What's Up Next for Me?

UFO's

Smells like a Hershey bar.

The last time I wrote a post was about the ugly mass on my face.  It turned out to be basal cell cancer.  The big “C” is a tough thing to hear you have, but if you are to get skin cancer, this is the one to get.  The basal cancer is confined to the area and doesn’t spread or attack your cells like the other types of skin cancer do.  Since this is on my face and near my nose, my doctor recommended a plastic surgeon.  I have an appointment on Friday for my consultation.  I also have another mass near my hairline and under the frames of my glasses.  I forgot to show my doctor this one because I frequently see it and it is out of sight, out of mind.  I will have the surgeon check it out and remove it as well.  I am nervous about the surgery, but just want the cancer off my face.  I will see if he can remove the bags under my eyes while he at it, lol.  I will update everyone after I talk with the doc.

On a good note, Sharon and I are taking another trip.  We wish ya’ll (I sound like my sis, lol) could come with us.  We are helping with the cemetery crawl that our friend Debe Branning puts on every year.  I haven’t done this before but have expressed interest in doing so.  We get to wait at the contestants’ first cemetery stop and make sure they find the right headstone.  After they all check in, we get to head off to Holbrook where we will be spending the night in a teepee.  Hey, if it is good enough for Oprah, it is good enough for us.  Besides, I hear there are ghost roaming around those teepees and in the city of Holbrook.  I hope they are up for making an appearance.  That would be fantastic.  The next day, we have another cemetery to wait at and then it is off to the finish line.  We plan to take lots of pictures and photos of the race and any other places we see along the way.  Look for my “Route 66” giveaway.  I will be shopping along the way to buy fun things to giveaway to all my fab followers.

At the end of April is my hubby and mine’s 30^th wedding anniversary.  We decided to take a 3 day, 3 night trip to Sedona and stay at a cottage near the river that flows through Oak Creek Canyon.  We plan to spend a day in Jerome, a night on a UFO tour, another day checking out petroglyphs and Native American ruins, shopping, and sightseeing at all the other places that this unique city has to offer.  I will be taking tons of pictures and posting about our experiences (not all the experiences, teehee).

May is going to be a big month too.  Not only is our first born grandchild going to be two, but we will be grandparents again.  My son and his wife are expecting a baby on May 6^th.  Along with my family getting larger, Sharon and I have a couple of trips planned too. 

I can’t wait…..

The South Mountain Mysteries

UFO's

Here we go again, another daytrip. Last month Sharon took a trek up South Mountain with her buddy Vinnie. She went to check out the petroglyphs drawn on the many rocks dispersed around the mountain. She also told me about the abandoned castle and many Native American shards that are scatter all over the place. She knew this would be the perfect daytrip and information I can add in my future book.

The South Mountains were named for their geographic location south of Phoenix. The land is managed by the city of Phoenix and considered sacred by the Akimel O’odham as well as the Sierra Estrella Mountains. Many UFO’s have been reported hovering over the mountains and over 20 communication towers are located on its peaks. There are many hiking paths and a mystery castle found in the foothills on the north side of the mountains. This castle was built in 1930 from weird materials and trash and used as a private residence. Also found on the mountain are ancient Indian ruins, petroglyphs, and pieces of pottery all over the grounds.

Of course this Sunday is going to be cold and rainy. When I say cold, it is by Phoenix standards of 50 degrees. I think the rain will add the right type of mood for all the pictures I plan to take. Be looking for videos, photos, and stories of our trek up the mountain.

Spaced Aged Cafe & Lodge

UFO's

The Space Age Restaurant in Gila Bend, Arizona

Spaced Aged Lodge lobby

fancy artwork

Entrance to the restaurant which has one hell of a delish bacon cheeseburger!

a fun little hotel...

...what is up with Gila Bend's finest parked outside some rooms?  The new office? A party?  Big drug bust?  Who knows, but we were definitely curious.



Gila Bend's water tower (actually not in use anymore).
It reminds me of "Pettycoat Junction".

UFO in Glendale?

UFO's

Ok, so it isn't a UFO but to me the University of Phoenix Stadium (Cardinal Stadium as I call it) resembles one.  I took these pictures of the stadium while driving around town.  I even caught a group of men on the top cleaning it and making it pretty for the next home game.  Now if we can get a quarterback that is as good as Kurt Warner, we should have a good season. 

Are Satellite Dishes UFO Magnets? Any Thoughts?

UFO's

I got an email from Autumnforest (Ghost Hunting Theories) about NGA Earth Satellites being installed in the river bed near Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. These are massive military sized satellite dishes installed by National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. This group’s primary mission is to collect, analyze, and distribute geospatial intelligence in support of national security. What that means is they describe, assess, and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth.

She was wondering if these satellite dishes were UFO magnets because of all the sightings in Phoenix and the surrounding cities. Is the imaging caught on these satellite dishes picking up the bright lights of Phoenix and drawing the UFOs in? I thought it was a great question, so I looked into it but had no luck getting answers. I even emailed MUFON (The Mutual UFO Network) to see if they had any answers or thoughts on the subject. They never got back with me, so I propose the question to you my fine and intelligent bloggers; is it possible that these satellite dishes and others like it are UFO magnets?

The Grand Canyon and UFO's

UFO's

I was looking for some bizarre story about the Grand Canyon, and I found one. Apparently a 4,000 year old UFO was found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Here is an excerpt from the article I found:

“Flagstaff, Ariz. - A team of experts called in to examine strange debris at the bottom of the Grand Canyon discovered the wreckage of a UFO that crashed a mind boggling 4,000 years ago!

The scientists, members of a highly secret joint military task force on UFOs, inspected the spherical craft and found it to be in good condition despite its rough landing and incredible age.


The relic is made of an unknown metallic substance and emits low levels of radiation, according to leaks from highly placed sources. It was immediately removed from the site and is now in a secret location.”

Here is the full article explaining the story in more detail. I don’t remember ever hearing about this and can’t say whether it is true or not, but it does make for a great bizarre story.

Apparently, the Grand Canyon is another place the UFO’s like to visit. The following are a couple of videos that visitors captured of “UFO’s” at the Grand Canyon.

UFO Sightings at Estrella Mountains

UFO's

Arizona may have Bigfoot’s prints imbedded in the soil around the state, but UFO sightings have been just as prevalent. I have blogged about the Phoenix Lights and the abduction of Travis Walton in the White Mountains. Another place that seems to get its fair share of sightings is over the Estrella Mountains. These sightings are not as famous as the Phoenix Lights, but have been seen by many over a course of several years.

During one sighting, the lights were reported as three distinctive twinkling lights and appeared to be hovering over the Estrella Mountains. They were amber in color and very bright. They seemed to be too enormous to be an airplane and did not seem likely to be balloons, which are frequently spotted in the skies of Arizona. The lights also looked to be close to each other, but not touching. Some witnesses said that the lights were moving back and forth simultaneously.

Other witnesses have their stories of what they saw when the mysterious lights appeared in the sky. The strange object was triangular in shape with three white strobe lights forming the shape. It was estimated that the craft was probably the size of a football field. The three lights appeared to pulsing in sync with each other. They noticed that there was no sound coming from the strange object. The sky was clear, the stars were bright, but you couldn’t see the stars between the lights. This gave the appearance that it was one large solid triangular object in the sky.

On other occasions, both fighter jets and the mysterious lights were seen in the sky on the same nights. When the jets got closer to the lights, they would immediately shut off. There was no explanation for this action or if the jets were responsible for the removal of the illumination from the lights in the sky.

There were some speculations that these lights were just flares being dropped by the nearby Air Force base or helium balloons with flares attached. The base would typically drop flares about every night but the Estrella lights didn’t appear to have started off from the base.

Like the Phoenix Lights, there are just no conclusive explanations for why many people have reported seeing unknown lights over the Estrella Mountains. I did see some videos of these lights, but they were too grainy to tell whether they were real or not.

Are There Aliens Amongst Us?

UFO's

I saw this last night on my local news and found it to be an interesting theory. An ASU scientist says that life exist in different forms throughout the universe.  Are there aliens living amongst us?  I really don't think there is a secret MIB organization and talking pugs name Frank, or is there? 

"There are many in the science field that think we're just one small piece in a larger puzzle. The signs are not just here on Earth but flying above us all the time. Believers say the well-known "Phoenix lights" phenomenon from 1997 is just one example of extra-terrestrial life.
Dr. Paul Davies, an Arizona State University physicist known for his popular science writing, says, "We know Earth and Mars have exchanged material over the years and it's easy to imagine a microbe hitching a ride in a rock through space and going from one planet to the other. I think it's inevitable that if there was life on Mars in the past it would have come to Earth and vice versa."  (For more of Rich Dahlquist article click here. )

The Fourth Kind

UFO's

This movie seems really creepy to me!

"1n 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document-until now. Set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where--mysteriously since the 1960s--a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered. Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented."

DT: Alien Mummies; Van Lake Monster

UFO's

FIRST INVESTIGATION: ALIEN SIGHTINGS IN CHILEAbout 67% believe in aliens and one in four believe that they have visited our planet. For all that believe, there a skeptics saying, "Why haven't we found any alien corpses?" According to recent reports in Chile, they have. Not long ago an alien mummy was exhumed deep from within the Chilean desert. Even though the remains looked a bit suspicious to Josh, there have been numerous reports by local Indians that claim to have had close encounters of the third kind. They have claimed to have seen tiny living creatures living in the mine shafts along with mysterious lights and UFO's. Looking for aliens is a first for Josh and his team, but with all the sightings, they just couldn't resist investigating. They flew 12 hours to Lima Peru, where in the remote desert in Northern Chile is where the most recent sightings have been. After getting their rental car, they made plans to travel thousands of miles south of Lima to some old abandoned mines where the sightings took place. From Lima they drove 26 hours south to Chile along the remote Pan American highway. After going through several tolls, they pulled over in a small town where Josh decided to get a haircut. In the morning they stopped in De Nasca, which is famous in alien culture. Josh and some of the crew took a plane for an aerial view of the land. From above they could see complex shapes and patterns carved in the desert's face. They were etched a few thousand years before human aviation and meant to be seen from above by those of another world. After witnessing these remarkable symbols, Josh still wasn't convinced he was in the presence of alien beings. Then they drove another 2,000 miles and finally reached Chile. Their first stop was at a place called Stargate, a stone monument erected in the middle of the desert which some claim is a portal to another dimension. Daniel Mamani's family helped build the Stargate monument and has personally seen these aliens. He claims that they are built some what like people but are very small. He tells Josh that the lots of paranormal activity were near the mines and the locals believe that the aliens were causing it. They next head off to a small town to have someone help them to locate the mines. They met up with Alejandro, a UFO researcher, who tracked the recent sightings near the abandoned mine. He tells Josh to talk to the Aymara Indians because they can guide him to the mines. After several miles in the baking sun they met up with Montano Biza, an Aymara tribal leader. He has personally witnessed the strange occurrences such as a strange light, larger than a star, hovering over the landscape, and then disappearing. He believes they are extra terrestrials and was able to outline the exact location of the mines for Josh and his team.

INVESTIGATION: Getting to the mine just before the setting sun they noticed that to climb down into a large hole. Josh and Evan got on their climbing gear and headed down first. Once everyone got down safely, they set up base camp on the landing they descended on. While some of the team stayed at base camp, Josh and the rest checked out the tunnels. The smell below started to become unusual and then Evan's foot fell into a soft spot causing a hole. Josh notices a burlap material and inside the hole they saw bones. A very foul odor was coming from the hole where more bones had been found. The skeletal remains looked humanoid but the feet looked like hooves. It looked like it was buried there on purpose and had its head removed. They bag the bones so Jael and Rex can take them back to base camp. On the way back to base camp with the evidence, Jael and Rex see something. After asking is anybody with us, a rock was thrown at them. Josh continues on with Evan and Mike where they cross a small wooden manmade bridge. Josh feels a breeze coming and sees a light and chases it down. They follow the breeze to an opening, left the tunnels and headed over to a ridge line. They see a bright light across the canyon just above the rim. They try to focus on it while it was moving around and appeared to be pulsating. Mike picks up a weird noise coming out of the parabolic dish even without it being plugged in. It sounded mechanical; maybe even an alien type sound. They spent 12 hours underground for this investigation and had lots of activity. Unable to take the remains they found back to Los Angeles for research, Josh had to photograph them.

RESULTS: He took the photos first to the Natural History Museum of LA to Dr. Jim Dines a mammologist. Josh shows him the pictures and asked what he thought it was. He says that the feet are proportioned wrong for any kind of human or primate and was completely stumped on what it could be. Josh decides to take his findings to another expert, Mike Dee, retired curator from the Los Angeles zoo. He notices that the two feet are hoof like and definitely doesn't think it is a bird. He also saw no evidence of any type of feathers and was also puzzled by the remains. Josh was amazed that he could not get any positive identification of the remains from either of the two experts. The species that Josh and his team uncovered deep in the Chilean mines is still a mystery. Also, after replaying their recordings of the strange lights that they saw, they remain a mystery too.

SECOND INVESTIGATION: VAN LAKE, TURKEY, MASSIVE SCALY MONSTERWhen both CNN and the associated press made headlines of a large lake monster, Josh and his team had to investigate these reports. For centuries many have talked about the Van Lake monster but it wasn't until recently that a man’s video taped a large creature swimming around in the lake. Since then, hundreds of people have also reported seeing this mysterious animal. Van Lake is found in far Eastern Turkey in a remote region near the border of Iran. It is nearly 1,500 square miles and is nearly the size of Rhode Island. Most of the sightings are reported just off the lake's southern coast. Eyewitness say that this creature measures about 40 feet long, with dark scaly skin, long spiny back, and a muscular tail has a devastating whip against any person or vessels that goes near it. It also has a horse like head with razor sharp teeth and a massive jaw. The team flies nearly 17,000 miles to Istanbul, Turkey which took 17 hours. After such a long flight they emerge into the city of Istanbul which is an exotic mix of East and West and is the dividing line between Europe and Asia. After haggling over the price of a carpet, Josh left the market and met up with a local journalist, Gerguim Cuench. He was the one that obtained the original footage of the creature that later became international news. He tells Josh that it has been a part of Turkish history that this monster exists. He goes on to tell him that many believe that the monster exists but there was never any proof. Next the team heads out from Istanbul on a flight to the city of Van which borders the lake. The team was beyond tired and acting a bit goofy at this point so they hop in another DT special rag-tag vehicle to the Pearls of the East or the shores of Van. People have been inhabiting these shores for over 7,000 years where places of it's ancient ruins can still be seen. Because the story of the monster was so huge in this town, the local government formed its own team to search for it and even erect a statue of the monster. He talks with the Mayor, Nazmi Sezer, who tells him that there is definitely a creature in the lake and divers have seen eggs that the creature had laid. He also tells Josh that the creature can be found near the fresh water of Akhtamar Island. After getting Mike to shave off his beard and keeping his mustache, they got back on the trail of searching for the monster. Before investigating they spoke with a couple of local boat captains who shared their stories about the creature. Afterwards the team splits up to survey the area. Josh and Mike headed up in a helicopter, Jael and Rex kept watch on the Southern bank and Bicha and Sharra stayed north.

INVESTIGATION: Sharra spots some dark shadowy figures along the surface. Shortly afterwards Jael and Rex see it as well. They tell Josh that is black and coming out of the water, and then going back down. Josh flies over the area but whatever it was had already disappeared. After returning from the flight, Josh and the team head out to Akhtamar Island in a boat. They land on the rocky coast and set up base camp. Evan and Josh head out first into the extremely cold water of Lake Van to get a look at the underwater area. The visibility was about 3 feet tops and the water was very cold and salty. They decided to search topside where the creature is known to surface at night. Josh and Jael head up to the highest point on the island to get a better look of the lake. They come across some ruins of an ancient church where they see drawings of a large monster eating people and found graves as well. They head back to base camp where Josh and Rex head out to do a sweep of the lake in a boat. Jael and Bisha do a sweep of the coastline. While out in the boat, it starts to rain and snow while the temperature drops to freezing. Base camp was experiencing lots of rain and their tarp filling up with water. It collapses spilling water on some of the equipment. The equipment was fine and they were able to fix the tarp. Meanwhile back on the shore, Jael hears noises and a very loud splashing and a moaning sound. They see something moving in the water so Josh submerges the underwater camera. Something hit the zodiac boat Josh was in and they saw something swimming by the camera. Then they see something big surface which makes a loud splash. They kept pursuing whatever was making the sounds and kept surfacing, but didn't find anything. After fixing the base camp's tarps, Josh went out in the zodiac boat again with Jael. Quickly they see ripples in the water, and then get a long shape on the thermal imaging camera. Then they hear a noise and then see a large shadow near their boat. Daylight was coming so they headed back to shore. They investigated from the coast the rest of the time then headed back to LA to analyze their findings. The thermal did show something about 20 feet in the water and on the underwater cameras there wasn't a clear enough image to tell what it was. Because the lake if fairly sparse, logic would dictate that something large would not be able to survive in that lake. Because they did experience something, Josh took the original footage to a marine biologist, Dr. Scott Cooper to get his opinion of what it was. Because you couldn't see in front of the object, he was skeptical that something could have been towed. In the clip of the object still in the water, he commented on the breathing being continuous bubbles as if there was an air hose or something causing it. Josh asked if they were looking at something biological and he told him that the skin looks leathery but the rest doesn't look credible to him. He felt that they were looking at a hoax. Josh then show him the footage of theirs from the helicopter showing the dark black objects bobbing at the surface. He tells Josh that it is unlikely for a huge creature to exist in this very salty lake and there is only one species of fish in the whole lake. His conclusion is that it was either a school of fish or methane sediments that bubble to the surface and appear to be a very large object. Because of the hundreds of sightings, there is the possibility that something could be hiding deep in the murky waters of Van Lake.

~Julie~

The Bob White Object

UFO's

This was featured on the History Channel's UFO Hunters and wanted to see what you thought. Do you believe it or not?



Bob White Object

The Wonders of Sedona, Arizona

UFO's

There are two cities, besides Phoenix and its surrounding cities, my husband and I have considered retiring in. Those cities are Prescott or Sedona, Arizona. Prescott has that old historical feel to it and Sedona has the most unique feel to it. I will do a blog on Prescott in the future but this blog is all about the stunning red rocks and uplifting energy of Sedona.

In Sedona, Arizona the heavens are a remarkable blue and the earth is a rich red. It is a center of activity of new age thinking where people come seeking serenity, and escape from a hectic way of life. Could it be the beautiful colors, the heat, beauty, or just the whole experience?

Sedona is named after Sedona Miller Schnebly (1877-1950), the wife of the city’s first postmaster, who was celebrated for her hospitality and industriousness. It is the best place for spiritual renewal inspiring all types of people, and has been called a cathedral without walls. One of the most popular wedding spots is called Cathedral Rock which is a beautiful backdrop for photos, and may attract people for more of a mysterious reason. There are the vortexes, the powerful centers of converging energy, which are responsible for putting Sedona on the metaphysical map. You can't see or hear or even smell a vortex, but many people claim they can feel one. Some say it's like gentle waves going through their bodies or something rushing through them like a tremor. Many believe that those who become sensitive to this energy from the Earth can benefit from the subtle metaphysical changes it generates. A vortex is an enhanced energy location that makes it easier to do prayer, meditation, or mind/body healing and can be an awe-inspiring site to help you put together new incites. Some think that where energy lines converge, opposites like the spiritual and material worlds often attract. In Sedona's lands there are many doorways to the spirits where the streams between the two worlds are thin. In areas where an Arizona Cypress and an Arizona Sycamore’s trunks have grown around each other, some feel that this is a portal for those spirits. These spots are said to be scattered throughout Sedona. A witness was taking a tour, all of a sudden felt an energy coming up his leg, into his spine, and to his head, while standing near the two trees. People have had paranormal experiences like seeing spirits, hearing voices, strange noises, and being touched by unseen hands. Are these vortexes in Sedona and other places throughout the world just new age hype or is there something very real going on in these places? There is not a way to measure scientific vortex energy but lack of proof doesn't discourage the believers.

No one knows how long these vortexes have been around but it seems their powers may have drawn people there over 100 years ago. According to the experts, the Sinagua once settled in the cliffs just right outside Sedona and lived there for over 400 years before disappearing mysteriously. Montezuma castle is the site where these cliff dwellers lived. It was first thought of being built by the Aztec, Montezuma, but that turned out to not be correct. The 5 story cliff dwelling is remarkable, well preserved, built over 100 years ago and cleverly wedged in the rock, high above Oak Creek, which runs through Sedona. Historians can only speculate that they build so high because the spot offered protection from the elements, or maybe it was the mysterious energy of Sedona. Another group of Sinagua people to establish their own community called Tuzigoot, which stood 20 miles from Montezuma's Castle. Their shelters were also built from the natural resources found in the area. With all their clever building techniques the mystery still remains why these possibly intelligent Sinaguans suddenly disappeared in the 1400's. Some feel that they may have used up their natural resources or maybe a plague or disease wiped them out, but since there is no written record, no one knows.

The sense of peace and serenity, the improvement of psychic abilities, the easy friendliness of the people, the complete and utter beauty of the surrounding red rocks, are some of the reasons people are drawn to Sedona. I personally feel the tranquility and calmness every time I visit there. It is definitely a place all should visit.

TV Classic: Lost in Space

UFO's

Phrases like, “Danger Will Robinson” and “were doomed, doomed, doomed” were uttered by the characters in the 1965 TV show, Lost in Space. I couldn’t wait every week to see what was going to happen to the Robinson family, its handsome pilot Don West, the funny Dr. Zachary Smith and their always helpful robot. Each week, I waited to see if they fought off the creatures that attacked them from the previous show’s cliffhanger.

Taken from Wikipedia:
Lost in Space is a science fiction TV series that ran for three seasons, airing between September 15, 1965 and March 6, 1968. The first season was shot with black and white film, the rest in color. In 1998.. The show focused on the Robinson family and Jonathan Harris as Dr. Zachary Smith, whose cowardly character provides the comic relief of the show.

The series is a space-age adaptation of the novel Swiss Family Robinson. The astronaut family Robinson, accompanied by a military pilot and a robot, set out to colonize Alpha Centauri from overpopulated Earth. Their 1997 mission is immediately sabotaged by Dr. Zachary Smith, who slips aboard the spaceship Jupiter 2 and reprograms the robot to destroy the ship and crew. Smith is trapped aboard, saving himself by prematurely reviving the crew from suspended animation. They save the ship, but consequent damage leaves them lost in space. Eventually they crash on an alien world, later identified as Priplanis, where they must survive a host of adventures. Smith (whom Allen intended to kill) remains through the series as a source of comedic cowardice and villainy, exploiting the forgiving (or forgetful) nature of the Robinsons.
At the start of the second season, the repaired Jupiter 2 launches again, but after two episodes the Robinsons crash on another planet and spend the season there. In the third season, they travel to other worlds in attempt to return to Earth or to settle Alpha Centauri. The show delivered a visual assault of special effects, explosions, monstrous aliens, spaceships, and exotic sets and costumes drenched in the bright, primary colors that were typical of early color television.

The Storyline: In 1997, the Earth suffers from overpopulation and natural resource depletion. Professor John Robinson (Guy Williams), his wife, Maureen (June Lockhart), their children, Judy (Marta Kristen), Penny (Angela Cartwright), Will (Billy Mumy) and their friend and pilot, Major Don West (Mark Goddard), are chosen to travel on the Jupiter 2 to Alpha Centauri to search for a habitable planet for mankind to colonize.

After the Robinsons are placed in suspended animation, but before the launch, foreign agent Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris) sneaks aboard on a sabotage mission. He reprograms the ship's robot (voiced by Dick Tufeld) to destroy the ship shortly after it leaves Earth. He becomes trapped during launch, however, and his extra weight throws the Jupiter 2 off course, causing it to encounter a meteor storm. The robot's rampage causes the ship to become lost.

The Robinsons are often placed in danger by Smith, who is by turns a villain or an indigent. In the second and third seasons, Smith's role assumes a less evil overtone - although he continues to display many character defects. In "The Time Merchant", Smith travels back in time to before the Jupiter 2 launch, changing his fate. He learns that without his weight altering the ship's course, it would be destroyed. In an act of redemption, Smith elects to remain on board, thus saving the Robinsons' lives.

Allen produced a series pilot, "No Place to Hide." After CBS accepted the series the characters Smith and the Robot were added. The ship was redesigned with a second deck, and named the Jupiter 2. (It had been the Gemini 12.) For budget considerations, a good part of the pilot episode was reworked into the early series episodes. According to Lockhart, the show was intended to be called "Space Family Robinson", but Disney would not release the copyright. CBS was also offered Star Trek at around the same time, but it was turned down in favor of Lost In Space.

The first season emphasized adventure. It chronicled the daily adventures that a pioneer family might well experience if marooned on an alien world. These included dealing with dangerous native plants and animals, and off-world visitors. In the first season, only the special effects shots were filmed in color, in anticipation of reusing shots in color.

During the first two seasons, episodes concluded in a "live action freeze" anticipating the following week, with the cliff-hanger, "To be continued next week!." There was little ongoing plot continuity between episodes, except in larger goals; for example, to get enough fuel to leave the planet. For the third season, the episode would conclude and then a "teaser" for "next week's exciting adventure!" would show highlights from the next episode just before the closing credits began.

After cancellation, the show was successful in reruns, and syndication for many years, most recently on FX and Sci-Fi Channel.

Stylistically, the series was of high quality, featuring what was expected for space travel at the time; eye-catching silver, tapered space-suits, laser guns and spectacular props and sets. We all know that in 1997 this never happened.

In 1998,Lost in Space was made into a feature-length motion picture, starring William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Matt LeBlanc, Gary Oldman, Jack Johnson, and Lacey Chabert. Instead of it being 1997 future like the show, for obvious reasons, the movie featured the year 2058 and had basically the same storyline as the show. Well, it started out that way, then got real weird and lost its appeal. The show, however, will always remain a favorite of mine when I was a young girl.

We Are Not Alone?

UFO's

I thought this might be interesting to post and would love to hear your comments about it.

Travis Walton - Fire in the Sky

UFO's

"I looked at the vague but reassuring forms of the doctors around me. Abruptly my vision cleared. The sudden horror of what I saw rocked me as I realized I was definitely not in a hospital. I was looking square into the face of a horrible creature . . . with huge, luminous brown eyes the size of quarters! I looked frantically around me. There were three of them! Hysteria overcame me instantly." — Travis Walton

Some skeptics believe this to be an elaborate hoax brought on by Travis and his logger buddies. On the other hand, others believe the story to be true.

--Julie--

The Phoenix Lights

UFO's

I'm not going to write much about the "Lights over Phoenix" because I attached a couple of videos showing this phenomena. On March 13, 1997, around 8:30 pm many Phoenicians and others all over Arizona, stepped out of their homes to catch a glimpse of the Hail-Bob or sometimes referred to as Hale-Bopp comet. What they saw moving in the night skies was something much more, a series of strange lights. In the distance the lights appeared to be independent of each other but as they got closer to the observer, it looked like an upside down V shape with lights on it. This wedge like object was reported to be moving South, slowly through the state of Arizona. People have stated seeing it in Tucson around 8:45 pm, giving the same description as was reported in Phoenix. There is no logical explanation for the lights but some evidence explains the lights as airplanes. Video evidence shows the lights as separate entities moving individually and not as a single object. The explanation is that some of the witnesses may have had their eyes play tricks on them forming the illusion of one object.

I've watched all the documentaries on this phenomena and found it interesting. The videos are stronge evidence showing the lights from different angles, forming a V shape traveling over the skies of Phoenix. Since it happened in my backyard, I am sorry that I missed the whole event. I was probably doing something much more exciting like watching TV.

--Julie--