SON OF SAUCER WIT

Magazine Overview

Title: SON OF SAUCER WIT
Issue: Volume 26, No. 5
Date: April 30th, 1979
Publisher: OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SAUCER AND UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Editor: James W. Moseley

This issue of "Son of Saucer Wit" is a non-scheduled newsletter that provides a collection of "Misc. Ravings" from the editor and various contributors, covering a range of topics within the UFO and Fortean phenomena communities.

Misc. Ravings

The editor begins by reminding readers about the upcoming 16th annual National UFO Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, on July 14th, with OUFOIL as the local sponsoring group. He notes his role as Permanent Chairman of the Conference.

He expresses surprise at seeing an article by UFO conservative Richard Hall in "Official UFO" magazine, alongside sensationalist titles. The editor also recounts his efforts to trace the early history of Ground Saucer Watch (GSW), an organization he states now consists of several hundred scientists. He shares a yellowed news clipping indicating that GSW's director, Bill Spaulding, was only 16 in 1958 when he and his friend Ted Starrett (aged 13) built a 60-foot-high skywatch tower in Bedford, Ohio, without a building permit.

The editor mentions his appearance on the Candy Jones radio show on WMCA in New York, where he discussed "The Andreasson Affair" by Raymond Fowler, featuring Betty Andreasson, an abduction case described as being in the tradition of Betty & Barney Hill but lacking the original's sparkle.

He also reports on a recent contact with Professor Alvin Lawson of Long Beach, California. Lawson uses clinical hypnotism to suggest UFO abductions to individuals with no prior interest in UFOs. The resulting stories and imagined creatures are surprisingly similar to those reported by "real" abductees, leading Lawson to believe they stem from a common reservoir of human consciousness imagery. Lawson admits to being puzzled by the physical evidence supporting some cases and is conducting a "UFO Hotline" to gather more data.

Contributions and Letters

Gene Buck is mentioned for his "Interplanetary Think-In" and contributions including an "executive purple shaft" and a left-handed piano with backwards music.

David Schroth points out an error in Dr. Hynek's 1977 book, "The Hynek UFO Report," regarding a 1957 UFO picture taken in Norway. Schroth states the Air Force had identified the picture as a lens reflection years earlier, a fact also noted by Dr. Menzel in 1963, despite Hynek's role as chief scientific consultant to Project Bluebook.

Ye Olde Mail Bag features correspondence from readers:

• Dr. THORNTON PAGE of NASA suggests alternative titles for the publication and recounts an experience at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. He describes how a group of Colorado boys, advised by EX-Capt. James Oberg, planned to simulate an asteroid impact on Earth as a Ufologist's nightmare. Page also mentions Voyager's close-up photos of Jupiter's moons showing active volcanoes, but notes "Saucer Wit" likely cannot afford to publish color photos.
• DAVE SCHROTH humorously concurs with a proposal for an "Easter Bunny Watch," suggesting a "Mutual Easter Bunny Observation Network (MEBON)" and a publication called "BUNNYCAT" to catalog sightings, while acknowledging potential misidentifications of fictional rabbits.
• GRAY BARKER, a former researcher, writes to the editor regarding the "Airport UFO" film sequence, which depicts an Adamski-type UFO pacing an airliner. Barker questions the editor's claim of being present during the filming, suggesting it might be a fabrication or an attempt to gradually release information about UFO reality by a highly-placed agency. He urges the editor to retract or clarify the statement.
• RON SPANBAUER, a collector of UFO photographs and film, identifies the "Benedum Airport film" (from the movie 'Overlords of the UFO') as a fake. He expresses intrigue about the editor's alleged presence during its filming and requests information, noting Gray Barker sells the film for $25.00.

An editorial note corrects a previous statement, clarifying that the "Lost Creek" film, not the airport film, was witnessed first-hand.

• Ted Zylche (also known as Ted Zilch and Todd Zechl) writes, referencing an accusation by McIntyre.
• Ted Zylche also discusses Dr. Jacques Vallee's new book "Messengers of Deception," which proposes that UFOs are man-made devices used in an international deception strategy. Zylche predicts this thesis will be met with a negative reaction from UFO groups.

An editorial note humorously confirms the absence of "Bunny sightings" this past Easter, attributing it to Jim Harris's correct prediction.

• MARGARET SACHS expresses disappointment that the publication is not becoming "sicker" as promised and jokes about identifying millionaires.
• TOM BENSON responds to a request for a 10% kick-back on UFO papers submitted to a competition sponsored by Cutty Sark Ltd. He sarcastically compares this to government, Kennedy, and Mafia kick-backs and proposes submitting a paper titled "Theoretical Insights Beyond 3½-D, Viewed from the Porthole of our Leaky Cutty Sark Boat."
• JIM HARRIS states that "More Saucer Wit" was full of "bull" and that UFOCUS Research has suspended publication of its zine due to his college work and his co-editor Wilfong leaving town. He affirms his continued interest in Fortean phenomena and plans to send a delegation to the '79 Convention in Cincinnati.
• PETER JORDAN writes about cattle mutilations near Dulce, New Mexico, and his use of psychometry with a psychic who has worked with police departments. The psychic's evaluation of photographs from the site, including alleged UFO landing marks, has yielded a seven-page report filed with New Mexico police, showing promise for resolving the mystery.

KENNETH BEHRENDT describes his new UFO group, UFOSCAN of New Jersey (Unidentified Flying Object Surveillance and Collection of Alien News), which aims to publish 100 pages of sightings per month. He outlines a rigorous selection process for loyal supporters who will eventually be privy to "secret mysteries," including an "Einstein journal" for building a UFO, recovered crashed saucers, captured aliens, alien diplomats, and a trip to Venus. He invites interested parties to write for details, excluding CIA agents and "weirdos."

JANICE CROY writes about her interest in "Twilight Zone Fanzine," which covers UFO reports, Star Wars news, Bigfoot reports, and other phenomena. She provides contact information for cattle mutilation reports.

STEVE MILLER of the Church of Saucer Worship (CSW) apologizes for his tardiness and acknowledges being penalized with "the dreaded X." He expresses hope that his letter will help clear his name and not be removed from the mailing list.

Kultural Korner

This section features a poem by former researcher Gray Barker, titled "THE HARRISBURG LAMENT." The poem, inspired by the recent nuclear incident in Pennsylvania, describes a town's reaction to a radioactive event, touching on themes of contamination, illness, and impending doom.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue reflects a critical and often skeptical stance towards UFO research, evident in the critique of Dr. Hynek's research and the questioning of Gray Barker's film claims. There is a strong emphasis on reader contributions and a playful, sometimes sarcastic, tone, particularly in the "Misc. Ravings" and "Ye Olde Mail Bag" sections. The publication seems to encourage open discussion and debate within the UFO community, while also maintaining a sense of humor and a critical eye towards sensationalism and unsubstantiated claims. The recurring theme of UFOs is interwoven with other Fortean topics and even humorous parodies, such as the "Easter Bunny Watch."