Years before there was the To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science there was another Academy with a similar name and some common aims. This blog post will explore this other Academy and the individual behind it, Joseph P Firmage. Way back in May 2011, my co-blogger Pauline Wilson, wrote a piece about Joe Firmage. In summary it read: Joseph Firmage was born in 1970 in the USA, and became an Internet entrepreneur at an early age. He and others, formed a company called US Web in 1997. However, in 1999, Firmage left the US$2 billion company, after widely expressing his views on the UFO phenomenon. He then began a very public campaign to attract readers to an online book, he called "The Truth." In this book, he talked about alien visitations; intergalactic travel, and a host of unconventional theories about science and economics. Firmage stated that the inspiration for the book came from his own "encounter", "authentic" Majestic 12 documents, and the 1947 Roswell crash. Firmage provided details of his own "encounter." He related that one morning he woke in his room to find a human-like figure present. They conversed about space travel. One source of the story, related how an electric blue sphere came out of the figure and entered Firmage. He went on to establish the "International Space Sciences Organisation" "dedicated to raising awareness of future technological breakthroughs, consciousness, and future civilizations." A look at the Amazon Books website, reveals a numbers of books by Firmage, they include: • "The Truth." 22 February 1997. • "I am." 1 December 2001. Publisher: Universecity Press, but marked "Not yet released." • "Revolution in Physics." 7 December 2011. Publisher: XLibris US. 142pp. • "Evolving economics." 15 December 2011. Publisher: XLibris US. 102pp. • "Life Time Tree." 9 September 2012. Publisher: Academy of Science and Arts. 536pp. His LinkedIn profile provides his career background and companies that he has been associated with. These are listed as: • Motion Physics CEO (January 2000 to the present; Greater Salt Lake City area): Leading team of researchers in advanced physics with a focus on propulsion, energy and material sciences. Operations have also been conducted under distinct related entities California Institute for Physics and Astrophysics, International Space Sciences Organization and Motion Sciences. • ManyOne CEO (October 2001 to the present): Create the world's first "real" Internet economic operating system. • International Academy of Science and Arts CEO (January 2010 to the present; Phoenix, Arizona): Advanced Physics research...Television and cinematography production. A visit to the website of the International Academy of Science and Arts reveals five areas of interest: 1. Motion Physics. 2. ManyOne. 3. Sustainable Ecology Institute. 4. Science Modeling Institute. 5. Internext Technology Institute. The IASA mission is stated as: "to help catalyze four areas of 21st century scientific discovery and social evolution: (1) new economic models ...(2) breakthrough core research and development for clean energy and propulsion technologies...(3) deployment of cutting edge general media productions...(4) collaboration on the launch of a professional consulting company firm that is similar to history-making US Web..." What interested me, naturally, was the reference to "breakthrough core research and development ...propulsion technologies..." I therefore looked through the website looking for references to "propulsion technologies." I found that the Motion Physics area had documents from between 2011 and 2015. Here, I found a list of many papers dedicated to the topics of electromagnetic field propulsion; propellant-less propulsion, and gravity control. The authors included Dr Hal Puthoff. Nowhere on the website did I come across a reference to "UFOs;" "UAP" or similar terminology. Firmage's LinkedIn profile page contained a number of press releases which update his story, including: 11 January 2018: InterNASA [International Academy of Science and Arts -KB] launches its Studies Division. "On the 'Prime Time' TV front, eye opening 'event' specials and a riveting docu-drama series based on 40 plus years of intriguing historical events involving underlying institutions resulting in InterNASA's formation - which fans of the X-Files will surely embrace - are slated for production and release this year." "InterNASA's ground breaking physics research and testing of exotic propulsion and highly advanced science and technology has the keen interest and backing of a top U.S. Intelligence Agency, affirmed by a recent letter from a senior government Intelligence official stating 'Joe Firmage has held a long and good standing history of service to the U.S. Government and its agencies, the recognition of which is well understood, held in high regard, and we look forward to continuing that relationship.'" A new Firmage website was launched, called manyonecentral. A look at the new website reveals many of the same components as have been mentioned above. There is a link to the existing International Academy of Science and Arts website, and a timeline of Manyone. Again, I failed to find any mention of the words "UFOs:" "UAP" or similar terms. So, twenty years ago an individual named Joseph P Firmage, had an "encounter;" wrote a book titled "The Truth" and marketed it and its concepts very widely. Over the next ten years he set up a series of organizations like the "California Institute for Physics and Astrophysics;" "International Space sciences Organization;" "International Academy of Science and Arts;" etc etc. and published a series of books. Then in 2018 re-emerges to continue talking about revolutions in physics, and economics, via a revamped ManyOne website. Joe Firmage's International Academy of Science and Arts seemed a fore runner for Tom Delonge's To The Stars Academy of Arts and Science. Both have an entertainment thrust, and an interest in exotic propulsion technologies. Whereas, TTSA is open about its interest in UFOs; IASA it seems, is now silent about that topic. • Bio (Paradigm Research Group) • "The Truth" (PDF) • Youtube interview • Youtube Joe Firmage device