Was it some kind of anomalous Native American spirit orbs or other strange lights seen around ancient Indian sites in the Phoenix area?

BALLOONS, FLARES AND FISHING LINE

Shortly after this story broke, a very down-to-Earth explanation surfaced. A local TV station was following up on a report that a resident of north Phoenix launched four helium balloons with flares attached.

A neighbor saw the whole thing.

The perpetrator eventually admitted it and was not charged by police, though it was pointed out that his flares could have come down and caused a brush fire or structure fire.

As it turns out, he tied the flares and balloons together with fishing line, which allowed them to move and form various configurations.

As the Phoenix-area news media and national news outlets reported that a local resident launched balloons with flares attached to them, some writers, reporters and social commentators started jumping to conclusions or tried to "spin" the incident, consciously or unconsciously.

A few writers and commentators seem to indicate that Phoenix residents reported extraterrestrial spaceships and arriving visitors from other planets, which was not the case.

According to news reports, dozens of Phoenix citizens observed and reported four bright red lights in the sky that were visible at around 8 p.m. for approximately 15 minutes. The lights' configurations slowly changed in various ways, then faded out.

Witnesses were accurate about all of those facts. Those observations were consistent with the facts about flares tied to balloons and linked with fishing line.

ARE DEBUNKERS ALSO HOAXERS?

When skeptics, debunkers and various writers and commentators who make fun of the idea of visitation to Earth by extraterrestrial and/or extra-dimensional visitors deal with a hoax case, they sometimes generalize about the hundreds of other valid sightings and encounters.

Do these pundits want to think that they know it all and that the average person out there is stupid or gullible?

Debunkers sometimes then interpret a prank to paint all unusual sightings or encounters with the same brush. They try to indicate that all UFO sightings are things such as balloons and flares, or maybe delusions of the foolish public.

It is true that many or most sightings have logical and natural explanations. And some sightings are probably the result of overactive imaginations.

At the same time, it is evident to people who have done basic research on this subject that many sightings and encounters are something much more.

Solid objects or craft as well as lights of various kinds have been seen and reported by reliable military personnel, pilots, peace officers and other kinds of credible witnesses over past years and decades.

The March 13, 1997, Phoenix lights case is a good example. The many Stephenville, Texas, incidents of 2008 are another. The Chicago O'Hare airport sighting is yet another fascinating case along with many, many others.

There have even been sightings reported in the 1800s and in previous centuries.

In many cases, several eyewitnesses reported seeing the same thing.

If we open our minds and take a look, we will find credible research and literature indicating that a real situation faces us involving highly unusual factors.

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