Looking at the
calendar it occurred to me last week that it has been seven years since
we lost our dear friend Graham Conway – and in those seven years how
much life has changed!
The world saw the advent of the iPhone – and YouTube, which both have changed the way we in the UFO field do business.
Now everyone has access
to a relatively poor quality camera at their fingertips, and every
hoaxer from here to Botswana can post their creation online and have an
audience of believers drooling over their every frame.
Do I mean to sound negative? Sure – why not!
Jovialities aside, the
influx of technology has made the chore of identifying genuine cases
from hoaxers a fulltime vocation. We in the field have limited
resources, so we must always be on the alert for another hoax or bright
shiny object in the sky that we investigate.
YouTube has also changed
the way we present new content to the general public. No longer do we
fill high priced auditoriums to give lectures or present topics – there
simply isn’t the need anymore. Today’s top lecturers can be seen on
YouTube for free, at the click of a mouse in the privacy of one’s home.
I agree, the networking aspect is lost in this fashion, but the
financial burden and risk associated with putting on a presentation is
no longer there, and that is something we can do without.
Of course, as it was our
main (only) real source of revenue, the finances to cover website
expenses is also not there – meaning we need to be ever so frugal with
what little income we have as an organization and ensure we get the
most out of our dollar.
When Graham was still
with us, we also had a quarterly magazine. Although a labour of love
(and hate) it was never a money making entity, in fact it often cost
more to run a print job than it made back in subscriptions. However
technology, not funding, has resulted in the magazine’s demise. Once
again, the internet is making printed material virtually obsolete, and
the effort and cost of a printed paper is simply no longer viable.
So why am I writing this
short article? After 7 years since Graham left us, I wonder where we
will be in another 7 years? Will technology continue to change our
lives and our methods of doing research in the field of ufology, or
will the next seven years bring forth the final answer – one that will
allow us to hang up the UFO*BC shingle, and enjoy retirement from an
otherwise crazy field… only time will tell.
So Graham, wherever you may be, we miss you and hope you are getting a good laugh at us foolish mortals down here!
Richard T.
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