Saucer Smear - Vol 26 No 01 - 1979

Magazine Overview

'Saucer Blown (?)' is an unscheduled newsletter, Volume 26, Number 1, dated January 20th, 1979. It is the official publication of the SAUCER AND UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY, with James W. Moseley serving as the editor. The mailing address is P.O. Box 163, Fort Lee, N.J. 07024. The cover features a cartoon by Patrick Crowley, dedicated to Antonio Villas Boas, depicting a cowboy-like figure in a UFO looking at the moon and another saucer.

Miscellaneous Ravings

The editor expresses satisfaction with a new, improved typewriter that uses pica font, making the newsletter easier to read. He recounts his appearance on the Candy Jones radio show on January 4th, discussing UFOs with Peter Jordan and another guest. He notes that a 'big world-wide UFO Flop' was predicted by non-subscriber Leon Davidson, who accurately foresaw it in a letter dated nearly a month prior. The editor also mentions recent UFO sightings in New Jersey but laments not having seen any himself.

Brief Ravings

This section includes a series of short, anecdotal reports and questions. One report details a woman in Johannesburg, South Africa, who allegedly saw a UFO land with six spiritual-looking beings. Another questions Phil Klass's contemplation of a voyage to Venus, given its proximity. The editor notes the use of short items due to the new typewriter. A rumor is shared about a UFO with three bodies crashing in Buenos Aires on November 10th, 1978, with no survivors and the area cordoned off by Argentine Air Force officials.

Personal Mentions and Contributions

George Earley is mentioned for publishing a science fiction anthology titled "Encounters with Aliens." Dr. Hynek is noted for sending a Christmas card with a 'MIB' (Men in Black) theme.

Missives from the Masses

This section compiles letters and contributions from various individuals:

• Brad Steiger writes, expressing loyalty as a non-subscriber and appreciating the newsletter's witty juxtaposition of views, calling 'Saucer Whatever' a great outlet.
• Dr. Thornton Page of NASA sends a humorous and critical letter to the editor, referring to a photo of himself and Jim Oberg disposing of 'Official UFO' in a NASA trash bin. He jokingly offers an article about Oberg's troubles with NASA hierarchy as a bribe for not publishing the photo. He also makes a sarcastic remark about the Peoples' Temple people in Guyana having a 'close encounter of the third kind' and invites the editor to Houston for a speech on why he doesn't believe in UFOs.
• Dr. Willard McIntyre, Director of the Maryland Center for Investigation of Unconventional Phenomena, praises the newsletter's refreshing levity amidst the seriousness of UFO discussions. He notes the movement has identified the editor's anonymous informant as Phil Klass.
• Phil Klass writes, addressing a $1.50 'parking ticket' charge and referencing Richard Heiden's comments on his $10,000 offer. Klass clarifies that the offer was designed to pay off on proof of extraterrestrial visitations, a prevailing hypothesis a decade prior. He states that Heiden's recollection of the 'Villas-Boas UFO seduction' case is faulty, and that he recounted the tale to a well-known ufologist who accepted the case but rejected his own version.

An editor's note apologizes for not capitalizing the names of McIntyre and Klass at the beginning of their letters.

• Bob Tarte critiques Phil Klass's methodology, stating that Klass reduces UFO sightings to logical components and then creates makeshift theories. Tarte describes Klass's magazine as the 'Playboy' of developing nations, citing a Village Voice article.
• Dr. Leon Davidson writes about his $50.00 prize offer for interpreting the 'up-arrow' in the Socorro saucer symbol, suggesting that if no one claims it, it proves his interpretation as 'A' was correct. He also comments on a GSW court case against the CIA, implying it might reveal CIA secrets about saucers.

Further Contributions and Opinions

• The newsletter discusses a 'sweetheart' lawsuit intended to build up year-end flap news and mask a dollar collapse, with Zechel being an 'expert on disinformation.'
• Rev. Ken Tame proposes a simple, shoestring project to establish permanent contact between UFOs and humans: broadcasting a film of a UFO landing and peaceful contact in a UFO flap area repeatedly.
• Bob ('Raving Robert') Schiller expresses relief that the Zechel-Klass feud seems to be over, questioning why Zechel is so focused on one 'Fone' Freak.
• Jim Harris thanks the editor for 'Saucer Loan' and the cartoon, noting the editor's generosity in publishing the best UFOzine without charge and loaning money to 'unscrupulous creatures' like Collins and Zechel. He humorously requests a loan of $32,000.
• Mark Samwick enjoys the unscheduled newsletters and mentions his current life working for Radio Shack and having retired from the UFO scene.
• Gilbert Ziemba writes that he will soon reveal the 'shocking and startling truth' about UFOs, their origin, and their 'sinister and diabolical purpose.'

Shudder

• Lama Robert Dickhoff writes a critical letter, questioning the 'Cult in Guttenberg' and accusing the editor of making 'tipograficul mistooks.' He criticizes Augie Roberts and another individual for exploiting information for their own gain and mentions Bob Carson's 'natural gas' deposits in Central Park.

Editor's Comments

The editor notes that they are becoming 'a little confused.'

• Peter Jordan of The Association for the Study of Unexplained Phenomena writes about his experience on the Candy 'Drone' Show, finding the host and guests to have an 'intellectually sterile climate' and a lack of conversance with UFO literature. He is compiling data for a book on the Howard Menger case and seeks information from readers.

Featured Missive

• Stanton T. Friedman, a nuclear physicist and lecturer, writes to Jim Moseley on December 8th, 1978. He discusses his appearance on AM NY and other shows, noting the UN presentations were good but the press conference was a disaster. Friedman addresses comments made by Jim Oberg about his participation in the 'Klass wager,' stating that Oberg's articles are flawed due to lack of firsthand information and failure to contact those he maligns. Friedman clarifies his position on the wager, stating it was not a publicity stunt by him but rather an offer by Klass that was modified. He expresses doubt about collecting from Phil Klass due to Klass's age and integrity, and the potential financial implications for Klass if certain announcements were made. Friedman emphasizes that the bet demonstrates he puts his money where his mouth is, unlike Klass, who earns his living from writing. He concludes by stating that Oberg relies on Robert Sheaffer and Phil Klass, showing a lack of dedication to truth.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently features a critical and often skeptical tone towards certain aspects of ufology, while also presenting a wide range of opinions and reports. There is a strong emphasis on personal accounts, debates, and controversies within the UFO community. The editor, James W. Moseley, appears to favor a more direct, sometimes provocative, style of reporting, as evidenced by his 'Miscellaneous Ravings' and the inclusion of strongly worded letters. Themes include the nature of UFO evidence, the credibility of researchers, alleged government cover-ups, and the potential for extraterrestrial contact. The newsletter also highlights personal rivalries and disagreements among prominent figures in the field, such as the dispute between Stanton Friedman and Jim Oberg regarding Phil Klass and the 'Klass wager'.