L.E.M.U.R.
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New Champion at 4th Annual UFO Experience!
« on: August 27, 2008, 03:15:19 AM » |
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 Jim's enormous UFO (image by Mobius)
A New Champion!The Fourth Annual UFO Experience Was Historic  Asheville artist Yeva, Warren & a visitor from beyond (photo by Lauren Warren)Hundreds turned out, some having traveled hundreds of miles,
to see what this year's competitors could produce.
 Another view of Jim's UFO (image by Mobius)
The new First Place Winner, Jim from Tennessee, re-created the famous "Phoenix Lights" effect, from 1997, of an enormous, triangular craft in the sky using his vast skill and a series of hot-air balloons he hand-made for $25.
 Jim prepares one of his balloons (photo by Tammy Jones)
Jim won't give away all his secrets, but says an understanding of wind currents and how his custom balloons behave is the key. Event producer Joshua P. Warren said "It blew everyone away. This is a valuable piece of data for anyone interested in analyzing UFO imagery. It's a great example of how studying a fake helps us clarify the real thing." Jim won a weekend getaway at the scenic Graystone Cabins estate (see www.Graystone-Cabins.com)
 Jeff Wilson's 2nd Place Winner (photo by Tammy Jones)
Second Place went to Jeff Wilson, the 3-year First Place Winner since the events inception, in 2005. Wilson is also the first UFO champion to go on Coast to Coast AM, briefly interviewed along with Joshua P. Warren on August 19, 2008. Jeff's initial plans went awry when there were unexpected problems with his main entry, so he had to compete by entering a secondary craft, far less elaborate than his original. Jeff's unexpected problem was echoed by the new champion, Jim, since Jim's grand finale, a huge balloon with multiple-stage effects, also had to be cancelled at the last minute due to a frame break that could not be easily repaired. This is a great example of the significant technical challenges these talented engineers face, and illustrates the difficulty in faking some of the extreme UFO sightings reported throughout history.
Third Place went to a newcomer, Crystal from Asheville. Her unique design incorporated a folded, translucent mesh to disperse multi-colored (especially violet) LEDs below.
Honorable Mentions went to Phil Preston from Asheville (who made his craft from the plastic, fast food container for his lunch earlier in the day), Forrest Connor and his friend Andrew (who installed a small jet engine to help guide their cone-shaped model) and Asheville's cosmic artist Yeva (whose impressive, blue-tipped star-like craft was barely saved from a tree).
For more photos from the event by Tammy Jones, see: http://ghosts.meetup.com/240/photos/
We hope others who were present will post their photos and videos on this thread, as well.
Thank you to everyone who made this event another success!
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zombieflickchick
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Posts: 24
 
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Re:New Champion at 4th Annual UFO Experience!
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2008, 09:34:09 AM » |
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WOW! I feel honored! Thanks for sharing my pictures!
I had a great time and it was an honor to meet Joshua!
Tammy Jones
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L.E.M.U.R.
Administrator
Posts: 790
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Re:New Champion at 4th Annual UFO Experience!
« Reply #3 on: October 6, 2008, 03:46:26 PM » |
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MEDIA MEMORANDUM
For immediate release
For information:
"Speaking Of Strange" with Joshua P. Warren
News Radio 570 WWNC; Shadowbox Enterprises, LLC
(828) 253-7736, ShadowboxENT@yahoo.com
www.UFOcontest.com
"Phoenix Lights" UFO Effect Recreated for $25 at Contest
Asheville, N.C. (October 9, 2008) -- A Tennessee man has taken the crown as the new champion at Joshua P. Warren's annual UFO Experience, a contest to fake UFOs, used to help researchers analyze genuine UFO imagery. Jim Robison is an amateur balloon expert who used his experience, timing, and $25 worth of hand-made hot-air balloons to create an enormous, triangular design in the sky over Barnardsville, North Carolina, where the event has been held in a dark, secluded field the past four years. Hundreds came from around the country to witness the free spectacle in which there are only two rules: the craft must be airborne and it must be safe.
"It blew everyone away," said event organizer Joshua P. Warren. "This is a valuable piece of data for anyone interested in analyzing UFO imagery. It's a great example of how studying a fake can help us analyze the real thing."
The series of five small balloons, powered by rows of birthday cake candles, drifted into the sky then formed a triangle that appeared to dwarf a jet. The human brain filled in the gap between the lights, giving the impression these were points of one giant, fixed-wing vehicle. The overcast conditions prevented starlight from showing through, enhancing the illusion of one big, solid, black form. The lights slowly, silently drifted away over the countryside, 10 minutes north of Asheville.
Last year's winner, and 3-year champion, Jeff Wilson, created a triangular helium-lifted craft, remote controlled, with multiple stages. He was able to scan the audience with a laser, release smoke to enshroud his creation, and even switch the craft's lighting structure instantly, producing the illusion of a different object.
For the fourth year in a row, Joshua P. Warren, host of the paranormal talk show "Speaking of Strange" on AM 570 WWNC, produced the "Speaking of Strange UFO Experience." It's a cookout, free to the public, where paranormal experts socialize then, after dark, release fake UFOs into the sky. The creator of the best craft, created from helium balloons and light sources like glow sticks, win a prize pack, including access to a private ghost hunt with L.E.M.U.R., Warren's paranormal research team. Warren invites observers who simply want to enjoy the spectacle, as well as participants in the contest. The recent even started at 7pm on Friday, August 22, 2008, at the Big Ivey Community Center in Barnardsville, North Carolina, 10-15 minutes north of Asheville. A grill was available, and attendees can bring their own food, beverages, and accessories, though live music and refreshments were available. Those who constructed a UFO were asked to supply all their own materials, including helium-filled balloons, if needed. The contest was open to everyone. Though free, donations are appreciated to help pay for the location.
"Each year, it's gotten bigger and better, and I've already heard we'll see some mind-boggling things next year," says Warren, whose show airs Saturday nights, 8-11pm, on the no-1 rated talk station in the region. "This event serves two purposes. Seeing creative fake UFOs will help us rule out fakes when analyzing UFO pictures and footage. Secondly, it's just downright fun; a chance to meet with new people who share an interest in the unknown and see a fascinating light-show. If you haven't seen an actual UFO, this will give you the experience to some degree. To my knowledge, this event is unique--there is no other like it in the world."
Warren has seen and videotaped genuine UFOs during L.E.M.U.R. investigations. His work has been featured on the History Channel, Discovery, Travel Channel and Sci-Fi Channel. His book, "How to Hunt Ghosts," was published by Simon and Schuster, his book "Haunted Asheville" is a regional best-seller, and L.E.M.U.R. made the cover of a science journal, "Electric Space Craft," due to their groundbreaking research on the mysterious Brown Mountain Lights near Morganton, North Carolina.
For more information on the "Speaking of Strange UFO Experience" visit www.UFOcontest.com on the internet.
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