Do You Believe in Magic?

It's May Day folks, which means its also the first of the month. And that means, besides celebrating the Rites of Spring in your own peculiar way, you've also got a brand new, exclusive episode of The Farm to add to the festivities. That is if you're a subscriber, of course.  

This is an exclusive installment in The Farm's ongoing "The Secret History of Ufology" series. Joining me for this round is Erica Lukes of UFO Classified. Erica is a former member of MUFON, first working as a field investigator and later becoming a State Director for Utah. She's also been a guest on such TV shows as History's Ancient Aliens and The Travel Channel's UFOs: The Lost Evidence. 

Erica's background is especially apt for the topic of discussion: the Mutual UFO Network, more commonly known as MUFON. On the surface, MUFON may not seem like the sexiest topic, but that's probably because you haven't been paying attention. MUFON is undoubtedly one of the sleaziest and most corrupt organizations active today. The upper echelons have been deeply implicated in a host of outrages, including pedophilia, sexual entrapment, data mining, and right-wing extremism. And that's just MUFON's "Inner Circle."

Rank-and-file members are routinely exploited by the organization. Simply filing a report with MUFON can lead one to losing the copyright to their encounter account (seriously). Personal data turned over to MUFON has likely been sold to a host of shadowy companies. And if you expect anyone to be qualified who works with MUFON, forget it: Being anything from a field investigator to a member of the Inner Circle is determined by nothing other than how much cash you're willing to pony up. To cap it off, former members who have come forward have often been subjected to gang stalking and other forms of harassment. 

And those are just a few of the topics we touch upon. Also up for discussion are the Mormon mafia, nonlethal weapons, the dark uses of the real estate industry, personality profiling, and the real possibility of a QAnon-style operation breaking out in the UFO field. It's a fascinating talk chalk full of original research and first-hand accounts of the inner workings of MUFON. As always, I hope you guys enjoy. 

Erica is the latest in an ever-growing collection of exclusive shows for The Farm's subscribers. Prior guests include Diana Walsh-Pasulka, Richard B. Spence, Christopher Knowles, Douglas Valentine, Adam Gorightly, Walter Bosley, Greg Bishop, J. Michael "Doctor Future" Bennett, David Metcalfe, Neil Sanders, Edmund Berger, and Samuel Vandiver. Coming up soon will be my interview with Radix Verum of Patriot's Soapbox, in which she will provide an insider's account of the origins of Q. 

Plantation Intrigues

Many strange things have happened before, during, and after the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of these United States. Recently, a little more light had has been shed on one of the more notable curiosities surrounding Inauguration Day. It was then that an obscure company in South Florida suddenly announced to the world that it had taken over the management of an enormous chunk of idle space of Internet owned by he Department of Defense. 

In the following weeks, speculation has been rampant concerning this move. The Pentagon was finally forced to clarify matters recently. Reportedly, these moves were made to allow the military to "assess, evaluate and prevent unauthorized use of DoD IP address space" and to "identify potential vulnerabilities" so as to defend against cyberattacks. 

As to the former, the Pentagon has to routinely contend with unauthorized squatters setting up shop on it's Internet space. Chasing off these squatters is likely in play, but the military may also be planning on collecting "a massive amount of background internet traffic for threat intelligence.” The end game could be to set up some type of digital honeypot to draw in hackers, or even set up an infrastructure to scour traffic for suspect activity. 

What no one seems to grok is the company selected for these efforts --Global Resource Systems LLC. Red flags abound, starting with the outfit's name. A prior incarnation of Global Resource Systems operated in the same South Florida city during the first decade of the twenty-first century. The prior incarnation dealt in spam mail and shut down more than a decade ago. The new GRS is an LLC rather than a corporation, but appears to be using the same Internet routing identifier. Naturally, no explanation has been put forth as to why a Pentagon contractor would be taking on the persona of a spam mail outfit.  

GRS Mach II has no online presence as yet. The LLC was originally incorporated in Delaware by a Beverly Hills lawyer, and only seems to exist physically in a shared workspace above a bank. And yet, it reportedly controls more Internet space than China Telecom, AT&T, or Comcast. 

The Beverly Hills attorney is one Raymond Saulino. Previously, Saulino had ties to a company called Packet Forensics. This outfit specialized in selling forged security credentials to government agencies and law enforcement so to make it easier for them to spy on people's browsing history. The company was eventually able to parlay these skills into a DARPA contract. In theory, the capabilities Packet Forensics specializes in would be ideal for staging a cyberattack false flag --something that's been a growing concern in recent years. Of course, only the Russians, the Chinese, or other "rogue" regimes would ever dream of doing such a thing. The US's interest is surely only for "defensive" purposes. 

For me, the most interesting thing about Global Resource Systems LLC is it's location: Plantation, FL. Part of the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area, Plantation is not known for much. While somewhat more affluent than other, nearby areas, it's not an especially rich region by the standards of Miami. Nor is it especially economically viable. 

A Magical Place

GRS may have chosen Plantation for it's headquarters because it's such an unassuming location in one of the most economically significant areas of the US. However, there just happens to be another curious company based out Planation. It goes by then name of Magic Leap (ML). 

ML was founded in 2010 by a biomedical engineer named Rony Abovitz. For a time, much effort was put forward to hype up Abovitz as the next bro tech billionaire a la Elon Musk. Almost every profile I've read of him is quick to point out his love of sci-fi. We are also assured he has a unique way of viewing the world, that he builds "wealth through people" (just as every despot throughout human history has....), and that he he values diversity. 

Circa 2016, with the neo-liberal organ Wired leading the charge, it was proclaimed that Abovitz was engaged in a "Quest to Create a New King of Reality." Abovitz and ML were going to manage this through a "new" type of technology known as "augmented reality." In reality, AR is just a variation of the same type of virtual reality tech that's been available since the late 1980s. The major difference between AR and VR is that the latter attempts to immerse the player in an entirely digital world. In the case of AR, the real world and objects in it are "enhanced" by "computer-generated perceptual information." As with VR, headsets are a requirement of AR, along with other bulky equipment worn over the body so as to more completely immerse the player in the experience. 

Magic Leap's headset and related tech were said to be the best. Numerous accounts of it breathlessly likened it to the Oasis of Ready Player One or the Metaverse of Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. In fact, ML dug the Snow Crash comparison so much that the company even hired Stephenson as the company's "chief futurist." 

Nor was Stephenson the only hipster cred ML attempted to attract. Game designer Graeme Devine, creator of The 7th Guest and The 11th Hour, was brought in as the "Chief Creative Officer." The big catch, however, was surely effects designer Richard Taylor, the founder and head of Weta Workshops. Taylor and his company are best down for providing the bulk of the effects for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The connection to Taylor and Weta provided ample opportunities for Jackson to drop by ML to observe the future of entertainment, especially when the company happened to be doing a certain type of entertaining involving journalists. 

Remarkably, it worked. During the middle of the past decade, a lot of companies were buying into the hype around ML --literally. During it's big coming out party in 2014, ML raised over $500 million in investment. Among the contributors were Google, Qualcomm, and venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and Kleiner Perkins. The most remarkable part is that none of these companies reportedly knew exactly what they were investing in when they opened their wallets. All that mattered was that Abovitz was ready to revolutionize technology any day. 

Of course, it wasn't just the entertainment industry Magic Leap was trying to revolutionize. Amidst much less fanfare, the company also set it's sites (har har) on those plush, juicy defense contracts. Nor is this surprising in the least. Despite all the bold projections about how ML would change the ways stories were told, product roll out has been problematic, to put mildly. The truth is, no one really seems to know if AR has long term commercial viability. 

Military applications are a different story. They already exist and will likely only grow in the coming years. ML appears to have been a little late to recognize this. The only brought in a big shot defense director in 2018. It didn't take long for military interest to pick up after that. By 2019, the US Navy was using ML headsets. 

ML headsets being used by the US Navy for training exercises

It all appears to have been to little, to late, however. Towards the end of March 2021, rival Microsoft was awarded a sought after contract to deliver AR headsets to the Army. This was one in a string of setbacks ML experienced beginning in 2020. In the spring of that year, it laid off nearly a thousand of its employees and dropped its commercial business. The pandemic was blamed, but it wasn't enough to save founder Rony Abovitz. After several years of media hype, he was unceremonially forced out of the company. In 2019, Magic Leap was valued at $6.7 billion dollars. By September 2020, it had fallen to $450 million, a loss of 93% of its value. The Microsoft deal this year was probably the final nail in the coffin. 

Undoubtedly, we'll never know what exactly happened behind the scenes. No doubt, there were political considerations. The Microsoft deal being green lit months after Biden took office is likely not coincidental. Its also quite ominous. One of the major issues raised concerning the use of AR in the military is the ease with which the tech can be hacked. And of course, Microsoft's security appears to have been greatly compromised by a recent cyberattack. Kind of seems like a recipe for disaster --not that anyone asked me. 

Was Magic Leap simply not as incompetent or corrupt as their counterparts in Microsoft? Possibly, but perhaps their purpose has simply been fulfilled. One of the most interesting names linked to the company is the one of Sean Stewart. Stewart has worn many hats over the course of his media career, but he is principally known for his work in the alternate reality game (ARG) field, where he is considered a pioneer. Stewart was involved in setting up early ARGs such as The Beast and Ilovebees. Stewart co-founded two companies, 42 Entertainment and Fourth Wall Studios, that were among the first to specialize in the commercial applications of ARGs. 

Stewart

Thus, I found it most interesting that Stewart put in five years with Magic Leap, first as a consultant, and later as a "creative director." Stewart's tenure with the company ended in April 2020, just as the lay offs were kicking in. Certainly, it's interesting to see a guy with this kind of background working for a company based out of what was going to be a highly contested state during the 2020 election. Just saying. 

And what of this Global System Resources outfit springing up as a major force in Plantation just as ML appears to throwing in the towel?  Is it all a feign, with a new, militarized version of ML rising from the ashes after a lifeline or two from GSR? Only time will tell, but it's truly odd these highly secretive, defense-related tech companies ended up in the same obscure Florida city in recent years. These developments certainly warrant keeping an eye on. 

Non-lethals

Since we're speculating on tech with military applications, why not cover some non-lethal weapons? This is a subject once again making headlines, and in some remarkable ways. Most notably, how casually mainstream publications are acknowledging directed-energy weapons as a thing. 

It all started with a re-evaluation of "Havana syndrome." Remember that? It occurred several years ago, and involved American diplomats in Cuban and Russia experiencing unusual system. Initially, there were rumblings of some type of sonic weapon being used. Eventually, this explanation was brushed aside in favor of more "reasonable" culprits, such as the sounds of crickets causing the unusual injuries reported. 

Fear the cricket...

Now it turns out, the cricket explanation may not have been entirely accurate either. Reports are coming out that the initial investigation was botched, and that the possibility of non-lethals being used is so probable that the CIA felt the need to create a task force to study the matter. It's interesting to note that the reports of the CIA task force on this matter first began to emerge a little over a month after Biden took office. 

Then in April 2021, the Pentagon massively raised the stakes. It alleged that US forces were targeted with directed-energy weapons in Syria. In the same breath, they blamed the Russians for these attacks. Curiously, these reports started to come out after Congressional lawmakers were briefed on these attacks by "Pentagon officials." When these same lawmakers questioned General Frank McKenzie, the head of CenCom, about these reports, he informed them that he had seen "no evidence" of such attacks against US troops in the Middle East. 

In fairness to General McKenzie, it's probably the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) rather than CenCom that's directing the war in Syria. Thus, McKenzie is not in the chain of command for this one. And the chain of command is so important in the military, unless you happen to be a member of the Flynn family. 

Politico further hints at a SOCOM link when it noted that the Pentagon's Office of Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC) initiated an investigation into directed-energy weapons being used against US troops in Syria during 2020. The Assistant Secretary of Defense who heads the SO/LIC is the principal civilian responsible for oversight of the SOCOM. 

This is interesting on a few levels. For one, it further reinforces the interest SOCOM has in non-lethals. But beyond this, there's who headed the SO/LIC during 2020: Eventual Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller; and Ezra Cohen-Watnick, a notorious lackey of Michael Flynn's. We've already explored some of the recent intrigues involving the Miller/ECW duo during the final week's of Trump's presidency. If either or both of these characters are the ones who initiated this investigation, it raises some interesting possibilities. 

Batman and the Boy Wonder: Miller (top) and ECW (bottom)

Effectively both the CIA and SOCOM, the two principal bodies responsible for covert operations in the national security state (and at times, intense rivals of one another), are actively investigating the use of non-lethals on US personnel by "foreign actors" (aka the Russians). This is all quite fascinating in light of the looming UFO Disclosure, which will be unfolding soon. Hype has apparently built to the point that Forbes had pondered whether 2021 will be the year of the UFO. 

Certainly, there have been a lot of interesting developments during the run up. Shortly before the COVID bill was signed, the bizarre monolith LARP broke out, first nationally, then internationally. But it started in the state of Utah, which is highly significant to modern Ufology due to the Mormon connection. Popular Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson has been flogging the UFO Disclosure narrative on a regular basis. John Ratcliffe, Trump's former Director of National Intelligence, has been hyping reports collected by the military. And of course, the military played in a role in the hype after it confirmed the authenticity of several dubious videos in the spring of 2020. 

In certain circles, there has been speculation that the UFO Disclosure narrative will be used as a means of rolling out the US Military's new, high tech toys --toys that may (this will surely never be confirmed) be based upon reverse engineered alien tech. I suspect these toys will be based upon concepts that have been researched in the non-lethal field (i.e. directed-energy weapons) for some time. 

In this context, it makes a lot of sense to have the CIA and SOCOM investigating the non-lethal tech of China and Russia. If I'm correct, then it can be claimed their weapons derive from a similar source, further bolstering the claims of the US intelligence community. And just imagine the kind of escalations that could occur with those types of weapons of massive destruction. 

Mind you, I really hope I'm way off base on this one. The temptation is always to chalk UFO Disclosure up as another round of confidence games. But there's just something about this one that seems ever so slightly off. And with recent develops in Ufology (see today's interview with Erica Lukes) that's led to increased fanaticism, a perfect storm-type scenario could be unfolding before our eyes. 

Again, I hope I'm way off base, but stay alert folks and don't buy into the hype during the coming weeks. And with that I shall sign off for now. Until next time, stay tuned. 

To Coup or to LARP Part II

Shortly before Christmas 2020, I posted some musings on the looming date of January 6, 2021. I entitled it "To Coup or To LARP?" as it seemed like it was being hyped up for something to happen, but whether it would be serious or spectacle was still left up in the air. A week removed from the actual events of 1/6/21, and I'm still not sure what the answer to that question is. 

Dramatic developments unfolded in the days preceding that faithful Wednesday. On January 3, all ten living former Secretaries of Defense published an op-ed in the Washington Times to effectively remind the military of their oath to the Constitution. What that even means in 2021 was never addressed, but this certainly isn't the type of thing that characterizes "stable" democracies. 

This came just a little after the bizarre Christmas Day Nashville bombing. Remember that? Seems like a million years ago, right? 

As could be expected, the attack was chalked up to a three-named lone nut, one Anthony Quinn Warner. No one saw it coming of course, other than his ex, who reported that he was making bombs to the authorities prior to the attack. There's also the bizarre transactions between Warner, and an AEG entertainment executive than unfolded between 2019 and 2020. Effectively, Warner gave two Antioch, Tennessee-based properties to a certain Michele Swing worth nearly half a million dollars combined. Naturally, authorities have yet to reveal what the relationship was between Warner and Swing.

Nashville on Christmas Day

As should come as little surprise at this point, Warner was also a believer in numerous conspiracy theories, especially those of the UFO variety. His cosmology included moon landing hoaxes, Reptilians, and purported attacks on Earth by an advanced alien species. If this had any bearing on the bombing will probably never been known. Nor will much else, if authorities are to be believed. By far the most interesting thing about this attack were the numerous disruptions that it caused to telecommunications. This is very interesting in light of reported waves of blackouts unfolding in the aftermath of the events of 1/6/21, which we'll get to below. 

While we're on the topic of UFOs, a word must be said about the latest Disclosure initiatives. The massive COVID relief bill passed at the end of 2020 included a provision requiring the Pentagon and various intelligence agencies to reveal what they know about UFOs within 180 days. Predictably, this has been manna from heaven to the usual sources. It's also led bizarre specters such as this:

This is the perfect backdrop for the events of 1/6/21. Did we witness a coup attempt on that day? This is certainly the way much of the legacy media is framing it as. And various European allies (i.e. anti-Trumpers) have also alleged all the signs of a coup were evident. On the other hand, Glenn Greenwald, probably the only mainstream journalist left with any integrity, has compellingly argued that the coup narrative is being oversold. 

What unfolded could probably best be described as a coup LARP, or maybe a LARP coup. Regardless, it is hardly unsurprisingly. For the last few months, I've been chronicling the use of the alternate reality game (ARG) format in QAnon (see, for instance, here). There are compelling indications that General Michael T. Flynn is one of the principal figures behind the QAnon ARG/LARP. Presently, Flynn's close associate, Ezra Cohen-Watnick, holds one of the most senior posts in the Pentagon. Cohen-Watnick has also been accused of involvement with Q. 

By now, you've probably heard about pro-Trump activist Captain Emily Rainey, a PSYOPs officer at Fort Bragg, who led a group of Trump supporters to the capital on that faithful Wednesday. Regular readers of this blog know some weird things have been unfolding at Fort Bragg of late. And Cohen-Watnick is currently the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, meaning he controls all military intelligence at present. While it will be interesting to see how this plays out, Rainey is hardly a smoking gun. Still, there were some other peculiarities coming from the Pentagon that day. 

Captain Emily Rainey, the alleged PSYOPs officer who had resigned from the Army prior to the riot

Such as the persistent allegations that acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller delayed the deployment of National Guardsmen to quell the riots. This is interesting in light of the mounting evidence that Pence is one who ultimately called in the Guard. We'll return to that possibility in a moment. 

So, a compelling argument could be made that elements within the Pentagon gave tactical approval to the events that transpired on 1/6/21. But clearly, this alleged "insurrection" had no possibility of succeeding. If they were really serious about toppling Congress and preventing Biden's ascension, why not give the rioters a few special operators (either public or private)? Or at least a real paramilitary force like the Oath Keepers to support the QAnon LARPers? 

Where were these guys?

Clearly, the events of 1/6/21 were not a serious coup. And yet, the Pentagon (or a faction therein) may have played a role. The question then becomes, to what purpose? Well, there is the enigmatic disappearance of Pelosi's laptop during the unrest. It will certainly be interesting to see how that plays out. 

What can be said is that there is much confusion within the Republican Party and the broader American Establishment at present. Consider: The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) called on for Vice-President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment. This is quite significant. As the great J. Michael "Doc Future" Bennett has illustrated in his must-read Two Masters and Two Gospels Volume I, NAM has been at the forefront of financial support for far right activism since the early twentieth century. While little acknowledged, NAM has been the historic rival of the Wall Street-centric Council on Foreign Relations for decades. NAM coming out this forcefully against Trump so soon after the events of 1/6/21 is quite eyebrow raising. 

Elsewhere, the highly controversial Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos tendered her resignation days after the rioting. The DeVos family has longstanding ties to the far right Council for National Policy (CNP) while DeVos brother is Blackwater founder and former head Erik Prince, a key Trump backer in national security circles. Why DeVos resigned is a matter of much dispute. Betsy claimed it was over Pence's refusal to invoke the 25th Amendment against Trump. Conversely, Democrats alleged that she resigned so as to avoid ousting Trump. 

DeVos

Uncertainty reigns internationally as well. A strange series of blackouts unfolded in Pakistan during the weekend following Wednesday's LARP coup. There are also reports Vatican City experienced blackouts, but these reports appear to be false. The possibility that Iran is also experiencing power outages seems far more credible and compelling. 

This comes against the backdrop of the strange moves being made by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The outgoing SoS appears to be attempting to inflict as much damage as possible. Thus far he has normalizing relations with Taiwan and accusing Iran of being the "home base" of Al Qaeda. Pompeo recently canceled a planned trip to Europe. Officially, this was due to leading EU figures snubbing Pompeo, but the time is interesting. 

Pompeo

This is a strange time, even by the standards set by that foal year of Our Lord 2020. The Christmas Day Nashville bombing was likely a stress test on the US's telecommunications infrastructure. And it would hardly be surprising if Anthony Quinn Warner had links to QAnon. Elsewhere, nations the US has long considered antagonistic are experiencing sudden nationwide blackouts. Our European allies appear to be pushing the coup narrative while refusing to meet with the current Secretary of State. The Democrats and much of the Republican Party seem fanatical about driving Trump office even if he only theoretically has a little over a week left in the White House. 

And now word comes that the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) have issued a memorandum to all US forces affirming Biden's victory and reminding them of their oath to uphold the Constitution. Certainly, there are shades of the op ed issued by the ten living former Secretaries of Defense along the same lines shortly before the events of January 6th. 

At this point, a really pressing question needs to be asked. The barometer the CIA uses for determining who is in control of a nation is who controls said nation's military. Thus, it's highly relevant as to who exactly is in control of the military of these United States at present.

This guy?

This recent memorandum by the JCS combined with the events of 1/6/21 seem to strongly indicate that, if push comes to shove, Mike Pence is currently the commander-in-chief. However, there is a distinct possibility that much of the nation's special operations forces are loyal to Trump, or at least the faction of the Pentagon backing him. This may include acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller, the Flynn loyalists in the DoD, and possibly good chunks of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). 

Thus, the nation may effectively have two acting commanders in chiefs right now. Or in other words, there is not a clear line of authority as to whole controls the Armed Forces. It probably goes without saying, but this is a very disturbing prospect, and may go a long way towards explaining this last minute push to force Trump out. This is especially ominous in light of events currently unfolding overseas as well. An attack, be it real or false flag, would plunge this nation into utter chaos at present, with the chain of command totally breaking down. 

Strange days indeed dear readers. And with that, I shall sign off for now. If you're looking for more commentary, be sure to check out the latest episodes Farm episodes dealing with the events of 1/6/21 (I discussed them on the day of the riots with Billy Ray Valentine and over the weekend with John Brisson and Erica Lukes). As always, stay tuned till next time. 

Ong's Hat, Super Soldiers, and Other Mysteries

If you've been following this blog lately, you know I've been fascinated and disturbed by the rash of murders involving special operators at Fort Bragg. This topic was previously discussed at length here and updated here. 

While Christmas brought a reprieve for Fort Bragg, special operators still managed to make headlines across the country over the holiday weekend, and in tragic fashion. At the Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington state, a former special operator (of the US Army Special Forces, more commonly known as the "Green Berets") nearly beat his wife to death in front of their children. Fortunately, no deaths were involved in this incident, just a lengthy police standoff in which the operators threatened to kill himself. 

Elsewhere, things were much more dire in Rockford, Il. There, a Green Beret on leave went on a shooting spree at a bowling alley that left three dead and three wounded. So it goes. 

While there has been a staggering amount of deaths in general involving military personnel at domestic bases in recent years, the rash of killings involving special operators warrants close attention in light of other, ongoing developments. As I noted before here, the aftermath of the 2020 election witnessed some staggering changes to the national security apparatus. The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has effectively been made it's own branch of the military, while a veteran special operator (also a Green Beret) whose never held a rank higher than colonel was made the acting Secretary of Defense. Elsewhere, one of the staunchest cronies of General Michael Flynn (who earned his reputation heading intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command) was placed in command of all special operations forces and military intelligence. These moves were followed by the Pentagon informing the CIA that it was cutting off its access to special operators. If this move stands, this is effectively the end of the CIA as a major cover operations forces. 

So against this backdrop, the rash of killings involving special operators is most curious. But, is it just related to recent developments? Or, are these deaths, and many of the other bizarre ones that have unfolded across domestic military bases for years now, indicative of something darker? Something like a real-life "super soldier" program run amok? 

Why wait till 2050?

This is but one of many fascinating topics David Metcalfe and I cover during The Farm's most recent premium episode. While many of your probably haven't heard of Metcalfe, his CV is mighty impressive. Not mentioned there, but most relevant to our discussion, is Metcalfe's longstanding friendship with Ong's Hat creator Joseph Matheny and his nearly two decades in the alternate reality game (ARG) community. Thus, Metcalfe brings an insider's perspective to ARGs, a topic that is highly relevant now. And, closely related to the rise of the special operators. 

Another topic David and I explore is one that's already been discussed here and on The Farm: Is QAnon an ARG, and if so, is it one launched by the US intelligence and/or special operations community?  You guys know what I think, but now you can hear an ARG insider's take on the phenomena. 

the ultimate ARG?

Besides super soldiers and "QAnon as ARG," Metcalfe and I found the time to cover a host of other interrelated topics: the metaphysics of Chicago and the glorious 1980s counterculture; the personality profiling used by Joseph Matheny; "mastermind groups"; Adam Parfrey, Genesis P-Orridge, and the attempted Process revival; whether Cambridge Analytica and/or Steve Bannon would have been interested in the ARG format; and so much more. 

This is a great discussion guys. Please consider becoming subscriber. This episode alone is worth the price of admission. 

And on a more personal note, thank you all again. I have the best fans in the whole wide world. Happy New Year's to you all!

Christmas Tidings II

Hat tip: Denim, Ed, and Brisson

Update: Human remains apparently have been found near the RV that blew up in downtown Nashville. Most likely they are tied to who left the RV, though it is unknown if whomever the remains belong too were killed by the blast or already dead. 

***

It seemed inevitable Christmas 2020 would be every bit as strange as the rest of the year, and thus far it has not disappointed. One could feel it in the air all week. A veritable omen unfolded on December 20th, a Sunday. 

Regular readers of this blog know I've been chronicling the strange rash of deaths unfolding at Fort Bragg, located outside of Fayetteville, NC. This includes a paratrooper being beheaded earlier in the year and the recent murder of a pair of special operators in what maybe a drug-related hit. Another notch was added to the body toll on the 20th. 

It was then that Staff Sgt. Keith Lewis shot his pregnant wife at their home in Fayetteville. Lewis then turned the gun on himself as the couple's three-year old daughter bore witness to the tragedy. Lewis was pronounced dead on the scene while his wife, Sarah, later died at the hospital. The couple's unborn baby also departed with her. 

The child was due to be born on Christmas Day. 

Sarah and Sgt. Keith Lewis

Naturally, Sgt. Lewis had some kind of ties to the special operations community. Fort Bragg houses the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which overseas much of the nation's elite units. In the 21st century, JSOC has largely usurped much of the CIA's covert operations responsibilities. Of late, the final putsch maybe on the way. This unfolds against the backdrop of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) effectively becoming it's own branch of the armed forces and the special operators taking over the Pentagon in what are theoretically the final days of Trump's presidency. 

As for Sgt. Lewis, it has been reported that he was a member of the Army Special Operations Command, though what role he performed therein remains unknown. His wife was also a veteran in an as yet undisclosed military unit. 

The Bombing

But if you happen to be reading this on Christmas Day or shortly thereafter, you're probably tuning in for the bombing in Nashville that unfolded during the early morning hours of that holiday. I'm often hesitant to weigh in so early on these types of events, but the strangeness of it is self-evident. 

Clearly, causing causalities was not the intention of the blast. If it were, one could hardly have picked a worse time than the early hours of Christmas Day, one of the few times of the year when much of the country is not working. 

And then there's the curious YouTube video that appeared online shortly after the blast struck. The video appears to show the street in which the blast unfolded with a female voice coming through a PA instructing people to evacuate the street post haste. Judge for yourselves:

The video was posted by an account called "S McG." This account was created in 2014 and thus far this is it's only video. More on that in a moment. 

Okay, so the bombing occurs at one of the few times when this normally-busy downtown district of Nashville would be deserted on the one hand, and on the other, a voice over the PA is even telling people to clear out. Whoever did this appears to have gone out of their way to avoid deaths, and thus far it does not appear as the though there will be any related to the bombing. 

So, if causalities were not the purpose, what was? 

Thus far, the most likely target appears to have been the telecommunications grid. The blast unfolded near an AT&T building. Reportedly, this has caused massive disruptions to wireless and Internet services as well as 911 access. And of course, flights have been grounded. The disruptions have occurred not just in Nashville and the surrounding area, but as far as Alabama and Kentucky. 

the hot spots represent the area of the outages caused by the blast

It's quite possible something significant may have unfolded during the onset of those disruptions while authorities were distracted by the blast. Only time will tell. 

It's also entirely possible that this is a test run for something even bigger. As chaotic as this blast has been for families effected by it, things no doubt would have been far worse had it unfolded during a normal Friday morning. But again, only time will tell  if this is a prelude to something bigger. 

One thing that is very interesting that I wanted to point about before wrapping up is the compelling research done intrepid sleuth on Twitter. A certain "Ford Fischer" has pointed out the similarities between the "S McG" account that posted the Nashville bombing video and another created this year called "S Mc G." However, the "S Mc G" account has posted five videos (though two are the same video) in the span of about three weeks. All of the videos are quite bizarre and none longer than a minute. The one that ends at a minute, and is double posted, is quite disorienting:

The videos on the "S Mc G" account are in keeping with some of the more recent alternate reality games (ARG) launched on YouTube. These efforts frequently feature disturbing and/or disorienting, brief videos. Here's an example of such an ARG centered around the infamous Finders cult:

YouTuber Nexpo has quite a few excellent videos on these type of YouTube-centered ARGs. 

At this point, I need to emphasize this is all highly speculative on my part. But as we've recently explored here, there is a distinct possibility that members of the special operations community have been using ARGs for psychological warfare methods. Presently, the ultimate manifestation of this is QAnon. 

Is the Nashville bombing the next stage of this LARP? General Michael T Flynn is the figure most closely connected with the QAnon ARG as well as the de facto Secretary of Defense at present. As such, the possibility is there, but again, this is highly speculative on my part. Still, it's something to keep an eye on going forward.

Flynn

Before signing off, I'll point out that if you're looking for a way to spend those Amazon gift cards, my most recent book A Special Relationship: Trump, Epstein, and the Secret History of the Anglo-American Establishment Book I is now available in physical copies there. So is my debut work, Strange Tales of the Parapolitical: Postwar Nazis, Mercenaries, and Other Secret History. If you're looking for more on the rise of JSOC during the early 2000s and false-flags involving viruses, the latter will be especially interesting to you. 

And for more commentary, consider signing up for The Farm's patron. Subscribers get two additional, full-length shows per month featuring exclusive guests and content. New shows are typically posted on the 1st and 16th of each month. Our New Year's Day show will feature the secret history of ARGs from an insider with two decades of experience in those fields. Consider tuning in for that one as it seems more relevant by the day. 

And with that I shall sign off for now. Thank you so much dear readers for all your incredible support throughout this trying year. You guys are such an inspiration. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Stay tuned till next time.

The Incredible Disappearing and Reappearing Monolith

We just discussed the Utah monolith about a week ago, where I wondered if this bizarre media sensation would soon disappear or if it had legs. Thus far, the later certainly seems to be the case. 

On the day my initial monolith post went up, the Utah variety disappeared. Days later, it was revealed that several individuals had taken it upon themselves to dismantle and remove the monolith. There stated reason was: "We removed the Utah monolith because there are clear precedents for how we share and standardize the use of our public lands, natural wildlife, native plants, fresh water sources, and human impacts upon them." 

They seem to be expressing concern over the impact of monolith pilgrims on the surrounding public lands. And in fairness, hundreds of people had already traveled to the mysterious monolith, leaving a subsequent ecological impact in their wake. 

But isn't this something that the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), or some similar government agency should be handling, and not a group of "concerned" private citizens? Indeed, the BLM released a curious statement after the monolith was removed: "We have received credible reports that the illegally installed structure, referred to as the 'monolith,' has been removed... The BLM did not remove the structure, which is considered private property."

A scene of the monolith being dismantled

So, the BLM couldn't remove it themselves because it's private property, even if it was "illegally installed"? But private citizens can? 

And come to think of it, if the ecological threat was so grave, why did the UDWR play such a crucial role in bringing the monolith to public attention in the first place? Perhaps they didn't quite anticipate it becoming such a sensation, but did anyone seriously think the monolith wouldn't draw an audience?

Transmissions from Beyond

This sudden conclusion only raises further questions without offering any real resolution. Surely, this was the point. That, and to create a kind of "hypersigil." 

And then there is the alternate reality game (ARG) aspect. As I noted in my prior monolith post, a crucial component of all good ARGs is the "treasure hunt" aspect. Getting players out into the real world acting out aspects of the game is a longstanding objective of the original creators of the ARG concept.

At the forefront is Joseph Matheny, the creator of Ong's Hat, considered by many to be the first true ARG. Matheny has lots of interesting books on his website, but the one I'd recommend most enthusiastically is The Art of Memetics by Edward Wilson & Wes Unruh. There are lots of fascinating concepts in this book, but their take on "the law of attraction" is most relevant here:

"This isn't 'the secret' and it's not cribbed from an emerald tablet. It's advice based on experience and creative problem solving. Understanding your objective and focusing on it, explaining it to others in your social network, and then allowing that interaction to guide you will inevitably lead you to where you need to be. Kurt Vonnegut often wrote that 'you are what you pretend to be' but a more succinct phrase would be: You become what you do. Pretending is acting as if something is true, and it is that acting that is imprinted into the preconscious and unconscious mind over time."

(The Art of Memetics, pp. 54-55)

In other words, it is our actions that define what we are, not our thoughts. Thus, having people think about an ARG is not enough. They need to consciously act out the game. And certainly the Utah monolith offered this possibility. But it has now grown well beyond the confines of a mere treasure hunt. Rather, it appears to have inspired people across the world to craft their own hypersigils, which has led to even more performing art along the lines of what we saw in Utah when the monolith went down.  

Shortly after the Utah monolith's existence was revealed to the public at large, another appeared in Romania. Like the Utah monolith, it cropped in an area riddled with local lore. And like the Utah monolith, it disappeared not long after it gained international attention.

the Romanian monolith

On December 2, roughly five days after the Utah monolith was taken down, a third appeared in California. This was one was also removed, and in spectacular fashion. A rather pathetic band of white supremacist "desecrated" this monolith after having driven for nearly five hours to destroy it. Declaring "America first" and "Christ is king," they toppled the monolith and replaced with a wooden cross. A statement of purpose was given at the onset of the festivities along similar lines: "Christ is king in this country. We don’t want illegal aliens from Mexico or outer space. So let’s tear this bitch down.”

the California monolith in its pristine glory (top) and it's desecration (bottom) 

Yeah, the media is going to have a field day with that one. Elsewhere, a fourth monolith appeared on a community college campus in Austin, Texas on December 4. In this case, it was openly acknowledged that one of the Austin Community College District's welding departments were behind this particular spectacle. 

Austin's monolith

So, four monoliths then in the span of less than two weeks since the Utah one was revealed to the public at large. If actions are crucial to imprinting both the "preconscious and unconscious mind," then these four are certainly a coup. Rather than just inspiring pilgrims, they've spurred individuals and groups around the nation and world to create their own monoliths. And these monoliths in turn are inspiring even more drama, as the California incident illustrates. The level of participation the initial Utah monolith inspired is just staggering and it seems poised to continue. 

The question then becomes, what are these actions leading towards?

Evil Clowns and Other Curious LARPs

Already the monoliths are drawing comparisons to the evil clown sightings of 2016. Both the clowns and monoliths have become surreal stories in presidential election years here in these United States. 

Certainly the evil clowns provided a sinister context to the rise of Trump, and were even incorporated into American Horror Story: Cult, which eerily predicted the rise of the QAnon cult (AHS: Cult first aired on September 5, 2017, and wrapped up on November 14th of that year; what is generally considered the first Q dispatch appeared on 4chan on October 28, 2017). Naturally, AHS: Cult had its own ARG while compelling evidence has emerged that QAnon is in fact an ARG.

Are we seeing something similar playing out with the recent monolith flap? The original Utah monolith may have been left by the crew of Westworld, a show that's made heavy use of the ARG format for both it's marketing as well as it's storylines. But Westworld season 3 just wrapped up earlier in the year (after premiering shortly after the COVID lockdowns began here in the US), and likely will not return until 2022.

What then? Certainly the symbolism of the monolith, derived from Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, is far more idealistic than the evil clowns, to put it mildly. In the classic film, the monolith drives humanity on an interstellar journey that results in the next evolutionary step of the species (at least in popular interpretations). This is a story arch I'm sure delighted some die-in-the-wool globalists, especially in the aftermath of presumed Biden victory. 

the monolith from 2001

But this isn't the first time the US has witnessed a monolith LARP in the twenty-first century. The first one occurred on New Years Day 2001 when a monolith appeared in Seattle. It generated a similar mystery over the creators, disappeared, reappeared, and generally moved around the Seattle area for the first couple of months of 2001. The artists behind this particular monolith no doubt felt it was apt for the times. The feel-good vibes of the Clinton era were still going strong, by and large. Then came 9/11, which certainly ushered in a new age, both domestically and globally. 

Will 2021 offer a similar kind of new age? The third season of Westworld (dubbed "The New World" no less) offers as apt a vision as one is likely to find for the world we are heading towards, which is why I find the timing of its premier with COVID lockdowns to be especially ominous. And the Utah monolith has brought the show back into the limelight at time when it's would otherwise be out of the public consciousness. It is revelation of method of the highest order, especially in light of recent accounts of Q. 

And with that I shall sign off for now dear readers. Thanks for tuning in and a big thanks to those of you supporting The Farm's exclusive content on our Patron page. Expect some great content there related to the themes I've been exploring of late in the coming weeks. Anyway, until next time dear readers, stay tuned.