Saucer Smear - Vol 24 No 08 - 1977

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER MOOS
Issue: Vol. 24, No. 8
Date: July 4th, 1977
Publisher: SAUCER AND UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Editor: James W. Moseley

This issue is dedicated to the "Cattle Mutilation Mystery" and features a special report on the "SAUCER MOOS" SPECIAL REPORT ON FATE MAGAZINE'S INTERNATIONAL UFO CONGRESS IN CHICAGO.

Report on the Fate Magazine UFO Congress in Chicago

The editor, James W. Moseley, attended the convention held from June 24th-26th. He shares his subjective impressions, noting that while Fate Magazine's convention was better organized and featured more distinguished speakers, their own 1967 convention had a higher attendance. Moseley recounts arriving in Chicago and encountering Stella Lansing, a "noted psychic UFO photographer." He details how he obtained press credentials using his "ACCREDITED PRESS" card, a privilege available to subscribers for a nominal fee.

The editor describes the convention atmosphere as one of "somewhat unexpected Egomania." He mentions cordial greetings with researchers he hadn't seen in years, including Ted Bloecher and Len Stringfield. Contactee John Otto remembered him from a previous convention. Ray Palmer was cordial, and Dennis Huack was also present. Other speakers included Curtis Fuller (publisher of Fate), Betty Hill, J. Allen Hynek, Jerome Clark, David Jacobs, J. Gordon Melton, R. Leo Sprinkle, and Jacques Vallee. Moseley was pleased to see a number of "rank-and-file non-subscribers" and felt like a "genuine 'old timer' or 'semi-Big-Name-Fan'."

A significant point of contention was the attitude of Kenneth Arnold, who was being honored for the thirtieth anniversary of his UFO sighting. Arnold, described as a "Holder of Grudges," reportedly avoided speaking to the editor due to a past disagreement over speaking fees for a New York convention ten years prior.

An interlude with Coral Lorenzen of APRO is recounted, where she debated UFO theories with the editor. Dr. J. Allen Hynek joined their discussion, opposing Coral's viewpoint. The editor notes that many of the Fate convention speakers seemed to align with the "3½ D" Theory, which he attributes to the collective thinking of UFO philosophers like Vallee, Keel, and Greenfield. He observes that "the times they are a'changing, in UFO research as in all other phases of modern life!"

The editor also acknowledges Dr. Meade Layne, founder of Borderland Sciences Research Associates (BSRA), and his purported 4-D UFO hypothesis from 1946.

Upcoming Events and Announcements

The issue announces the "14th Annual National UFO Conference" to be held on Saturday, August 6th, at the Hotel San Franciscan in San Francisco, California. The main session will feature speakers Stanton Friedman on "Flying Saucers Are Real" and Allen Greenfield on "UFOs and the Crisis of Consciousness." Tickets are $3.00 for the public session. Information is provided for California UFO Research for advance ticket purchases. The editor will also be present to sign autographs.

Letters to the Editor

Several letters from readers are included:

• Russ A. Rueger, Ph.D. writes about his experience as the former editor of "Official UFO," detailing issues with publisher Fass, including a "July '77 cover hoax" and artificial alterations to cover photos. He notes that the publication has since been replaced by Jeffrey Goodman.
• Dr. Thornton Page shares a letter about a Polaroid photo of a "gleaming yellow cloud" over NASA's Johnson Space Center, suggesting it might be cloud lightning. He recounts his involvement with flying saucers on a CIA-employed Robertson Committee in 1953 and his later work with Carl Sagan on "UFOs A Scientific Report."
• Bob Sheaffer critiques Jerry Clark's reading comprehension regarding his analysis of "fairy photographs." He also mentions the "Sinister Men In Black" phenomenon.
• George Strich, a long-time subscriber, expresses his enjoyment of "Saucer Moos" and wishes for the return of "Saucer News."
• Gary Buell comments on the exposure of the Cottingly fairy photographs as fakes and hopes the publication will rejoin NICAP.
• William A. Karpowicz, Jr. of the "Church of Saucer Worship" confesses that "David FidelRE" and "Steve Miller" are figments of his imagination, declaring the church finished.
• Bill Spaulding writes about his experience being sent to the minor leagues after a "trial" presided over by "Ted Zilch."
• Jacob A. Davidson finds the newsletter "tremendously funny (and sometimes therapeutic)" and believes it acts as a "receptacle for all the collective anxieties that issue from Farteana and Urology." He requests not to have an "X" placed next to his name on the mailing list.
• Boniwit Sushmuller (alias John Keel) sends a critical letter, calling the newsletter "moribund" and suggesting the editor take up flagpole sitting. He mentions "Fate's appraisal" of the editor's efforts and references the "Socorro, N.M. landing hoax." He also predicts President Carter will reveal he is Venusian and that an "Intergalactic Federation" will take control, followed by a purge of Ufologists.
• Daniel Cohen thanks non-subscribers for their contributions to his informal history of UFOs and requests UFO photos and drawings, including those of UFO personalities.
• Robert Carson, Executive Director of the New York Center for the Strange, expresses concern about potentially being removed from the mailing list due to an "X" on his envelope. He humorously suggests a future issue dedicated to "waste removal from flying saucers, titled 'Saucer Uze'."

Science-Fiction Dept.

This section features a "UFO Joke of the Month" submitted by Ted Zilch, which humorously classifies a conversation between Jim Moseley and Coral Lorenzen as "A CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE SLURRED KIND."

Fourteenth Annual National UFO Conference - Closed Session

Details are provided for the closed session of the conference on Saturday, August 6, 1977, at The Nob Hill Room, PSA Hotel San Franciscan in San Francisco. Information is given for those interested in presenting or reserving a seat and room.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO conferences, the personalities within the UFO research community, and critiques of various UFO publications and researchers. The editor, James W. Moseley, maintains a somewhat skeptical yet engaged stance, often injecting humor and personal anecdotes. There's a clear emphasis on the internal dynamics and occasional controversies within the Ufology field, as evidenced by the letters to the editor. The issue also touches upon the "Cattle Mutilation Mystery" as a dedicated topic, though the report focuses more on the UFO congress itself. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting on the UFO scene with a critical and often wry perspective, valuing reader participation through letters and contributions.