Saucer Smear - Vol 36 No 06 - 1989

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER SMEAR
Issue: Volume 36, No. 6
Date: July 20th, 1989
Publisher: SAUCER SMEAR
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of Saucer Smear, a non-scheduled newsletter, presents a collection of "Miscellaneous Ravings" covering various UFO-related news, legal disputes, personal accounts, and convention reports.

Legal Dispute: Randi vs. Byrd

The newsletter leads with news of an eighteen million dollar ($18,000,000) lawsuit filed by psychic researcher Eldon Byrd against James Randi and CSICOP. The lawsuit stems from allegedly libelous statements Randi made about Byrd in a past issue of "Twilight Zone" magazine. Randi was served a subpoena following his anti-psychic TV show, which further angered critics. The publication notes difficulty in obtaining comments on the lawsuit due to its delicate nature, and mentions that Randi had accused Byrd of morals charges, with Byrd reciprocating.

Gulf Breeze Update

Ed Walters, known for his Gulf Breeze UFO photos, has reportedly had a copyright attorney send a letter to Dr. Willy Smith, aiming to prevent Smith from using these photos in a planned expose. Concurrently, MUFON forces have raised questions about Dr. Smith's scientific qualifications. The article notes that Smith is now persona non grata with CUFOS and MUFON. CUFOS plans a two-part expose of Smith's UNICAT Project in "The International UFO Reporter," which includes a humorous article on "How to Take Your Own Gulf Breeze Photos."

Bigfootologist Erik Beckjord's Troubles

Erik Beckjord, a Bigfootologist, is discussed in relation to a recent arrest in Washington State. He was attending a conference of the International Society of Cryptozoology (ISC), an organization that has refused him membership. Beckjord was accused of sending threatening letters to Mark Francis, a Bigfoot hunter from Ohio. Beckjord claims Francis wrote the letters himself to frame him. Despite this, Beckjord was barred from the conference and held a "counter-conference" in his motel room. The publication expresses gratitude to CSICOPer Michael Dennett for providing clippings.

New Book and UFO Photo Controversy

Wendell Stevens and August C. Roberts have co-authored a two-volume book titled "UFO Photographs Around the World." The article notes that Stevens, a former inmate, was released from Arizona State Prison after serving five years on a morals charge. August C. Roberts is described as a long-time UFO photo collector with nearly 40 years of experience. The publication suggests that the field of ufology attracts "strange bedfellows."

Chrysler Building UFO Photo Debacle

A UFO photograph near New York's Chrysler Building, published in a previous issue, is revealed to be a deliberate exposure or "montage" created by Manuel Fernandez, a friend of ufologist Antonio Hunneus. Fernandez is a professional photographer. The photo was allegedly lifted from the back cover of Tim Beckley's "UFO Universe." However, "Mr. Ed" (presumably Ed Walters) denies the simplicity of the explanation and insists the craft in the photo is shaped differently from his own UFO pictures.

MUFON News and Dr. Maccabee

A MUFON news release from July 5th, 1989, quotes Phil Klass, editor of Aviation Week, praising Dr. Maccabee as highly intelligent, technically competent, and rigorous. The article points out that Klass is a retired senior editor, not the current editor. It further clarifies that the quote from the Pensacola News Journal, attributed to Dave Richardson, misrepresents Klass's full opinion. Richardson omitted Klass's view that Maccabee is also "one of the most gullible and credulous of UFO investigators."

Peruvian UFO Landing Case

Alex Chionetti, an Argentine ufologist now living in Los Angeles, shared details of a startling Peruvian UFO landing case from 1954 that he has been researching. The publication eagerly awaits further details.

Glorious Re-Hash of MUFON's Las Vegas Convention

Your editor attended the 29th annual MUFON convention in Las Vegas from July 6th to 9th, along with approximately 500 other attendees. The editor recounts two unusual personal experiences: the airline losing his luggage for three days (explaining the lack of photos) and winning a significant amount of money at the casino, which he attributes to the Alladin Hotel possibly "opening up" its slot machines due to financial difficulties, or perhaps his own developing psychic powers.

The convention itself is described as "wild, wild, wild." Bill Lear, MUFON's eccentric state director for Nevada, was initially slated as chairman but was replaced by Hal Starr due to Lear being "semi-incommunicado." Starr served as MC. Lear failed to appear at the press conference, and the "real" press was notably absent, with no questions being asked by the approximately 50 attendees.

Lear did speak on Sunday as an "unofficial speaker," along with Bill Cooper, Bill English, and Don Ecker. These individuals were considered too "far out" even for the liberal MUFON format. Lear's revelations included claims that government UFO investigations are financed by illegal drugs from Southeast Asia, that the government possesses 15 to 20 captured UFOs, and that 30 to 100 alien bodies are stored at Wright-Patterson AFB and Homestead AFB. He also stated that alien civilizations are currently visiting Earth and that Project Grudge Report #13, co-authored by Dr. Hynek, includes photos of humans mutilated by aliens.

John Lear resigned from the UFO field (and presumably MUFON) on Sunday, July 2nd. The article questions whether he will return.

Bill Moore's presentation is also mentioned, with the quote, "Sometimes you have to use the back door to get the Truth across." Moore reportedly used an unused rear entrance to the hall and did not mingle with attendees. He admitted to acting as an unpaid government agent in the early 1980s, providing information on Paul Bennewitz, APRO, and others. Moore also admitted that some information from "Falcon" and "Condor" on the "UFO Coverup?- Live" TV program was disinformation, but did not specify which parts.

Moore's lecture was described as going over "like a lead balloon" with the audience, with conservatives confused and radical followers of John Lear hooting and raving.

Other speakers included Dr. Jacques Vallee discussing Brazilian UFO cases and Dr. John Brandenburg discussing Martian faces. Jennie Zeidman provided an update on the Mansfield, Ohio helicopter case. Phil Klass attended with his camera and received attention from fans. He also encountered Ed Walters, who was trying to maintain a low profile.

Other speakers mentioned were Dr. Donald Johnson, Don Berliner, Bob Oechsler, Timothy Good, Linda Howe, and Stanton Friedman, who was described as a good sport. Lt. Col. Wendelle Stevens also attended.

The article concludes by noting that people are generally less rude in person than in written communication, citing Budd Hopkins as an example. It congratulates Walt Andrus on MUFON's 20 years of leadership.

Missives From The Masses

Ed Walters of Gulf Breeze, Florida, writes:
Walters addresses his past record, admitting to car theft and passing a bad check when he was 19. He states he served two years and disclosed these details to the MUFON investigation team in March 1988. He explains that this teenage incident taught him a powerful lesson and motivates his current youth activities. He supports skeptical inquiry and believes that eventually, critics will accept that something strange is in the sky.

Dr. Willy Smith writes:
Smith comments on "Ed-of-Gulf-Breeze," suggesting he should plan a new strategy now that the anomalous image photos are "out of the bag." Smith dismisses Walters' claims about his "motives," stating his only motive is to discover the truth, and implies Walters' charade is for money.

George Earley writes:
Earley, a researcher and writer, shares information from "Publisher's Weekly" about Edward and Francis Walters receiving a $200,000 advance for a book titled "UFO Proof Positive: A True Story of the Gulf Breeze Sightings." The same report mentions a $100,000 payment against a total sales price of $450,000 for a Gulf Breeze mini-series, suggesting Phil Klass might be envious.

Dr. Bruce Maccabee writes:
Dr. Maccabee addresses someone he calls "Mr. Hallucination, Ancient," acknowledging that the recipient read his paper. He suspects the recipient is a believer, despite arguments that UFOs shouldn't exist. Maccabee discusses the principle of "extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof" and suggests that the claim of Ed's photos showing true UFOs is extraordinary, implying it requires extraordinary proof.

Noelle Fojut writes:
A non-subscriber, Fojut enjoyed an interview with Gene Steinberg and found the article on "Mr. Ed" more informative than reports from the MUFON Journal.

Todd Zechel writes:
Zechel, returning to ufology, calls the current issue of "Smear" "almost newsworthy" and notes that he was not "smeared." The editor notes that Zechel is anti-MJ-12 and anti-Roswell-Incident, similar to Phil Klass, though they dislike each other.

Erik Beckjord writes:
Beckjord proposes a "Truce" to heal old wounds and improve ufology. He reminds the editor that he coined the name "Saucer Smear," which stabilized the publication's identity. He praises the editor for giving voice to various viewpoints, even those he dislikes, and considers him honest. He contrasts this with figures like Andrus and Clark, who he claims only print material from favored individuals.

John Keel writes:
Keel observes that ufology remains cyclic, with the same delusions reappearing every 8-10 years. He laments the absence of Gray Barker and Ray Palmer, who could capitalize on the "Incurably Gullibles." He mentions enclosing a piece he published in 1969, noting that his criticisms remain valid.

Stanton Friedman on Menzel and MJ-12

Stanton Friedman discusses Donald H. Menzel, stating he spoke admiringly of Menzel in his IUR article "The Secret Life of Donald H. Menzel." Friedman asserts there is proof of Menzel's "double life" through his own statements and unpublished autobiography, detailing extensive classified work for intelligence agencies like the NSA and CIA. He notes that Menzel's wife confirmed his discretion about classified matters. Friedman claims to have proven Menzel had the right security clearances and connections for MJ-12 membership, though he admits he has no "smoking gun" and has not found public disclosure of Menzel's close post-war intelligence connections.

Other Opinions on MJ-12 and Menzel

Bill Howard writes:
Howard suggests that Stanton Friedman has become "obsessed with MJ-12," calling it a "red herring" or a "misinformation operation."

Jerry Clark of CUFOS writes:
Clark agrees that Menzel's anti-UFO stance likely stems from delusion rather than knowledge of a "Ultimate Secret." He defends Friedman's integrity, stating he has never seen evidence of gullibility and that Friedman undertakes the difficult task of investigating contentious claims like the MJ-12 documents. Clark suggests Friedman should explicitly state he is investigating the documents, not proving their authenticity.

Richard Heiden writes:
Heiden, Assistant Editor of the defunct APRO Bulletin, suggests "Saucer Smear" should stick to gossip and innuendo about UFO personalities, finding it less interesting since it started devoting more space to actual UFO reports like Gulf Breeze.

Charles Wilhelm of OUFOIL writes:
Wilhelm questions Friedman's claim of "overwhelming proof" for the MJ-12 documents, asking "Where is it?" He states that ufologists lack proof of extraterrestrial visitation. He expresses support for holding the annual NUFOC convention in Cleveland.

National UFO & New Age Conference (NUFOC) in Phoenix

A press release announces the 26th Annual UFO & New Age Conference to be held in Phoenix from September 15-17. Timothy Green Beckley, president of Inner Light Publications, is a co-sponsor along with Jim Speiser, founder of Para-Net. The event will feature over 20 lectures and workshops. Speakers listed include Diane Tessman, Wesley Bateman, Patricia Rochelle Diegel, Dr. Frank Stranges, Robert Short, Joshua Shapiro, Alfred Bielek, Vickie Cooper, Sherry Stark, Brad Steiger, and Sherry Steiger. Brad and Sherry Steiger will be the keynote speakers at the Saturday night banquet. Tickets are available for purchase, with various pricing options for lectures, workshops, and the banquet.

Kansas City Star Article: Dr. Scott Corder

A brief article from the Kansas City Star reports that Dr. Scott Corder, a family practitioner, believes extraterrestrials are angels. The Kansas State Board of Healing Arts suspended his license and ordered him to see a psychiatrist.

Crank vs. Kook

A chart presents a comparison between "Crank" and "Kook" viewpoints, with "Crank" being "Wrong but seemingly credible" and "Kook" being "Right but seemingly incredible."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO sightings (Gulf Breeze, Peru), legal challenges within the UFO community (Randi vs. Byrd), the internal politics and controversies of organizations like MUFON and CUFOS, and the personal opinions and ongoing research of prominent ufologists and skeptics. The editorial stance, as expressed by James W. Moseley, appears to be one of open inquiry, willingness to publish diverse viewpoints (even those he dislikes), and a critical yet engaged approach to UFO phenomena, often with a touch of wry humor and skepticism towards claims lacking strong evidence. The publication also highlights the ongoing debate and differing perspectives on key UFO cases and personalities, such as the Gulf Breeze photos and the MJ-12 documents.