Space case after the quake

Today’s massive earthquake in Italy leads to a “whatever happened to …” moment, which fertilized my budding skepticism and launched a fascination with believers of impossible things.

The strangest 24 hours of my life (late summer 1963, ’64 or ’65) concluded in the back room of Miguel’s Restaurant in Reno, best Mexican restaurant on the West Coast at the time. Miguel Ribera was a wonderful person and an outstanding citizen, despite his obsession with UFOs. Occasionally, he’d rent the local convention center and throw a UFO weekend. Anybody else ever meet the Indian chief who'd been to Jupiter?

After all day at the confab, friends talked me into going to the post-midnight session at Miguel’s. The main event was an L.A. group with a grand theory about aliens and Earth. The group’s name, I think: M.I.N.D. (I can’t remember what it stood for.)

The theory went something like this:

Every earthquake changed the planet’s electromagnetic fields, creating gaps through which space visitors could speak telepathically with their Earth friends.

After earthquakes, these fine, fine people hauled picnic chairs onto the roof of their houses, and waited for messages. Equipment included TV antennas and foil.

Oddly, the messages from the aliens didn’t make a lot of sense … peace, love and cigarettes, though I’m probably wrong about that. No blueprints on how to build starships.

The question occurred to me: These creatures have the knowledge and technology to come all the way to Earth, but they hide in orbit and “think” at us? They can “think” in English but they can’t build a radio or a TV transmitter?

One absurdity after another piled up as the session progressed. We escaped somewhere around 2 a.m.

I still don’t understand how people can believe nonsense such as this, but thanks to Miguel I got a first look at a cross-section of believers.

(First half of the strangest 24 hours: Seeing “The Ten Commandments” and “Hatari!” with my dad at the drive-in; we got home around 3:30 a.m. Graydon and Pat hauled me off to the UFO convention on three hours sleep. It’s a wonder I didn’t run off to join the UFO freaks.)

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Speaking of space aliens …

The episode of “24” on March 30 had a great in-joke. The president and her (don’t trust her, Aaron!) daughter discussed candidates for chief of staff. First name mentioned: Bob Justman. Second name: Rick Berman.

The episode was written by “24” producers Brannon Braga and Manny Coto, who became a writing team late in the “Star Trek” series string.

Bob Justman was producer of the original “Star Trek;” he did the work and the Great Bird of the Galaxy got the glory. Rick Berman was Gene Roddenberry’s hand-picked successor for producer when “Next Generation” was created.

Great producers, but White House chief of staff? Not a chance.

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