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Dr. Barry Taff: A Veteran Of The Psychic Wars By Sean Casteel and John Weigle
Dr. Barry Taff: A Veteran Of The Psychic Wars By Sean Casteel and John Weigle
Dr. Barry Taff has been on the forefront of the academic study of psychic phenomena for decades and has long documented the connection between psi events and UFOs. His own psychic experiences began in childhood, and he has no doubt of the reality of some form of coupling between human consciousness and a field of energy that we do not as yet understand. Taff spoke on March 9, 2013, at a meeting of the Close Encounter Research Organization, which earlier this year added the word “international” to its name and is seeking to branch out worldwide in the dissemination of UFO and alien abduction information. The meeting was held in Thousand Oaks, California, a city located just north of Los Angeles. Taff opened his lecture by reciting part of a poem by T.S. Elliot that Taff felt eloquently expressed the fluid nature of time and the human mind:
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“Time present and time past,” the poem reads, in part, “Are both perhaps present in time future. And time future contained in time past. If all time is eternally present, All time is unredeemable. What might have been is an abstraction, Remaining a perpetual possibility.” Taff moved on to declare, “There is no paranormal. It’s normal.” He said that long-term memories are not stored in our brains, they’re kept in a remote source outside of us, which relates to the T.S. Elliot poem and his grappling with the nature of memory and time. From there, Taff began to recount his own history of psychic experiences, beginning with an incident that happened when he was ten years old. In grade school, a young girl approached him and he asked her what the weird bag was that she was wearing. He didn’t know at that age that such a bag was used after a colostomy. The young girl screamed and told the principal, who called Taff into his office and asked if he had looked under the girl’s dress or sneaked into the girls’ bathroom. Taff told the principal he had x-ray vision and pointed out that he could
see that the principal had unhealed keloid scar tissue himself. The principal then called Taff’s parents, and they said, “Don’t ask.” Taff joked that if he had a dollar for every one of his psychic experiences, he would be a whole lot wealthier. As a child, Taff predicted the assassination of John Kennedy to his parents a couple of years before the event. His parents insisted on making a bet in the belief that young Taff would be proven wrong. They didn’t speak to Taff for ten days, he said, after the prediction came true. In 1968, Taff was visiting a girlfriend at her house when he decided he wanted some iced tea, which his girlfriend didn’t keep around. At that same moment, Taff’s father saw Taff enter the house, go to the refrigerator and drink iced tea from the pitcher. But Taff had never left his girlfriend’s house. Although his parents never drank iced tea, the pitcher was partially empty the next morning, as though someone had drank from it prior to Taff’s seeing the pitcher of tea the next day. It was difficult to photograph Taff as a child, he said, and once, when he and a colleague were visiting a TV show producer, a photograph was taken of Taff and his colleague in
which the other person showed up perfectly but where Taff had been standing the photo showed only a flash of light. With this strange history behind him, Taff became a researcher of psychic phenomena in an academic setting, eventually earning a doctorate in psychophysiology with a minor in biomedical engineering from UCLA in 1975. From 1970 to 1987, he was involved in the study of remote viewing. “What we saw blew us away,” he said. When using the techniques of remote viewing, according to Taff, both past and future information are available, and it is possible to see information from a great distance. The evidence suggests that our brain, consciousness and space-time work in the same way. As part of the testing of remote viewing, Taff and his associates were given remote viewing “targets” and when they reported what they saw, they provided information on Trident submarines. The tape recordings made of the remote viewing experiments were later confiscated by representatives of an unnamed intelligence agency because of the classified details contained therein. Taff and his group later performed additional work for intelligence agencies with mixed
results. Unfortunately, Taff said, when understanding the implications of remote viewing and the nature of time, one is forced to conclude that there is no such thing as free will. He offered a story by way of example. In college, he was working with a girl in the psych lab when he had a dream of her going home and being involved in a car accident. In the dream, he saw a driver he thought was himself, so he broke off the relationship in the hope that he could change the future. The girl got involved with another man, and he was the driver in the accident that occurred. Nothing could alter the fulfillment of the precognitive dream, and thus the will of the participants was not free. “I’ve lost a lot of friends and colleagues because of my work in this field,” Taff lamented, because they were frightened or put off by what he said or things that occurred in his presence. Taff’s work on the case that became the novel “The Entity” brought him some degree of fame. In August 1974, he and some of his colleagues in parapsychology met a woman who said her house was haunted and that she had been repeatedly
Dr. Barry Taff: A Veteran Of The Psychic Wars By Sean Casteel and John Weigle Dr. Barry Taff: A Veteran Of The Psychic Wars By Sean Casteel and John Weigle
raped by ghosts. Taff wrote a big “P” on her report form, meaning he considered it a psychiatric case. Then the woman’s neighbors started seeing things. A skillet flew out of a cupboard. The bedroom felt like it was refrigerated, but it wasn’t. There was an odor of decaying matter. A green light double the size of Taff’s fist appeared and slowly turned into the form of an upper torso. When it disappeared, two of Taff’s assistants passed out. The team later sealed off the rooms to prevent any light from coming in and prepared a grid on the walls so they could pinpoint any strange things that happened. They shot hundreds of frames of film that showed nothing unusual, but everyone saw things in the room during the filming. The team members wrote down their observations before conferring together and found that their stories matched when they discussed them. Taff helped write the eventual novel “The Entity,” saying that not everything in the book actually happened. He appears as the slightly fictionalized character “Gene Kraft.” A movie starring Barbara Hershey and Ron Silver was released in 1983. A capsule recounting of the plot is included in “Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide” that reads, in part, “A woman is raped repeatedly by a giant, invisible mass. Her psychiatrist thinks it’s all in the mind until parapsychologists set a trap for the critter.” There is an article posted on Taff’s website at http://barrytaff.net entitled “The Psi-UFO Connection: What On Earth Is Going On?” In it, Taff writes of a rather fascinating yet obscure relationship between paranormal experiences and UFO encounters.
“Why is it that many CE-III’s and IV’s have paranormal fallout following the event?” he asks. “Why is it that certain people who have frequent paranormal experiences are more likely to experience a UFO encounter?” Taff goes on to say that it is obviously not scientifically valid to try to explain one phenomenon by recourse to the other, but there is a “longitudinal continuity” between the two kinds of events that may one day help to explain them both. In his lecture to CERO International, he offered the case history of Judy, another woman with whom he was romantically involved. There is a more detailed version of the story in the aforementioned article on his website. “I met a beautiful girl on Valentine’s Day (1977) while investigating a case in the mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles,” Taff writes. “This girl was so physically stunning to me that it was impossible to stop staring at her.”The case he was investigating was a very weak one and no follow up work was done. But he and Judy ended up in a very intense relationship. As time passed, there were repeated episodes of RSPK (Recurrent Spontaneous Psycho-Kinesis) activity culminating in “a large glowing sphere of light emerging from the lumbar region of her back” while Taff was giving her a massage. The clocks in Judy’s condo would all frequently “desynchronize” and run at different speeds. “All of this paranormal activity was kind of an added bonus to being in a relationship with her,” Taff writes. “At least I thought it was. Boy, was I wrong.” Taff writes that they both felt it was a perfect relationship and that Judy turned out to be a gifted psychic who also worked with the psi train-
ing groups at the UCLA lab as well as on missing persons cases. Taff expected that he and Judy would be engaged within six months, but “fate had something else in mind.” He began to have repeated precognitive dreams in which he was given the message that their romance would end on July 22, 1977. The reasons for the split were never provided in the dreams. He never told Judy about the dreams because she might misinterpret what he said as expressing a desire to leave her. The dreams stopped, and his happiness was restored. When July 22 came around, he had almost forgotten the dreams entirely. He awoke to find Judy beside him in bed, sobbing and shivering under the covers. She asked Taff why he hadn’t helped her the previous night. When Taff asked her what she meant, she told him that she “had awakened to find the room brilliantly lit, but the lights were not on. She was levitated up out of the bed, eventually finding herself in a round, metallic-walled room where she was strapped to a metallic table around her wrists, neck, ankles and abdomen. There were tiny men who had skin like a snake or reptile and a face without ears or noses, with large black eyes, who were poking and prodding her everywhere, but especially in every bodily orifice.” Judy could hear the little men speaking though their lipless mouths were not moving. “They kept saying that they weren’t going to hurt her, even though that’s exactly what they were doing. The next thing she remembered was waking up in bed with me soundly sleeping next to her.” Taff writes that he asked her if she knew anything about UFO abductions, which she did not. Although she was very interested in the paranormal, UFOs held no interest for her. Taff finally coaxed her out from beneath the covers and was shocked to find that Judy had bruises at her neck, waist, wrists, abdomen and ankles – consistent with her claim that she had been restrained on the metallic table. And she was bleeding from every orifice, bearing out her story that she had been poked and prodded in those same locations. Judy subsequently had a complete breakdown, “becoming almost totally delusional with overt signs of dissociation. She never sought any help from anyone and she never, even marginally, recovered. She became a religious zealot, but of a very unusual type. Needless to say, our relationship ended on that day,
just as my dream had predicted. From occasional contact with her over the subsequent years, she claims to have been re-abducted many times. It’s one thing to lose a potential mate, but not to something like this.” At the CERO International lecture, Taff touched on another case that he also writes about in the same online article. He received a phone call in the mid-1970s from a local television network executive who complained about poltergeist activity in his home. Over time, he reported occasional luminous anomalies, disembodied voices, banging noises and problems with electrical items in the house. Both the executive and his family seemed “quite grounded, normal, stable and well-adjusted.” Eventually the man’s calls ceased. Then one night, while the man and his wife were on a road trip in northern California, they saw what they thought was a small, burning plane about to crash into the hills to their right. “They drove up to where they assumed the plane had crashed,” Taff writes, “and after rounding a bend, they ran into a very unexpected sight. A shocking and terrifying visage to say the least. Sitting on the ground in front of them was a classic flying saucer, maybe 30 to 50 feet in diameter. And if that wasn’t difficult to enough to absorb, there were several diminutive humanoids in tight-fitting flight suits moving around the area around the saucer, as if looking for something. The beings were about four feet tall with grayish-brown skin, large, black almond-shaped eyes with no apparent nose or outer ears. Classic grays in every respect.” Suddenly, several of the humanoids became aware of the man and his wife sitting in their car observing the scene. One of the creatures pointed a tubular-shaped object at the couple that emitted a bright light. The next thing the pair remembered was being back on the highway many miles away and several hours later. After experiencing this classic abduction scenario, the two began to have disturbing dreams about their missing time, most of which they were reluctant to discuss with anyone. They sought psychological counseling but were assumed by mental health workers to have both had a psychotic break, for which medication was recommended. The abduction experience was little known in the mid-1970s, so this response from the mental health community is not surprising, Taff writes. The man and his wife began to experience strong emotional mood swings, indicative of dramatically altered personalities. They eventually
divorced, with the husband becoming particularly volatile and erratic, which led to his leaving his lucrative job in television in a newfound state of anxiety, anger and bitterness. What had begun as poltergeist activity had progressed to an alien UFO abduction and left great misery in its wake. “We’re dealing with something far more advanced than we are,” Taff added during his lecture, “and technology that is like magic to us.” But change is not the goal in physical science, he said, pointing to the fact that hardly anyone in mainstream science takes these issues seriously. There exists an inverse correlation between belief and whether new ideas will work, he said. What the scientists say won’t work will and what they say will work won’t. Imagine what would happen if a vehicle was unveiled tomorrow that used an entirely new form of energy. We need what Taff called “a change in the way we perceive normality.” UFOs are the most classified information the government has, he continued. Add gray aliens to the mix of our own racial and ethnic problems, and one can imagine the results. We should not fear an alien invasion so much as the problems we’ve created for ourselves. Both psychic phenomena and UFO contact involve an energy of a type we don’t understand, Taff said toward the end of his lecture. Most people are not sensitive to it and can live a long time without ever having any experiences with it. Others are sensitive to it. “It’s there,” Taff said. “It’s real. We are always a (central) part of the equation.”
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Stanton Friedman Interview: UFO SECRECY. THE BIGGEST SECRET
Stanton Friedman Interview: A HISTORY OF UFO Investigations: BIO: Stanton T. Friedman received BSc and MSc degrees in physics from the University of Chicago in 1955 and 1956. He was employed for 14 years as a nuclear physicist for such companies as GE, GM, Westinghouse, TRW Systems, Aerojet General Nucleonics, and McDonnell Douglas on such advanced, classified, eventually cancelled, projects as nuclear aircraft, fission and fusion rockets, and nuclear powerplants for space. Since 1967 he has lectured on the topic “Flying Saucers ARE Real!” at more than 600 colleges and over 100 professional groups in 50 states, 9 provinces, 16 other countries. He has published more than 80 UFO papers and appeared on hundreds of radio and TV programs. He is the original civilian investigator of the Roswell Incident and coauthored “Crash at Corona: The Definitive Study of the Roswell Incident.” TOP SECRET/MAJIC, his explosive book about the Majestic 12 group established in 1947 to deal with crashed saucers, was published in 1996 and went through 6 printings. The 2nd edition with a new 5000-word afterward was published in September 2005 and is in its 2nd printing. .
PM: How did you get started in investigating Roswell? SF: I lived in the Los Angeles area and talked to a Calif. Forest Ranger who told of his good sighting and referred Bobbi Ann
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Slate and I to his mother (Lydia Sleppy) because of her good sighting. She had been working at an Albuquerque radio station and mentioned a call from their Roswell Affiliate. The reporter asked her to transmit a story on the news wire about a crashed saucer that was being taken to Wright Field. She started to but was interrupted by a bell and a line from the FBI saying discontinue this transmission. There was a lot of classified work in NM,so naturally the FBI wanted to control access. I got some names (early 1970s), talked to a few people but ran into a wall. In 1978 I was at a TV station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to do three interviews to promote my lecture that evening at Louisiana State University. Did the first 2, but the third reporter was no where to be found.. no cell phones then. The station manager was giving me coffee, looking at his watch and being embarrassed, because he knew the person who had brought me to the station and knew I had other things to do. Out of the blue he said “The guy you ought to talk to is Jesse Marcel”. I said “who is he”. “Oh, he handled the wreckage of one of those saucers you are interested in when he was in the military… he lives in Houma, great guy, we are old ham radio buddies.”. then the missing reporter showed up. The next day from the airport I called information in Houma and got Jesse’s number. I called him; he told me his story, but didn’t have a specific date. I shared with Bill Moore. A few months later after my lecture to a big crowd at Bemidji, Minnesota, State College Vern and Jean Maltais asked me if I had heard anything about a crashed saucer in New Mexico. They told me the story of Barney Barnett’s finding a
saucer. I got their name and number and the very next day shared it with Bill Moore who then lived in Minnesota. He had a third story about an English actor (Hughie Green) actor who heard a crashed saucer story on the radio while driving from LA to Philadelphia. This was in the UK mag “Flying Saucers Review” His son lived in Canada and told Bill it was late June early July, in 1947. Bill went to the U.of Minnesota Library and checked newspapers and found the stories verifying what Jesse had told me and providing many more names. Over the next 2 years Bill and I located 62 people connected with Roswell and the Plains of San Agustin, leading to the first book “The Roswell Incident”. Our phone bills ran hundreds of dollars per month.
PM: Were people weary of talking about the events of July 1947 back in the beginning? SF: They were wary but seemed favorably impressed by Bill and me. We treated them with respect. And said we wouldn’t use names without permission.
PM : After 25 plus years of investigating the Roswell incident, what do we know more today than previously? SF: We knew nothing previous to 1972 or so. We know a great deal more now, found many witnesses (including for example retired General Thomas Jefferson DuBose), found many newspaper articles. We know there were two separate crashes at about the same time, that the coverup was instigated by General McMullen in DC, that townspeople were threatened, that the USAF has been quite willing to lie through its teeth with such crazy explanations as Mogul Balloons and crash test dummies.
PM: People have a hard time believing in these notions of contact. But do you think the nuclear testing in New Mexico in those days had anything to do with visitor/ETs taking an interest in mankind? SF: Aliens had been around for some time.. maybe thou-
sands of years. Southeastern NM was the only place on the planet where alien spies could in July, 1947, monitor the three technologies that indicated that soon (less than 100 years) earthlings ( a primitive society whose major activity was tribal warfare) would be able to take our peculiar brand of friendship (hostility) out to bother them. Nuclear weapons (first one was exploded at Trinity site on grounds of White Sands Missile Range. Our captured German V-2 rockets were being tested there as well, and we had the best radar we had tracking the rockets. I presume all civilizations are concerned about their own survival and security. We earthlings killed 50 Million of our own kind during the war and destroyed 1700 cities. Surely we would not qualify for membership in any local galactic federation. : In your opinion; does the UFO phenomena as a whole, constitute solid fact that we are not alone in the Universe? SF: I think in terms of the local galactic neighborhood (There are 1000 stars within 54 light years of which 46 are similar to the sun). I am not interested in UFOs but rather in flying saucers ..i.e. intelligently controlled extraterrestrial spacecraft. All fs are UFOs only, some UFOs are fs.The evidence is overwhelming that Earth is being visited.
PM: We’ve got a 40 plus year space program doing missions above the earths orbit and coming into close proximity of anomalous objects and SETI listening to radio frequencies in deep space for decades. Yet none of theses agencies take a serious look at Roswell. What are your thoughts on NASA and the SETI program? SF: NASA has a primary goal of keeping budget money coming and developing technology to utilize space. It has no major goal of manned exploration. It clearly is the policy of the government not to admit flying saucer reality. I don’t doubt that there are NASA people who know a great deal, but it is very highly classified and cannot be released. Only a few would have a need to know. SETI is really Silly Effort To Investigate. It is based a on a host of silly assumptions and frequent silly claims that there
is no good evidence for flying saucer reality. None of the cult leaders mention the scientific studies. They assume aliens stuck at a technology level close to ours when they are very likely thousands or millions of years ahead of us. Why would they try to attract our attention? They foolishly assume no colonization and no migration and no security aspect to the flying saucer problem. I have articles on my website www.stantonfriedman. com
PM: You were classmates with Carl Sagan right? Did Carl ever discuss anything about UFOs with you? SF: We were the same age and in the same classes at the University of Chicago between 1953-1956. No UFO discussions then. I visited Cornell to lecture years ago and then again a couple of years before Carl’s death and did indeed talk of UFOs prior to my 2nd Cornell lecture. There was correspondence as well. I had to correct his views about the necessity of reproducibility to science about UFOs. And did a long critique of an article about UFO abductions he wrote for PARADE. I discuss his many strange comments about UFOs in his book “Demon Haunted World” in my book TOP SECRET/MAJIC.
PM: The UFO community lost one of our biggest skeptics last year in Phillip Klass. The known UFO debunker passed away last year. He really believed that UFOs could be explained away. Was his work part of some Government disinformation camp designed to throw off the mainstream media? SF: I have never proved he was being paid by the government. Phil was a very prolific and frequently inaccurate noisy negativist. At least he paid up on his offer concerning the Typeface on one of the controversial Majestic 12 Documents. Our correspondence about that is in my “Final Report on Operation Majestic 12” along with a copy of his check.
PM: We actually met in Corpus Christi in September of 2000 at the 37th Annual National UFO Conference and I’ve interviewed you many times on my radio shows in the past. What else have we learned in the last 13 years if anything about the UFO mystery?
Stanton Friedman Interview: UFO SECRECY. THE BIGGEST SECRET SF: I tried to exclude this case from my documentary “UFOs ARE Real” back in 1978 and it is the one case in the film that I didn’t stand behind. I found I couldn’t trust what Wendelle Stevens said and Dr. Bruce Maccabee has found strong indications that some motion picture footage was fraudulent.
PM: What is one of the best cases to argue evidence of absolute proof of UFOs in your opinion?
Stanton Friedman Interview: A HISTORY OF UFO Investigations: SF: We have obtained much more information about both the genuine MJ-12 documents and the fraudulent ones, described in the new after-word in the 2nd edition of TOP SECRET/MAJIC. Ted Phillips has collected many more physical trace cases. More alien abductions have come to light. The skeptics have made more phony arguments disregarding the facts, attacking the people, doing their research by proclamation. We have learned a lot about battles between military interceptors and UFOs in 1952 and about apparent disintegrations of some of our aircraft by UFOs. We have learned that even outstanding newsmen such as Peter Jennings are quite willing to misrepresent the facts about UFOs and the people involved. We have newer data about Zeta I and Zeta 2 Reticuli indicating they are 39 light years away from us and only 1/8th of a light year apart though a billion years older than the sun.
PM: Will we ever get any answers from the government Stan or are we likely in your opinion to hear from the Aliens themselves? SF: I think courageous journalists spending the same
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effort that Woodward and Bernstein did in blowing the lid off the political Watergate, could blow the lid off the Cosmic Watergate. : Is there a secret cabal in the government hiding all of the evidence like Chris Carter espouses in his hit series the X files? SF: Obviously not all the evidence has been hidden. I think there is still a control group such as MJ-12 but of course with a new name. Someone needs to sort and sift and evaluate the information obtained from crashed saucer wreckage and from instrumentation in the sky and on the ground as we monitor the flights of flying saucers.
SF: I don’t use terms like absolute proof. We are not talking about DNA or physics lab tests. I would say the evidence is overwhelming. I like the abduction of Betty and Barney Hill as described in John Fuller’s “Interrupted Journey” including the star map work of Marjorie Fish. There is a new manuscript “Captured: An Insider’s Look at the Betty and Barney Hill Case” by Betty’s niece , Kathy Marden, and myself . I like the 41 cases described by the late Dr. James E. McDonald in his Congressional Testimony. The 71 page report is on my website. The observations of Huge mother ships in the Japan Air Lines and Yukon cases are also very exciting to me.
PM : If these are ETs occupying many of the UFO sightings, do you think they are peaceful?
PM : What is your opinion of Alien Abductions? SF: I don’t care about UFO SF: Some earthlings have indeed been abducted by some aliens as described by Budd Hopkins, David Jacobs, John Fuller etc. Each case must be taken on its own merits. Hybridization, genetic evaluation etc seem to be taking place.
PM : What are your thoughts on the whole Billy Meier case in Switzerland? The one armed farmer claims to have had contact with a group of Pleadian ETs and has provided some excellent photo shots of UFOs/ Beamships. Was this case ever proven a hoax or given any other credibility?
sightings. I care about reports by competent observers of strange phenomena in the sky and on the ground whose appearance indicates they were manufactured and whose behavior indicates they were not manufactured here and are therefore of ET origin. The conclusion is reached after investigation by competent investigators. About 1/6th of Ted Phillips 5000 Trace cases involve reports of typically small beings associated with saucers near the ground. They seem to attack only in self-defense and obviously haven’t wrought wholesale destruction. Obviously I
know nothing of their longterm goals. Turkeys must think their owners are very peaceful until Thanksgiving day.
PM: Thank You Stan for your time and input. What else would you like to say to readers about the UFO phenomena? SF: It is a complex and exciting subject. I would suggest checking out my website at www.stantonfriedman.com; I am happy to offer a special of my two autographed books
“Crash at Corona: The Definitive Story of the Roswell Incident”, and TOP SECRET/MAJIC, and my CD-ROM “UFOs the Real Story” for only $35. including Priority mail. Send a check to me at POB 958, Houlton, ME 047300958. Other videos, a DVD, and many papers are also available. Keep your eye on the sky . Stan Friedman fsphys@rogers.com
EAT ME
ians since 1983. And it is here where the story begins. A young Jeff Turner started out working in his family restaurant in Boyd, waiting on customers and washing dishes as a young man, later, smoking brisket and other meats as a teen. Jeff was raised with smoke in his Texas blood!
EAT ME: Chiefs BBQ There are many places in Central Texas where one can sample the great tasting BBQ our fair state has to offer. Some names are more known than others. Some world famous even. However this story is not about the brand names of TEXAS BBQ; however it is a story about deep Texas roots and family. Boyd is a small North Texas two stoplight town located in Wise County just northwest of the Dallas-Fort-Worth metroplex. Double K BBQ founded in 1983 has been horrifying vegitar-
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His mother still owns Double K BBQ 30 years later. After working hazmat, building houses and cutting hay to building cabnets, Jeff made the move to Austin and began to cook once again. Founding Chiefs BBQ with long time friend Kelly Gartzke in 2003, the two have been “smoking it up” the last 10 years in the 78745- 48 area of South Austin! If you live in the Austin Zip Codes 78745 - 46-47-and 48, then you already know that Chiefs BBQ delivers. If you don’t live in the delivery zone, then run, drive or walk to Chiefs and order a plate of brisket and ribs with some beans and potato salad. If your tongue does not burst with flavors and drive your taste
senses stark raving mad for another bite of brisket, you are not of this earth. The mind- blowing euphoric feeling that ignites your inner caveman or woman is so full of taste it will make you wanna smack yo mamma! I know BBQ because I cook it myself several weekends a month. But I could take a bath in the sauce at Cheifs BBQ. They sell if for just $4 a jar and I’d buy it by the gallons if they sold it that way. Cheifs BBQ may not be as popular as some of the older spots in central Texas, but it has stood on its own for 10 years! And South Austinites know why! Their homemade Chili, stuffed potatoes, pecan pie and pudding cake are all fantastic, but the Joe Bob beans are a specialty hit made with beans, chopped brisket, sausage, cheese, bbq sauce, onion and jalepeno. The beans are named Joe Bob after the town mechanic !
by Russell Dowden
Catering! You can call Cheifs for corporate parties, weddings, birthdays, sporting events, or just lunch for your business meeting. Catering is a big part of Chiefs business. Reserve your smoked turkey now for the holidays and you will be the hero on Thanksgiving. Chiefs smokes only about 50-60 turkeys so call in your reservation now. SANDWICHES “The Homer” - named after the Simpsons character is stuffed
with chopped brisket & sausage, onions, and pickles! “The Barney” - named after the town drunk, is even a heartier sandwich to tackle. This double chicken fried steak sandwich is covered in grilled onions and jalepenos and sure to sober up the Barney in us all. Chiefs BBQ 7811 S 1st St # 104 Austin, Texas 78748 www.chiefsbbq.com Visit August 17th for Buy 1 Get 1 Free!!
Vintage Western Décor. An Interview with Todd Sanders of Roadhouse Relics
Paranoid Magazine talks with Artist Todd Sanders of Roadhouse Relics in South Austin. Vintage Western Décor.
P: Welcome to Paranoid Magazine Todd. TS: Thanks for havin’ me, I’m happy to be a part of your cool magazine.
P: How have you been doing? Tell us about your craft and give readers a brief description of the history of Roadhouse Relics. TS: Roadhouse Relics started out as a commercial neon sign company in 1997. I started focusing on creating vintage style, 1940’s era neon signs for homes, businesses and movie sets. In the past few years, I closed the commercial side of my company and now do neon art signs exclusively.Roadhouse Relics is now the name of my art gallery.
P: What’s the most memorable piece of neon sign art you have done recently? TS: There are a few that I’ve signed non-disclosure contracts that I wish I could discuss, but can’t.
I did a piece for Duck Dynasty recently, but one of the neatest projects was a spaceship with the words YOYODYNE Propulsion Systems, a tribute to a movie called Buckaroo Banzai. This dude was a big fan of that movie and had me make it for his home.
P: How often is the studio and gallery open to the public? TS: We have what I call South Austin hours, if I’m here, I’m open. If you see a turquoise ‘59 Chevy truck outside, I’m here. It’s best to make an appointment if you don’t want to miss me.
TS: Andy Warhol, Dan Flavin, and Bruce Nauman paved the way for me in the fine art world, they’re my influences.
I’m kicking around an idea of having a 5 star chef do events in the evenings with a fine meal served in the gallery and neon boneyard out back.
What I like is the ‘collision’ between art and commerce. When I make a vintage style neon art piece and weather it, most people never know that it is a new work of art. They think it is an antique that’s been on Route 66 for the last 50 years.
P: Have you done any movie Neon lately for film?
P: Business owners are curious, how affordable are your neon signs? TS: While I’m not focusing on signs for businesses, my pieces are still pretty affordable considering the costs involved in making them.
P: Do you still talk to Rory and the guys at Blue Genie Industries? Ever Collaborate with them on anything?
My in stock art pieces start at $2500, and custom ones start at $3500.
TS: Rory went out on his own about a year ago, and is now my neighbor here on S. First St. I don’t get to see the old gang as much as I’d like, I’m married and have a 2 year old now, but would love to work with them again.
P: Do still have special events in the studio?
P: Who do you like in your genre of neon, glass, sign art, welding? Do you have any artistic influences?
TS: We were honored to be a part of Austin Art Night last February.500 people streamed through this tiny space that night. It was surreal. In March I debuted 4 new pieces in a gallery show one night. I’m planning a Fall show soon.
TS: The movies kind of left Texas when the State quit offering tax incentives. I hear that they are going to offer them again, but it has been kind of lean lately. I did do an ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’ neon prop recently, and a few of Terrence Malick’s new movies, which I’m proud of.
P: The classic Vintage Neon art
craft is not your everyday trade. It must be a unique skill to be in. Is this fair to say? TS: Oh Yeah.I’ve devoted 20 years to studying the craft. You see, the old neon masters of the 1940’s and 1950’s didn’t pass their skill on to the ‘new guys’ in the 1970’s, because the new guys were only interested in creating fluorescent boxes with plastic faces. I had to try to go back and find out what these old guys knew. I found a few of them who were retired, and made friends with them and learned all I could. Those guys are gone now, so I’m glad I took the time to find them. I feel like a neon archaeologist.
Vintage Western Décor. An Interview with Todd Sanders of Roadhouse Relics
P: I saw the GSD&M video on YouTube for Shepard Fairy’s sign for SUBLIMINAL art gallery. I interviewed Shepard in May a few Issues back. What did you guys collaborate on that was an OBEY project? TS: Shepard hired me to make a sign for his subliminal gallery, and then I was able to do 2 pieces that just said ‘OBEY’ in a neon script. I love his work and was really happy to collaborate with him.
P: What Projects are you currently working on Todd? TS: I’m having a lot of fun coming up with new phrases and incorporating them into vintage style neon pieces. One of my newest ones that I really like is WTF? With a huge question mark above. People come into the gallery and think these are antique signs, and when they see something like that, it messes with their head. I love to see the shift occur when they finally get it.
P: Can you make a sign for our office? Like a Neon with Metal combination? Maybe an Alien or
UFO flying past a Pyramid or something..... lol. or Roswell 508 ----------->
TS: Yep. I am currently running a 4 month waiting list, but I’ll put you in line and make something really cool. I love atomic are spaceships, aliens and Roswell stuff.
P: I’ve known you for like 10-11 years now.I been meaning to ask you. Who designed that painting on the wall of your place that says Austin? It is a classic iconic piece and I’m always seeing folks taking pictures in front of your Annie side if the street. TS: In 1998, Rory Skagen and Bill Brakhage came up with that idea, and we all pitched in to paint it. It needs restoration, and I’m trying to raise some funds to get her back to what she looked like when we painted it.
P: What’s next for the studio? More classic vintage art TS: Lot’s more art. And maybe a book soon. There’s big news coming out in September about a project I worked on. I can’t tell anyone yet, but it is going to be seen by millions of people.
We will post it on my facebook and newsletter when it comes out.
P: You are an Austin Icon yourself Todd. Thanks for keeping Austin glowing!! TS: Thanks. Everything I do is to say thanks to the city that made me. I love this place, and can’t believe I get to be a small part of what makes it cool.
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The Skarlet D ...by Megan Roper THE SCARLET D “She defends drunk drivers.” Someone recently used this phrase to describe my job. While I would prefer more eloquent (and accurate) ways of describing my profession, I suppose they are correct. I defend “drunk drivers”. The stigma and persecution that goes along with being a “drunk driver” never ceases to blow my mind. The moment someone is arrested for the suspicion of DWI, they will face constant scrutiny under the label of “drunk driver.” After being arrested, that person will spend thousands of dollars dealing with the consequences of this accusation. And, no matter what the outcome, they will never recuperate those expenses, even if a jury of their peers finds them NOT guilty. As a suspected drunk driver is released from jail, they are commonly ordered to get an ignition interlock device (or some other type of alcohol monitoring device). The idea behind an ignition interlock is quite intelligent. The devices are designed to prevent a drunk person from driving – if you blow an alcohol reading, your car won’t start. In a perfect world, these devices would do their job correctly, 100% of the time, but in reality, just like any other machine, errors happen. If your phone malfunctions, you get it repaired or buy a new one. If your alcohol monitoring device malfunctions, you go to jail, because you’re a big-time drunk. Even with a perfectly functioning device, a person accused of DWI will lose thousands of dollars (at least $100 per month) paying for one of these machines. This is money they will never get back – even if found not guilty by a jury. This week, I won a jury trial on a DWI where my client (who we will call L.C.) admitted to drinking with dinner, and he provided a breath
test that was over the legal limit. L.C. waited 18 long months for the chance to prove his innocence. As a member of the National Guard, L.C. was unable to deploy for the last 18 months because of the pending accusation. Additionally, L.C. suffered through a six-month driver’s license suspension after he was arrested. After a year-and-a-half of fighting for his innocence, L.C. can finally move forward with his life. L.C.’s case is a relatively minor example of the nightmare that a pending DWI case can become. This is one of the most difficult things to explain to my clients. I regularly hear people say, “I thought I was innocent unless proven guilty.” Despite the fact that the Constitution upholds the principal of presumed innocence, our society has embraced an exception to this in DWI charges. When a person is accused of a DWI they are viewed as guilty, and now they must fight to prove their innocence. So why have we, as a society, decided it is just to label someone with a scarlet D before they ever step inside a courtroom? My guess is that much of our ill perception comes from the bombardment of government advertising – “Drink, Drive, Go to Jail,” “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,” or “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”. None of these propagandas are an accurate statement of the law. Driving while intoxicated is not the same as drunk driving. Nor is driving while intoxicated the same as driving with any alcohol in your system. Our government chooses to pump us full of misinformation surrounding DWIs. This misinformation serves to confuse and mislead the public. This misinformation desensitizes us to the hell that a person accused of DWI is forced to live through. As a community we must resist this misinformation and fight against the scarlet D. If we allow our constitutional right to presumed innocence to be destroyed in DWI accusations,
it will soon no longer be a right at all.
Megan Roper is a Criminal Defense Trial Attorney with the Law Offices of Jamie Balagia who specializes in defending persons accused of drug and alcohol crimes. If you would like to contact her she can be reached via phone or email. (210) 394-3833 megan@dwidude.com
$3.50 each or 0.99¢ wholesale. Call for custom stickers 877-873-9626
PM: Welcome to Paranoid Magazine this August. How have you guys been? VGS: Things have been going pretty good. It has been over a year since our last release, and we are as busy as we want to be.
PM: We interviewed you guys a few years back for 2007’s Southern California Street Music. Then we were WEIRD MAGAZINE. Still rocking. Still touring! VGS: Yeah, we get out there as much as possible. And we still tour whenever we feel the need. The music industry, and “scene” are constantly changing, and we just roll with times! We have accomplished a lot in our career, and we still feel like there is so much more out there for us to achieve.
PM: Where are you performing for Spring Break next year? VGS: Well, I don’t know so much about Spring Break because it seems to fall at a different time everywhere. But we will be on tour in Australia, this March with a package of other bands from the U.S and Australia. Then we follow up with a southwest tour in April/May that will include Texas.
PM: Look’s like South America e has you booked with the 2nd part of the summer. What can we expect of the new Tour? VGS: We try not to change things up too much as far as the music is concerned. But with all these albums that we
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have released, it can be difficult picking the right mixture of songs for the set, between old & new. But we always play the staple songs that got us recognized in the 90’s, off our first 2-3 albums, and we also try to throw in some of the more recent stuff too. A majority of the fans still want to hear the classics. And the show will be a little more visual too! We have a couple of things in the works.
PM: Since 1988 you and your brothers have been traveling all around the world bringing your sound of West Coast skacore.How have the fans changed in the last 20 or so years Frank? VGS: Yes, we have been very fortunate to be able to tour worldwide, just off music that we created as kids, in a bedroom at my parent’s house. We have lived, and survived through different formats of music like cassettes, vinyl, Cd’s, video, and now the digital era. With that, comes change in the fans and how they perceive the music too. We are firm believers that you cannot really duplicate the energy of a good live performance. The novelty of being able to go to a record store, and browse at album covers for hours, is long gone now. I think with that being taken away, and with the modern day conveniences of being able to obtain music nowadays, it has definitely made music fans lazier from going to see an actual live show, and really check out bands. I mean, we still do very well considering that we have been around for almost 25 years, and doing this mostly on a DIY level. We are very lucky! It’s hard to find actual music with heart & soul anymore. There’s too much fabricated crap out there, and young kids are buying into it. I don’t get it.
PM: You guys were in Texas for back in April. Where are you now in the Tour? SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR 2013!
Aug 8th Beunos Aires, Argentina at Niceto Club Aug 9th Curitiba, Brasil at John Bull Pub Aug 10th Sao Paulo, Brasil at Hangar 110 Aug 11th Rio De Janero, Brasil at Teatro Odissei VGS: We absolutely love pretty much everything about Texas, except for the fact that we are not from there. Shows and the fans lever let us down.
PM: “Break the Spell” was released on January 17th on Smelvis Records Tell us about the tracks on the latest record.
VGS: Well we have never considered ourselves as any kind of politically motivated band. We believe that music was meant to be a form of entertainment, and not a tool to form opinions towards any certain direction. Even though we do have political subject matter in our songs, it’s usually just dabbling in it, and poking fun at it. There’s never a lack of material when it comes to politics! Whether you pay attention or not, politics and media run our lives. You can’t ignore it, but you can make fun of it, to make you feel better about it. When we first started, our songs were very adolescent and about beer, and partying. But as you get older, and progress as a band, you can’t just keep writing about that 20 years later.
VGS: Well, we took a course of over 3 years to actually write and record it. But that is also the benefits of being truly independent, and having your own recording studio. You can do what you want, and there is no pressure from anybody, except for the fans. To be honest, we were watching the retail music business die out completely, and watching small, mom & pop record stores fade away. And all these record labels that were once really cool, and responsible for a lot of punk bands’ success just disappear! We really didn’t know what we were going do with our music after we recorded it. So we took our time, toured for 2 years, and finally finished an album. All the songs were written within a course of 3-4 years. And we just wrote about whatever was going within that time frame, and has affected us in any way. We get inspired by everything from comedy, to tragedy. No matter what, we always try to “keep it real”, as they say. And I think that has always been a good quality about our band. People can relate.
PM: What are your thoughts on the TSA groping old ladies, the Un-manned Drones flying over our heads, the government listening to phone calls? Do you think we really have some legitimate reasons to be Paranoid in the early 21st century? VGS: I try not to think too much about any big brother type stuff, any politics. And I do not believe in religion, even though I was raised as a catholic. I just to be a good person, and treat others as I like to be treated. And I live day by day, like most people. Man is it’s own worst enemy, and he will responsible for ending his own race. That is the way I see it.
PM: Your songs often use humor to comment on many of the harsh political realities – from racial tensions to political unrest overseas; and often lyrics are mixed with Spanish and English. How has the political climate influenced the band lyrically in recent years?
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PM: What gives the Voodoo Glow Skulls inspiration? VGS: Life, Music,Fans, Family, and friends.
PM: Yeah, BTW, who do you guys listen to this days? What’s in your car or the Van or Bus when you guys are touring? VGS: Between all of us, it’s always a great mixture! Too many artists to choose from. We love punk, metal,glam, rock,hardcore,ska, rap/hip-hop, outlaw country, Mexican music, 50’s-60’s oldies,..etc.etc.
PM: In 24 years of existence, the Voodoo Glow Skulls have an impressive list of achievements. 9 albums, one million records sold, appearances in exotic locations like Australia, Brazil and Japan. What is the wildest show in recent memory? VGS: We just did a tour of Mexico a few months back, and all the shows were incredible. One particular show in Monterrey, Mexico was with the Mexican ska band Inspector. The show was massive, and probably the largest crowd we have played in front of in a couple of years!
PM: Thank you guys! That was a great show here in Austin on April 28th! Any final thoughts to Austin, San Marcos, San Antonio? VGS: We are looking forward to playing for y’all in Texas once again! Who do, Voodoo, We do,..FUCK YOU!!
Current Line Up:
Eddie Casillas-Guitar Frank Casillas-Vocals Jorge Casillas-Bass Vince Sollecito-Drums Mark Bush-Trumpet Dan Albert-Trombone
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The LONE GUNMAN: DEAN HAGLUND INTERVIEW The LONE GUNMAN: DEAN HAGLUND INTERVIEW -
Paranoid: Welcome to Paranoid Magazine Dean.... How’s Life after the “X Files “ and “The Lone Gunman” ? DH:Way too busy, what with the Production company and the Chill Pak Hollywood Hour podcast I do, all that I am sure we will get into as we go.
Paranoid: I see you have a new Comic book entitled: WHY THE LONE GUNMEN were CANCELED. Tell us about this project?
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DH: Yeah, it seemed at the conventions and around the world, no one could understand how a fun and cool show like the Gunmen would get cancelled after only 13 episodes. And I had to go into a very long winded explanation as to what happened, and since I could draw and I had done some other “behind the scenes” comics of the X-Files, it seemed a great way to save my breath. And have some fun.
Paranoid: What a Weird experience for you to be a part of that Lone Gunman Episode prior to 9/11; In which Terrorist hijacked a plane and then attempted to crash it into the WTC. Of course the Lone Gunmen stopped them and saved the day. Who wrote the script for that episode and when did
you guys film it?
DH: That was filmed almost a year before, and it aired about 8 months before it happened. In fact, it was so far out of my mind that I didn’t put it together till one of the writers called me. The episode has all four writers credited on the front page, but I think that it was Vince Gilligan who actually put in the plane attack into the script.
Paranoid: Funny how Condoleeza Rice claimed that “We had no idea that this is what Terrorist would do.” What about the Exercises that were going on the Day of 9/11? Including specifically the
Paranoid: Any Movies or upcoming events/Comic-con continues . . . dates you want to tell us drill Vigilent Guardian ( the war about? You wrote an Article game scenario’s ) that terrorists for Weird Magazine back in were going to hit WTC? What 2005 about COMIC-CON in San are you thoughts about all the Paranoid: Your Comedy Improv Diego. What events are you discrepancies regarding 9/11? going to be at in 2013? Maybe Connie should have watch Enterprise looks like a lot of Fun. I understand you are more TV? DH: Gosh, so many. I am performing this past July at going to be at the Edinburgh DH: Hah! Yeah, maybe she Fringe Festival in August. the Roswell 65th Anniversary would get a better clue as to Comic-Con in July and Festival. Tell us about your what it going on. Because more... Go to Deanhaglund. I was on the show, I hear Improv. You play Spock, is that com for all the details. a lot from the conspiracy right? Paranoid: So Dean have you researchers. And the eviever seen a UFO? (Not on the dence that they have is fairly DH: : Yep, that is me there with compelling as to it being X-Files) In real Life. GARY JONES from Stargate The LONE GUNMAN: DEAN HAGLUND INTERVIEW -
not exactly what we are told happened.
Paranoid:What Do you think really happened on 9/11? DH: A shile back I read “Crossing the Rubicon” by Michael Ruppert. He was a detective with the LAPD and he treats the 911 like he would any murder case, and
methodically as he presents his case, none of it adds up. So that in combination with other information and articles and it looks just like we said in the series “ a plan in place to start an international war on terror”.
SG1. We did a stage show in the early 90’s that was a huge hit in Vancouver and now that we are at the conventions together we start improvising in character. I think that he couldn’t make it to Roswell so there I just improvised an episode of X-Files where anything can happen and does. People got dragged up on stage and hilarity ensues!
DH: The doom and gloom types say the actual calendar doesn’t just stop, it has a carving from the final day of a worm, or snake that spirals into the sky. Some say this is a worm hole that will transport us to somewhere else or a tornado that will destroy everything. But I had also heard that the carving represents our collective conscious that will rise from this plane and time will become irrelevant. I like that idea, because right now I am getting four hours a night so it would be great.
DH: No, I ever have. And now if I do see one, then I can never really tell anyone because then they will say “ Poor Dean, still thinks he is on his show.”
Paranoid: Dean, Life is full of weirdness, conspiracies, and paranormal. Are humans more likely alone in the Universe, or genetically spawned creations from the Annanuki? And when are you scheduled next to Have your Charka’s aligned?
Paranoid: What Do you think about 2012 and the Mayan Calendar?
DH: I had this very discussion with a bio-anthropologist from Berkley and we discussed evolution and biology. I asked
that how is it that Humans and some gerbils are the only creatures not to RETAIN vitamin C, a component necessary for life? How would you evolve out of hanging onto everything that you need for as long as possible? Does that not point to some cross genetic manipulation? He agreed but didn’t think that was as strong an argument as the immune system. How could any simple cell organism evolve a system to attack other single cells and yet accept others into its own being to grow? Where and how did the system decide and what criterion was it using and wouldn’t that actually stop evolution? To answer the second part of your question... I do yoga frequently, so I am aligned.
Paranoid: Thanks for talking with us Dean. What would your character Langley warn Paranoid Magazine readers about in today’s Big Brother Police State?
DH: Trust no one, deny everything, Gunmen Rule! Page 21 • www.paranoidmagazine.com
PROJECT RESERVE By Shea Ronsonette
filtered water returning to the river. In effect, the system will be cleaning the water and enhancing the ecosystem downstream. As the water returns to the river, its flow will create enough electricity to not only power the prototype, but will create enough energy to be sold back to the local electric Cooperative for profit.
Most people reading this article have been inundated for years with talk of “End Times,” “Preparations for the Apocalypse”, “Green Technologies”, and everything else that goes hand in hand with the growing consensus that the world we have come to live in is reaching a boiling point. That point isn’t just astrologically, politically, or religiously inevitable… it’s realistically unavoidable. Since the systematic annihilation of the Druids, Native Americans and other “Nature Cultures” around the globe, mankind has been building toward his own demise. But there’s something more daunting, yes even more frightening than a complete collapse of the corrupted governmental and religious regimes currently wreaking havoc on our planet and even our very souls. More worrisome than Apocalypse is “No Apocalypse”. No end to the madness and the worsening of our existence through starvation, waterless wells, disease and devolution is far more fearsome than an abrupt or even gradual cessation of existence as we know it. 2012 came and went more quietly than a thief in the night… took nothing, started nothing and gave nothing. Now, we are left with a subtle knowing that we are not, nor have we ever been in control. Today we are left wondering, “What do we do now?”. The answers to the questions of today’s society cannot be answered with an easy fix or
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continued spending. The current state of the planet is being debated all over the globe and no one seems to have anything to offer but opinions and BandAids. The time has come for a paradigm shift. We must move forward from the way we have come to operate as inhabitants and caretakers of this planet. Our future and the future of generations to come, depends on us. Timeless and age old practices, coupled with innovative new technology, can lead us to a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow. That “Tomorrow” holds the promise of longevity and prosperity, not available through current standard practices in energy production, construction and farming. We need a unique sustainable village prototype and energy farm that can easily be reproduced anywhere in the world. The implications of this project are world changing. That prototype is being created here in Central Texas. It’s time for solutions. Through the development of this prototype, we will learn to use microhydro technology in line with an aquaculture system that supplies irrigation to the organic crops and livestock. Moreover, through the use of gravity, wind and solar pumps, important wildlife ecosystems can be revived and posh lands that had become dry by over population and urban sprawl can be easily revived and begin to thrive once more. The side effect of pumping water from the river into the system is cleaner, naturally
The buildings constructed for the small village will be made of excavated earth and cedars from the aquaculture sites, using a proven building technology called “Earth Bags”. This type of construction is less than .10% of standard home construction costs and lasts hundreds of years longer without maintenance. The walls are thick enough to provide the same thermal protection as a cave, keeping temperatures inside the structures a pleasant 68-70 degrees year round without air conditioning. An existing 5 stall stable with housing will be converted to a veterinary center for the care of rescued livestock and wild life. 100 acres of the property will be converted to a wildlife reserve for indigenous and endangered animals. The remaining 115 acres will house the prototype and its workers. As we see Obama going to Africa to give $800 Million, the thought comes to mind that a prototype such as the one being created here could be produced over 700 times for that amount of money. When the $800 Million in aid is depleted through purchases of non-sustainable goods and services, what will Africa be left with? It won’t be sustainable villages that need one time construction funding. It’s sad but true, America gives literally BILLIONS each year to countries all over the globe for perishables. Imagine the implications of one time funding, keeping the yearly billions in the pockets of the tax payers it was taken from. Imagine the effects of adding this prototype’s “OffGrid” design to neighborhoods and homes around the globe. Now imagine a world full of selfsustaining cities… because that is the next step. Keep in mind, those cities would be cleaning the water supply and creating food and electricity for themselves perpetually.
Sound like a feasible solution? That’s what this prototype means to the planet, and what better place for it to begin but in Central Texas? A prototype that can work in the dry and rocky terrain of the Texas Hill Country can work anywhere in the world. Here’s the hitch… you knew there was one, so just keep reading. Texas real estate is not cheap. In fact, buying Texas real estate today would be like buying Gold in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It’s going nowhere but up. With the prevailing freedoms and growing economy of Texas, Americans are immigrating here by nearly half a million people a year. This makes securing the perfect property for this prototype a formidable task. Luckily, the
property being acquired for this project is below market value and not currently listed for sale. Time is of the essence in deals like these and so a game plan for securing funding for its purchase had to be found and found quickly. Being that everyone involved in the creation of this project is a musician to date, ideas began to formulate about how a foundation could be created for the sole purpose of spreading the project worldwide. With a foundation in place, the acquisition funding for the property could be arranged or generated in a plethora of ways. That’s when Wimberley resident, musician and sound engineer Stephen Ronsonette brought a video to the conference table and threw it down in front of a recent meeting.
PROJECT RESERVE By Shea Ronsonette
the planet that we are doing for music”. As the video played, everyone in the recent meeting was quiet… searching for what exactly Grohl felt was the heart of the sound. As Stephen suggested before even watching, it was the sound board. The “kicker”, he proclaimed, was that the designer of the board, Rupert Neve, lives 5 minutes from the property being acquired for the project! YES!
“This is Dave Grohl’s Sound City Video,” he said. “This is how we can fund the whole thing and make enough money to start a foundation that can make one or more prototypes a year.” Ronsonette went on to talk about how he and Grohl shared the common beliefs about recording and how todays evolving technologies in music were, in a sense, the downfall of the integrity in the music itself. He likened the concept of preserving ideals to the concept of preserving life, the planet and freedom. He said, “We should create a place like Sound City, where we can preserve the values of the old ways and develop new ways for the future. The money we make will go to the foundation to fund the prototype that does the same thing for the planet that we are doing for music”.
“We should create a place like Sound City, where we can preserve the values of the old ways and develop new ways for the future. The money we make will go to the foundation to fund the prototype that does the same thing for
Everyone thought it must be a sign. After contacting Neve’s people, we got a call almost immediately. They will make the board. Rupert Neve, a genius of our time, created the Sound Board at Sound City and other Multi-Platinum recording studios all over the world, giving us the music we have loved for generations from bands. Imagine what we could do here. The list of PLATINUM recording artists who have funneled their talents through Neve Consoles is almost endless, including Dave Grohl and Foofighters, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Rage Against the Machine, Nirvana, Metallica, Neil Young, Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Cash, Paul McCartney, Red Hot Chili Peppers, REO Speedwagon, DIO, Santana, Tool, Ratt, The Black Crowes, Steely Dan, Nine Inch Nails, Kid Rock, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Ben Folds, Bill Cosby, A Perfect Circle, Barry Manilow, Cheap Trick, Rick Springfield, and even The Grateful Dead and too many more to list! This information really got everyone thinking about who would champion the project to drive it toward total funding. That’s when the idea came… Texas is home to literally hundreds, if not thousands of “well connected” celebrities.
Wes Anderson, Carol Burnett, Lance Armstrong, Gary Busey, George Bush, Laura Bush, Rene Zelwegger, Forest Whitaker, Luke Wilson, Tanya Tucker, Lee Ann Womack, Rip Torn, Powers Boothe, Lee Trevino, Mark “The Undertaker” Calaway, Earl Campbell, Kate Capshaw, Jamie Foxx, Woody Harrelson, Kris Kristopherson, Beyonce Knowles, Lyle Lovett, Mark Chestnut, Steve Martin, Farrah Faucet, Eva Longoria, Bill Paxton, Ross Perot, Randy Quaid, Dennis Quaid, Jessica Simpson, George Strait, Don Henley and Ethan Hawke, are just a handful of the countless millionaire celebrities born or currently living in Texas. Those Celebrities understand that even the poorest people all over the globe have bought an album, a book, a video… watched a movie or a game that added to their fortunes. Championing a project like this would mean certain success for the prototype and would give celebrities a chance to give back to the world that has put them where they are through love and support for their talents. With close to 1,000 record labels in the US, falling under the umbrella of the three major labels, possibilities are boundless. Once in full operation, the studio equipped with custom Rupert Neve equipment, could easily contract one breaking band or artist per month for all inclusive housing, audio and visual recording sessions. According to our study, a record label’s standard
expenditure for one breaking band to be housed and recorded in a similar studio is a minimum of $250,000.00. There over 1,000 record labels breaking bands and recording established ones on a weekly basis. This kind of cash flow will allow the foundation to begin establishing the prototype in needed areas worldwide. With celebrity support in raising the initial purchase and construction costs, the prototype will ceaselessly support itself and eventually become a money generating powerhouse, with all funds going toward worldwide distribution of the prototype. Instead of speaking about the world’s problems behind a bland podium in front of a handful of politicians and activists, these Texas celebrities can come together and build the future today. It’s not time for idle talk and
“feel good” speeches. The time has passed for pointing out the same tired flaws in society and rehashed fossil fuel possibilities. Something real is happening here. The outcome is in the hands of the ones who know. If you were a millionaire, what would you do? With all the times you have watched the talking heads bobble and babble about there being no solution available, is it ethically acceptable to do nothing when the solution is so evidently clear? So this is a wake-up call… a call to arms and a shout out for Texas Celebrities who care. It’s time to create a foundation of Texas Celebrities for Our Future. It’s time to Change The World.
From Texans who weren’t born here but got here as fast as they could, to Texas born and raised super stars who frequently lend their face and finances to projects all over the world with the end goal of making a difference, there has got to be at least a handful who would love to be involved in creating this prototype “Project Reserve”. Matthew McCaunahey, Alex Jones, Willie Nelson, Owen Wilson, Stone Cold Steve Austin,
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“ROBOT-GEEK-CULT-CINEMA” by Robot Geek
trilogy, but mainly focus on the first and best of the bunch. So here we go.
THE PLOT:
Set in Detroit in the not too distant future, the city is a crime infested metropolis with no hope. Murder, burglary, and robberies are part of everyday life here. Most of the police force are on strike and short handed. In steps officer Alex J. Murphy who just got transferred in form another precinct. He’s immediately teamed up with officer Ann Lewis and begins his first day on the job. Outnumbered during a raid, he’s viciously, and violently murdered in one of the most brutal displays of violence ever put on film.
ROBOCOP (1987) Hello film geeks, {{Robotgeek}} here with another cult classic for you to devour. Robocop. Now, I know when you think of this movie, your like-”what, Robocop?”. You probably think cheesy. Silly. Lame. No, no, no my friends. This is an important film in the science fiction genre. One that I think if you gave another chance, you would appreciate much more today than when you first saw it way, way, way back in’87. First of all, its just pure genius from a technical and creative angle. I’ll discuss a little of all three films in the
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Meanwhile, OCP (omni consumer products) is developing a supercop program for the police department. Problem is, who’s going to volunteer to be turned into a robot? They get there wish when officer Murphy, who has just been murdered is brought in and appears to still have brain function. Technically dead, they can do whatever they want with him. So they pretty much replace his whole body, save his face, with robotic parts and he becomes Robocop. Through the course of the movie we see him single handedly bring the crime rate down and violently, often humorously, bash and beat the per-
petrators to a pulp. Meanwhile, he’s having flashbacks of stored memories thought to be erased. He starts to realize that he was once a man. A man with a family. With the help of his former partner, officer Lewis, he starts to uncover his past and bring down the bad guys at the same time. Robocop is a classic by every geek standard. You’ve got action, gore, black humor, and one badass robosuit. Screenwriters Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner have crafted a solid science fiction film with plenty of new ideas and a fresh spin on an old genre. And lets not forget dutch director Paul Verhoeven. Wow! Does this guy know how to frame a shot to it’s full advantage. Actually, it was watching this movie that Arnold Schwarzenegger was convinced this was the man for the job of directing Total Recall. F/X master Rob Bottin did an incredible job designing the robosuit and handling the impressive special make-up effects. Seriously, can you honestly watch Peter Wellers murder scene and actually tell the difference between the actor and the mechanical dummy? 3 years later the studio decides to release a sequel. With the talent behind the camera for this one they felt they had a sure winner. Wrong! They snagged director Irvin Kirshner of The Empire Strikes Back (the best one in the series) and even got Frank
Miller ( yes, “THE” Frank Miller) to write the screenplay. Unfortunately we ended up with a muddled mess. No style. Too slow here, too weird there, it just didn’t mesh well. The concept was cool though. Who wouldn’t want to see Robocop battle an all new even bigger Robocop? The execution of it just didn’t work. And please, don’t get me started on part 3. I think everyone who even likes the character has totally forgotten about that one. Come on, a PG rated Robocop movie? Give me a break! Anyway, there’s several versions of the first movie on DVD. You can get the bare bones standard version with no special features and an ok picture. Or, you can track down the incredible version released by The Criterion Collection. I think these guys have released DVD’s of almost all the movies I’ve done so far. They really know how to put a package together. You don’t get any documentaries, but you do get an incredible picture quality and a fantastic sounding one too. The main thing that makes this one stand out and makes it worth seeking out is that you get a few minutes of never before seen footage of more gore and violence. Yes, you heard correctly. Like the scene where they first bring out Ed 209 and he blows away the unwitting office employee. Its twice as long
and superbly gory. And Peter Wellers death scene. Horrific, brutal, and a gut-wrenching scene to watch. Those few scenes of gory mayhem and a few others are worth the extra money and effort of tracking this version down. Its out of print now, so good luck. EBay is your best bet. So folks, there you have it. An incredible action, sci-fi move from 1987 that raised the bar of smart science fiction movie making and was praised by legendary director Ken Russell as “The best science fiction film since Metropolis”. PART MAN.... PART MACHINE.... ALL COP
{{robotgeek}}.
“Sol Tribe” Sending Smoke Signals by Karli Duran
Sending Smoke Signals With Vibes Across America by Karli Duran As the marijuana movement sweeps across the nation so will a popular San Antonio born reggae band known as Sol Tribe. Sol Tribe has 5 talented band members: Pictured from left to right Thomas Bazan (drums), Brian Lopez aka “Coco’s” (keyboard), Shaun Ferguson (bass), Anthony Berdecio (singer/ songwriter/ guitarist), and Mar Gutierrez (percussion). Sol Tribe’s band members are big supporters of NORML, and while playing their positive vibes in dozens of cities across the US they will be encouraging their fans to join the cause and fight to end the ridiculous War on Drugs. I am honored that bands like Sol Tribe and The Effinays out of Dallas are supporting their local NORML chapters and spreading the word to help end marijuana prohibition. Sol Tribe’s song
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“Call the Doctor” on their latest album “Radio Waves 4 Better Days” is a song regarding medicinal marijuana written by the creator of Sol Tribe, Anthony Berdecio. Last month San Antonio NORML was asked by the Mike Pinto Band to attend their show at Jack’s Bar in San Antonio, also huge supporters of NORML, and while at the show San Antonio NORML and Sol Tribe united. Sol Tribe was very supportive of San Antonio NORML the month before they left for their national tour. They played an acoustic set at SA NORML’s July public meeting and made a 6 hour round trip drive to Waco to perform in Waco NORML’s Birthday Bash. Other bands at Waco NORML’s event included Bum Lucky, Hung Southern, and Pistol Packin Mama’s. The power of a band to take the stage almost every night and spread NORML’s message through over a dozen states is very encour-
aging to activists and the marijuana movement in general. It’s time to take the microphone and scream out for the cause.
Paranoid Magazine: Why did you chose the name Sol Tribe for your band? Sol Tribe: All people are Sol Tribe, and all things that exist under the sun grow and yearn to support each other. We choose Sol Tribe in this time now more than ever. We are becoming one world with one tribe and emerging a new race that despite our struggles manage to find a common good amongst us more and more everyday.
Paranoid Magazine: Why did Sol Tribe become interested in helping fight marijuana prohibition? Sol Tribe: We love all the special plants and herb given to us. It is one of the most important creation to man’s evolution and survival. It’s no surprise that the same wicked and self serving people that use the
military industrial complex to keep people eating genetically modified foods, addicted to pharmaceuticals, battling endless wars, and destroying the environment for there own profit are the puppet masters pulling the strings of these “law makers” who lock up the herb. Herb is one of the strongest antidotes to there system, and we support any efforts to empower personal freedoms, support american farmers, and free the honest and good people whose only crime is possessing a plant older than any man made law.
Paranoid Magazine: What is your favorite city and/or venue to perform at? Sol Tribe: We love TX and travel and play in it as often as we can when we’re home. On the road it would have to be San Luis Obispo, CA by a very short margin, so many great stops. We’ve grown in the last few runs out to see so many of the same enthusiastic faces where we recorded our latest album at a
studio there.
Paranoid Magazine: What are Sol Tribes plans for the future? Sol Tribe: On August the 8th we are leaving on a 4 month national tour and digitally releasing our 2nd album “Radio Waves 4 Better Days” on Dub South Records. We have sold a few pre released physical copies at shows but these will feature dub mixes from master mix Craftsman McPullish. Big sound coming! Thank you to all the bands, venues, promoters, artists, and activists that support NORML and the end of marijuana legalization and are not afraid to let their fans and friends know. Karli Duran Co-Founder & Executive Director of San Antonio Norml 210-394-3833 (office) 601-299-0928 (cell) karli@sanorml.org www.sanorml.org
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