Saucer Smear - Vol 28 No 08 - 1981

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER SMEAR
Issue: Volume 28, No. 8
Date: August 10th, 1981
Publisher: SAUCER AND UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Editor and Supreme Commander: James W. Moseley

This issue of "Saucer Smear" is a non-scheduled newsletter dedicated to ufological journalism. It features an in-depth report on an investigation conducted by the editor in West Jefferson, Ohio, focusing on reports of Bigfoot sightings, UFOs, and a peculiar wandering balloon. The publication also includes various letters to the editor, news briefs, and a questionnaire.

Bigfoot, UFOs, and a Weird Wandering Balloon in Ohio

The main article details the editor's week-long, on-the-spot investigation in an area near West Jefferson, Ohio, from July 11th-18th, 1981. The editor stayed with the Powell family, who have been experiencing strange phenomena. Betty Powell, wife of the assistant deputy warden of the Ohio State Penitentiary, has become a dedicated student of Bigfoot, having first seen a footprint near her home about six years prior. The Powell residence is situated in a community of about 20 houses, relatively isolated and about 20 miles from downtown Columbus.

Betty Powell began leaving food out for Bigfoot after noticing fewer "night sounds" and her trash bags being torn. This feeding routine was interrupted by a visit to Kentucky. The editor first contacted the Powells based on a tip from Bigfootologist Jon Beckjord. The Powells and their friends speculate about a connection between Bigfoot and UFOs, a nearby atomic laboratory (Battelle Institute), the eruption of Mt. St. Helena, and the "fourth dimension" (which "Saucer Smear" terms 3½-D), due to Bigfoot's apparent ability to appear and disappear.

An example of this invisibility occurred when Greg Esters and his wife heard a noise in the bushes near the Big Darby Creek, but saw nothing despite evidence of something running through the vegetation. The Big Darby Creek is about 75 yards from the nearest houses, and most Bigfoot sightings are reported from the private road or lawn, looking into the woods beyond the creek. It is noted that Bigfoot seems to avoid coming up to the houses except at night, and that sightings may be aided by imagination.

The editor attended a "Full Moon Bigfoot fish-fry & lawn party" on July 17th, where ladies pointed out Bigfoot in the woods, but the editor, lacking binoculars, could not see it. However, other strange events are reported. A local woman, identified as Linda, heard terrible noises at her playroom window around 1:30 a.m. one month prior, and found part of the screen torn out. She theorizes Bigfoot was watching her and became enraged when the playroom door was closed. A neighbor reported seeing two creatures running from the window. Linda has since become a "Bigfoot contactee," claiming no longer to be frightened and wishing to make friends with the creature.

A close sighting was reported by Jay Walton, a 20-year-old friend of the Powell boys, who saw Bigfoot step in front of his car at 9 p.m. He described the creature as 10-12 feet tall with a bluish face, thin lips, a wide nose, and weird-looking eyes. Walton was too frightened to use his camera.

Descriptions of Bigfoot's face are rare; typically, the creature is vague and shadowy. Indirect evidence includes huge footprints, broken branches, prematurely dead leaves on trees, torn window screens, "stool" samples, an uprooted mailbox, artificially piled branches, a disappeared cat, a torn fence, and peculiar night sounds. The editor heard sounds like a bird calling at 2 a.m., splashing in the creek, and rustling in the bushes, but saw nothing. There are no bears in the area, but deer have been present.

Betty Powell has acquired a good movie camera and an infra-red scanner, and intends to sit on a 50-foot-high railroad bridge abutment to film Bigfoot. The editor declined an invitation to join this expedition.

Two aerial objects were seen near the Powell home. One was apparently a UFO, the other not. On Friday, July 17th, around 2 a.m., Betty Powell and her son Grover Jr. saw about 10 bright lights hovering over the nearby woods, less than 100 yards away. The lights were at tree-top level and attached to an object about 30 feet long. The object descended soundlessly and landed in the creek. The lights remained visible through the trees for about five minutes before going out. Betty was unwilling to approach the object.

On July 18th, a hot-air balloon with three men aboard flew at very low altitude over the Powell's house, almost crashing into the roof. Two of the men appeared to be in business suits. One responded to Mrs. Powell's greeting with a cool, crisp accent. They calmly gained altitude.

The editor concludes that Bigfoot is either 3-D, 3½-D, or O-D, finding it unlikely that large bipeds could sustain themselves in the woods physically 24 hours a day. Despite some "ludicrous overtones," the number of people reporting sightings suggests something is happening. The conclusion is that it's "3½-D, all the way!" The story will be updated in future issues.

Miscellaneous Ravings

This section notes that there is a lot happening in the Bigfoot field, with Dennis Pilichis of the Coalition of Concerned Ufologists investigating a "wild Bigfoot case" near Rome, Ohio, involving hundreds of rounds of ammunition fired at huge creatures with glowing red eyes, but no bodies or blood found. Pilichis now calls himself the Anthropoid Research and Evaluation Center (AREC). McIntyre, along with Earl Jones and Ron Schaffner of OUFOOL, investigated other Bigfoot cases in Washington State.

A social note mentions the marriage of publicist Harold Salkin and Shirley Stuart.

Ezra Benz, a staff correspondent, reports on the 12th annual MUFON UFO symposium, which had over 400 paying attendees and sold over 240 copies of last year's proceedings. Walt Andrus of MUFON noted that M.I.T. now allows UFO symposiums on its premises, indicating progress.

Dr. Barry Downing discussed religion and UFOs, contrasting Christians who believe in dead biblical figures with those who disbelieve live UFO witnesses. Dr. J. Allen Hynek called for Ufology to become a profession with accepted standards, comparing its current state to alchemy before chemistry evolved into a science. He stressed the need for professionalism to avoid decades of "buffoonery, ridicule, and idle prattle."

At a meeting of the Permanent Organizing Committee of the National UFO Conference, Dale Rettig was voted off the committee for disinterest. The current membership is listed.

Kevin McCray is selling his collection of UFO books, offering a 10% discount to "Saucer Smear" readers.

Letters to the Supreme Commander

Dr. David Jacobs of Temple University sends a lament, requesting his non-subscriber status be restored so he can receive "Saucer Smear" again and pay for back issues.

Robert Sheaffer, an "anti-Ufological author," writes about his book, which he describes as "terrible offensive and inexcusable." He notes that while many may deplore his conclusions, they will not find it boring. He contrasts opinions from Martin Gardner, the Library Journal, and New Scientist, with McCampbell's assessment.

Big Jim Oberg writes regarding a complaint on page 5 of "Saucer Leer," challenging Tim Beckley's claim about an article from the "Toronto Sun." Oberg states he will eat a copy of his "UFO Review" article if Beckley's clipping is not from the Toronto Sun, and vice versa.

Tim Beckley replies, dismissing Oberg's charges as the work of "professional debunkers." He clarifies that he received the "sex and saucers" item from the Cambridge UFO Research Group of Canada, who sent him a copy from the Toronto Sunday Sun. He suggests Oberg should check his facts before making accusations and that the National Lampoon might have gotten its story from the Toronto Sun.

An editor's note confirms that Beckley sent a photostat of the article from the Republican-Democrat, Sunday Feb. 12th, 1978, which is the Sunday supplement of the Toronto Sun. The photostat has been sent to Oberg. Tim Beckley is also sponsoring a New Age symposium in New York City, with the "Saucer Smear" editor scheduled to appear.

Kool KAL K. Korff writes to Jim Oberg, asking about the status of slides and an expose he sent regarding the Meier case in October of the previous year, and whether "Penthouse" agreed to publish it. He requests the return of the slides and material if there is no further market.

David Stupple announces a "CALL FOR PAPERS/PRESENTATIONS" for a seminar on the occult and paranormal at the 1982 joint meeting of the American Culture Association and the Popular Culture Association in Louisville, Kentucky. The call is open to academics, editors, publishers, researchers, and others.

Philip J. Klass, "the Prince of Skepticism," writes regarding a previous article. He clarifies that his deduction about a CIA-released UFO paper involving a "propulsion system" was based on the measurement of inked-out words in a memo. He doubts the idea involved a saucer-shaped craft, citing a CIA employee's comment that the idea could be analyzed outside the context of UFOs. Klass acknowledges that Greenwood has shown him to be fallible but asks that this not be revealed to his new wife.

Special Feature: Questionnaire

A special "Saucer Smear" feature presents a questionnaire titled "BLOOD of the GODS Questionnaire. (Rh neg.)" circulated by "New Worlds" (P.O. Box 152, Don Mills, Ont. M3C 2S2 Canada). The questionnaire contains 51 questions designed to identify individuals with potential extraterrestrial connections, asking about Rh negative blood, dreams of other worlds, psychic abilities, past lives, affinity to nature spirits, and communication with higher beings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are Bigfoot phenomena, UFO sightings, and the broader spectrum of unexplained events. The editorial stance, as exemplified by James W. Moseley, is one of open inquiry into these subjects, often with a skeptical yet intrigued perspective. The publication embraces the idea of "3½-D" to explain phenomena that defy conventional understanding. There's a clear interest in promoting ufology as a more professional field, as highlighted by Dr. J. Allen Hynek's comments, while also acknowledging the persistent "buffoonery" and "ridicule" that plague the subject. The magazine also features debates and disagreements within the ufology community, such as the exchange between Oberg and Beckley, and Klass's self-correction.