Aliens
In Advance Of The Landing
Back in 1977, photographer Douglas Curran began taking photos of objects built by people in anticipation of the arrival of extraterrestrials. Eight years later, he collected these photos together in his book In Advance of the Landing: Folk Concepts of Outer Space.He said the following about the book in a 1982 interview (Popular Photography - Nov 1982):
Curran was asked how the people he photographed received him. Were they suspicious or secretive? He replied that they were open to him.
"I arrive on their doorstep," he said, "tell them my name, and explain that I heard about their work and want to talk to them. They're usually surprised that somebody from so far away heard about them. Also, they feel I'm ordained to do this. I've become great friends with many of them."
I haven't had a chance to read the book, but it seems like it belongs in any library of weird reading material. You can get a copy either via Curran's website or from Amazon.
Curran also made a documentary film of the same name that he released in 1993.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jun 04, 2017 -
Comments (5)
Category: Aliens, Books, Documentaries
Lake City, UFO Port
In 1976, as part of America's bicentennial celebrations, the residents of Lake City, Pennsylvania raised $6000 to build a UFO Landing Port. They thought it was the first such landing port in the world, though it wasn't. Explained Jim Meeder, the businessman who organized the effort, "We said to ourselves, 'Let's not look backward 200 years. Let's look forward 200 years.' Everybody else was restoring railroad depots and things like that. We wanted to do something different."The landing port consisted of "a grass-covered mound five feet high and 100 feet in diameter, bordered by red and blue lights." A representative from the Tucson, Arizona Aerial Phenomenon Research Organization checked it out and said approvingly that he was relieved it wasn't "a schlock thing."
Twelve years later a reporter from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune checked back and found that the landing port hadn't been visited by a UFO yet, but the town was using it as a helicopter landing pad for lake rescues. I haven't been able to figure out if the landing site is still there. I can't find anything on google maps.
Update: I used the contact form on the Lake City website to ask if they've still got the UFO port. Almost immediately got a reply back that yes, it's still there!
The Philadelphia Inquirer - July 5, 1976
via ufopop.org
The Meriden Morning Record - Mar 1, 1976
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jun 01, 2017 -
Comments (7)
Category: Aliens, 1970s
Captain Sky
His Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Mon May 15, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Aliens, Eccentrics, Music, 1970s
Gary Numan Unicef Concert: 1979
This is exactly the kind of performance that evokes for me the tragedy of starving Third World children.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Mar 19, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Aliens, Charities and Philanthropy, Eccentrics, Music, 1970s, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults
The Wookie Boogie
Neon Werewolf Presents - The Wookie Boogie from neon werewolf on Vimeo.
Thanks to Frank Phillips for the tip!
Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 16, 2017 -
Comments (1)
Category: Aliens, Music, Science Fiction, Reader Recommendation
Flying Saucers Are Real
A great new book by my talented and weird writer pal Jack Womack.Read a piece on it here.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Feb 23, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Aliens, Eccentrics, Conspiracy Theories and Theorists, Spaceflight, Astronautics, and Astronomy
The Bubble
Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 13, 2017 -
Comments (3)
Category: Aliens, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Movies, Science Fiction, 1960s
Yogi’s Space Race
Here in the fortieth anniversary year of Star Wars, let us pause to consider all the ways in which it elevated the genre of science fiction, inspiring such followers as Yogi's Space Race.
Wikipedia page here.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 05, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Aliens, Anthropomorphism, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Homages, Pastiches, Tributes and Borrowings, Cartoons, 1970s
A Cosmic Christmas
Hideous aliens learn and reveal the true meaning of the holiday.
Hope all WU-vies experience the same!
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 25, 2016 -
Comments (0)
Category: Aliens, Holidays, Television
UFO Noodles
Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 04, 2016 -
Comments (4)
Category: Aliens, Business, Advertising, Food, Pop Art, Surrealism, Science Fiction, Asia
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |