Spoke with Peter Davenport of NUFORC

[anthromom]

I just had a phone conversation with Peter Davenport of NUFORC. As a social scientist, I asked him if there was anything I could do to help him out, giving him my background. I live in Washington state and am close enough to make the trip to his eastern Washington location.

Interestingly, he is not interested. He says he gets six calls a week from people like me who want to get involved (and, yes, lots of scientists, military, and other credible people with relevant experience). He said that the most important thing he needs is funding for his passive radar project. He says he needs about $700,000 and that he has approached various known philanthropists and has been turned down. I am myself a successful grant writer, and I asked whether he has thought of approaching smaller potential funders. He thought that was a great idea, but, again, did not seem interested in pursuing the topic with me. He then added that he does not have non-profit status and decided against doing that for a variety of reasons (especially that his records could be examined by the IRS). But if you're seeking funding, funders want some accountability. I understand why he wouldn't want his files examined by folks from the government, but how else is he going to get his project off the ground and get funding? It's a lose-lose situation.

Before hanging up, I told him I live close enough to come out and help him once in a while, but he operates out of his home, and he doesn't want anyone else in there.

What Peter is doing is very important, but I'm a bit confused. Gosh, I wouldn't turn somebody like me down!

 

[anthromom]

I don't know if he's got schizoid personality disorder, but he definitely has his own agenda and is simultaneously preventing anything that might move that agenda forward.

You know, right and left folks interested in UFOs-UAPs are screaming, "Why won't real scientists get involved?" But maybe that's not what folks like PD really want because the presence of scientists would crowd the UFO scene even more. It would actually be against the economic and personal financial interests of folks currently making some bucks publishing and speaking about UFOs for there to be more credible people out there.

So why am I surprised?

 

[Simone_m]

Oooooooo girlllllll, don't get me started on (what I call) "Ufollywood"! There are just certain charismatic (to say the least) personages who jetset around and very --quickly-- and --easily-- are networked in with L.A. entertainment movers (and movies) and shakers! They are far more convincing than drab scientists, I'm afraid. Bbbbut the problem is, they are convincing of something that we can't say is really for certain, yet, Just lots of theories/speculation and human tales............

 

[anthromom]

I agree with you, but for the life of me I can't figure out why "Ufollywood" is peopled by some of the types we find there. For example, why Bill Birnes? There is absolutely nothing charismatic about him. In fact, he's downright unappealing and (as evidenced by a Paracast show featuring Birnes) will believe just about anything (come on, Bill, reptilians????). Maybe the media folks have discovered that representatives of marginalized views should be socially marginal people, rather than the appealing, charismatic types?

 

[Angel of Ioren]

Any relation to Simonemendez, who was banned from this forum a little while ago?

 

[dyingsun]

She banned herself, I believe ?

 

[Kandinsky]

Interestingly, he is not interested. He says he gets six calls a week from people like me who want to get involved (and, yes, lots of scientists, military, and other credible people with relevant experience). He said that the most important thing he needs is funding for his passive radar project. He says he needs about $700,000 and that he has approached various known philanthropists and has been turned down. I am myself a successful grant writer, and I asked whether he has thought of approaching smaller potential funders. He thought that was a great idea, but, again, did not seem interested in pursuing the topic with me. He then added that he does not have non-profit status and decided against doing that for a variety of reasons (especially that his records could be examined by the IRS). But if you're seeking funding, funders want some accountability. I understand why he wouldn't want his files examined by folks from the government, but how else is he going to get his project off the ground and get funding? It's a lose-lose situation.

Before hanging up, I told him I live close enough to come out and help him once in a while, but he operates out of his home, and he doesn't want anyone else in there.

What Peter is doing is very important, but I'm a bit confused. Gosh, I wouldn't turn somebody like me down!

Try looking at it from PD's perspective or put yourself in a similar position? Someone calls up out of the blue and offers business advice and then offers to come to the house and help out? You might be well-meaning and a great prospect. Nevertheless you're a stranger with a story and no provenance as far as your posts in this thread indicate.

Maybe if you'd been referred by someone he knows and trusts it would have panned out differently? Without a history or reference, you could be motivated by anything from robbing, murdering or ridiculing. Any number of possibilities are imaginable.

Running NUFORC is his 'cross to bear' and whatever he chooses to do with it is his business...rightly or wrongly. I haven't spoken to him and only have his website and interviews to form an opinion from. Nevertheless, he's a great figure in ufology in my view.

 

[Roro]

I have heard Peter Davenport spend an entire interview complaining. Complaining about the prank calls he receives, about people who don't report their sightings, politicians in general (he ran for public office in WA a few years back) and about reporters who don't give him credit for his role in them reporting on events. None of these complaints are unwarranted but not the best use of airtime. I appreciate and admire his dedication and the years he has spent running NUFORC. I think his passive radar project is a dandy idea. He comes across as a bitter, tired and lonely person. Anthromom's account of her conversation with him certainly leaves me scratching my head. I don't doubt that he's overworked, so why turn down help?

 

[pixelsmith]

Wellllllllllll,,,,,,, then how bout this un?

You just got to agree with me here, that Ufoology sure does 'GET THE CHICKS' ! BUT AND HOWEVER, for the RIGHT Ufologist. Because I tried to find pictures of Stanton Friedman and Kevin Randle with Starlets draped all over them................I searched and searched and searchedand searched and searched, and I could find NONE!
Hey has this man become a Ufologist? It appears so.

---------- Post added at 05:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 PM ----------

Here is me IN UFOLOGY from back in 1996.Re: Simone Mendez & USAF & UFOs

That is a far better photo of Simone than the one on the DMR website.

 

[anthromom]

Try looking at it from PD's perspective or put yourself in a similar position? Someone calls up out of the blue and offers business advice and then offers to come to the house and help out? You might be well-meaning and a great prospect. Nevertheless you're a stranger with a story and no provenance as far as your posts in this thread indicate.

Maybe if you'd been referred by someone he knows and trusts it would have panned out differently? Without a history or reference, you could be motivated by anything from robbing, murdering or ridiculing. Any number of possibilities are imaginable.

I did introduce myself to PD and gave him my credentials. I believe I also sent him a copy of my resume, although I am easily discovered merely by typing my name into Google (or, even better, Google citations). My credibility is not at issue, especially given the types and number of government and private grants I've held, including a Fulbright Fellowship which means I've probably been investigated in ways I'd hate even to know more about. And certainly, participating in this forum bears no relationship on one's credibility either way, nor do I have to prove my worthiness to anyone on this forum.

No, PD wasn't questioning my credibility. And I didn't get the sense he was concerned for his safety in this context. Again, he says he gets calls from scientists, military, police, etc. all the time offering to help, and what he wants to do is to work on his project (right now, alone in his house) until he gets his $700,000.

Which is leading me to a new conclusion...this fairly recent "call" for more scientists to get involved...it's not all that serious. Because if more "real" scientists got involved, the kooks and crackpots and those with special interests in their little areas of ufology (read $$$) would be pushed aside. I am leaning toward the conclusion that it's good politics to ask scientists to get involved, but it would be highly inconvenient for those already embedded in ufology if they did.