MUFON: Signs of intelligent life detected and a "game-changing" (?) project

Many of you will be familiar with MUFON (which stands for the Mutual UFO Network). According to the wikipedia page relating to MUFON, it is “one of the oldest and largest UFO-investigative organizations in the United States” (although in fact it has an international membership).
During the last year or two, there have been several threads on ATS relating to various spats within MUFON which rather gave the impression that the organisation was destroying itself:

(1) A thread I started, "MUFON's contract with Robert Bigelow's company (the "Buyer")"

(2) A thread started by Allred5923 "MUFON Director's being replaced...Why?"

(3) A thread started by Frank Warren, "Former MUFON Director, James Carrion Fires Back at Critics and Reveals Reasons For His Resignation!"

Not much has been heard from MUFON or its critics in the last few months, so I thought it would be a pleasant change to start a thread about some positive developments regarding MUFON.


Basically, there are some signs of intelligent life within MUFON.


Firstly, on part of MUFON’s new forum (discussed below) and on several other websites there are (possibly over-hyped) indications of a new website being developed by MUFON and a new app which will, according to one of those involved in developing the project, “revolutionize the public interaction with the UFO phenomena forever” and as having “game-changing implications”.

I’ve become rather wary about such claims, since many people have over-hyped their UFO projects/books/documentaries/seminars in the past. However, I thought members of ATS might like to know about the project and form their own views on the related claims. At the very least, they show that some people within MUFON appear to be hard at work, rather than just attacking one another and playing politics.

The new app has variously been referred to by people within MUFON as “Project Bravo” and “UFO Connect”. (It seems that it was originally referred to as “Project Bravo” but the “UFO Connect” label now appears to be more fashionable).

MUFON has been apparently been making substantial efforts to raise awareness of the UFO Connect project (setting up a website, issuing various videos and promoting it on its forum, Facebook and Twitter), but I only heard about it in the last few days.

(There was a brief thread on ATS about “Project Bravo” in May 2011, but the limited details then available from MUFON appear to have generated more confusion than anything else – with the relevant thread being locked at one point due to suspicion the thread had something to do with a hoax).

The most informative of the various videos now available, which gives an overview of this project, can be found at:



I note that this video was posted on 3 September 2011, but – despite all the apparent efforts by MUFON to promote interest in this project – currently has only had 132 views in the last 10 or so days (several of which are due to my watching the video a few times…).

The relevant part of MUFON’s new forumforum includes the following summary of UFO Connect:

forums.mufon.com...

UFO Connect is a revolutionary mobile application consisting of educational and interactive tools involved in the UFO phenomena. The mobile application consists of free and pay for modules with varying capabilities. This application was constructed for volunteers to help better communicate and educate MUFONs (Mutual UFO Network) primary mission to "The Scientific Study of UFO's for the Benefit of Humanity". in addition the application will revolutionize the public interaction with the UFO phenomena forever.The mobile application consists of three main modules, MUFON Mobil App, UFO Search and Skywatch Alert.

The UFO Connect website gives more details of the various modules being developed as part of this “revolutionary” mobile application, in relation to which some pretty big claims are being made.

The most interesting item in development appears to me to be the “Skywatch module”, the webpage for which includes the following:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/334e7c12e8b3.jpg[/atsimg]

What is Skywatch Alert?

Skywatch Alert is the UFO Connect's flagship application. This module will revolutionize how the general public, UFO/Skywatcher enthusiast and serious UFO investigator interacts and witness the phenomena we have come to know as UFOs. This application works much like the well known Amber Alert system for missing persons and law enforcement activity. Witnesses of a current UFO event will participate in this by being the source of the Alert. Skywatch Alerts main inspiration cam from the developed from Operation Skywatch, a US Air Force program that enrolled over 1.5 million volunteers to watch the sky for potential enemy aircraft during WWII. The same concept is applied here where potentially several million individuals around the world will contribute to the UFO Connect Skywatch alert system allowing for millions more to witness a UFO event. This application will give the users the power to witness the UFO events as they are happening. Users will be able to not only monitor their preferred customized Alert areas but will also have the ability to alert everyone of a live witnessed event too. Simply the user fills out the report form, takes a picture or video of a UFO sighting and alerts any user in the area of their customized alert preferences. The purpose of these functions is to put the power of disclosure and understanding of the UFO phenomena in the people’s hands instantly.

…
Push Notifications

Even when you are not in the app, the setting where you toggle the push notifications to the on position will display a push notification on your mobile devices screen.

Secondly, I hadn’t noticed until very recently, but MUFON has restarted its discussion forum.

So far, it hasn’t seen much activity – particularly by MUFON’s own members and leadership. Still, the optimisitic view (and I’m almost always an optimist) is that MUFON will use this forum to improve communication with its members and the wider ufological community. This will require, however, more involvement on that forum by its members and leadership. Indeed, without that involvement I have doubts as to whether yet another UFO forum – a view I’ve expressed the MUFON forum itself in a thread entitled “Why create another UFO discussion forum?”.

While I’m not entirely confident of its future, those that have criticised MUFON for not doing various things or failing to be sufficiently open may want to pop across to that forum and raise their issues in the open there – in the hope that someone within MUFON will respond or at least take some notice of relevant issues.

I’ve started a few threads on there myself in the last few days to see how much of a response I get from MUFON representatives, including:
Statistical analysis of MUFON case reports?

and

MUFON's Pandora project and famous cases


I’m currently waiting to see whether it was worth spending time participating on that forum...

In any event, I'd like to wish those working hard on this project for MUFON the very best. I hope the claims being made about their work turn out to be justified.

All the best,

Isaac

Fantastic thread, thanks so much for taking the time to put it together and alert everyone to these recent developments.

I don't S&F much but will definitely do so now!

reply to post by IsaacKoi


So what, you think mufons been co-opted by TPTB to help with the new program to keep the cattle in line and give out useless info? Or to help promote there fake alien invasion scenario?

this is really cool! i think it's about time that the common person have this type of technology to record unidentified flying objects. i predict we will be seeing many more pictures and videos of ufos in the near future

i also wonder, if this will cause the mainstream media to be even more open to discussing the ufo phenomenon. lately we have seen media outlets such as fox and cnn seriously talking about the possibility of beings not from our world. with all the pictures and videos that are likely to be taken with this new app, we may see an even bigger focus on aliens and ufos on the old boob tube.

Great update on Mufon - look forward to seeing the App in action - certainly a step up in exploiting a wide audience via mobile technology. S+F.

reply to post by IsaacKoi


HHHHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!!!!! Their big "game changer" is a friggin cell phone app?!?!? What a bunch of loons. All those morons are going to do is make it REALLY easy for your average idiot to report "lights in the sky" or just make crap up and send it to them. They are going to get flooded with nothing but a bunch of USELESS NOISE. Oh well, you know what they say about the signal-to-noise-ratio in Ufology........

Originally posted by Eye of Horus
reply to post by IsaacKoi

 

So what, you think mufons been co-opted by TPTB to help with the new program to keep the cattle in line and give out useless info? Or to help promote there fake alien invasion scenario?

No, but I am slightly concerned that a lot of time and real effort is being spent on an alert system which:

(a) presumably will require a LOT of users across the USA (or the world) to make it worthwhile and I'm not sure this app will get that many people signing up to it (NB the number of people that have watched the video about the app is VERY low);

(b) may be prone to attract hoaxers.

All the best,

Isaac

I think that Robert Bigelow has a deep desire and hunger too witness an other-wordly craft; ever since his parents told him about a "fiery balled" foofighter sighting that they had witnessed.

My guess is that Mr. Bigelow wants to incorporate the foofighter alien technology into his own space technology program with the upmost secrecy.

Let's all hope that Mr. Bigelow comes out of the closet, with any evidence that might solve the UFO enigma.


Cheers,

Erno86

Once again Isaac,amazing thread!

It looks very interesting,i can't wait to read it.

You will always get star and flag from me because you are opening amazing threads!

Thanks for the post. I had never heard of this group before. Hopefully, this will help us establish an alien presence on our planet or rule it out. I too worry that we just have another app for the iPhone or something. Kind of demeans it.

Originally posted by applebaum
Thanks for the post. I had never heard of this group before.

Hi applebaum,

Since you (and presumably some others reading this thread) hadn't heard of MUFON before, I thought I'd quickly post the video below in which one its previous heads ("International Directors") explained a bit about MUFON:



All the best,

Isaac

Originally posted by Youji69
this is really cool! i think it's about time that the common person have this type of technology to record unidentified flying objects. i predict we will be seeing many more pictures and videos of ufos in the near future

considering most and almost ALL supposed UFO videos are birds, planes, satellites, lanterns, or some other explainable phenomenon, this is the last thing we need.

First, i have to ask, Issac, are you in any way affiliated with MUFON?

Honestly, MUFON is a big waste of whoever's time and money...The worlds governments realized this and abandoned such programs....

MUFON's investigative approach is very questionable and their staff under qualified...And after all this time and money, their enormous pile of actual findings is about as thick as a thread.

I thought it was very rude of you to write something as misleading as "MUFON: Signs of intelligent life detected.." in the title. I think that you will wind up with a lot of angry comments about that.

This app is it iphone specific? Or Java platform. As I won't use apple products because of their privacy issues I would be interested in exploring a Java or android based ap.

Originally posted by OneEleven
First, i have to ask, Issac, are you in any way affiliated with MUFON?

No affiliation at all.

When I see things of interest (good or bad) about MUFON online, I sometimes post them on ATS - see the links in my OP to previous threads about some of the less positive issues.

Also, I've posted some requests and concerns on MUFON's own forums - not exactly unqualified praise of that organisation.

But I think it is worth acknowledging interesting and time-consuming work being done by some MUFON people, even if I have doubts (expressed above) about the language being used to describe their work by MUFON (e.g. due to the number of users that would be needed to make their app worth the effort and also the fact that the app may be prone to attract hoaxers).

i must admit i too completely misinterpreted the title
which to me was not a problem, i find it fascinating.... all this flurry of recent activity everywhere
everyone seems to be preparing
now

dear haters to come; yes we know the title is misleading, pls swallow your rage for once.

don't hafta prove nuthin to me.
i seen one close up ( encounter of the first kind)
it came in hot and slowed to about 1mph.
it was round.
it had blinking/oscillating lights round about.
it was approximately 50ft in diameter.
at it's center it was maybe 4 ft thick - no way could a humanbean pilot this craft.
it was seemingly floating at just above tree top level.
when it changed directions it simply went in another direction - did not turn.
it was quiet, i did not notice a high pitch wine - keeping in mind my kids found a sound that i could not hear.
i did not call the police.
i did not experience any time loss.
my truck did not turn off.
i did get -a little - creeped out.

Originally posted by MainLineThis
Oh well, you know what they say about the signal-to-noise-ratio in Ufology........

Signal? What signal?

There sure is a lot of noise though...

All the best,

Isaac

I find myself constantly skirting the line between believer of UFOs/aliens and being a huge skeptic. I think MUFON has the right goal in mind, but their methods are...meh. It's frustrating when there can be legitimate accounts of UFOs and such, but then it gets mixed in with hoaxers. And then the hoaxers get lumped in with evil governments spreading disinformation. Then there's a brown dwarf entering the solar system. Then I've missed dinner. I find myself not trusting anyone. I've never seen anything UFO related myself, although I've seen other things I'd describe as paranormal events. I guess in the end I just need to see it myself to believe because I can't trust anyone posting anything on the internet.