Our Vulnerable Brains

This is a follow-on from my second essay that examined the intellectual contortions the brain will execute to avoid perception of things outside its comfort zone.

Here I discuss more of the physiology of the brain as we understand it, and how the brain can be manipulated by processes such as meditation, but also by electrical stimulation or chemistry.

I also examine how, with greater understanding of how this works, people exploit the workings of the brain to manipulate people for various purposes.

Slocan BC Pt 2 Class A Moose Sighting

A depressing discovery regarding the quality of the BFRO management and report database. Though it is not as though we didn't suspect this basic problem... We just never expected the President of the organization to hand over proof beyond the shadow of a doubt of the problem. Time to start sweeping out the social media posts and revising history - oh, I see the BFRO has all that well in hand now.

What Is Bigfoot

At the end of a Squatch Talk, Pat asked what is Bigfoot... This is not a sound-bite question, but I will stick with my answer. Here is the more detailed answer. I do not rely on DNA because there is no credible DNA evidence. I don't want to perform phylogenic gymnastics to fit what people report into some vaguely similar species that once lived somewhere but didn't really look like what people report. I simply look to what people report, presume they are collectively accurate, and look to the natural world to speculate what they are most likely to be based on the available evidence.

Post Encounter Nightmares

This essay is an excerpt of one I wroght over a year ago regarding the paranormal... I have not yet gotten around to that topic, but this part was so relevent to a number of recent conversations I have had that it just had to be produced on its own.

It has already had a profoundly beneficial impact for some people suffering from the kind of PTSD often following encounters with the Subjects. Its intent is to help you understand what happens when the brain adapts to a life-altering realization, and how we might perceive those things.

In short, we dream. The dream may be very abstractly related - or may be directly relevant... We may believe there is a larger meaning to some dreams - but that is not necessarily so. The truth is we cannot say if mystical external forces plant dreams in our heads - but we know the brain can do it all anyway.

Debunking Infra Babble

One thing science demands is that an idea can be disproved. It requires a control test to show that the principle in question will fail when the criteria it is designed to test is not present.

When someone publishes a way to extract information from audio observation of the subjects, I will certainly look it over. But I will not use it without control tests to prove both positive and negative results. I suggested control tests, but he declined... So I tried a control test before trying it out on my own data... Hence the need for the word debunk in the title - unfortunately...

Mick West Breakdown of UFO videos

(1) Go Fast Breakdown

(2) FLIR Breakdown

(3) Gimbal Breakdown

  More description on my Journal page.

  I still hear people talking about the NAVY UFO Videos released a few years ago. These are only a mystery to people who don't understand the display being recorded and what it tells us, however the names of the videos, as released, are the only hints you really need if you pay attention... These are Training and Orientation Videos for NAVY pilots and equipment operators, there is no mystery.

  The Navy released these because they represent no leak of strategic informaion about their equipment in the field, nor do they represent any compromise of national security.

Sasquatch DNA 3 Part Series:

1: My Journey with Sasquatch DNA

2: The State of Sasquatch and DNA Science

3: Common DNA Misconceptions

  DNA is a big subject, even just restricting to the areas where this science intersects with the topic of Sasquatch, I brought this down to about as succinct as I could and had to break that into 3 parts. I know people don't necessarily always watch everything, so these do overlap with some ideas.

  The first is a largely chronological review of my path of discovery in this area. Without many sources out there, I ended up needing to learn a lot about this science myself. The second is largely a summary of the state of the science as I understand things. It also suggests some gaps in knowledge that people in the community could work to fill. The third covers some common and general misconceptions that impact the perception of this topic in the Sasquatch community. This has a few slides as visual aids... It also discusses eDNA and other steps that might advance the subject.

  The community does not benefit from secrecy. Nobody will end up owning Bigfoot. If anyone does good science, they recognize others will have to repeat their work, and others will expand on their work. Science has no definitive end-work, it has definitive foundations.

  Information held in secret is of no value to the community. Those who hold valuable information are of no value to the community.

  The world of science has preserved credit for discoveries since the beginning, yet it shares all the knowledge to allow others to validate the discoveries and to expand on them making new discoveries.

  In the end, the Sasquatch Genome Project failed at its stated goals. However, in sharing the information they did share, there are indications they may have discovered something valuable. However, as with most endeavors of science, more work is required and the SGP left clear paths to follow.

"The Dragon in My Garage" by Carl Sagan

  In science unsupported claims are worthless. Claiming you have something, but you are unable to produce any evidence of it is worthless. Having information you will not share is worthless. You can claim you have a bigfoot frozen in your basement... But I'll bet it is just like the Invisible Dragon.

5 Laws of Human Stupidity

  Like the Dunning-Kruger effect, these laws apply to everyone with different effect in different areas of knowledge. However, I have to agree that people called stupid in this context are, indeed, the most dangerous people in any group or in society in general.

Cloak - Portal - Shape Shift - Is there a mundane explanation...

  Our brains have a remarkable capacity to "fill in the blanks" in our perceptions under certain extraordinary circumstances. We all have this capacity. Here I suggest the possibility that this entirely psychological phenomenon might explain some otensibly paranormal phenomena related to Sasquatch.

  As there is a difference between feelings and emotions, this is not imagination. It is more like halucination - which we are all capable of from time to time. What happens when the brain goes down one path to begin, and then changes course to accept reality...

  One of my favorite movie lines ever is from near the end of the Harry Potter series: "Of course it's all in your head. Why would that make it any less real?"

I suggest watching Your Brain may Hurt Your Friends to Protect you, below. I have linked several other informative videos below as well...

Coyote Serenade

  I met Brent Dill, of The Tall Ones in the research area I have been visiting in 2020 on December 28. While we were talking we heard few sounds in the area. There were a couple thump sounds, perhaps a car door, there was a single call from an owl uphill from us, and then down from us to the west we started to hear some strange screams. We concluded they were from coyotes, and I confirmed that on my way home, but this was a terrific example of how sounds get distorted in the forest; and how they carry in the dark and quiet...

Building a 3.5kWh DIY Solar Generator for $650 - Start to Finish

  This fellow provides pretty good instructions for this project. It would make a pretty decent camp power supply that could be recharged with your car...

The Only Plane That Could Beat The F-22 Raptor

  OK, this isn't even remotely Sasquatch related - but I worked on this beauty. It was one of the first genuine engineering jobs I had, developing software for the flight control system. For me the project was VMES (Vehicle Management Electronics Set). All of this was while I was still working on by BSEE.

Truth, Facts, and Evil - What scientific thinking brings to the table.

  My second essay, finally, which examines the complex ecosystem of truth in the Sasquatch Community, and what science brings to the table for understanding it. I also discuss a bit about evil, and question our role in perceptions of it.

I suggest watching the Baloney Detection Kit -AND- Richard Feynman regarding the perilous question "Why?" for reference. I have linked several other informative videos below as well...

Carl Sagan's Original Baloney Detection Kit

  This is an essay presenting the original version of Carl Sagan's Baloney Detection Kit. If you want to find the original then look for Carl Sagans book The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark and also find versions of the original list.

Richard Feynman on the Question "Why?"

  There is a dangerous tendency for us to want to explain and not just observe.  This is where people can pathologically make up stories rather than just say I don't know. This video addresses the real logical dangers of such a question, and the presumptions required for any meaningful explanation. Before explaining something you don't really understand, remember this video. If anyone gives you an answer to the questions why or how, do you really understand that answer?

Growing Up Feynman - Michelle Feynman - 5/11/2018

  Richard's Daughter recalls highlights growing up in the Feynman house.

  I remember seeing a van with Feynman diagrams many times visiting in California -- I never realized until years later that it was certainly the famous Feynman mini-van...

Michael Shermer's Baloney Detection Kit

  This is an updated version of Carl Sagan's Baloney Detection Kit. Personally I like Carl's list, but this is a bit modernized and may deal better with an unknown future. The differences are minor, but if you want to compare them you might gain some insights into how science grows over time...

Science Literacy in the Misinformation Age

  This is a panel discussion about the democratization of information and its effects on finding useful information using the Internet.

Why Don’t Americans Trust Experts Anymore?

  A media essay focused on how social media enables the propagaion of misinformation and false facts, allowing individuals and groups to reinforce ideas that are based on misinformed ideas to become what these people recognize as truth.

  Truth is not always based upon facts, truth is a philosophical concept. Social media provides an echo chamber where people allow themselves to become convinced of ideas that comfort them and support their personal beliefs. It allows their peers to get them back on track when they have moments of critical thinking.

How the Net Destroyed Democracy

  A TEDx talk discussing how political groups employ social media to manipulate voters with the application of misinformation and psychological tricks. This is done both deliberately and accidentally by social media all the time.

  Groups can attract people with questions and appear to provide authoritative answers for them. When there are doubts the group can provide answers to keep followers on track. Followers have a place to direct their friends to recruit new minds to the ideas, right or wrong.

Summary of Field Observation 200827

  This is the first time I called the rising whoop as heard on TV. We were greeted with 2 tree breaks - it's maddening how the subjects can avoid revealing themselves even when they make their presence known.

Mark Barton on Bigfoot Odyssey

  This is intense and disturbing, and it has appropriate warnings in context. I observe behavior here consistent with demonic oppression. The changes in personal behavior, the scattered mind, the use of curses not previously common with Mark. I think everything is going exactly as planned... read why...

I suggest watching the Max Powers interview first, for reference.

Interview With Mark before the event.

  This is a great baseline of Mark before the event in February. This was recorded months before the event, but was released in late July as a great reference point. This was released around the time of the interview on Bigfoot Odyssey (above).

Summary of Field Observation 200724

  This contains analysis of concealed audio recording Friday July 24, 2020 at Research Region 1 Area C.

  This recorder was concealed from Friday evening through Sunday evening, though the battery exhausted Saturday evening.

  Data here corroborates the knock/break event I heard from the car. It also captured the tree that fell Saturday.

  It also captures several sounds suggesting movement that are similar to those recorded by other researchers here.

I suggest watching the highlights from the on-person recorder first.

Highlights from Field Observation 200724

  This contains analysis of on-person audio recording Friday July 24, 2020 at Research Region 1 Area C.

  I concealed a recorder in the Habituation Area, but that is still in the field as this was edited.

  This does involve a non-zero level of risk, indicated by an encounter with lower-primates after dark.

Spotted a Bear Therming at Night on the Road

  We need to review this location by day and reproduce with a human reference, but this was probably a bear.

Driving at Night with Thermal Imager

  This was an experiment to look for thermal signatures along the road while driving at night.

  Our eyes were dark-adjusted, I was driving with running lights only to see the road.

  Mrs. CC steered the camera pretty well. There were some problems, bit it was a first effort...

Tree Peeker Explanation

  Can an adult Sasquatch hide behind a row of small trees? Given the description in this encounter story, I think the answer is yes.

  As related the story mentions how this is impossible, how it must require spooky super-powers. However, listening carefully to the story, and the description of the scene, I do not think magic is required.

Extract from Expedition Bigfoot

  I think this was a prank played by the crew on her. The audio here is overlayed from an ajacent segment of video.

  We see her seem to begin to raise her camera, so she probably noticed the figure, but it is never followed up. I think it was left in as an Easter Egg.

Your Brain may Hurt Your Friends to Protect you

  Based on human psychology and some personal experiences, why people can be so vehement about denial of any phenomena outside normal experiences.  When you understand what is going on, that it is really an expression of fear, it's hard to even blame them for things they may say or do to get you to shut up about it.

I suggest watching the Dunning-Kruger link below first, as background information.

An Amusing Look at the Dunning-Kruger Effect

  This phenomena explains why people have great confidence even if they do not have strong direct knowledge of a subject.  The less they know the more confident they are likely to be...  This is observed in people with varying degree in different subjects.  As we know more, we gain the wisdom to realize we do not know everything.  With practical knowledge we gain competence - and justified confidence.

Back to the Puzzle of Sasquatch

  In the early 1990's I set aside this puzzle for the complexities of career, marriage, and life as a human.  While I expected this puzzle to be solved soon, we are all still waiting for that to happen.  While much has been learned, little has changed.  I start my social media presence with the phrase I don't know, for me the willingness to utter these words is the very foundation of wisdom - I won't make up crap to sound smarter.  In the last year or so I have been reviewing what is believed in this subject, and what I expected to be true of them 30 years ago has not changed much.  However, I have heard language spoken in the woods recently, it was not english, but words were being articulated; trying to understand this brought me back to them.