Tag Archives: Fortean

William Gibson: Fortean!

Cyberpunk Fortean William Gibson

 “I’m Totally a Fortean!” (Audio)

https://www.anomalyarchives.org/public-hall/wp-content/uploads/William-Gibson-Fortean-AustinTexas-20120906.mp3?_=1

“It’s always a pleasure to return to Austin, which in some weird way was definitely the epicenter of my literary career, such as it’s been.”

On Thursday, September 6th, I had the pleasure of finally seeing William Gibson in-the-flesh. Despite his being sick with a cold (he offered to infect any attendees with it who might’ve had such a Cronenbergian desire) Gibson read an interesting piece from his new book, Distrust That Particular Flavor, and regaled the audience with his observations on a few subjects including fashion.

It’s weird, really weird reading any of this stuff because I never read any of it before. I never read it to an audience. These were written for magazine publication. The weirdest of these, I think, the one that is most mysterious to me is an essay called Dead Man Sings that I wrote in 1998 for ASAP, which is a Forbes magazine giveaway or something. … they got in touch with me and said ‘we’d like you to write something’ and I said ‘what’ and they said ‘it doesn’t matter … [write] what you feel like.’ I’d never really gotten that before … so I really took it to heart and I sat down and sort of channeled this thing I’m about to read you and with no idea where it was coming from or really what it was about. I realized, when I was going through all these pieces, this is the one I’ve gone back to more in my writing and as sometimes happens, I think that this thing which I wrote without understanding – I wrote it in a weird kind of trance – because it didn’t matter and it had given me permission to say whatever I wanted to say, which I had never had before in non-fiction. … So this thing just came out, what I’m about to read to you, and its probably the one thing in this book that I discovered more in, over the years, since I wrote it, I suspect in some way its been the program for a lot of the fiction I’ve written since.

The essay Dead Man Sings (published as “Dead Man Speaks apparently) that Gibson read for us that evening is certainly evocative of much of what makes Gibson’s writings so telling and important. They grapple with the effects of technology on our culture and our experiencing of memory and history. It reminded me of a video I’d recently seen of him (filmed many years ago inside a moving car) in which he reflects on one of the details he mentioned in the essay, that is the invention of the sound recording and that period of time when there were still humans (backwoods Appalachian Americans in his example) who were being recorded for the first time and the fundamental difference (to his hears) of those recordings to everything since.

We live in, have lived through, a strange time. I know this because when I was a child the flow of forgetting was relatively unimpeded. I know this because the dead were less of a constant presence, then. Because there was once no rewind button. Because the soldiers dying in the Somme were black and white, and did not run as the living run. Because the world’s attic was still untidy. Because there were old men in the mountain valleys of my Virginia childhood who remembered a time before recorded music.

Dead Man Speaks

After the reading (and towards the end of his face-time with us and before beginning the autographing line) there was an opening for me to ask him a question that had been on my mind for a while… But before I asked the question I wanted to show my sincere feelings for the words he’d written a couple of years ago when he posted the following to his twitter feed:

“Very sad to learn of the death of @mactonnies. Whip-smart young Fortean surrealist dudes are too thin on the ground to begin with.”
twitter.com/GreatDismal/status/5096995349

As I began expressing my thanks the look on his face gave me the impression that he hadn’t understood what I was saying – perhaps it was just the idea of someone thanking him for a “tweet” (let alone one from three years ago) that struck him as odd. Once I’d shifted my comment to a question he gave a not surprising to me reply which I’m happy to add to the public record:

SMiles Lewis: I’d like to thank you for your 2009 tweet which consisted of kind words on the passing of Mac Tonnies. There’s things in your book Pattern Recognition and other books that make me ask this question: Are you now or have you ever been a Fortean?

William Gibson: Oh, I’m totally a Fortean! I’ve been a Fortean since I was… actually I’d have to find out. I’ve been a Fortean ever since Ace Books republished Charles Fort’s three great weird philosophical books about strange shit that he’d found in old old newspapers. And I continue to be … That’s Charles Fort for those of you who don’t know him. If you wanna have a really strange experience go find The Book of the Damned by Charles Fort which was published in the 1920s and has two sequels. It’s kind of the mother of all X-Files stuff.

 

Copies of FATE Magazine Donated by Craig Woolheater

Our recent lecture event featuring British Fortean Cryptozoologist Jonathan Downes attracted many attendees from across Texas. Among those making the trip from out of town to meet and hear Jon Downes speak was Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy member Craig Woolheater. Besides helping coordinate the non-profit field research and annual public education events for the TBRC, Craig has also recently become the owner and manager of two very popular anomaly oriented websites, Cryptomundo.com and UFOmystic.com

Before Mr. Downes’ lecture on the Texas Blue Dogs and Chupacabras, Craig handed me a gift bag filled with archival goodies – classic copies of FATE Magazine.

Craig, Jon, the Downse’s hosts Richie and Naomi, I and others met up for conversation over TexMex cuisine before bidding our friends from across the pond a fond farewell.

Among the copies of FATE magazine are:

  • 1973 January – December (excepting September) issues 274-285
  • 1974 February – December (excepting July) issues 287-297
  • 1975 January issue 298

Craig Woolheater and Jonathan Downes after TexMex cuisine

Fate, Issue 298, Vol. 28, No. 01, January 1975
Fate, Issue 297, Vol. 27, No. 12, December 1974
Fate, Issue 296, Vol. 27, No. 11, November 1974
Fate, Issue 295, Vol. 27, No. 10, October 1974
Fate, Issue 294, Vol. 27, No. 09, September 1974
Fate, Issue 293, Vol. 27, No. 08, August 1974
Fate, Issue 291, Vol. 27, No. 06, June 1974
Fate, Issue 290, Vol. 27, No. 05, May 1974
Fate, Issue 289, Vol. 27, No. 04, April 1974
Fate, Issue 288, Vol. 27, No. 03, March 1974
Fate, Issue 287, Vol. 27, No. 02, February 1974
Fate, Issue 285, Vol. 26, No. 12, December 1973
Fate, Issue 284, Vol. 26, No. 11, November 1973
Fate, Issue 283, Vol. 26, No. 10, October 1973
Fate, Issue 281, Vol. 26, No. 08, August 1973
Fate, Issue 280, Vol. 26, No. 07, July 1973
Fate, Issue 279, Vol. 26, No. 06, June 1973
Fate, Issue 278, Vol. 26, No. 05, May 1973
Fate, Issue 277, Vol. 26, No. 04, April 1973
Fate, Issue 276, Vol. 26, No. 03, March 1973
Fate, Issue 275, Vol. 26, No. 02, February 1973
Fate, Issue 274, Vol. 26, No. 01, January 1973

Anomaly Archives Presents Fortean Cryptozoologist Jonathan Downes

The Anomaly Archives Presents: Fortean Cryptozoologist Jonathan Downes

Saturday, March 20th 1:30-3:30pm CST 

12593 Research Blvd., Suite 302, Austin, Texas 78759

“Cryptozoology’s answer to Hunter Thompson” – Nick Redfern

 [Jon Downes at Loch Ness in 2005]  

The Anomaly Archives welcomes British Fortean researcher Jon Downes to Austin, Texas for a lecture on all things anomalous, Fortean, cryptozoological and UFOlogical. Please join us at the Anomaly Archives lending library (located at 12593 Research Blvd., Suite 302) from 1 to 5pm, Saturday, March 20th for an enlightening lecture from one of the world’s leading cryptozoological field investigators.

This lecture event is FREE, however, a $5 donation is respectfully requested for those wishing to help support the Anomaly Archives in its non-profit community education, outreach and research efforts. 

Jonathan Downes is the Director of the British-based Center for Fortean Zoology, the world’s only full-time group dedicated to the investigation of unknown animals, including Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Ogopogo, and the Abominable Snowman. 

In both 1998 and 2004, Jon traveled to the island of Puerto Rico in search of the deadly, blood-sucking creature known as the Chupacabras – a beast that has been linked with a large amount of UFO activity, including UFO crashes, on the island.  

Jon will be speaking about his two expeditions, findings, theories and conclusions as to what the creature may be. Jon will also reveal the very latest news on his quest to find out the truth concerning the so-called Texas Chupacabras. 

Are the beasts of Puerto Rico and Texas one and the same? Or, is something even stranger going on? Don’t miss this rare chance to see Jon Downes expose the truth of this strange and sensational mystery.   

Jonathan Downes is the author and co-author of numerous books on the subjects of Fortean phenomena, especially cryptozoological critters such as Owlman, the Monster of the Mere and others. Besides his research, writing and activism, Jon Downes is also an accomplished film maker having worked on over 7 films. He also produces a regular online video series for the Centre for Fortean Zoology called On The Track (Of Unknown Animals).

 

 


  Links & Information:  

SMiles Lewis is guest on Paranormal Response TV live in Austin, Tuesday Night

RESCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 2nd!

SMiles Lewis is guest on Paranormal Response TV live in Austin, Tuesday Night

“People Often Fear What They Don’t Understand”

Paranormal Response

The Paranormal Response Team

Paranormal Response – People often fear what they don’t understand

Join the Paranormal Response Team LIVE Tuesday Night on Austin Community TeleVision as they welcome their guest, SMiles Lewis, to talk about the Anomaly Archives lending library, UFOs and other Anomalous Phenomena.

Tune in to Austin cable Channel 10 from 9-10pm CST Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010Hosts Sara & Kristi will discuss with SMiles Lewis the various areas of overlap between paranormal and UFO investigations.

Check out these interesting episodes exploring Lucid Dreams, Marfa Mystery Lights and the UFO world of Freeman:

SMiles Lewis is guest on Paranormal Response TV live in Austin, Tuesday Night

Anomaly Archives eNews – January/February 2009

ANOMALY ARCHIVES eNEWSLETTER

January/February, 2009

Subscribe to the by sending an email to: <AnomalyArchives-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>

You can visit the archived back issues here on the web and also at <www.YahooGroups.com> .

– Anomaly Archives News

  • Announcement Coming Soon about our New Location !!!

– Anomaly Headlines

As always, thank you to news sources such as Anomalist.com, UFO UpDates eList, Rigorous Intuition’s forums and all the others.

– LOWFI:

The League of Western Fortean Intermediatists:

www.ForteansWest.com

A friend of mine, Skylaire Alfvegren, recently began her own regional strange phenomena oriented organization. More than just another ghost hunting, UFO data collecting, or bigfoot tracking group, my friend has created a unique collective of anomalous informationalists: The League of Fortean Intermediatists, aka LOWFI and Forteans West.

I’m proud to be her easternmost representative, serving as Texas Bureau Chief, and blogging on all things anomalous and Fortean happening in and around the State. One of my most recent blogs archives my roundup of Texas strangeness that I originally published when I was editor of the Austin Para Times newspaper:

AusTex Anomalous Para Guide to Texas

apt3-pg6 / apt3-pg7

But there many other fine contributors to this new Fortean League representing each of the Western States (still seeking Bureau Chiefs for a few states) as well as monthly Featured Editorials including the premier post by former British UFO official, Nick Pope. Check em all out …

LOWFI Bureau Chief Blogs …

Here’s another overview of the new LOWFI / Forteans West blog launch:

– Anomaly Archives at…

-Events

  • First Austin MUFON Meeting of 2009

The very first MUFON meeting of the new year was held Saturday afternoon, January 3, the first (1st) Saturday of the month, from 1 – 4 p.m., at the Austin History Center, on the SW corner of 9th & Guadalupe St., downtown Austin.

Contact: Mike DeGroff  www.AustinMufon.org

FATE Magazine
Jan-Feb 2009:
Volume 62, Number 1, Issue 702

– Networking

– Anomaly Archives Needs Your Help

Anomaly Archives eNews – July/August 2008

ANOMALY ARCHIVES eNEWSLETTER

July/August, 2008

Subscribe to the by sending an email to: <AnomalyArchives-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>

You can visit the archived back issues here on the web and also at <www.YahooGroups.com> .

– Anomaly Headlines

UFOS have been popping up en masse over Texas and Brazil recently, grounding planes in Chicago, menacing Indiana Jones and the Energizer Bunny, and planting themselves firmly in the minds of the American public.

The spaceships arrived in San Jose this past weekend, as the floating annual symposium of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) was held this year at the Doubletree Inn. Co-organized by local businessman Les Valez (founder of the Organization for Paranormal Understanding and Support) MUFON ‘08 attracted nearly 600 registrants with presentations like “Britain’s X-Files,” “Resolving Current Reporting Bias of Pilots” and “Chilean Army Investigates UFOs.”

Alejandro Rojas, MUFON’s press agent, quoted from the ad campaign for the new X-Files movie, responding to the common perception that UFO researchers have hyperactive imaginations.

“We don’t want to believe,” he said. “The evidence led us to believe.””

News & Culture | UFO | Hole in the cloud over OHare Airport in Chicago

Help The International Cryptozoology Museum Gain Independence. Loren Coleman needs your help to preserve cryptozoological data, memorabilia, and more.

Right: Greg Bishop with German-UFO-Rocker Nina Hagen.

UFO researcher and writer Greg Bishop chronicles the latest

UFOMystic » Roswell 2008 Day 1 & Day 2

“FORMER NASA astronaut and moon-walker Dr Edgar Mitchell – a veteran of the Apollo 14 mission – has stunningly claimed aliens exist.

And he says extra-terrestrials have visited Earth on several occasions – but the alien contact has been repeatedly covered up by governments for six decades.

Dr Mitchell, 77, said during a radio interview that sources at the space agency who had had contact with aliens described the beings as ‘little people who look strange to us.’”

FLASHBACK to 2004: Edgar Mitchell On UFOs & ETs and Ed Mitchell continues coming clean on UFOs?

Read more »

“It would appear that the US President has been briefed by Phoenix scientists about the discovery of something more “provocative” than the discovery of water existing on the Martian surface. This news comes just as the Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA) confirmed experimental evidence for the existence of water in the Mars regolith on Thursday. Whilst NASA scientists are not claiming that life once existed on the Red Planet’s surface, new data appears to indicate the “potential for life” more conclusively than the TEGA water results. Apparently these new results are being kept under wraps until further, more detailed analysis can be carried out, but we are assured that this announcement will be huge…

The White House is Briefed: Phoenix About to Announce “Potential For Life” on Mars | Universe Today

Watch this video before it vanishes. Rick Dyer appears to have uploaded a video explaining, confessing, revealing, and pointing fingers at other alleged co-conspirators in this hoax. And apologizing.

Cryptomundo » Hoaxers’ Video Confession & Apology to Loren Coleman & Matt Moneymaker

– Additions and Donations to Collections:

  • Rabia Clark donated collections

    • – Several years worth of The Journal of Religion and Psychical Research
    • Future Memory by P.M.H. Atwater
    • Fire in the Brain by Ronald K. Siegel
    • Perspectives in Psychical Research: Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death

– Anomaly Archives at

– Upcoming Events

  • INACS Presents Thomas Campbell on Consciousness and the Larger Reality: The Inside Story – November 6-7, 2008
  • Austin IONS / INACS Monthly Meetings
  • Austin MUFON Monthly Meetings – Sunday afternoon, September 14th, from 1-4pm, at the Austin History Center, on the SW corner of 9th & Guadalupe St., downtown Austin.

– Anomaly Archives Needs Your Help

– Links & Resources

– Podcasts