ParaNet BBS
ParaNet(Paranormal Network) Information Service
[edit | edit source]Paranet is a moderated forum founded by Jim Spieser in 1986 originally dedicated to the paranormal as well as UFOs, although the UFO side grabbed the most attention. Originally distributed as a newsletter via E-mail, it now consists of a set of newsgroups on Usenet.
After being founded by Jim Speiser, Paranet was for most of its history run by Michael Corbin (an investigative journalist, researcher, and radio talk show host). He passed away in 2008. The Paranet website is now defunct. Besides building and establishing a network, ParaNet also investigated cases and then reported their findings to the network. Below is a list of accomplishments that ParaNet has realized over its 13-year existence:
ParaNet's roots are with a bulletin board system (BBS) called "The Other Side" created by former Director of ParaNet Jim Speiser, Director of ParaNet from 1986-88. In 1988, Jim turned over the directorship of ParaNet to Michael Corbin, who further developed the ParaNet-MICAP Bulletin Board Service (BBS). The ParaNet-MICAP BBS ran from 1989-1995. Ahead of its time, the BBS was unique in terms of its ability to link researchers (and skeptics) in the field to those investigators whose research spanned the paranormal, anomalous and unexplained. There is much historically valuable information buried within the files listed below that may possibly lend insight into the same questions that plague researchers today: UFOs, cattle mutilations, crop circles, conspiracy theory, and other phenomena. This historical information also serves to situate researchers and their research problems during a very interesting time in UFO history-the operation of the ParaNet-MICAP BBS.
