Volume 14 Archive
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 1 • December 30, 2018 •
It’s been a busy few weeks in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Happy New Year! As we get ready to begin yet another year of outrageous and bizarre claims about history, I invite you to finish your 2018 by taking a look back at the past year in fringe history with my year in review blog post. Overall, it was a slow year in fringe history, and I think that reflects the mainstreaming of conspiracy theories, thanks in large measure to the current political climate, which drives down demand for fringe conspiracies due to the competition.
Also of note, as I discussed on Twitter this week: The final episode of Legends of the Lost did not rank in the Nielsen Top 150 shows for Christmas Day. The only Travel Channel show to rank had just 270,000 viewers, suggesting that the finale of Legends had almost no viewers.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the weeks of December 17-30:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 1 • December 30, 2018 •
It’s been a busy few weeks in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Happy New Year! As we get ready to begin yet another year of outrageous and bizarre claims about history, I invite you to finish your 2018 by taking a look back at the past year in fringe history with my year in review blog post. Overall, it was a slow year in fringe history, and I think that reflects the mainstreaming of conspiracy theories, thanks in large measure to the current political climate, which drives down demand for fringe conspiracies due to the competition.
Also of note, as I discussed on Twitter this week: The final episode of Legends of the Lost did not rank in the Nielsen Top 150 shows for Christmas Day. The only Travel Channel show to rank had just 270,000 viewers, suggesting that the finale of Legends had almost no viewers.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the weeks of December 17-30:
- Review of Legends of the Lost S01E03: “America's Lost Civilization”
- Review of Legends of the Lost S01E04: “The Trojan War: Myth or Truth?”
- Curse of Oak Island Repeats Claim That “Jolly Roger” Is a Templar Symbol
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 2 • January 6, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Now that the embargo on reviews has broken, I am presenting my review of History’s upcoming Project Blue Book series… Basically, it’s competent, if bland, entertainment brought down by an obvious propaganda agenda.
Aren’t we lucky to have not one but two multi-hour Ancient Aliens episodes, one on each side of this weekend? I reviewed Friday’s episode already, but I can’t fathom slogging through two more hours of the show, particularly a repetitive episode about Mars, on Monday. My plan will be to record the show and review it sometime Tuesday or Wednesday. But we’ll see. Maybe I can gin up the energy to sit through the show earlier, but two-hour blocks are really punishing. It’s almost like they are daring viewers to try to make it to the end.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of December 31-January 6.
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 2 • January 6, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Now that the embargo on reviews has broken, I am presenting my review of History’s upcoming Project Blue Book series… Basically, it’s competent, if bland, entertainment brought down by an obvious propaganda agenda.
Aren’t we lucky to have not one but two multi-hour Ancient Aliens episodes, one on each side of this weekend? I reviewed Friday’s episode already, but I can’t fathom slogging through two more hours of the show, particularly a repetitive episode about Mars, on Monday. My plan will be to record the show and review it sometime Tuesday or Wednesday. But we’ll see. Maybe I can gin up the energy to sit through the show earlier, but two-hour blocks are really punishing. It’s almost like they are daring viewers to try to make it to the end.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of December 31-January 6.
- Review of Ancient Aliens S13E14 “The Alien Phenomenon”
- Ancient Origins Writer Claims Ancient Greek Homosexuality Is “A Big Lie” and Greeks Just Really Liked “Bromance”
- Archaeologist Challenges My Review of Megan Fox's Viking Women Episode
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 3 • January 13, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
It was a big week for UFOs on TV, with the History Channel and the CW using UFO-themed documentaries to promote high-profile UFO-themed drama series. Unfortunately for both networks, the audience for UFO documentaries is apparently in eclipse. We’ve seen that these things tend to go in cycles, and it looks like we are in a period of waning interest while viewers flock to shows about treasure hunting, extreme outdoor activities, and other competing genres. I broke down this week’s surprisingly low rating for UFO shows in the link below.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of January 7-13.
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 3 • January 13, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
It was a big week for UFOs on TV, with the History Channel and the CW using UFO-themed documentaries to promote high-profile UFO-themed drama series. Unfortunately for both networks, the audience for UFO documentaries is apparently in eclipse. We’ve seen that these things tend to go in cycles, and it looks like we are in a period of waning interest while viewers flock to shows about treasure hunting, extreme outdoor activities, and other competing genres. I broke down this week’s surprisingly low rating for UFO shows in the link below.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of January 7-13.
- Review of Ancient Aliens S13E15 “Return to Mars”
- Crash and Burn: This Week’s UFO TV Disappoints in the Ratings
- Viking Women, Archaeology, and the Value of Literary Sources
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 4 • January 20, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week the Travel Channel began airing reruns of the 2012-2015 H2 series America Unearthed as a test run for a potential revival of the series that Scott Wolter and the show’s producers have been teasing for several months now. The ratings for the rebroadcast were better than Travel’s usual 8 PM score, but nothing special: 475,000 viewers. We’ll see what happens with the next broadcast on Monday. But it was a tough week for fringe programs. Project Blue Book fell markedly in its second outing, declining to just 1.88 million viewers, losing nearly half of lead-in Curse of Oak Island’s 3.5 million viewers. It’s a dud.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of January 14-20.
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 4 • January 20, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week the Travel Channel began airing reruns of the 2012-2015 H2 series America Unearthed as a test run for a potential revival of the series that Scott Wolter and the show’s producers have been teasing for several months now. The ratings for the rebroadcast were better than Travel’s usual 8 PM score, but nothing special: 475,000 viewers. We’ll see what happens with the next broadcast on Monday. But it was a tough week for fringe programs. Project Blue Book fell markedly in its second outing, declining to just 1.88 million viewers, losing nearly half of lead-in Curse of Oak Island’s 3.5 million viewers. It’s a dud.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of January 14-20.
- Review of Our Cosmic Ancestry by Chandra Wickramasinghe et al.
- Travel Channel Adds America Unearthed Reruns in Quest to Be as Bad as Rival History Channel
- New York Times Still Soft on UFOs, Lets Blumenthal and Kean Deliver Pro-UFO Propaganda in Feature on the “Truth” About History’s Project Blue Book
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 5 • January 27, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
It looks like the Travel Channel’s efforts to reintroduce the 2012-2015 H2 series America Unearthed to its viewers aren’t exactly setting TV viewership on fire. The second rebroadcast lost 60,000 viewers from the first outing, settling for just 415,000 viewers. I mention this not to harp on America Unearthed but to point out that sometimes it becomes easy to overestimate the reach and influence of cable space alien and fringe history TV shows. With audiences that rarely exceed 1% of the population (or 0.13% for America Unearthed), basically nobody is watching most shows. The danger comes when the volume of cable shows telling the same lie grows large enough that most cable viewers will encounter the same lies about ancient astronauts, lost white races, and other similar frauds on some show, even if they aren’t watching the same show.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of January 21-27.
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 5 • January 27, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
It looks like the Travel Channel’s efforts to reintroduce the 2012-2015 H2 series America Unearthed to its viewers aren’t exactly setting TV viewership on fire. The second rebroadcast lost 60,000 viewers from the first outing, settling for just 415,000 viewers. I mention this not to harp on America Unearthed but to point out that sometimes it becomes easy to overestimate the reach and influence of cable space alien and fringe history TV shows. With audiences that rarely exceed 1% of the population (or 0.13% for America Unearthed), basically nobody is watching most shows. The danger comes when the volume of cable shows telling the same lie grows large enough that most cable viewers will encounter the same lies about ancient astronauts, lost white races, and other similar frauds on some show, even if they aren’t watching the same show.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of January 21-27.
- West Virginia Archaeologists Blast Appalachian Magazine for Reviving Claims about Irish Monks in Ancient America
- Latest Infighting at MUFON Accidentally Reveals Web of Connections Between MUFON, Robert Bigelow, the Pentagon, To the Stars, and A+E Networks
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 6 • February 3, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I spent most of this week sick with a sinus infection, so I didn’t devote as much time to scouring the news for weird stories this week. I did see, however, that Graham Hancock is gearing up for a promotional tour to launch his new book, America Before, which launches this spring. He is scheduled for a return appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast in April. I also saw Facebook photos of former TV personality Scott Wolter shooting a new TV series in some British caves. I guess that means that the new TV series is a go, proving that after hosting a TV show it becomes statistically impossible not to host another.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of January 28-February 3:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 6 • February 3, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I spent most of this week sick with a sinus infection, so I didn’t devote as much time to scouring the news for weird stories this week. I did see, however, that Graham Hancock is gearing up for a promotional tour to launch his new book, America Before, which launches this spring. He is scheduled for a return appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast in April. I also saw Facebook photos of former TV personality Scott Wolter shooting a new TV series in some British caves. I guess that means that the new TV series is a go, proving that after hosting a TV show it becomes statistically impossible not to host another.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of January 28-February 3:
- Harvard Scientist Speculates about Ancient Astronauts as Surrogates for God, Asks If Their Existence Would Make Humanity More Moral and Responsible
- Australia's History Channel Marks Australia Day with Ancient Aliens Claims about Space Aliens and Egyptians Colonizing Down Under
- Australian Government Facing Mounting Pressure to Ban Conspiracy Theorist David Icke Over Anti-Semitic Claims
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 7 • February 10, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I’ve finally gotten all of the contract details worked out with the publishers of my forthcoming books, and I’ve delivered the final manuscript for my mound builder book to the University of Oklahoma Press, where it will now go into copyediting. That book was a long time in the writing, and I am relieved to have it sent off to the publisher. Now I have to focus on writing my book on pyramid legends. I’ve made a good start and have about 20% of the book complete.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of February 4-10:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 7 • February 10, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I’ve finally gotten all of the contract details worked out with the publishers of my forthcoming books, and I’ve delivered the final manuscript for my mound builder book to the University of Oklahoma Press, where it will now go into copyediting. That book was a long time in the writing, and I am relieved to have it sent off to the publisher. Now I have to focus on writing my book on pyramid legends. I’ve made a good start and have about 20% of the book complete.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of February 4-10:
- Scott Wolter Hunts Templars in Scottish Cave Graffiti for Planned Return to TV
- David Wilcock Issues Apology to Gaia TV, Claims Conspiracy by “Dark Alliance” to Destroy Conspiracy Media
- Avi Loeb Doubles Down on New Status as Ancient Spaceship Guru; Plus: Joe Rogan Says Tom DeLonge Can't Recognize UFO Hoaxes
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 8 • February 17, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
The most depressing news of the week was the confirmation from the Travel Channel at the Television Critics Association conference that they had commissioned a new season of America Unearthed. While no air date has been announced, sources suggest that the network is eying an April or May return date. The series more or less accepted the fringe history of the Da Vinci Code as true, and it is astonishing to think that the Holy Bloodline conspiracies popularized by the Code in 2003 have now been mainstream entertainment fodder for so long that high schoolers or college students have never known a world when people weren’t speculating in public, in mainstream media about Holy Bloodlines, Templar conspiracies, and the like.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of February 11-17:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 8 • February 17, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
The most depressing news of the week was the confirmation from the Travel Channel at the Television Critics Association conference that they had commissioned a new season of America Unearthed. While no air date has been announced, sources suggest that the network is eying an April or May return date. The series more or less accepted the fringe history of the Da Vinci Code as true, and it is astonishing to think that the Holy Bloodline conspiracies popularized by the Code in 2003 have now been mainstream entertainment fodder for so long that high schoolers or college students have never known a world when people weren’t speculating in public, in mainstream media about Holy Bloodlines, Templar conspiracies, and the like.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of February 11-17:
- America Unearthed Returns for New Season; Plus: UFO Wreckage and the Sacred
- From Russia with Love: How Old Fringe Claims about Bible “Mysteries” Became a Global Media Sensation
- Nevada Author Claims Phoenicians Mistook Maya Cities for Atlantis
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 9 • February 24, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, America’s Lost Vikings saw some significant ratings erosion from last week, declining to just 369,000 viewers in its 10:00 PM Sunday timeslot on the Science Channel. Meanwhile, over on the Travel Channel, the show’s obvious inspiration, America Unearthed, scored 443,000 viewers for repackaged reruns. History’s Curse of Oak Island dominated Tuesday, even in reruns, bringing in 2.4 million viewers for a repackaged clip show. Without a new Oak Island as a lead in, Project Blue Book took a bit of a hit, falling to 1.3 million viewers. I guess it’s nice to know that in a country of 320 million people, even adding all these shows’ ratings together, the total viewership is still a rounding error.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of February 18-24:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 9 • February 24, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, America’s Lost Vikings saw some significant ratings erosion from last week, declining to just 369,000 viewers in its 10:00 PM Sunday timeslot on the Science Channel. Meanwhile, over on the Travel Channel, the show’s obvious inspiration, America Unearthed, scored 443,000 viewers for repackaged reruns. History’s Curse of Oak Island dominated Tuesday, even in reruns, bringing in 2.4 million viewers for a repackaged clip show. Without a new Oak Island as a lead in, Project Blue Book took a bit of a hit, falling to 1.3 million viewers. I guess it’s nice to know that in a country of 320 million people, even adding all these shows’ ratings together, the total viewership is still a rounding error.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of February 18-24:
- Science Channel Sunday Reviewed: Finding Atlantis and America's Lost Vikings
- Study: Flat Earthers Believe Because of YouTube Conspiracy Videos
- University of New Mexico Revises Reason for Studying Olmec Heads on Trip Exploring “African Presence” in Mexico
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 10 • March 3, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
With the return of new episodes of Curse of Oak Island, Project Blue Book bounced back to more than 1.4 million viewers. The Travel Channel finished showing reruns of America Unearthed and turned over the Monday night timeslot to repackaged reruns of Alaska Haunting, a 2015 series that aired on Destination America, a corporate cousin of Travel at Discovery Networks. The rerun attracted 362,000 viewers, about 70,000 fewer than watched the even older reruns of America Unearthed. While this is only one data point, it suggests that Travel Channel executives correctly identified that history conspiracies bring in more viewers than paranormal mysteries, albeit in numbers that would embarrass a Judge Judy rerun.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of February 25-March 3:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 10 • March 3, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
With the return of new episodes of Curse of Oak Island, Project Blue Book bounced back to more than 1.4 million viewers. The Travel Channel finished showing reruns of America Unearthed and turned over the Monday night timeslot to repackaged reruns of Alaska Haunting, a 2015 series that aired on Destination America, a corporate cousin of Travel at Discovery Networks. The rerun attracted 362,000 viewers, about 70,000 fewer than watched the even older reruns of America Unearthed. While this is only one data point, it suggests that Travel Channel executives correctly identified that history conspiracies bring in more viewers than paranormal mysteries, albeit in numbers that would embarrass a Judge Judy rerun.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of February 25-March 3:
- Review of America’s Lost Vikings S01E03 “War in the New World”
- Erich von Däniken Receives Award for “Integrity,” Gives Keynote Speech Based on Decades-Old Mistakes and False Claims
- House of 500 Corpses: FBI Raid of Illegal Artifact Collector’s Home Uncovers 2,000 Human Bones in Private Museum
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 11 • March 10, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, Graham Hancock began rolling out his publicity schedule for the upcoming released of America Before, which hits shelves in the U.K. in early April and the U.S. at the end of April. Hancock will be doing a series of speaking engagements across the United States this spring, and he will also have a multi-hour interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, all of which will make Hancock and his ideas nearly inescapable for an entire season. As I mentioned on my blog this week, Skeptic magazine has asked me to review Hancock’s book, with the review scheduled to run on Skeptic’s website on the day of the book’s publication and on my website the next day. This plan is dependent on the publisher sending me a review copy of the book as agreed. As of today, I have not yet received the volume, and time will be growing short to read and respond to the book in detail by the deadline.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of March 4-10:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 11 • March 10, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, Graham Hancock began rolling out his publicity schedule for the upcoming released of America Before, which hits shelves in the U.K. in early April and the U.S. at the end of April. Hancock will be doing a series of speaking engagements across the United States this spring, and he will also have a multi-hour interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, all of which will make Hancock and his ideas nearly inescapable for an entire season. As I mentioned on my blog this week, Skeptic magazine has asked me to review Hancock’s book, with the review scheduled to run on Skeptic’s website on the day of the book’s publication and on my website the next day. This plan is dependent on the publisher sending me a review copy of the book as agreed. As of today, I have not yet received the volume, and time will be growing short to read and respond to the book in detail by the deadline.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of March 4-10:
- Review of America’s Lost Vikings S01E04 “Ghosts of the Great Lakes”
- Graham Hancock Claims Los Angeles Fossils Are Linked to Younger Dryas Comet
- Review of Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure by Daniel J. Duke
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 12 • March 17, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
On Twitter this week, once and future America Unearthed host Scott Wolter made shocking claims about the racial purity of the Mandan tribe while continuing what has been a week-long tweet storm expressing his outrage at TV reviewers who acknowledge the hoax nature of the Kensington Rune Stone in discussing a two-week-old episode of America’s Lost Vikings. After declaring the existing members of the Mandan tribe to be racially impure (“No pure blood Mandan left,” he wrote), Wolter issued a clarification. “Native Americans refer to themselves as ‘Full Bloods’ all the time. [...] It was simply a factual term you chose to conflate. Few respect and support Indigenous cultures more than me.” This is a sticky issue that Wolter has reduced to a racial one. First, “full blood” is a term associated with racist blood quantum policies referring to whether one has primarily Native ancestors; it does not typically refer to pitting Native groups against each other as competing races. The Mandan tribe has intermarried with other tribes due to forced relocations and other displacements, so to an extent it is true that the cultural group is not made up of the exact same gene pool as in the nineteenth century. But then, nobody is genetically the same as his or her thrice-great-grandparents. The idea that the Mandan are defined by genetic or racial purity is a disturbing one and important only for fringe groups that (wrongly) believe the Mandan to be genetic descendants of pre-Columbian white colonists such as the Vikings or Knights Templar.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of March 11-17:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 12 • March 17, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
On Twitter this week, once and future America Unearthed host Scott Wolter made shocking claims about the racial purity of the Mandan tribe while continuing what has been a week-long tweet storm expressing his outrage at TV reviewers who acknowledge the hoax nature of the Kensington Rune Stone in discussing a two-week-old episode of America’s Lost Vikings. After declaring the existing members of the Mandan tribe to be racially impure (“No pure blood Mandan left,” he wrote), Wolter issued a clarification. “Native Americans refer to themselves as ‘Full Bloods’ all the time. [...] It was simply a factual term you chose to conflate. Few respect and support Indigenous cultures more than me.” This is a sticky issue that Wolter has reduced to a racial one. First, “full blood” is a term associated with racist blood quantum policies referring to whether one has primarily Native ancestors; it does not typically refer to pitting Native groups against each other as competing races. The Mandan tribe has intermarried with other tribes due to forced relocations and other displacements, so to an extent it is true that the cultural group is not made up of the exact same gene pool as in the nineteenth century. But then, nobody is genetically the same as his or her thrice-great-grandparents. The idea that the Mandan are defined by genetic or racial purity is a disturbing one and important only for fringe groups that (wrongly) believe the Mandan to be genetic descendants of pre-Columbian white colonists such as the Vikings or Knights Templar.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of March 11-17:
- Analyzing the Book Trailer for Graham Hancock’s America Before
- Tom DeLonge to Talk UFOs on History Channel, Harry Reid Spills the Beans on Skinwalker Ranch, and Scott Wolter Says Wrong Things
- Ibn Khuradadhbeh and the Inscriptions on the Great Pyramid
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 13 • March 24, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
The return of America’s Lost Vikings last Sunday after a one-week hiatus didn’t nudge the ratings in either direction. The program received 360,000 viewers and was the 101st most-watched show on cable across all timeslots in Sunday in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic. (In terms of total viewers, it was much, much lower in the rankings.) It’s hard to imagine that there is money to be made from broadcasting to 0.1% of the population, but that is where we are today in our fragmented media environment.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of March 18-24:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 13 • March 24, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
The return of America’s Lost Vikings last Sunday after a one-week hiatus didn’t nudge the ratings in either direction. The program received 360,000 viewers and was the 101st most-watched show on cable across all timeslots in Sunday in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic. (In terms of total viewers, it was much, much lower in the rankings.) It’s hard to imagine that there is money to be made from broadcasting to 0.1% of the population, but that is where we are today in our fragmented media environment.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of March 18-24:
- Review of America’s Lost Vikings S01E05 “Curse of Death Island”
- Alien Autopsy Producer Sues UFO “Contactee,” Former CIA Scientist, and Ex-Congressman Over Stalled UFO Documentary
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 14 • March 31, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Due to the release of the Mueller report last weekend and the ongoing NCAA basketball tournament, news and sports dominated cable ratings on Sunday. As a result, the final episode of America’s Lost Vikings did not make the list of the 150 most-watched cable programs of the day. Presumably, that means that it scored less than the 0.06 rating in the 18-49 demographic that the show ranked 150 pulled in. It’s just as well. It was a terrible show, and now we can move on to more interesting material. On Tuesday, Graham Hancock’s America Before drops in the U.K., to follow in America on April 23. I received my copy this past week, and it is a hefty and handsomely produced volume. His U.S. publisher, St. Martin’s, did a beautiful job on the physical book, or else I’m just a sucker for shiny gold accents. A review will follow at the time of U.S. publication.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of March 25-31:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 14 • March 31, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Due to the release of the Mueller report last weekend and the ongoing NCAA basketball tournament, news and sports dominated cable ratings on Sunday. As a result, the final episode of America’s Lost Vikings did not make the list of the 150 most-watched cable programs of the day. Presumably, that means that it scored less than the 0.06 rating in the 18-49 demographic that the show ranked 150 pulled in. It’s just as well. It was a terrible show, and now we can move on to more interesting material. On Tuesday, Graham Hancock’s America Before drops in the U.K., to follow in America on April 23. I received my copy this past week, and it is a hefty and handsomely produced volume. His U.S. publisher, St. Martin’s, did a beautiful job on the physical book, or else I’m just a sucker for shiny gold accents. A review will follow at the time of U.S. publication.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of March 25-31:
- Review of America's Lost Vikings S01E06 “The Alaska Enigma”
- New Journal Article Concludes Cerutti Mastodon Bones Broken Recently by Construction Equipment, Not Hunters 130,000 Years Ago
- History Channel Doubles Down on Paranormal and Conspiracy Programming in Presentation to Advertisers
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 15 • April 7, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, Graham Hancock’s new book, America Before, hit stores in the United Kingdom ahead of its April 23 release here in the United States. I just finished reading the book, and I have to say that its conclusion surprised even me. His speculation about what the lost civilization of the Ice Age might have been like rivals Edgar Cayce’s vision of Atlantis in its unusual New Age trappings. I won’t spoil it if you plan to read the book, at least not until I publish my review at the end of the month, but it involves telekinesis, Denisovans, and transmutation of matter.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 1-7:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 15 • April 7, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, Graham Hancock’s new book, America Before, hit stores in the United Kingdom ahead of its April 23 release here in the United States. I just finished reading the book, and I have to say that its conclusion surprised even me. His speculation about what the lost civilization of the Ice Age might have been like rivals Edgar Cayce’s vision of Atlantis in its unusual New Age trappings. I won’t spoil it if you plan to read the book, at least not until I publish my review at the end of the month, but it involves telekinesis, Denisovans, and transmutation of matter.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 1-7:
- In America Before, Graham Hancock Attacks Archaeology
- Graham Hancock to Archaeologists: “You Guys Are the Pseudoscientists”
- Full Frontal Blames Greco-Roman Statues for White Supremacy
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 16 • April 14, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I’ve had an exceptionally busy week, which has left me struggling to catch up with all of the work of piling up on my desk, so I’ll keep this short. This week was the annual meeting f the Society of American Anthropologists, and this year a number of important figures who have done great work pushing back on pseudoarchaeology in the media gave presentations and promoted efforts to deliver more high quality information directly to the public to help counter the false narratives the media feeds the public. It was heartening to see that Science magazine reported on this issue and helped to spread the word to other scientists that public engagement is as important as scholarly research.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 8-14:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 16 • April 14, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I’ve had an exceptionally busy week, which has left me struggling to catch up with all of the work of piling up on my desk, so I’ll keep this short. This week was the annual meeting f the Society of American Anthropologists, and this year a number of important figures who have done great work pushing back on pseudoarchaeology in the media gave presentations and promoted efforts to deliver more high quality information directly to the public to help counter the false narratives the media feeds the public. It was heartening to see that Science magazine reported on this issue and helped to spread the word to other scientists that public engagement is as important as scholarly research.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 8-14:
- Graham Hancock Describes the Telekinetic Powers of His Lost Civilization
- Science Magazine Discusses Pseudoarchaeology and Racism, and I'm in It
- Review of Now Apocalypse: A Quarter-Life Sex Farce with Reptilians
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 17 • April 21, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
My review of Graham Hancock’s new book, America Before, ran on Skeptic magazine’s website this weekend. Be sure to take a peek and tune in to my blog on Tuesday for some exclusive bonus content that got cut for space.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 15-21:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 17 • April 21, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
My review of Graham Hancock’s new book, America Before, ran on Skeptic magazine’s website this weekend. Be sure to take a peek and tune in to my blog on Tuesday for some exclusive bonus content that got cut for space.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 15-21:
- Taking Stock of Ancient Aliens After Ten Years
- Chicago Tribune: America Unearthed to Probe Bombing Before Haymarket Riot
- Time Publishes Article Linking Viking-Themed Media to White Nationalism
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 18 • April 28, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week saw the publication of Graham Hancock’s new book, which dominated my blog coverage But it wasn’t the only book news this week. America Unearthed host Scott F. Wolter released the title of his forthcoming book, Cryptic Code: The Templars in America and the Origins of the Hooked X. The book is due out this September from the same small self-publishing outfit in Minnesota that printed his last book six years ago. The new book will continue some of Wolter’s recent themes, including his cockeyed belief that the Kensington Rune Stone contains a secret code that justifies the rule of a goddess-worshiping elite over the United States.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 22-28:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 18 • April 28, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week saw the publication of Graham Hancock’s new book, which dominated my blog coverage But it wasn’t the only book news this week. America Unearthed host Scott F. Wolter released the title of his forthcoming book, Cryptic Code: The Templars in America and the Origins of the Hooked X. The book is due out this September from the same small self-publishing outfit in Minnesota that printed his last book six years ago. The new book will continue some of Wolter’s recent themes, including his cockeyed belief that the Kensington Rune Stone contains a secret code that justifies the rule of a goddess-worshiping elite over the United States.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 22-28:
- My Review of America Before by Graham Hancock
- Graham Hancock and Joe Rogan Discuss America Before
- Graham Hancock Doesn’t Quite Square the Circle When Discussing Earthworks
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 19 • May 5, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, we saw Graham Hancock’s new book hit #6 on the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction and #7 on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list. The audio book hit #6 on Audible’s list of top-selling audio books. When you combine this data with the crush of new fringe history shows about to flood the airwaves at the end of the month, it seems clear that we are about to enter into another cyclical fringe history moment, with the biggest explosion of fringe history content in probably five years, since the 2010-2014 fringe explosion occasioned by the launch of Ancient Aliens. This time, it’s less clear what the proximate cause is other than the pendulum swings of cable TV content and a general belief that content that appeals to those aggrieved with mainstream science and culture is once again a winner in the age of “alternative facts.” We are, after all, now a full development cycle past Trump’s election, and TV and book releases fully reflect that fact.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 29-May 5:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 19 • May 5, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, we saw Graham Hancock’s new book hit #6 on the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction and #7 on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list. The audio book hit #6 on Audible’s list of top-selling audio books. When you combine this data with the crush of new fringe history shows about to flood the airwaves at the end of the month, it seems clear that we are about to enter into another cyclical fringe history moment, with the biggest explosion of fringe history content in probably five years, since the 2010-2014 fringe explosion occasioned by the launch of Ancient Aliens. This time, it’s less clear what the proximate cause is other than the pendulum swings of cable TV content and a general belief that content that appeals to those aggrieved with mainstream science and culture is once again a winner in the age of “alternative facts.” We are, after all, now a full development cycle past Trump’s election, and TV and book releases fully reflect that fact.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of April 29-May 5:
- L. A. Marzulli and Fritz Zimmerman Hunt Giants in the Grave Creek Mound
- Travel Channel Releases Episode Descriptions for Revived America Unearthed
- Garry Nolan Gives an “Alien” Metals Update and Shares His Postmodern UFO Views
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 20 • May 12, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
In the coming week, I will be receiving the copyedited manuscript for my Mound Builder book, along with whatever the final title for the book is going to be. Once that happens, I’ll have to devote most of my time to proofreading and editing the book, which will mean some extra time off from writing my blog. It feels good to finally see this book working its way through the publishing process after lingering so many years in the publishing twilight zone.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of May 6-12:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 20 • May 12, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
In the coming week, I will be receiving the copyedited manuscript for my Mound Builder book, along with whatever the final title for the book is going to be. Once that happens, I’ll have to devote most of my time to proofreading and editing the book, which will mean some extra time off from writing my blog. It feels good to finally see this book working its way through the publishing process after lingering so many years in the publishing twilight zone.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of May 6-12:
- Peter Levenda Returns to Ancient Astronaut Theory in New Interview
- Micah Hanks and Ufology's Longing for Government Approval
- Tom DeLonge Promises His New Music Will Make His UFO Work “Come to Life”
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 21 • May 19, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
As I predicted last week, I received the copyedited manuscript for my new book on the myth of the Mound Builders, which means that I will be devoting a lot of time to going through the text and making the final edits and corrections. I’m pleased to be working with a publisher that is using an actual copyeditor (rather than a college intern) who made actual and substantive edits rather than light proofreading. It’s a refreshing change of pace, but also a somewhat disconcerting one in learning exactly which turns of phrase and vocabulary are no longer considered understandable for educated general readers. One of the areas of tension I’ve encountered is that the copyeditor favors modern terms and phrasing, but I tried to steer away from obviously modern phrases to avoid having too much of a disconnect between the nineteenth century subject matter and the narration of it. I can still remember how jarring I found the use of now-outdated terms like “shock and awe” in a book about Roman history, and I don’t want to duplicate that weird feeling.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of May 13-19:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 21 • May 19, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
As I predicted last week, I received the copyedited manuscript for my new book on the myth of the Mound Builders, which means that I will be devoting a lot of time to going through the text and making the final edits and corrections. I’m pleased to be working with a publisher that is using an actual copyeditor (rather than a college intern) who made actual and substantive edits rather than light proofreading. It’s a refreshing change of pace, but also a somewhat disconcerting one in learning exactly which turns of phrase and vocabulary are no longer considered understandable for educated general readers. One of the areas of tension I’ve encountered is that the copyeditor favors modern terms and phrasing, but I tried to steer away from obviously modern phrases to avoid having too much of a disconnect between the nineteenth century subject matter and the narration of it. I can still remember how jarring I found the use of now-outdated terms like “shock and awe” in a book about Roman history, and I don’t want to duplicate that weird feeling.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of May 13-19:
- In New SEC Filing, To the Stars Academy Reveals a Portrait of a UFO Infotainment Business
- J. Allen Hynek and the Esoteric; or, UFOs and the Secret Teachings of All Ages
- New Chariots of the Gods Ancient Astronaut Theme Park to Open in England
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 22 • May 26, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
We are counting down to the fringe TV summer apocalypse, when the cable TV channels devoted to fraudulent claims and fake history flood the airwaves with some of the worst programming of the year, including the undead America Unearthed, the undying Ancient Aliens, and the unreal Unidentified: Inside America’s UFO Investigation. You can tell that the cable networks have every confidence in the seriousness and value of these programs since they have blocked me from press sites where episodes are screened in advance. That’s always a sign that quality programming is on the horizon.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of May 20-26:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 22 • May 26, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
We are counting down to the fringe TV summer apocalypse, when the cable TV channels devoted to fraudulent claims and fake history flood the airwaves with some of the worst programming of the year, including the undead America Unearthed, the undying Ancient Aliens, and the unreal Unidentified: Inside America’s UFO Investigation. You can tell that the cable networks have every confidence in the seriousness and value of these programs since they have blocked me from press sites where episodes are screened in advance. That’s always a sign that quality programming is on the horizon.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of May 20-26:
- Christopher Mellon of To the Stars Calls for Congressional Action on UFOs
- New Book Claims Homer's Iliad Proves Troy Was a Celtic City in Northern Europe
- Two New Articles Discuss UFO Demons in the Defense Department
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 23 • June 2, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week America Unearthed and Ancient Aliens returned for new seasons, but they debuted in the shadow of a higher profile entry in fringe studies. On Friday the History Channel debuted its new series Unidentified documenting the efforts of Tom DeLonge’s To the Stars Academy of Arts and Science to investigate the U.S. government’s UFO activities. The show was quite dull, aping a slow-motion PBS documentary in a bid for credibility. But just after the show aired, The Intercept published an article reporting that the Pentagon’s spokesman told the magazine that there was no record of Unidentified star and To the Stars employee Luis Elizondo serving as director of the Pentagon’s UFO investigation program or of him working on that program during the period he claims to have served in that role. George Knapp, the Las Vegas UFO reporter, immediately rebutted the Intercept article in a Facebook posting and tweets and claimed that the unredacted version of documents he had previously released included Elizondo’s name among a list of AATIP personnel. He did not immediately explain why he had both the redacted and unredacted versions and chose not to share the fuller copy.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of May 27-June 2:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 23 • June 2, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week America Unearthed and Ancient Aliens returned for new seasons, but they debuted in the shadow of a higher profile entry in fringe studies. On Friday the History Channel debuted its new series Unidentified documenting the efforts of Tom DeLonge’s To the Stars Academy of Arts and Science to investigate the U.S. government’s UFO activities. The show was quite dull, aping a slow-motion PBS documentary in a bid for credibility. But just after the show aired, The Intercept published an article reporting that the Pentagon’s spokesman told the magazine that there was no record of Unidentified star and To the Stars employee Luis Elizondo serving as director of the Pentagon’s UFO investigation program or of him working on that program during the period he claims to have served in that role. George Knapp, the Las Vegas UFO reporter, immediately rebutted the Intercept article in a Facebook posting and tweets and claimed that the unredacted version of documents he had previously released included Elizondo’s name among a list of AATIP personnel. He did not immediately explain why he had both the redacted and unredacted versions and chose not to share the fuller copy.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of May 27-June 2:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S14E01: “Return to Antarctica”
- Review of America Unearthed S04E01: “Vikings in the Southwest”
- Returning America Unearthed Draws Just 440,000 Viewers, Beat by Reruns of Itself in Key Adult Demo
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 24 • June 9, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Four years ago, the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens donated a monument to commemorate a supposed 1969 alien encounter in Sheffield, Mass., one that was first reported only in the early 2000s. The monument quickly because a tourist attraction for Ancient Aliens fans, and UFO tourists in New England are now disappointed to discover that the monument is no longer there. The town removed it this past week because a survey found that the monument wasn’t located in the private Thom Reed UFO Monument Park but had been placed on town land. According to local media reports, repeated requests to have the monument moved to private land went unanswered, and the town hauled it away. UFO Monument Park, Inc.—yes, the park is a business—is disputing the town’s actions, and now the monument is caught in a legal battle. It just seems appropriate that something Ancient Aliens-adjacent ended up mired in disputed facts and angry outbursts.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of June 3-9:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 24 • June 9, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Four years ago, the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens donated a monument to commemorate a supposed 1969 alien encounter in Sheffield, Mass., one that was first reported only in the early 2000s. The monument quickly because a tourist attraction for Ancient Aliens fans, and UFO tourists in New England are now disappointed to discover that the monument is no longer there. The town removed it this past week because a survey found that the monument wasn’t located in the private Thom Reed UFO Monument Park but had been placed on town land. According to local media reports, repeated requests to have the monument moved to private land went unanswered, and the town hauled it away. UFO Monument Park, Inc.—yes, the park is a business—is disputing the town’s actions, and now the monument is caught in a legal battle. It just seems appropriate that something Ancient Aliens-adjacent ended up mired in disputed facts and angry outbursts.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of June 3-9:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S14E02 “The Badlands Guardian”
- Review of America Unearthed S04E02 “Alien Artifacts”
- Scott Wolter Talks Aliens on His Blog as America Unearthed Sheds Viewers
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 14 • Issue 25 • June 16, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I have been burning the candle at both ends and probably the middle, too, while I am working my regular job, copyediting my Myth of the Mound Builders, and preparing to move to a new home, all while raising a toddler and trying to handle a glut of home repairs to get the old house ready for sale. I’m frankly a little tired and will be taking a bit of time off from the newsletter for a summer vacation. Next week will be my week off from writing the newsletter, and during moving week—coming up all too soon!—I will likely take the week off from blogging as well.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of June 10-16:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 14 • Issue 25 • June 16, 2019 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I have been burning the candle at both ends and probably the middle, too, while I am working my regular job, copyediting my Myth of the Mound Builders, and preparing to move to a new home, all while raising a toddler and trying to handle a glut of home repairs to get the old house ready for sale. I’m frankly a little tired and will be taking a bit of time off from the newsletter for a summer vacation. Next week will be my week off from writing the newsletter, and during moving week—coming up all too soon!—I will likely take the week off from blogging as well.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of June 10-16:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• JasonColavito@outlook.com • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
