine so this hasn't been an issue. But change is afoot......

I stumbled across this site just over a week ago and I've barely stopped reading in that time. I am fuelled by a new passion for this subject area and more than that I now want to take an ACTIVE part in it all. I am inspired. All these years of seeking truth in all its various forms seems to now be reaching a crescendo point for me inside, and I want to "do" something now, not just read about it all. What I am considering doing would involve me taking a complete career change but I am prepared to do just that .

A couple of people here on ATS have made brief mention of something the UFO "community" is at present lacking - a website dedicated to a live, global "UFO watch". What this would involve would be members joining up from around the world to engage in what I shall call for want of a better term, a live ufo watch campaign/alert system.

EG:

I live in Cardiff, I join the South Wales (UK) live alert section of the site. Perhaps 1000 other people in Cardiff are joined. Person 101 spots a UFO while out walking the dog. They text an alert to the website, this alert is somehow then directed to the mobile phones of every other Cardiff member by text message. If anyone is in a similar vicinity as the UFO sighting is in progress, they do not miss the opportunity to see the same thing, so long as the sighting is going on for more than a few minutes. All serious members could consider carrying with them at all times a camcorder, so that in the event of an alert they can try to record the sighting. We might then have a dozen or more people all separately filming the same thing.

Members who live in the same city would be encouraged to have weekly meet ups with one another, perhaps forming a UFO watch group of some sort. As time goes by, memberships would grow, connections would be made, the local press could be regularly briefed about ufo activity and the authorities would get an increased amount of mass-witness reports, which are not so easy to dismiss as one -off sightings may be.

The website would host streaming of any footage taken, subject first to an analysis by an expert who would determine if the footage was fake or real. Each cities local UFO group would be encouraged to canvass the neighbourhood to find out who else saw the craft, and persuade them to report it. Each city group could hand out a local, monthly ufo watch magazine to the general public , to raise local awareness and potentially invite more members.

Think of it like a spiders web, everyone connected. The message growing.

The website would require all members to pay an annual contribution of let's say £1.00 This would be needed to fund the running costs and pay the overseer/s of the project "something" for the time it will involve putting into things. Surplus funds would be redirected into funding each local UFO watch group the necessary money to print and distribute the free monthly ufo watch magazine within their city. Money would also go on advertising the website and general marketing. There could be a board of directors who determine how the money gets spent. It would be great if no money had to be involved but one has to be real if the site is to go global and be serious about its mission and storm the internet.

I want to know what YOU think such a site would need and HOW it will all work, I want your ideas, let's brainstorm the whole concept togeth.

If we can between us forumulate a plan, I'll dedicate my time to this project to get sponsorship for its set up and get it off the ground.

THINK BIG PLEASE

HEY,

Thats a good idea i would like to get involved for sure, there is not enough exsposure and its a pity, count me in give us more details

I wish I could give you more details but this is a concept I've only just begun to think about. I need to know what other people want from it, ideas for content would be welcome, people's thoughts about how they think it would work best....that kind of thing. I don't want to miss something out that the site might benefit from so at the moment I just want to get a feel for what others imagine it could include/do/achieve. It would be a very comprehensive, one stop portal. There's nothing at all like it on the internet as yet.

just some feedback...opinions, suggestions, ideas ....this is what I'm after right now. Market research.....

Hi,

Maybe I can be of any help as I earn my living developping unique and original webconcepts. Every now and then I browse domain name auctions to gather ideas and see if there are any potentially valuable domainnames to pick up.

A while a go I picked up www-ufowave-com (300.000+/google) out of personal interest. Unfortunatelly I don't have the time to devellop it so if u like it you can use it,.. free of charge.

I think the domain fits the project and good domain names are hard to get nowadays so let me know if interested.

About the $1 membership sign up > skip that ! I have plenty of space left on my reseller and if u want u can host it there. Free of charge to ! Paid membership will (yes even $1) back off people from signing up and I think if we really want to sort out the truth about ufo's we should all work together so there shouldn't be any limitations accessing information..

Besides a good visited website will generate more then enough money to cover costs..

[edit on 10-8-2008 by Just-Think]

reply to post by cosmicpixie


It sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, there is so much garbage out there (I'm looking at you, YOUTUBE!) it is hard to find good sightings and videos out there. I used to watch a video and immediately think "Wow! Such great evidence" and then I actually started watching them with a more skeptical eye.
Keep us informed on what you plan on doing.
Welcome to ATS, and enjoy your stay.

Hi Just think,
a kind offer -thankyou. UFOWAVE sounds quite good...googled it but can't find it, it's not coming up ??? was thinking UFOWATCH but that's gone....UFOWATCHERS is available, so too UFOSKYWATCH.COM....I appreciate the offer but am wondering if something along the other 3 names wouldn't fit slightly better ? I'll sit on it a bit and try to get some public feedback, see what is most popluar amongst people.

Yes, a free site would be better. Was just wondering how to cover running costs , at least for the 1st year or 2...it would be a site needing almost daily maintenance (which I'd have to pay someone for) plus I'd have to dedicate alot of hours to it a week, and push my other websites to one side. I need to earn a living and can't rely totally on donations and adverts...people won't pay to advertize on the site til the site's established and getting alot of traffic...that could be 1-2 years after conception. How am I meant to earn a living as I'd not have much time left to do so through my Tarot readings any more. My only hope there is to generate enough sponsership to tide me over on that score in addition to having enough to pay the webmaster and everything else i'd need for the site. Also to pay for a marketing /publicity campaign to get word out.

Are you offering your services to do the site ? wasn't sure ...your first sentence suggested as much but you mention you don't have enough time to develop the domain name you are offering me for free so I'm unsure....

I've no clue about what companies to approach who could install the media I'd need on there....ie live alerts to and from mobile phones via the site....any idea?

reply to post by kidflash2008


I'm aware of that. I don't watch them myself anymore unless I've researched their credibility factor in advance.

I did mention in my original thread that my idea was to have any footage vetted prior to uploading it /sending it off to places as evidence. I'd need to source an expert in the field for that, who would need to be paid. I wouldn't put anything up until it had been analyzed and anything that did go up would be accompanied by the analysts full report, signed.

I'd ban anyone from the site then whose footage (or photos) was proven to be faked. I'd also add a legal disclaimer on the site to warn people that legal action will be taken in the event of footage being proven as faked. Anyone sending in footage will also have to complete and sign a form and send it off with multiple forms of identity, etc....I'll get them to also send the footage by email so their IP address can be logged in the event I need to hunt down and sue the charlatans. If indeed that's possible ? I'll figure it all out in due course and make it all as tight as possible. I'll speak to a solicitor about stuff.

Question do you have any experience whatsoever in developing or maintaining a website?

If not.. the idea is great but if you are new to this you might want to let someone who has some experience with this sort of thing do the development.

This is a serious endeavor then it requires serious work and commitment and it is not the kind of project to learn as you go on.

just a thought.

The idea is good though.. although I think MUFON is already established in this capacity as far as collaborative investigation.

Are you planning on setting up cameras worldwide or what? How will this be different?

reply to post by NephraTari



if you had spotted my signature or read my profile you'd have noticed I have a website as it happens...it's been up a couple of years, I did all the text and worked closely with my webmaster who uploaded it all and I am quite genned up on search engine optimization and all the other stuff involved with setting up and running a website...so yes, enough experience to get started

As for the other point, well I'm not sure if you read through my concept properly as what the site is essentially aimed at is a LIVE Ufo alert system that will connect people within the same city , wordlwide, to ufo sightings taking place AS THEY ARE READING . The idea being to send alerts to all members as these sightings are "called in" to the website so that others in the same city can be made aware of something AS IT IS HAPPENING. I've come across many threads in this vein here on ATS...someone somewhere telling others in the same city to look out their windows. Well imagine a site dedicated to that kind of thing ACROSS THE GLOBE. On top of this then the site would collect data. It's a totally unique concept.

No, I can't set up cameras across the globe ! But the idea is that people who join the site be serious in their efforts and have their camcorder/camera at the ready as much of the time as possible. Not difficult to do for most people as usually we all carry a bag when we are out and about. They could then upload their footage for discussion -potentially - BUT footage will not remain permanently on the site unless it has been reviewed by an expert and proved genuine, accompanied by a report.

reply to post by cosmicpixie


as for the commitment level, I worked solidly for a full year getting my tarot/astrology site set up, i am a demon possessed when i start something that means something to me. I worked all the hours available to get it sorted and this new project would be no different. My son starts infant school come septemeber so I've as of then an extra 30 hours a week to play with.

I won't be starting anything til its all fully researched and planned and i am in the loop regarding any areas i am as yet unfamiliar with. I don't know it all yet but I will learn whatever i do need to know, inside out.

Originally posted by kidflash2008
reply to post by cosmicpixie

 

It sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, there is so much garbage out there

Thats why it might be a good idea to make a site that filters the information.

First filter reports of sightings on those with and without visual "evidence" as those without are hard to debunk. I can claim to be beamed up every thursdaynight to play cards with ET but without a picture or video it's hard to prove wright or wrong.

Next filter those including pictures and video's on hoaxes and those which can be explained, and you will be left with the unexplained cases. With this set-up you prevent new people interested in the phenonomen backing off because most of what they see is nonsense..

reply to post by Just-Think


Good suggestions. I want the site to be as tight as tight can be, and very closely moderated.
i'd have to have a forum for people to discuss things as they unfolded...or as they went home after and wanted to type up what they had seen for example, and dicuss. They would perhaps post their pics/vids there BUT it would be made clear to every visitor and member that THAT section of the site was purely for discussion and speculation. Each case/sighting would have to be reviewed and any decent cases would then be written up and accompanied by all the evidence in a separate section of the site. IE one section is clearly marked as "speculative discussion" while the other publishes the results after image/footage analysis, and gets accompanied by witness statements, charachter statements, etc.....any any cases proven to be faked or just not very good will have threads deleted, etc....members pulling fast ones get banned and so on.

keep the ideas/advice coming

Originally posted by cosmicpixie

Are you offering your services to do the site ? wasn't sure ...your first sentence suggested as much but you mention you don't have enough time to develop the domain name you are offering me for free so I'm unsure....

No unfortunatelly I can only offer the domain and hosting. What u need is a small group of enthousiactic volunteers willing to spend a couple of hours of their free time on a subject they are interested in. Start from scratch and use what is offered free on the internet..

Marketing campaigns and paid membership suggest that u try to make a website providing an extra income. If so.., I wouldn't advice, because i think there is no commercial market for ufo sightings. Except for information about sightings, which is free to acces on all other sites, there is no service to offer people are willing to pay for..

reply to post by Just-Think


by marketing i meant advertising the site, getting publicity for it. Not trying to make it a commercial venture.
I have to somehow make a living though at the same time, and given the nature of the site I plan being so unique, I can imagine it taking off within the global ufo community and certainly reaching a stage which demands all of my free time...which i cannot give for free as have to pay for where I live, eat and pay bills etc !
Sponsorship at the initial stage would help solve this problem, and cover running costs for the 1st couple of years hopefully too, but what about long term ? I guess paid advertising and google ads and donations....?
How does ATS cover its costs for example ?
I'd need to have a flow of income to pay for image analysis of the best footage too, though it's possible someone may volunteer for that I guess.

You see, alot to think about and figure out on the finance side as I am not in a position to work for free or cover all the costs involved with the project. I have to be practical here so that £1 membership fee was my practical head talking initially, but i guess it would put some people off....hmm.

Guys, if anyone is interested in starting up a project like this, let me know.

As usual, I have come up with an idea of something I'd like to do without factoring in too much reality. I'm two years into my Tarot reading business and have put alot of my money, time and effort into it and there is still alot to do. To abandon that entirely now would be such a waste , and is something I intuitively know is also a significant part of my journey which I must not at this stage abandon completely. I'd really miss it right now, I love my work.

I am the bread winner in my little family so cannot sacrifice my "day job" in pursuit of some cause, however great that cause. I just get a bit carried away with my visions sometimes I guess, and need about 3 different lifetimes to address them all !!! The drive is there but the time just isn't.

The idea would have to be jointly managed so if anyone wants a big part in it, get in touch and let's see what we can figure out. I'd love to do it but I can't realistically do it all by myself.