Volume 9 Archive
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 1 • July 3, 2016 •
It’s been a (not so) busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
With the summer vacation season now upon us, and the Independence Day and Canada Day holidays bookending this weekend, it was slower than usual around the fringe archaeology world. Even Ancient Aliens took the week off. Even Graham Hancock couldn’t scare up a suitably nutty Author of the Month for his website, and instead settled for some visual artists analyzing flower symbolism in Egyptian art. Scott Wolter promised he’d post his latest “peer reviewed” article from a Masonic magazine to his blog this week, so that was something.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the weeks of June 20 to July 3:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 1 • July 3, 2016 •
It’s been a (not so) busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
With the summer vacation season now upon us, and the Independence Day and Canada Day holidays bookending this weekend, it was slower than usual around the fringe archaeology world. Even Ancient Aliens took the week off. Even Graham Hancock couldn’t scare up a suitably nutty Author of the Month for his website, and instead settled for some visual artists analyzing flower symbolism in Egyptian art. Scott Wolter promised he’d post his latest “peer reviewed” article from a Masonic magazine to his blog this week, so that was something.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the weeks of June 20 to July 3:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E07 “The Wisdom Keepers”
- L. A. Marzulli and Brien Foerster Discuss Megalithic Ruins, Decide Native People Couldn’t Have Built Any of Them
- Scott and Janet Wolter Accuse Academics of Stockholm Syndrome, Say Disney Movies Are Goddess Allegories
- Fringe Writers Shocked by Text from Dead Sea Scrolls Claiming Noah’s Ark was Pyramid-Shaped
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 2 • July 10, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I was somewhat intrigued to see that Hillary Clinton advertised during Ancient Aliens this week. It’s unusual, especially given the controversial nature of the show’s commentary. I wondered if it was a specific ad buy targeting UFO believers, especially since Clinton has expressed her own interest in UFOs and alien abductions recently. But it might have just been a general History Channel ad buy. I asked the Clinton campaign for comment, but as of this writing, they declined to respond. What’s interesting is that forty years ago Erich von Däniken gave Gerald Ford very similar advice in a 1976 letter: “Do you realize the innumerable supporters and believers of ‘flying saucers’. They must, alone in your country, count to a million if not more and no doubt represent an interesting potential of votes which just cannot be neglected in an election year.” Does Clinton have a von Däniken style UFO voter strategy?
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of July 4-10:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 2 • July 10, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I was somewhat intrigued to see that Hillary Clinton advertised during Ancient Aliens this week. It’s unusual, especially given the controversial nature of the show’s commentary. I wondered if it was a specific ad buy targeting UFO believers, especially since Clinton has expressed her own interest in UFOs and alien abductions recently. But it might have just been a general History Channel ad buy. I asked the Clinton campaign for comment, but as of this writing, they declined to respond. What’s interesting is that forty years ago Erich von Däniken gave Gerald Ford very similar advice in a 1976 letter: “Do you realize the innumerable supporters and believers of ‘flying saucers’. They must, alone in your country, count to a million if not more and no doubt represent an interesting potential of votes which just cannot be neglected in an election year.” Does Clinton have a von Däniken style UFO voter strategy?
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of July 4-10:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E08 “The Mysterious Nine”
- Andrew Collins Wants All the Credit for Claiming That a Comet Destroyed Atlantis
- J. Hutton Pulitzer Claims a Mystery Tomb at Oak Island Might Hold the Body of Hercules
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 3 • July 17, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week I was quite pleased to receive permission from the University of Chicago Press to reproduce a 1939 translation of al-Suyuti’s treatise on the pyramid of Egypt from c. 1500. That was good news, but on the other hand, I was awakened at the crack of dawn Saturday morning by my credit card company, calling by cell phone and landline, as well as emailing and texting all at the same time, informing me that someone in South Carolina was attempting to use my credit card number for purchases. This is the first time I’ve had my card number stolen since I received that card at the end of the last century. Now I will have to go through the ritual of changing my information on every account. The only good news is that my cell phone charge went through about ten minutes before the card was canceled so I still have cell service!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of July 11-17:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 3 • July 17, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week I was quite pleased to receive permission from the University of Chicago Press to reproduce a 1939 translation of al-Suyuti’s treatise on the pyramid of Egypt from c. 1500. That was good news, but on the other hand, I was awakened at the crack of dawn Saturday morning by my credit card company, calling by cell phone and landline, as well as emailing and texting all at the same time, informing me that someone in South Carolina was attempting to use my credit card number for purchases. This is the first time I’ve had my card number stolen since I received that card at the end of the last century. Now I will have to go through the ritual of changing my information on every account. The only good news is that my cell phone charge went through about ten minutes before the card was canceled so I still have cell service!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of July 11-17:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E09 “The Hidden Empire”
- David Icke Makes Angry Appearance on Australia's Today Show, Doesn’t Take Well to Being Challenged
- Paleobotanist and Folklorist Claim that Ancient Plant Fossils Inspired Dragon Lore
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 4 • July 24, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Well, that was fun. This week J. Hutton Pulitzer and Scott Wolter spent the opening segment of their latest podcast attacking me because, more or less, I exist. Pulitzer became enraged to learn that Andy White had asked me to be a guest speaker on Atlantis in the same “Forbidden Archaeology” course in which Wolter was supposed to speak on the Kensington Rune Stone. After throwing a hissy fit, the pair took to the internet to discuss why they don’t think I’m Scott Wolter’s peer, and why they believe I have not done historical research “well.” It’s hilarious what happens when you pierce the thin veneer of their overwhelming vanity.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of July 18-24:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 4 • July 24, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Well, that was fun. This week J. Hutton Pulitzer and Scott Wolter spent the opening segment of their latest podcast attacking me because, more or less, I exist. Pulitzer became enraged to learn that Andy White had asked me to be a guest speaker on Atlantis in the same “Forbidden Archaeology” course in which Wolter was supposed to speak on the Kensington Rune Stone. After throwing a hissy fit, the pair took to the internet to discuss why they don’t think I’m Scott Wolter’s peer, and why they believe I have not done historical research “well.” It’s hilarious what happens when you pierce the thin veneer of their overwhelming vanity.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of July 18-24:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E10 “The Prototypes”
- Scott Wolter Backs Out of “Forbidden Archaeology” Course, Blames Me for Existing
- L. A. Marzulli Promotes Watchers X and the “European” DNA in Ancient America That “We Were Hoping For”
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 5 • July 31, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
For reasons most of you will likely be aware of after reading the comments on my blog posts this week, I unfortunately have found myself in a dispute. I hope to be able to speak about it soon, but due to the ongoing nature of the situation, I can’t just yet.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of July 25-31:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 5 • July 31, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
For reasons most of you will likely be aware of after reading the comments on my blog posts this week, I unfortunately have found myself in a dispute. I hope to be able to speak about it soon, but due to the ongoing nature of the situation, I can’t just yet.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of July 25-31:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E11 “Space Station Moon”
- Clyde Winters Goes in Search of Elephants in Ancient America, and the Africans Who Brought Them There
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 6 • August 7, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week L. A. Marzulli went on a bizarre half-hour rant against Mike Heiser, the Paleobabble blogger who frequently writes about pseudohistory. Marzulli has become quite defensive about his alleged genetic evidence for Nephilim involvement in ancient Peru. Similarly, Graham Hancock threw a fit over the TED organization issuing a warning about the unsubstantiated nature of his claims in a TEDx talk earlier this year. Other fringe figures, well known to us all but whom we will not name, also expressed their displeasure and upset with criticism. I guess it was this week’s theme!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 1-7:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 6 • August 7, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week L. A. Marzulli went on a bizarre half-hour rant against Mike Heiser, the Paleobabble blogger who frequently writes about pseudohistory. Marzulli has become quite defensive about his alleged genetic evidence for Nephilim involvement in ancient Peru. Similarly, Graham Hancock threw a fit over the TED organization issuing a warning about the unsubstantiated nature of his claims in a TEDx talk earlier this year. Other fringe figures, well known to us all but whom we will not name, also expressed their displeasure and upset with criticism. I guess it was this week’s theme!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 1-7:
- L. A. Marzulli and Richard Shaw Deliver Bizarre 30-Minute Attack on Mike Heiser’s Six-Paragraph Blog Post
- TEDx Issues Warning about Graham Hancock, Calling His Speech “Outdated” and “Counterfactual”
- Have You Seen the History Trippers Show Proposal?
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 7 • August 14, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Thanks probably to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, it was a rather quiet week in the world of fringe history, with many of the usual suspects taking a summer vacation. Nevertheless, there was a sublimely ridiculous moment during this week’s episode of Ancient Aliens that encapsulated everything wrong with fringe history: The program claimed that Soviet cosmonauts saw angels outside their space station, and they based the claim on a five-year-old article in the tabloid newspaper Pravda without realizing that Pravda was riffing on a 1985 article from the Weekly World News, the supermarket tabloid that routinely published fake news in the 1980s and 1990s.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 8-14:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 7 • August 14, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Thanks probably to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, it was a rather quiet week in the world of fringe history, with many of the usual suspects taking a summer vacation. Nevertheless, there was a sublimely ridiculous moment during this week’s episode of Ancient Aliens that encapsulated everything wrong with fringe history: The program claimed that Soviet cosmonauts saw angels outside their space station, and they based the claim on a five-year-old article in the tabloid newspaper Pravda without realizing that Pravda was riffing on a 1985 article from the Weekly World News, the supermarket tabloid that routinely published fake news in the 1980s and 1990s.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 8-14:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E12 “Russia’s Secret Files”
- “The Templars of Ancient Mexico”: A Study in Racism and Sexism in the Creation of Fringe History
- Scott Wolter: Graham Hancock’s “Magicians of the Gods” Are “Ancestors of the Venus Families”
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 8 • August 21, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Last week, Ancient Aliens saw its ratings sink to near series-lows, just 1.093 million viewers. Is the sameness of the episodes eroding audience interest? Meanwhile this week Scott Wolter pulled out of the annual Ancient Artifact Preservation Society meeting, citing a conflicting speaking engagement. His business partner, however, is still on the agenda to speak at the same conference on the same day with former U.S. Nazi party head Frank Joseph (a.k.a. Frank Collin), who is now featured as the kickoff speaker for the event.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 15-21:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 8 • August 21, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Last week, Ancient Aliens saw its ratings sink to near series-lows, just 1.093 million viewers. Is the sameness of the episodes eroding audience interest? Meanwhile this week Scott Wolter pulled out of the annual Ancient Artifact Preservation Society meeting, citing a conflicting speaking engagement. His business partner, however, is still on the agenda to speak at the same conference on the same day with former U.S. Nazi party head Frank Joseph (a.k.a. Frank Collin), who is now featured as the kickoff speaker for the event.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 15-21:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E13 “Beyond Roswell”
- A Tall Tale: Steve Quayle, L. A. Marzulli and the “Giant of Kandahar”
- Graham Hancock Blasts Academia for Linear View of Progress, Claims Ancients Had Superior Spirituality
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 9 • August 28, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Earlier this week a ufologist named James Carrion tried to craft a new conspiracy theory about Roswell, but he accidentally led me to an astonishing discovery: FBI documentation of a close and pervasive connection between the emergence of the “flying saucer” phenomenon in July 1947 and the actions of Ray Palmer, the editor of Amazing Stories. I discuss the subject on my blog today and in my page outlining the primary sources showing how science fiction helped shape the birth of UFOs.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 22-28:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 9 • August 28, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Earlier this week a ufologist named James Carrion tried to craft a new conspiracy theory about Roswell, but he accidentally led me to an astonishing discovery: FBI documentation of a close and pervasive connection between the emergence of the “flying saucer” phenomenon in July 1947 and the actions of Ray Palmer, the editor of Amazing Stories. I discuss the subject on my blog today and in my page outlining the primary sources showing how science fiction helped shape the birth of UFOs.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 22-28:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E14 “The Returned”
- Remembering 1976: Fringe History’s Biggest Year
- Senator Wants to Replace History Professors with DVDs; Steve Quayle Claims Trump Is God’s Divine Agent
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 10 • September 4, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I can’t say that I’m sorry to see it go. This week marked the season finale of Ancient Aliens, which means that we’ll have at least a few weeks’ break before the show’s twelfth season starts, probably around the time of Alien Con later this fall. I’m looking forward to the time off, and for the first time in a few years I’m seriously thinking about whether to stop reviewing the show since it hasn’t had a new idea since season three. For Pete’s sake, this season they openly used hoaxes and the Weekly World News as grist for program that even Giorgio Tsoukalos admits the producers slap together mostly on their own.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 29-September 4:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 10 • September 4, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I can’t say that I’m sorry to see it go. This week marked the season finale of Ancient Aliens, which means that we’ll have at least a few weeks’ break before the show’s twelfth season starts, probably around the time of Alien Con later this fall. I’m looking forward to the time off, and for the first time in a few years I’m seriously thinking about whether to stop reviewing the show since it hasn’t had a new idea since season three. For Pete’s sake, this season they openly used hoaxes and the Weekly World News as grist for program that even Giorgio Tsoukalos admits the producers slap together mostly on their own.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of August 29-September 4:
- Review of Ancient Aliens S11E15 “Shiva the Destroyer”
- Giorgio Tsoukalos Admits Even He Is Amazed at How Ancient Aliens Comes Up with This Stuff
- Following Up on Rh-Negative Blood, the Kandahar Giant, and the FBI’s Investigation into Richard Shaver
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 11 • September 11, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week I recorded an interview for the Archaeological Fantasies podcast in which I discussed H. P. Lovecraft, the Watchers, and other weird topics. It was a great conversation, and it should be available for everyone to listen to in about a month’s time. I’ll let you know once it’s available!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of September 5-11:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 11 • September 11, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week I recorded an interview for the Archaeological Fantasies podcast in which I discussed H. P. Lovecraft, the Watchers, and other weird topics. It was a great conversation, and it should be available for everyone to listen to in about a month’s time. I’ll let you know once it’s available!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of September 5-11:
- Why a 300-Year-Old Latin Book from Germany Almost Certainly Does Not Depict a Flying Saucer
- In 1947, a Diffusionist Writer Sicced the FBI on the Fortean Society for Rejecting His Anti-Columbus Book
- L. A. Marzulli Goes Full Lovecraft, Calls Watchers Interdimensional “Old Ones” Who Enter via “Gateways”
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 12 • September 18, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
It was a surprisingly quiet week for fringe historians. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. I was contacted by a Canadian newspaper this week to offer some opinions on Henry Sinclair’s alleged 1398 voyage to America and whether he is the ancestor of Canada’s current prime minister. I can’t wait for conspiracy theorists to start incorporating Justin Trudeau’s mother’s Sinclair heritage into their narrative of how the Templar-Freemason-Holy Bloodline conspiracy is trying to seize power.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of September 12-18:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 12 • September 18, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
It was a surprisingly quiet week for fringe historians. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. I was contacted by a Canadian newspaper this week to offer some opinions on Henry Sinclair’s alleged 1398 voyage to America and whether he is the ancestor of Canada’s current prime minister. I can’t wait for conspiracy theorists to start incorporating Justin Trudeau’s mother’s Sinclair heritage into their narrative of how the Templar-Freemason-Holy Bloodline conspiracy is trying to seize power.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of September 12-18:
- National Geographic Teams with Simcha Jacobovici to Find Atlantis in Sardinia
- On Rosicrucians, Akhenaten, and the Hall of Records Underneath the Great Sphinx
- Why Do Some People Think There Was a Lost “Black” Pyramid on the Giza Plateau?
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 13 • September 25, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
According to an article in the A.V. Club, this past week the 1991-1999 ABC sitcom Home Improvement celebrated its 25th anniversary, but the article noted that virtually no one cared. The program left very little legacy in popular culture. It reminded me, though, that twenty years ago, at the height of Home Improvement’s popularity, ABC chose one of its stars, Richard Karn, to host a celebration of Erich von Däniken: Chariots of the Gods: The Mystery Continues (1996). It was ABC’s ancient astronaut answer to NBC’s creationist blockbuster documentary The Mysterious Origins of Man. The ABC show would be among the last ancient astronaut specials on network television, and it also helped introduce Graham Hancock to American audiences. Indeed, he also appeared in Mysterious Origins of Man, alongside David Hatcher Childress, another Ancient Aliens mainstay. Times change, but fringe history doesn’t.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of September 19-25:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 13 • September 25, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
According to an article in the A.V. Club, this past week the 1991-1999 ABC sitcom Home Improvement celebrated its 25th anniversary, but the article noted that virtually no one cared. The program left very little legacy in popular culture. It reminded me, though, that twenty years ago, at the height of Home Improvement’s popularity, ABC chose one of its stars, Richard Karn, to host a celebration of Erich von Däniken: Chariots of the Gods: The Mystery Continues (1996). It was ABC’s ancient astronaut answer to NBC’s creationist blockbuster documentary The Mysterious Origins of Man. The ABC show would be among the last ancient astronaut specials on network television, and it also helped introduce Graham Hancock to American audiences. Indeed, he also appeared in Mysterious Origins of Man, alongside David Hatcher Childress, another Ancient Aliens mainstay. Times change, but fringe history doesn’t.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of September 19-25:
- L. A. Marzulli Says Scott Wolter Inspired Him to Hunt for Nephilim and Europeans at America's Stonehenge
- Review of Scott Creighton’s The Great Pyramid Hoax (Part 1)
- Review of Scott Creighton’s The Great Pyramid Hoax (Part 2)
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 14 • October 2, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week I had the pleasure of speaking to Andy White’s students in his Forbidden Archaeology course about Atlantis, lost ice age civilizations, and the underlying racism in Victorian popular archaeology. It was a great experience and a lot of fun. It sounds like the students are learning some interesting stuff, and I hope that they enjoyed listening to me prattle on about Nazis, UFOs, and sunken continents.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of September 26-October 2:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 14 • October 2, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week I had the pleasure of speaking to Andy White’s students in his Forbidden Archaeology course about Atlantis, lost ice age civilizations, and the underlying racism in Victorian popular archaeology. It was a great experience and a lot of fun. It sounds like the students are learning some interesting stuff, and I hope that they enjoyed listening to me prattle on about Nazis, UFOs, and sunken continents.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of September 26-October 2:
- Review of The Ascension Mysteries by David Wilcock • Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 •
- A Weird Argument about Oak Island, the Philosopher's Stone, and the Golden Fleece
- Listen to Me on the Archaeological Fantasies Podcast
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 15 • October 9, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Well, this week our old friend Scott Wolter took to his blog to say that the Bible is secretly an astronomical and astrological treatise on par with the Kensington Rune Stone: “Like the KRS inscription, it’s filled with allegory and code and most of it deals with the interaction of sun, moon, planets, and the stars. It filled with hidden knowledge that only those with the proper training can truly understand.” He added that the world is controlled by astrological forces governed by the Precession of Equinoxes, whose most visible effect is the changing constellation against which the sun rises on any given day, spinning in a 26,000-year cycle. So, remember, folks: Templars discovered America, Jesus had kids, and all history is controlled by the imaginary pictures in the night sky. You know, science!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 3-9:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 15 • October 9, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Well, this week our old friend Scott Wolter took to his blog to say that the Bible is secretly an astronomical and astrological treatise on par with the Kensington Rune Stone: “Like the KRS inscription, it’s filled with allegory and code and most of it deals with the interaction of sun, moon, planets, and the stars. It filled with hidden knowledge that only those with the proper training can truly understand.” He added that the world is controlled by astrological forces governed by the Precession of Equinoxes, whose most visible effect is the changing constellation against which the sun rises on any given day, spinning in a 26,000-year cycle. So, remember, folks: Templars discovered America, Jesus had kids, and all history is controlled by the imaginary pictures in the night sky. You know, science!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 3-9:
- Iraqi Transportation Minister Embraces Zecharia Sitchin’s Ideas, Claims Sumerians Visited Outer Space
- Are McMansions the New Haunted Houses? Evaluating a Flawed Argument about Why Some Houses Are Scary
- New Book Claims Carl Sagan Was an Ancient Astronaut Theorist Badgered by Government into Silence
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 16 • October 16, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
The History Channel began promoting new seasons of its fringe history hits The Curse of Oak Island and Hunting Hitler. I was dumbfounded that Hunting Hitler was renewed for a second season, particularly since they clearly failed to find Hitler the first time out. Apparently, though, Hitler-hunting is a perpetual operation, and the show promises “new hunters” and new leads as they once again fail to find Hitler. Hey, it has worked for Oak Island all these years!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 10-16:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 16 • October 16, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
The History Channel began promoting new seasons of its fringe history hits The Curse of Oak Island and Hunting Hitler. I was dumbfounded that Hunting Hitler was renewed for a second season, particularly since they clearly failed to find Hitler the first time out. Apparently, though, Hitler-hunting is a perpetual operation, and the show promises “new hunters” and new leads as they once again fail to find Hitler. Hey, it has worked for Oak Island all these years!
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 10-16:
- Graham Hancock Announces Plans to Investigate Mound Builder Myth, Search for Lost White Race in America
- Demons and the Nephilim Invade U.S. National Politics
- Greek Sculptors in Ancient China? Plus: A Very Early Claim for a Pole Shift Destroying Atlantis
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 17 • October 23, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Surely all of you are getting excited for the upcoming Alien Con Ancient Aliens fan convention this week. The company doing PR for the convention declined to make good on their offer to have an ancient astronaut theorist speak with me, but don’t feel bad. A British magazine planning a feature on Erich von Däniken interviewed me for “balance.” That ought to frost the ancient astronaut theorists.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 17-23:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 17 • October 23, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
Surely all of you are getting excited for the upcoming Alien Con Ancient Aliens fan convention this week. The company doing PR for the convention declined to make good on their offer to have an ancient astronaut theorist speak with me, but don’t feel bad. A British magazine planning a feature on Erich von Däniken interviewed me for “balance.” That ought to frost the ancient astronaut theorists.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 17-23:
- Chapman University Survey Finds Astonishing Levels of Belief in Ancient Astronauts and Atlantis
- Review of The Lost Continent of Pan by Susan B. Martinez
- Review of Black Mirror S03E02 “Playtest”: Just Another Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 18 • October 30, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This weekend was the first ever Alien Con, the gathering of Ancient Aliens fans to celebrate the ancient astronaut theory and its connections to genre fiction. I must say that I was surprised that the show’s creator and executive producer, Kevin Burns, admitted to being an ancient astronaut theorist and to thinking that that the world is governed by conspiracies that are manipulating humanity to their own ends. Sure, I imagine it’s part of the job, but this is the guy who produces crap like The Girls Next Door. Is reality TV part of the conspiracy? Or his Kevin Burns alone immune to its nefarious actions?
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 24-30:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 18 • October 30, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This weekend was the first ever Alien Con, the gathering of Ancient Aliens fans to celebrate the ancient astronaut theory and its connections to genre fiction. I must say that I was surprised that the show’s creator and executive producer, Kevin Burns, admitted to being an ancient astronaut theorist and to thinking that that the world is governed by conspiracies that are manipulating humanity to their own ends. Sure, I imagine it’s part of the job, but this is the guy who produces crap like The Girls Next Door. Is reality TV part of the conspiracy? Or his Kevin Burns alone immune to its nefarious actions?
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 24-30:
- Robert Schoch: Werewolves Are Actually Humans Who Form Psychic Connections to Animals through Drugs
- Scott Wolter Wows Fitness Gurus with Conspiracies, Attacks Critics, Announces Summit with Graham Hancock
- Ancient Aliens Creator Kevin Burns Discusses His Belief in Fringe Claims and Conspiracies in New Interview
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 19 • November 6, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, the brain trust behind Xplrr Media announced the discovery of a human body dressed in “Roman” armor and carrying “Roman” weapons in “near conjunction” to Oak Island in Canada. This was news not just to me but also to the Nova Scotia government, which told me that they had no reports of the discovery of “Roman” human remains near Oak Island, nor had the Xplrr team applied for permits to excavate any human remains. It remains, so to speak, to be seen what the “discovery” actually entails.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 31-November 6:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 19 • November 6, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week, the brain trust behind Xplrr Media announced the discovery of a human body dressed in “Roman” armor and carrying “Roman” weapons in “near conjunction” to Oak Island in Canada. This was news not just to me but also to the Nova Scotia government, which told me that they had no reports of the discovery of “Roman” human remains near Oak Island, nor had the Xplrr team applied for permits to excavate any human remains. It remains, so to speak, to be seen what the “discovery” actually entails.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of October 31-November 6:
- J. Hutton Pulitzer Claims That a “Roman” Soldier Is Buried in “Near Conjunction” to Oak Island
- Protestant Nephilim Hunters Reveal Their Anti-Catholic Agenda in “Sky Watch TV” Broadcast
- Author Suggests Musician and Ufologist Tom DeLonge Is an Unwitting Government Disinformation Agent
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 20 • November 13, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week was one of the times in history that future fringe historians will construct elaborate conspiracy-tinted myths to explain. Did the Illuminati meet their match from the Aryan Nordic aliens? Perhaps the Reptilians went into early hibernation due to a cold snap? In the short term, now that the incoming Trump administration has announced that it’s considering Ben Carson, a believer in the medieval myth that the pyramids of Egypt were Joseph’s granaries, to lead the Department of Education, I guess it means that I will have plenty to write about for the foreseeable future. On the down side, it might get a little boring with only 6,000 years of history to consider.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of November 7-13:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 20 • November 13, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week was one of the times in history that future fringe historians will construct elaborate conspiracy-tinted myths to explain. Did the Illuminati meet their match from the Aryan Nordic aliens? Perhaps the Reptilians went into early hibernation due to a cold snap? In the short term, now that the incoming Trump administration has announced that it’s considering Ben Carson, a believer in the medieval myth that the pyramids of Egypt were Joseph’s granaries, to lead the Department of Education, I guess it means that I will have plenty to write about for the foreseeable future. On the down side, it might get a little boring with only 6,000 years of history to consider.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of November 7-13:
- Review of The Sagan Conspiracy by Donald Zygutis • Part 1 • Part 2 •
- Fringe History and Its Cultural Connection to the 2016 American Election
- The Ark of the Covenant, Conspiracies, and White People
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 21 • November 20, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week saw the return of The Curse of Oak Island and Hunting Hitler, albeit to reduced ratings, probably due to the stiffer competition on Tuesday nights. It’s disappointing to see that Oak Island is planning to use the Knights Templar and the Ark of the Covenant as the organizing framework for this season of dull digging. We’ve been there before (on more than one show!) and it looks like fringe history is hitting the point of diminishing returns, perhaps because the all of the air in the room is being sucked up by political conspiracy theories in the wake of the 2016 election and the subsequent empowerment of conspiracy theorists of all stripes.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of November 14-20:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 21 • November 20, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week saw the return of The Curse of Oak Island and Hunting Hitler, albeit to reduced ratings, probably due to the stiffer competition on Tuesday nights. It’s disappointing to see that Oak Island is planning to use the Knights Templar and the Ark of the Covenant as the organizing framework for this season of dull digging. We’ve been there before (on more than one show!) and it looks like fringe history is hitting the point of diminishing returns, perhaps because the all of the air in the room is being sucked up by political conspiracy theories in the wake of the 2016 election and the subsequent empowerment of conspiracy theorists of all stripes.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of November 14-20:
- Andrew Collins and Hugh Newman Put on “Origins 2016” Conference at Rudolf Steiner House in London
- Graham Hancock Appears on Joe Rogan Podcast and Spends Three and Half Hours Bashing Skeptics
- Hunting the Ark of the Covenant on Curse of Oak Island
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 22 • November 27, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I wonder if Curse of Oak Island has finally run its course. Now in its fourth season, the show’s viewership has declined to just 2.66 million viewers per week. Last season it had more than three million viewers per week, and in the past several episodes were significantly higher than that, coming close to or exceeding the four million viewer mark. Part of the ratings decline is probably the holiday season and the stiffer competition from network TV in its Tuesday at 9 PM ET slot. But perhaps the stagnation of the series is also causing a bit of audience drift. We’ll find out as more ratings dating comes in over the next few weeks and we see whether the show rises as in past seasons or holds steady or falls.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of November 21-27:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 22 • November 27, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
I wonder if Curse of Oak Island has finally run its course. Now in its fourth season, the show’s viewership has declined to just 2.66 million viewers per week. Last season it had more than three million viewers per week, and in the past several episodes were significantly higher than that, coming close to or exceeding the four million viewer mark. Part of the ratings decline is probably the holiday season and the stiffer competition from network TV in its Tuesday at 9 PM ET slot. But perhaps the stagnation of the series is also causing a bit of audience drift. We’ll find out as more ratings dating comes in over the next few weeks and we see whether the show rises as in past seasons or holds steady or falls.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of November 21-27:
- Why L. A. Marzulli Is Wrong about History, Heritage, and His White Privilege
- White Nationalist Richard Spencer Uses Diffusionist Fringe History in Speech Praising Trump, White America
- A Question of Purpose: What Do the Classics Mean in Today’s Political Climate?
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 23 • December 4, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week the media debated whether facts actually exist after a conservative commentator claimed that all truth is created by the observer, at which point our culture essentially gave up on the very concept of objective reality. The History Channel pretended that Three Stooges comedian Moe Howard was actually Adolf Hitler and tried to use photographic analysis to prove that the famous Jewish entertainer was really an anti-Semitic dictator responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews. The two events are not entirely unrelated.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of November 28-December 4:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 23 • December 4, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
This week the media debated whether facts actually exist after a conservative commentator claimed that all truth is created by the observer, at which point our culture essentially gave up on the very concept of objective reality. The History Channel pretended that Three Stooges comedian Moe Howard was actually Adolf Hitler and tried to use photographic analysis to prove that the famous Jewish entertainer was really an anti-Semitic dictator responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews. The two events are not entirely unrelated.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of November 28-December 4:
- History Channel Thinks Moe Howard Might Be Hitler; Plus: Micah Hanks’s Confusing Views on Speculative Fiction
- Occultist Peter Levenda Defends Musician and Ufologist Tom DeLonge's Use of Fiction to Deliver UFO Disclosure
- Templar Carvings, Masonic Pyramids, and a Bizarre Claim about Noah’s Ark
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 24 • December 11, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of December 5-11:
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 24 • December 11, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
- Well, this was an interesting week. At the beginning of the week, I suffered a shoulder injury that left me unable to move my arm. By the end of the week, after seeing two doctors, a physician’s assistant, and a physical therapist, I had regained most of my original range of motion and am on the road to recovery.
- Meanwhile, the History Channel backpedaled furiously from its suggestion on Hunting Hitler that Moe Howard of the Three Stooges was really Hitler. At the same time, Ancient Aliens star David Wilcock embraced the so-called Pizzagate conspiracy theory and called on the Trump Administration to jail prominent Democrats. Former History Channel personality Scott Wolter went on a media spree, producing a podcast and two multi-hour radio interviews in just one week. That has to be either some kind of record or testament to how much free time the man has.
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of December 5-11:
- Did the FBI “Admit” That UFOs Come from Another Dimension?
- Hunting Hitler Exonerates Moe Howard of the Charge of Being Hitler; Plus: Is the FBI “Childish” about MJ-12?
- David Wilcock Embraces Fake Pizzagate Conspiracy, Calls on Trump Administration to Jail Satanic Liberal Elites
Until next week, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
THE SKEPTICAL XENOARCHAEOLOGIST
• Vol. 9 • Issue 25 • December 18, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of December 12-18:
Until next year, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
• Vol. 9 • Issue 25 • December 18, 2016 •
It’s been a busy week in the world of xenoarchaeology. Let’s see what’s new…
News
- As we move into the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, I’m taking my traditional week off from writing a newsletter. So, this is my last newsletter for 2016. I will continue to update my blog throughout the holidays, so be sure to check in frequently for the latest posts!
- As you prepare for the holiday season, however, be sure to think about whether someone in your life might enjoy a book or two from my long list of books. Overnight shipping will get the book to you in time for Christmas, and most have e-book versions for instant download! My books also are the perfect way to use that Amazon gift card you know you’re getting in your stocking…
On the Blog
In case you missed them, here are my best blog posts for the week of December 12-18:
- The Mystical City of Adocentyn: How a Medieval Editing Choice Created an Occult Legend
- Nephilim Theorists Say Donald Trump Is God's Instrument, Claim Rabbis Believe He Is the Messiah
- Review of Alien World Order by Len Kasten: Feminazi Aliens Are Coming for Your Precious Bodily Fluids!
Until next year, keep watching the skies!
Jason Colavito
• [email protected] • JasonColavito.com • @JasonColavito •
