Nick Pope Dies

 

I'm sorry to report that Nick Pope has died; and I am genuinely sorry. As regulars know, Nick and I didn't see eye-to-eye on much, to put it mildly; but I am still dismayed at the news of his passing. Nick joined the Ministry of Defence in 1985 and did several jobs, but he is best known for running "Secretariat (Air Staff) 2a", known as the UFO desk. This led to a prolific media career where he became known as "Britain's (or "the real") Fox Mulder", "the man from the Ministry" and many other nicknames. He took part in too many TV programmes and movies to mention, and he wrote a number of books. He was as absolute staple on the conference circuit. He's even had a song written about him by Mark Christopher Lee's band, The Pocket Gods, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab-v2xZHQdw. Despite this, he was always very cautious and used catchphrases like "I can neither confirm nor deny that" and "we can't rule it out" over and over again. His death was not unexpected, in fact he posted a few weeks ago that he was very ill and effectively in palliative care. He passed away peacefully at his home yesterday with his wife Elizabeth by his side. He was sixty years old. I used to get on well with Nick. We even had dinner together once in London with Tabitha, his partner at the time. We fell out because I resented what I believe was false information and disinformation he was spreading, especially about the Rendlesham Forest incident. I met up with him again briefly last year at Contact in the Desert and exchanged greetings. As I said at the time, we had both been invited to an exclusive private party at the conference venue and I felt obliged to behave well. Despite my antipathy towards Nick Pope, I will miss him. He has been part of the UFOlogical furniture for so long now; a figurehead of the movement, however flawed. Aliens will never be the same without him. His family have my deepest condolences. The Sun, one of the many journals he wrote for as a UFO correspondent, has published a touching obituary. Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/38742171/ufo-expert-dies-after-cancer-battle-wife-tribute/.

S4- The Bob Lazar Story

 

I felt some urgency to watch this new documentary about Bob Lazar, S4- The Bob Lazar Story. I had already seen the interview by Patrick from Vetted with the director Luigi Vendittelli and I had to go away on Good Friday when the movie dropped. I returned on Easter Sunday knowing that social media would be infested with spoilers and I could only avoid them for so long; so I paid the rental late at night and watched it through after presenting The Gas Spanner. This is not the first film about Bob by any means. Another had come out a few years earlier directed by Jeremy Corbell that I reviewed at the time, see: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2018/12/bob-lazar-area-51-and-flying-saucers.html and: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2018/12/bob-lazar-movie-livestream.html. That one was mostly about Bob's personal life in the present day. Would this new one be any different? Although it does cover Bob's family and work briefly, it is mostly about his original story. It begins with his early life, developing a keen interest in science and engineering from childhood. He was a remarkably skilled designer and builder. In 1982 he converted his wife's Honda Civic hatchback into a jet-propelled car. He claims to have started working at the famous Los Alamos National Laboratory the same year, although this has been called into question and there is considerable evidence both for and against this part of his background. His recruitment to the flying saucer reverse-engineering project has often been cited as one of Bob's most incredulous assertions, but it is actually not that outlandish. The project is not unlike an espionage ring in its relationship to public government and industry, and we all have heard how spies are persuaded to join a cause through privately schmoozing them. It often does start with a simple conversation, like the one Bob had with Edward Teller; and sometimes the talent scout does simply think the contact "sounds like he has the right stuff." We've seen the same pattern with another case that has recently emerged, the Reddit scientist who studied alien bodies: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2025/02/catastrophic-d-on-reddit.html and: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2025/02/reddit-scientist-livestream.html. George Knapp also says the very fact that Bob has a personality that made him easy to discredit, if that needed to be done potentially, was an important qualification.

As somebody who has been fascinated with the chronicles of Bob Lazar for well over thirty years now, there was little in terms of narrative that I have not heard of before; yet this is the first time I have seen the annals being presented this way. It was announced at the beginning that the animation was all made "by hand", meaning without artificial intelligence; a necessary disclaimer in today's world. The figures, models and backgrounds were all designed by real animators; and it was done very well. Watching them made what I have already learned more vivid. Individuals Bob got to know in his adventures and has described before, like the doctor lady, "Dennis" and "Barry" are brought strikingly to life. Some are modelled by real actors. The effect of the whole reconstruction is very dramatic. Of course that is not new evidence, but it does make the original claim feel more real. There are some talking head scenes as well, interspersed with the reconstructions. These are full of somewhat obtrusive jump cuts which comes across as a bit amateurish. Despite it being a familiar story, there are some exclusives in this documentary. We discover that the Google Earth images of Papoose Lake have been doctored for some reason and older images show details that could support Bob's testimony. Other researchers have previously found other instances, for example: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2021/11/s4-entrance.html. Why is it necessary to keep renewing these satellite images if there's nothing there? We also hear for the first time how the Wednesday night test flight disk came very close to Bob and his friends when they went there as spectators; as if the pilot inside had detected and recognized Bob. That could explain how he was caught soon afterwards. Do I believe Bob Lazar? Every time I watch a good film promoting him, like this one, I say yes; but then something else comes up that calls my enthusiasm into question. Stanton T Friedman, one of the people in UFOlogy whose judgement I trust the most, always denounced Bob as a fantasist. I don't think there's anything wrong with saying I don't know. S4- The Bob Lazar Story can be bought or rented on all good streaming outlets. Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37605896/. It is much cheaper than some other recent releases. It's good we finally have a truly general release category arty cinematic documentary about Bob Lazar. All that is left to do now is the big screen Hollywood dramatization. I've always thought Cillian Murphy or Johnny Depp could play a good Bob.
See here for background: https://hpanwo.blogspot.com/2020/02/ufo-disclosure-portal.html.

Squatcher Doxing

 

I came across a video by a cryptozoologist who is complaining that he has received abuse online. He says he has been doxed, in other words his personal details has been published on social media. This situation has been caused by the premier of a new documentary called Capturing Bigfoot, see: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31457111/. He saw it and expressed a very decisive opinion about it. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlvNMTv5x-Q. I have not seen this move yet myself. The film launched at the South-by-Southwest Film Festival last month. I don't know much about this film except that, based on current trends, I know it takes a very skeptical bent. I will reserve judgement until I've seen it; and I will provide a full review of my own after that. In the meantime I totally and unconditionally oppose any abuse, harassment and incitement to mob misconduct towards anybody involved with it; be it in production, distribution or media reception. We cannot win this war of ideas by behaving like the Orwellian censors or cancel culture zealots. Reality will not be decided by denouncement. Please, leave these people alone! The truth will out.
See here for background: https://hpanwo.blogspot.com/2022/11/cryptozoology-portal.html.

Heartbeat- Gone Tomorrow

 

Heartbeat is a TV programme that was an early herald in the growing 21st century genre of nostalgia shows. It is set in a remote part of North Yorkshire during the 1960's and skilfully captures the attitudes and culture of the times. The plots are centred on the local police force, although there are numerous subplots involving local civilians that considerably developed as the programme grew in popularity; to the point where it went beyond the usual police procedural milieu. I was never an avid fan of it, I have to admit, but I did enjoy it. (I am far fonder of its spin-off, The Royal, for reasons that will be obvious to all readers of the HPWA and all listeners of The Gas Spanner.) Heartbeat was first broadcast in the 1990's and it really blew up during the 2000's. At the time I was in a difficult personal situation. I was living in a house as a single parent with my ex-partner and daughter's mother; and my daughter who was a teenager at the time. They both loved the series and watched it whenever it was on. My ex still watches it over and over again to this day; it is broadcast regularly on the "gold" channels. Seeing as I was in a family communal situation I passively absorbed it, as I felt obliged to. What's interesting about Heartbeat is that there is a single episode that includes an alien abduction. The episode is titled "Gone Tomorrow" and in it there is a massive thunderstorm over Aidensfield, the fictional village in which the series is set. Everybody's electricity is cut off. Some villagers see lights in the sky that are not lightening. One of the characters, PC Alf Ventress, is driving along a country road when his car engine stops; then he sees a strange craft hovering above him. He is at first reluctant to speak out and tells his beat partner, PC Nick Rowan, that he was dazzled by the lightning. Later he sees a doctor and it seems he has a "sunburn" on his face, like the Roy Neary character in Close Encounter of the Third Kind. Several times in the soundtrack they play the "five tones" from that film. Oddly enough the landlord in the village pub thinks the incident might be weather modification experiments at RAF Fylingdales. This is rather anachronistic seeing as the base was not used for anything "tinfoil hatty" until the late 1980's. The station commander, Sergeant Blaketon, is very skeptical and afraid of the negative publicity the UFO stories might generate, but Ventress' colleague, PC Rowan, remains supportive towards his fellow constable. Ventress eventually confides in Rowan and Rowan's wife, who is the community doctor. Later on Blaketon reveals that he has to "keep a lid on this!" and in under instructions from "headquarters" whatever that means. He adds: "It's my head on the block!" He then orders Ventress home on sick leave. It's more likely Blaketon is concerned about the reputation and scandal involved than any suggestion that he is being briefed in on any kind of cover-up, á la Roswell. He warns his constable not to talk to anybody and later tries to discredit him by referring him to a psychologist. Rowan, who is by far the most open-minded character in Aidensfield, then secretly takes Ventress for a hypnotic regression. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8m8QMyGIoU.

This episode was written by somebody called Freda Kelsall along with another author called Nicholas Rhea who penned the books on which the Heartbeat TV programme is based. The plot is obviously inspired by the annals of PC Alan Godfrey, a policeman from east Lancashire who reported just such an experience as the fictional Alf Ventress in 1980, see: https://www.alangodfreyufo.com. I have a signed copy of his book. Heartbeat episodes have the ambiance of a soap opera and different main plots are often combined with equal significance in a single show, but "Gone Tomorrow", season 5 episode 8, is worth watching for anybody interested in UFO's. Just scroll forward though the irrelevant scenes if you prefer. I don't understand the choice of title. The final scene of the episode is very good. It shows PC Ventress courageously standing by his story and his fellow officer PC Rowan backing him up. He presents the police psychologist with the tape recording of his hypnotic regression session. The pshrink asks the usual patronizing questions; like whether Ventress had taken any "substance likely to cause hallucinations", implying he is on LSD. As a fifty-something rural Yorkshire copper that would be out of character, even in the '60's. Rowan bravely challenges the doctor and defends his fellow officer. The doctor then threatens both officers with "career deficiency!". You could say this TV show is just fiction, which it literally it; but Alan reports in his book how he himself was subjected to harassment, including a threat to frame him for narcotics offences. I have heard so many other real life equivalents of this kind of abuse from the authorities; yet the skeppers keep insisting: "If UFO's were real, more witnesses would speak out!" Skeptics, cast aside your own fiction and get real!

Ben Emlyn-Jones on the Conscious Awakening Network

 

See here for the programme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmnSur9y8f8.

I have been featured on the Conscious Awakening Network with Laurie Wheeler. Topics discussed include: Extraterrestrials, Blind Frog Ranch, ancestral spirits, the afterlife, travel to sacred sites, energy's affects on our DNA and much much more.

Ben Emlyn-Jones on Fockham Hall Radio 20

 

See here for the programme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EjAW76Dhw4.
And: https://rumble.com/v77i4f6-the-ben-emlyn-jones-report.html.
I have been featured again on Fockham Hall Radio. Topics discussed include: looming war with Iran, why won't governments do what we want them to? more alien encounters and much much more. The livestream was simulcasted on YouTube and Rumble.
See here for my previous interview on FHR: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2026/02/ben-emlyn-jones-on-fockham-hall-radio-19.html.

Ben Emlyn-Jones at Changing Times

 

I will be speaking at the Changing Times group in a double bill with my friend and comrade Neil Ward. It's called Messages through Time & Space. It is organized by Andy Thomas. I will be doing a presentation on SETI, 3I/Atlas and UFO's. Neil will be addressing the "Dodleston Messages", a possible communication from a man in the past through a computer. The venue is Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8DX. The event is on Tuesday the 19th of May and begins at 8.15 PM. It might be wise to get there a bit earlier. Admission is £8. See: https://www.changingtimes.org.uk/forthcoming-lectures/. (Illustration by Neil Ward.)