UPDATED
The New Jersey Drone Flap: Why None of the Explanations are Acceptable
The military expenditures for the US every year come in at around 820 billion. I won’t lie and say I truly understand that number or can grasp all of the outlying entities that also have their own budgets. The true number of dollars being used to augment the military industrial complex health is beyond what I can fathom. At some point, the numbers become ludicrous, like counting grains of sand. The one thing you can take away from this is that we obviously aren’t getting our money’s worth. Of course, that’s because the “we” I’m speaking of, the US citizens, aren’t the ones this money is being used to protect or advance.
I’m going to bring up one of the weirder news stories currently making the rounds, that of the New Jersey drone sightings. And really not just New Jersey, but evidently other regions as well. They seem to have extended to Staten Island and are even being reported in various sites worldwide. It is difficult to know if there is truly an uptick in sightings such as this elsewhere, or if the knowledge of the New Jersey sightings is making people look up from their phones long enough to see objects that were there prior. We are now in the part of the news cycle on this story where, barring an enormous escalation that is undeniable, it will be difficult to parse out the true phenomenon.
But in case you haven’t been keeping up, since mid November, there have been multiple sightings of what are being called drones in the New Jersey area. Every night like clockwork, the lights show up, oddly described in ways that just don’t quite make sense. Almost like the uncanny valley effect–the drones exhibit lights that seem to be like known objects in the air (helicopters and airplanes) but are not quite right—just a bit off. Some individuals have used the apps that show current flight-paths and have been able to see that objects in front of them aren’t showing as normal registered air traffic (which can be seen on these apps, they are actually pretty amazing to be able to see flight paths in real time). So, what we have is a mystery in the setting of ample ability to fake video. All of this is paired with very reputable and numerous observers seeing things often described as car sized flying objects. Definitely larger than the traditional drone. Some indication has even been put out there that the objects are not showing the expected “heat signature” one would expect from any moving device and a feature that one would be able to use to track these items. Bizarre is putting it mildly.
Mayors and lower-level law enforcement seem to be slightly enraged because if this is an explainable event by some in our government, they are certainly being left out of the loop. To have throngs of constituents asking for answers and to be able to give none– well that would certainly make mayors and law enforcement feel idiotic and toothless. It is clear that lower-level officials do not know what is going on as evidenced by the frustration being exhibited by these individuals in multiple press conferences.
The information from the executive branch hasn’t been forthcoming with much in the way of answers either, except to indicate in a lot of cases, these are misidentified planes (which once again, flies in the face of those using flight path apps during witnessing these things and noting their absence on said apps).
Even if 75% of the sightings are now something prosaic, the sheer number of witnesses and the very inexplicable nature of the sightings does not lead one to believe this is some sort of mass hysteria. That is gas-lighting of the worst order, to tell someone that they aren’t seeing what they are truly seeing. I know I reference gas-lighting often, but I do think the term describes so much of the disinformation coming our way from every angle in our current space. I just don’t have a better way to describe it.
Which brings me full circle to that military expenditure. We are left with a few options: One being that this is a foreign actor flexing and seemingly we are not able to do anything about it. This seems quite odd in light of the drama from the Chinese balloons we have seen in years past. We certainly have a shoot first and ask questions later type of government in most arenas. We are to believe they are showing patience due to being in heavily populated areas? The government I’ve seen wouldn’t care a bit. They would be shooting these down immediately. Didn’t some school aviation group balloon get shot down during that last flap? We are to believe hundreds of these things are free to float about New Jersey at will? So these options seem very unlikely. Also, with those kinds of dollars being spent in the military, we don’t have some earmarked to protect citizens from weird objects invading their airspace? That makes absolutely no sense.
So, we consider …. this is what I would consider to be the most likely……it’s our own government. But to what end? Why on earth if it is testing new equipment would it be done in such a populated area? And why is there such a stunning variety of objects being seen? I know direct witness testimony can be wonky, but the sheer volume of individuals seeing these things makes it pretty clear that there is some variety in the nature of these objects. Some have posited that there is some kind of full-scale search mission going on that the nature of such can’t be released due to mass panic potential. Well….maybe, but again, why just at night–is this to avoid clear viewing of these objects? They do have lights which have been reported by officials as simply “going dark” when observation becomes too intense. Again,this is another possibility that is unsatisfying rationally. If it is our own government– this is what they do with all that cash? Terrorize citizens already terrorized by being citizens of New Jersey? Sorry, that wasn’t fair. I’ve never even been there—parts of it actually look lovely. If you don’t mind freaky drone swarms every night.
One other option……yeah, you see where I’m going. Something we can’t explain or fight against because it’s not “us”. This one is a little harder to accept. I would love for the universe to be larger and more exciting than our day to day, but if so….truly what the hell? Is non-human intelligence just as dumb as we are? Drones that look like our drones, but off just a bit? Swarms that seem to be giving a message, but not a clear one? If these are the “aliens” I will be very depressed because this is some shady and unclear messaging for sure. It would be like that kid who liked you in first period and showed it by pulling your hair or blurting out a couple words and running off. It doesn’t seem to be elevated behavior.
I love to hike around the odder regions of Reddit. Yes, I enjoy reading some of the areas that deal with unexplained phenomena. I will admit it. I think the most wonderful thing I’ve ever read was in one of these back alleys of Reddit in regard to the drones. Some guy in Jersey said that he had one of these things directly above him, close enough to shoot down. He didn’t go that path, but did want to register his disgust with their behavior—whatever is causing it. He had just finished dinner and was taking out the garbage, so he was able to reach into the garbage sack and pull out a corn cob, which he proceeded to throw at the drone. He missed and chucked a second one in its direction. Many responded in the post, questioning if this is an alien intelligence, would this be considered our first act of aggression? Are we at war now because of the corn cob assault? I think this would make sense for our species to go out this way. Monkeys throwing corncobs.
But I’ll back away from the Ft. Sumter type implications of the corn cob assault.
There is one more possibility that extends back to the government angle….could this be one faction showing what they can do against the more mainstream regions of government? Again, pretty wild brainstorming with no satisfying solution. This theory feels too Q-Anon adjacent.
One must also take into the context of this that a very similar drone situation was occurring in 2019 and early 2020 in Colorado. This was in the news; I remember hearing about it, but something happened in spring of 2020 with so much noise that it drowned out these drones. Yeah, Covid kind of stole the drones’ thunder and that story just faded. But it’s important to realize that this seems to have happened before, not to this extent or in such populated areas, but still……it happened.
So, for the tidy price of 820 billion……we can have our skies inundated with mysterious weirdo drones and we have representatives of our government shrugging. What a wonderful return on investment we get for our tax dollars. No answers, at least not for us. I know a lot of people said, “this is the bad timeline” in response to Trump winning and all of the other mayhem in the world, but maybe we are just in the “weird timeline”. So of course, we need to go pro. I for one, will welcome the alien overlords and I vow in this public manner to throw no corncobs.
David McAfee
December 15, 2024
MSNBC screen grab
A helicopter chased a drone away from Donald Trump's golf course in New Jersey on Sunday morning, according to the state's previous governor.
Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey, appeared on MSNBC over the weekend, where she was asked about the mysterious sightings. Also on Sunday, former Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said he knows what the mystery drones actually are, prompting MAGA outrage.
For the former governor's part, she mentioned the development as an aside while discussing the drone phenomenon more generally.
"Well, everybody's talking about them right now," she said. "I live in Hunterdon County where this morning there was a helicopter that chased a drone away from Trump's national golf course which is next-door to the farm."
She continued, saying, "They're there, but I think also you see a lot of sightings that are small planes that sometimes will look as if it's hovering over you, the plane, because it's coming at you. That makes it look as if it's stationary."
"I don't think we have to worry, but what's frustrating is to have the government say well, there's no problem," the former lawmaker added. "We don't know what it is, but it's no problem. That's not a satisfying answer. We need better from the government."
Watch below or click here.
David McAfee
December 15, 2024
Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois speaks at a political rally. (Shutterstock.com)
Former Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said on Sunday that he knows what the mystery drones actually are, prompting MAGA outrage.
Kinzinger, who recently hit Donald Trump with a challenge of his own after the president-elect said Kinzinger should be jailed, told CNN on Sunday that the "drones" people are seeing are just airplanes. The drones have been reported across the Northeastern part of the United States.
"I've spent the last couple of days looking at every one of these videos, every video I have seen on Twitter, and on the Internet are all airplanes," the ex-lawmaker and pilot said on CNN. "They're literally all airplanes."
Right-wing broadcaster Nick Sortor said that "disgraced former Rep. Adam Kinzinger says we are NOT spotting drones, but instead are only seeing airplanes."
"He is ONCE AGAIN verifiably wrong," Sortor added. "Why the hell is CNN giving this clown any airtime?"
Pro-Trump influencer Collin Rugg said, "Adam Kinzinger says after spending a couple of days looking at videos, he can confidently say the New Jersey 'drones,' are just airplanes."
"The drone 'expert' said there was nothing to be worried about because the FBI told him everything was okay," the influencer added.
Another popular pro-Trump account, MAGA Kitty, said, "Crack UAP and Drone expert, Adam Kinzinger, tells everyone to move along, nothing to see here…these are ALL just PLANES!"
Conservative political commentator, lawyer, and social media influencer Rogan O'Handley, known better by his social media handle DC Draino, said, "Oh look - The guy who lied (and cried) about J6 now wants us to believe what he says about the NJ drones."
"If Adam Kinzinger says they’re just airplanes then I now definitively know they are anything except airplanes," O'Handley said.
"Look who is pissed, the MAGAs. Somehow this is political. They are MAD it’s not Iran or aliens," Kinzinger said in response to the outrage.
David Edwards
December 15, 2024
ABC/screen grab
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) warned of "drone vigilantes" and insisted that the unidentified vehicles were flying over his home.
While speaking to ABC News host George Stephanopoulos on Sunday, Christie revealed that he had observed drones in his neighborhood.
"Two mornings ago, over my house at 6:15 in the morning, saw them myself, so did my wife," he insisted.
"But is this a mass hysteria of some sort?" Stephanopoulos wondered.
"I lived in New Jersey my whole life," Christie noted. "This is the first time that I've noticed drones over my house."
The former governor argued that there was a "vacuum" of information.
"Then all the conspiracy theories get filled in there," he said. "So you've got people like Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) saying there's an Iranian mothership off the coast of New Jersey."
"Absolutely not true," Christie added. "You can't have conspiracy theorists filling the space."
He argued that the federal and state officials should act quickly, or "you're going to have individuals acting as drone vigilantes, and they're going to start taking them down."
"That's not what we want, because they're now an important part of commerce and law enforcement uses them frequently for surveillance and other things," Christie concluded.
Watch the video below from ABC.
David Edwards
December 15, 2024
RAW STORY
Fox News/screen grab
Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) disputed Fox News host Jacqui Heinrich after she suggested drone sightings were a "Pearl Harbor moment" for Americans.
During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Himes agreed that the federal government was responsible for ensuring drones were not flying over sensitive government facilities.
The lawmaker pointed to the increased availability of consumer drones as one possibility for recent sightings.
"And all I'm saying is we should be sober about it and not start worrying about Iranian motherships or the Martians landing, you know, as New Jersey so famously had happened with the old Orson Welles thing of many, many decades ago," Himes explained.
"So is there no concern in your mind that this could be potentially a Pearl Harbor moment, like with the Japanese submarines surveilling in the waters off Hawaii in the months leading up to the attack?" the Fox News host wondered.
"No, it's not," Himes insisted. "Look, our adversaries that will that would wish us harm, you know, have billion-dollar satellites over our heads right now that are capable of, you know, doing what we do to them, which is observing."
"You know what they're not going to do?" he continued. "They're not going to put technology over Newark, New Jersey, that could fall out of the sky, and we would capture it."
"But no, they are not going to launch an attack on Pearl Harbor that is preceded by drones."
Watch the video below from Fox News or at the link. .
By Don Jacobson
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and other state leaders on Friday demanded more information from federal authorities who are probing dozens of reports of unexplained drone sightings in the New York City metro area. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Local leaders in New Jersey on Friday pleaded with the federal government to release more information on its probe of dozens of unexplained drone sightings over the New York City metro area.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he has demanded more information and resources from the federal government as he deals with growing public concerns over continued sightings of unexplained flying objects in his state.
In a letter sent to President Joe Biden on Thursday and posted by Murphy on social media sites, the governor urged the president to have the various federal agencies looking into the sightings "work together" and stated it has "become apparent that more resources are needed to fully understand what is behind this activity."
Information on the probe being shared with local leaders is lacking, Murphy said, "prompting an outcropping of conspiracy theories across social media and other platforms."
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., who is an announced candidate to succeed Murphy as New Jersey governor, similarly pleaded for more transparency from federal investigators and demanded that local law enforcement be given the authority to "safely take down" drones as new reports of sightings "come in by the scores every day."
"NJ cannot be the Wild West for drone activity," he said in an X post. "Our federal agencies must immediately brief the public and work closely with local authorities to monitor drone activity."
During a Friday press conference, Gottheimer repeated his pleas for more information.
"It's totally and completely unacceptable that you have all this drone activity going on that people are seeing with their own eyes." he said. "The fact that the federal agencies responsible for briefing the public have not come forward in a clear way is unacceptable."
Fears over the origins of the drones continued to mount Friday, even after the White House issued assurances there is no evidence to show they pose a national security or public safety risk.
The sightings were first reported last month, with most spotted in Hunterdon and Morris counties in the northern and central regions of the state.
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have been investigating the sightings and said in a joint statement issued Thursday there is nothing to suggest the sightings pose a national security or public safety threat.
They do not "have a foreign nexus," the law enforcement agencies said. "Upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft, operating lawfully. There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space."
National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby reiterated this stance, telling reporters on Thursday that as federal law enforcement officers who are assisting New Jersey officials in probing the reports "have uncovered no malicious activity or intent at this particular stage."
However, officials at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck, N.J., confirmed Friday there had been "multiple" instances of drones entering its airspace.
"While no direct threats to the installation have been identified, we can confirm multiple instances of unidentified drones entering the airspace above Naval Weapons Station Earle," Bill Addison, public affairs officer for the naval station, told ABC News. "The base remains prepared to respond to any potential risks, leveraging robust security measures and advanced detection capabilities."
National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby speaks during the daily press briefing in the James S. Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 13 (UPI) -- There is no evidence to show that recent drone sightings over New Jersey pose a national security or public safety risk, federal security officials and the White House said.
The statements from officials in the White House, FBI and Department of Homeland Security were issued Thursday amid growing fears over the unexplained flying objects that have been seen in at least eight of New Jersey's 21 counties as far back as a week before Thanksgiving.
New Jersey Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia is among politicians demanding answers about the origins of the drones. In a statement Wednesday following a meeting on the issue at New Jersey State Police headquarters involving local politicians, she said drones have been spotted every night since Nov. 18 from dusk until 11 p.m. local time.
The drones are 6 feet in diameter and operate in a coordinated manner, she said.
"We know nothing. PERIOD," she said.
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have been investigating the sightings, and said in a joint statement Thursday that there is no evidence that the drones pose a national security or public safety threat.
They also do not "have a foreign nexus," the law enforcement agencies said.
"Upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft, operating lawfully," the statement said.
"There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space."
National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby reiterated this stance during a White House press conference on Thursday.
"Now, that said, we certainly take seriously the threat that can be posed by unmanned aircraft systems, which is why law enforcement and other agencies continue to support New Jersey and investigate the reports, even though they have uncovered no malicious activity or intent at this particular stage," he said.
Kirby added that while there is "no known malicious activity," the issue underscores the need for Congress to pass legislation to extend and expand counter-drone authorities "so that we are better prepared to identify and mitigate any potential threats to airports or other critical infrastructure."
On Wednesday, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh shot down a conspiracy theory that the drones were launched by an Iranian "mothership" off the East Coast, stating: "There is not any truth to that."
"There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States and there's no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States," Singh said during a press briefing, adding that "we have no evidence that these activities are coming from a foreign entity or the work of an adversary."
"We're going to continue to monitor what is happening. But you know, at no point were our installations threatened when this activity was occurring," she said.
Officials indicate no known threat to the public.
State Sen. Jon Bramnick expressed concern over recent N.J. drone sightings. "The State of New Jersey should issue a limited state of emergency banning all drones until the public receives an explanation regarding these multiple sightings," Bramnick, a centrist Republican and candidate for governor, wrote Tuesday in a statement. Photo courtesy of Bramnick Law/UPI
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- A New Jersey lawmaker called on the state to issue a "limited" state of emergency over unexplained drones that have appeared in recent weeks, his office said Tuesday.
"The State of New Jersey should issue a limited state of emergency banning all drones until the public receives an explanation regarding these multiple sightings," State Sen. Jon Bramnick, a centrist Republican and candidate for governor, wrote Tuesday in a statement.
Recently, multiple spottings of drones of a mysterious origin have been seen in at least eight of New Jersey's 21 counties in the central and northern parts of the state going as far back as the week before Thanksgiving.
Multiple state and federal agencies are involved with none able to explain the occurrences. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration has since placed restrictions on drone flights while authorities investigate.
The unexplained flying objects notably are larger than the type used typically by hobbyists and have raised a number of security concerns over its proximity to military outfits and the Bedminster golf course of President-elect Donald Trump.
Since Nov. 13, the military research facility Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County reported at least 11 confirmed sightings by either a police officer or other security official.
According to the FBI, federal officials are "doing all we can figure out what's going on."
"While the source and cause of these aircraft operating in our area remain unknown, we can confirm that they are not the result of any Picatinny Arsenal-related activities," Lt. Col. Craig Bonham II, the Picatinny Arsenal's garrison commander, wrote Tuesday in a statement.
The FBI advised that the public can continue to call its 800 line or submit a tip online. "We are acting on every substantive lead that we get," a spokesperson told ABC News.
The U.S. government has taken a few steps over the years in a slow and shy admission over the existence of what it has re-branded as "unidentified anomalous phenomena," or UAP, going so far as to appoint in 2023 a director to oversee UAP activity at NASA. More than 700 UFO reports were made in the last year, according to a recent report by the Pentagon and the Director of National Intelligence.
On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy posted on social media that he met with U.S. Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and his staff, state police officials and the state's congressional delegation to discuss the reported "drone activity."
"We are actively monitoring the situation and in close coordination with our federal and law enforcement partners on this matter," Murphy wrote, adding there is no known threat to the public.
On Monday a letter signed by 21 mayors was sent to the two-term Democratic governor demanding action, saying that, despite inquiries, "we have yet to receive satisfactory answers about the purpose, operators, or safety protocols governing these flights."
That night, Belleville Mayor Michael Melham posted on Facebook indicating a briefing will be held Wednesday on the drone activity with New Jersey's state police and the state's Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.
"While the benefits of drone technology are widely recognized when used responsibly and transparently, the lack of information and clarity regarding these operations has caused fear and frustration among our constituents," the group of mayors wrote in part while also calling for "clear communication" over the ongoing investigation.
This stands in stark contrast when in 2021 residents in Paterson spotted a series of mysterious lights in the night sky with at least one expert who said they may have been drones practicing for a light show.
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