Beyond Skinwalker Ranch S03E04 - Orbs

[NorCal Dave]

A couple things for the record: I did indeed use flight radar 24 to track aircraft in the area that night and for some reason I did not see a craft that fit that time in that airspace at the time.

I guess it's kinda vague if he used FlightRadar24 out there that actual night, or at some point later on. Given that it appears FlightRadar24 was off line, at least for the part of the expedition we saw, it would seem the latter. Maybe if they were doing all this "investigation" at a later date, their record keeping was as sloppy as their continuity.

 

[Mendel]

First of all, that was an excellent video, @Mick West! I watched it without knowing this thread, and it laid out the case beautifully while referencing the community investigation process and giving credit to the investigators. Judging by the comments on youtube, the message certainly comes across even with the understated wording.

For the record, this is yet another example where multiple witnesses observed something anomalous in the sky that turned out to be mundane.

 

[jarlrmai]

First of all, that was an excellent video, @Mick West! I watched it without knowing this thread, and it laid out the case beautifully while referencing the community investigation process and giving credit to the investigators. Judging by the comments on youtube, the message certainly comes across even with the understated wording.

For the record, this is yet another example where multiple witnesses observed something anomalous in the sky that turned out to be mundane.

As far as I can tell It's not clear that anyone actually witnessed this actual plane in real time, it seems fairly likely that they filmed the Everglades bit with the Bledsoes etc and at the same time had some time-lapse cameras going (seemingly operated by Priola) and then later reviewed the time-lapse footage for anything "weird" and presented that at the conclusion.

 

[Mendel]

As far as I can tell It's not clear that anyone actually witnessed this actual plane in real time, it seems fairly likely that they filmed the Everglades bit with the Bledsoes etc and at the same time had some time-lapse cameras going (seemingly operated by Priola) and then later reviewed the time-lapse footage for anything "weird" and presented that at the conclusion.

But wasn't it presented with the reputation of the people in the video behind it?

 

[Mick West]

I had a nice chat with Steve Piero. He seems to be an honest investigator. He is somewhat constrained by agreements, but quite friendly and helpful. He genuinely missed the plane on FR24 (checking later, as it was a timelapse), and it does look a bit odd. He had no say in how it was ultimately presented on the show.

 

[FatPhil]

I had a nice chat with Steve Piero. He seems to be an honest investigator. He is somewhat constrained by agreements, but quite friendly and helpful. He genuinely missed the plane on FR24 (checking later, as it was a timelapse), and it does look a bit odd. He had no say in how it was ultimately presented on the show.

Can you arrange for him to perform some subtle tic - tug an earlobe, or cross his fingers in an unusual way, or something like that - next time he is under duress and being forced to say things like "tell-tale sign it's not an aircraft", so we can know to sympathise with his plight.

 

[jarlrmai]

But wasn't it presented with the reputation of the people in the video behind it?

Sure classic spooky reality TV, we took the Bledsoes out into a spooky Florida swamp at night and then later on we saw this UAP on the film, you do the math (2+2=5)

 

[jarlrmai]

I had a nice chat with Steve Piero. He seems to be an honest investigator. He is somewhat constrained by agreements, but quite friendly and helpful. He genuinely missed the plane on FR24 (checking later, as it was a timelapse), and it does look a bit odd. He had no say in how it was ultimately presented on the show.

I assume he is going to let Chris Bledsoe know so he can remove the Twitter post?

 

[jdog]

Andy Bustamante, the man labeled as an "ex-cia intelligence officer," has a second career as a media personality. I first saw him on one of those "real spy reacts to movie spies"-type videos, but I see he also has his own YouTube channel where he talks about things like how to use CIA training in real life and opines on current events, as well as alleged UFO coverups. But it's always challenging to know when to believe someone whose shtick is "I used to be a professional liar and you can be too!" (Shades of 'Zondo.)

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

Andy Bustamante, the man labeled as an "ex-cia intelligence officer," has a second career as a media personality. I first saw him on one of those "real spy reacts to movie spies"-type videos, but I see he also has his own YouTube channel where he talks about things like how to use CIA training in real life and opines on current events, as well as alleged UFO coverups. But it's always challenging to know when to believe someone whose shtick is "I used to be a professional liar and you can be too!" (Shades of 'Zondo.)

View attachment 82081

Andy is legit, won't dive into it much but can vouch to Mick if needed.

Before making quick assumptions about his belief, I would like to point out he's mentioned many many times he's not seen any information to make him believe any of it is aliens, nor has he ever stated such. He's never talked about the meme'ified version of cover ups also.

Andy also does not teach people to professionally lie, at least not directly anyways, nor is that his shtick. He helps people develop and refine things like cognitive skills.
Much like is the case with many others, he's not an analyst, nor should his career be taken that way nor does he present that himself. Everyone has analytical capabilities in our mind but not being an analyst comes with many more degrees of vulnerabilities that could present at any time.

 

[jarlrmai]

Some quotes by Mr. Bledsoe that now apply to Steve Priola, I am sure Mr. Priola will inform Mr. Bledsoe of his error soon, so Mr. Bledsoe can offer a retraction and an apology.


Source: https://x.com/chrisbledsoeufo/status/1938986617706017255

When are the people going to see that guy is a clown.
We had all the scientists and equipment on site no airplanes.
Its time to listen the experts and not a paid distraction.

 

[John J.]

Some quotes by Mr. Bledsoe

Mr Bledsoe comes across as rather uncharitable.

 

[Mick West]

I am sure Mr. Priola will inform Mr. Bledsoe of his error soon, so Mr. Bledsoe can offer a retraction and an apology.

Priola has posted on his Instagram that it's been identified as a plane. I don't know if they are in touch beyond the show (which was over a year ago)

 

[jarlrmai]

Priola has posted on his Instagram that it's been identified as a plane. I don't know if they are in touch beyond the show (which was over a year ago)

I made Mr Priola aware by message on Instagram that Bledsoe has a X post about it. So he should reach out soon i'd imagine.

 

[Kyle Ferriter]

Andy is legit, won't dive into it much but can vouch to Mick if needed.

Before making quick assumptions about his belief, I would like to point out he's mentioned many many times he's not seen any information to make him believe any of it is aliens, nor has he ever stated such. He's never talked about the meme'ified version of cover ups also.

Andy also does not teach people to professionally lie, at least not directly anyways, nor is that his shtick. He helps people develop and refine things like cognitive skills.
Much like is the case with many others, he's not an analyst, nor should his career be taken that way nor does he present that himself. Everyone has analytical capabilities in our mind but not being an analyst comes with many more degrees of vulnerabilities that could present at any time.

I have to disagree with this. His ex-CIA credentials are cited for credibility purposes and he is helping to (indirectly through his presence and non-critical takes, and directly through his own statements/behavior) convince the audience of false or misleading things.

This is the show description on the website right now:

Ex-CIA agent Andy Bustamante and Investigative Journalist Paul Beban investigate a flurry of new and disturbing activity as they continue their forward-recon mission to research areas of high strangeness beyond the borders of Skinwalker Ranch. While deploying the Skinwalker team's roster of experts along with some of their own, the shocking results they obtain are changing the game at Skinwalker Ranch and beyond. It's no longer a question of whether there are unexplained phenomena outside the borders of Skinwalker Ranch—it's a question of how many hotspots the team can find.

Bustamante may not believe anything they show is necessarily aliens, but I don't really think it matters what he believes deep down or strategically avoids saying explicitly. What matters is that much like Travis Taylor he is serving as an expert with credentials and actively participating in misleading the audience of this show into believing that mundane things are unexplainable and extraordinary. He is not correcting mistakes or misleading things aired on the show. He's nodding along and even providing some of those misleading things himself. Maybe folks like Bustamante really want to give contrary/critical takes but are bound by NDAs and contracts to not say anything that contradicts the agenda of convincing the audience of anomalous events. But it is a choice to participate in this, and if there are restrictive terms, then it's also a choice to agree to participate under those terms. He is being paid to help the show convince people of falsehoods, along with the rest of the team, and they know this is the job, and they are succeeding to some extent, no matter how many specific data points are addressed by skeptics. If Bustamante comes out with criticisms of the show's practices, and helps deconstruct some of the misleading content aired and associated with his face and credentials, then that would be welcome, but taking the paycheck to mislead people is a choice.

In this video, from 8:21 until the end at 10:12, Bustamante is presenting this photograph and discussing with the team.

At 9:58, after the discussion of the photo, Brandon Fugal says "congratulations gentlemen, I think we have a bona fide unidentified aerial phenomena event". All the while Bustamante and Taylor (notably, who has a PhD in optical science) nod along and do not point out caveats or the possibility it was simply a long exposure of their own lights.

The photo is clearly a long exposure. In long exposures, either stationary or very bright objects show up most clearly. Regions that are both darker and are moving, show up in the final image much less, if at all. This photo looks possibly like a couple people with headlamps on walking out a few dozen meters, and then walking back. It's entirely possible that the people would not show up at all, even though the streaks from their headlamps do. They said they only saw this much later upon reviewing all the footage they obtained that night. They might simply not remember or be aware that someone walked over that way briefly with a light on during this exposure.

Here's a photo I just took in my living room. It's a 15 second exposure. For ~5 seconds of that exposure I am standing directly in front of the camera in a bright red t-shirt, waving a flashlight around in circles in front of me. I think I may see a may see a very slight red tint in the lower center, but this is a decently well-lit room in the middle of the day, and a bright red shirt in front of an off-white wall, a high color contrast, while the flashlight itself has lower contrast with the decent ambient lighting compared to nighttime. But still the stationary objects and the flashlight overwhelmingly dominate.

Here's a 30 second exposure (with a narrower aperture setting, hence darker) of me walking away from the camera and then back towards the camera, wearing a headlamp strapped to my forehead.

Here's a 30 second exposure in a darker room with the curtains cracked open, again with me standing directly in front of the camera waving a flashlight around for 5 seconds.

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

I have to disagree with this. His ex-CIA credentials are cited for credibility purposes and he is helping to (indirectly through his presence and non-critical takes, and directly through his own statements/behavior) convince the audience of false or misleading things.

This is the show description on the website right now:

Ex-CIA agent Andy Bustamante and Investigative Journalist Paul Beban investigate a flurry of new and disturbing activity as they continue their forward-recon mission to research areas of high strangeness beyond the borders of Skinwalker Ranch. While deploying the Skinwalker team's roster of experts along with some of their own, the shocking results they obtain are changing the game at Skinwalker Ranch and beyond. It's no longer a question of whether there are unexplained phenomena outside the borders of Skinwalker Ranch—it's a question of how many hotspots the team can find.

Bustamante may not believe anything they show is necessarily aliens, but I don't really think it matters what he believes deep down or strategically avoids saying explicitly. What matters is that much like Travis Taylor he is serving as an expert with credentials and actively participating in misleading the audience of this show into believing that mundane things are unexplainable and extraordinary. He is not correcting mistakes or misleading things aired on the show. He's nodding along and even providing some of those misleading things himself. Maybe folks like Bustamante really want to give contrary/critical takes but are bound by NDAs and contracts to not say anything that contradicts the agenda of convincing the audience of anomalous events. But it is a choice to participate in this, and if there are restrictive terms, then it's also a choice to agree to participate under those terms. He is being paid to help the show convince people of falsehoods, along with the rest of the team, and they know this is the job, and they are succeeding to some extent, no matter how many specific data points are addressed by skeptics. If Bustamante comes out with criticisms of the show's practices, and helps deconstruct some of the misleading content aired and associated with his face and credentials, then that would be welcome, but taking the paycheck to mislead people is a choice.

In this video, from 8:21 until the end at 10:12, Bustamante is presenting this photograph and discussing with the team.

View attachment 82085

At 9:58, after the discussion of the photo, Brandon Fugal says "congratulations gentlemen, I think we have a bona fide unidentified aerial phenomena event". All the while Bustamante and Taylor (notably, who has a PhD in optical science) nod along and do not point out caveats or the possibility it was simply a long exposure of their own lights.

The photo is clearly a long exposure. In long exposures, either stationary or very bright objects show up most clearly. Regions that are both darker and are moving, show up in the final image much less, if at all. This photo looks possibly like a couple people with headlamps on walking out a few dozen meters, and then walking back. It's entirely possible that the people would not show up at all, even though the streaks from their headlamps do. They said they only saw this much later upon reviewing all the footage they obtained that night. They might simply not remember or be aware that someone walked over that way briefly with a light on during this exposure.

Here's a photo I just took in my living room. It's a 15 second exposure. For ~5 seconds of that exposure I am standing directly in front of the camera in a bright red t-shirt, waving a flashlight around in circles in front of me. I think I may see a may see a very slight red tint in the lower center, but this is a decently well-lit room in the middle of the day, and a bright red shirt in front of an off-white wall, a high color contrast, while the flashlight itself has lower contrast with the decent ambient lighting compared to nighttime. But still the stationary objects and the flashlight overwhelmingly dominate.
View attachment 82082

Here's a 30 second exposure (with a narrower aperture setting, hence darker) of me walking away from the camera and then back towards the camera, wearing a headlamp strapped to my forehead.
View attachment 82086

Here's a 30 second exposure in a darker room with the curtains cracked open, again with me standing directly in front of the camera waving a flashlight around for 5 seconds.
View attachment 82084

I do agree with your reference of its issue in that angle, as it should be held and I share it to an extent. My point is more about framing it accurately. There's a major difference between being on a TV show knowing they'll puff your statements and details up, and from being an explicit participant in that angle.
That and the bits about him (you didn't write this but in re my original) "teaching people to be liars" he doesn't do that, people ask him about related things in podcasts sometimes but he doesn't really teach that or bring it up unprompted himself much. Always good to stay on track with the issues in this regard instead of character statements as such that aren't entirely accurate.
He has also spoken about his work on and beliefs about things related to the show across multiple podcasts, they usually play up the podcast titles though.

 

[jarlrmai]

I think the wider point would be that if Mr. Priola and Mr. Bustamante et al want to be engaged serious UAP analysis, then maybe this TV show is not the correct place to be, I guess maybe an argument could be made that TV shows like this are the only place funding anything like it, but it still obviously compromises balanced and accurate investigation.

Mr. Bledsoe has apparently been informed.

 

[MyMatesBrainwashed]

When are the people going to see that guy is a clown.
We had all the scientists and equipment on site no airplanes.
Its time to listen the experts and not a paid distraction.

That last line should age well.

Makes me think how "paid distraction" is a pretty good description of a television program.

 

[Smythe Bacchus]

if Mr. Prioloa and Mr. Bustamante et al want to be engaged serious UAP analysis, then maybe this TV show is not the correct place to be, I guess maybe an argument could be made that TV shows like this are the only place funding anything like it

This is a pseudo-documentary. I doubt whether any real "research" occurred, beyond what was staged for the camera. Interesting "evidence" would then be selected for the final cut and "wrap up" scene at the end.

It is pure cosplay.

That last line (from Mr Bledsoe) should age well.

By his own logic, Mr Bledsoe should consider how much he and all of the other participants were paid to appear in this TV show, and explain why that has not apparently affected their own bias, credibility, and integrity.

Cognitive dissonance.

 

[MyMatesBrainwashed]

Priola updated his video description:

This serves as an important reminder: many aerial light anomalies can be convincingly explained with the right tools and hindsight. It's also why I personally give more attention to lights or craft that display highly irregular, dynamic movement—something I've found difficult to explain through conventional means. Smooth, linear flight is often the hallmark of man-made craft; erratic motion tends to stand out.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLTsD_QRxK6/

I don't really buy this reminder.

It's kinda patronising to be told to use the right tools for the job and to take your time by someone who didn't use the right tools or take their time while presenting themselves as someone who should know the right tools for the job and takes their time.

Nevermind that ALL aerial light anomalies can be convincingly explained with the right tools and hindsight. Maybe the right tool doesn't currently exist. But in hindsight it will.

It's the same old problem of being on the side of UFOs but only being interested in protecting the Unidentified status rather than any interest of turning it into an Identified object. That kinda comes across as the schtick of most of these UFOlogists.