Saucer Smear - Vol 37 No 06 - 1990

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER SMEAR
Issue: Volume 37, No. 6
Date: August 1st, 1990
Publisher: SAUCER AND UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Editor: Jim Moseley

This issue of Saucer Smear is a non-scheduled newsletter dedicated to ufological journalism. It includes a note about a printer's error in the previous issue and an explanation of the 'X' mark on envelopes indicating the end of a non-subscription.

A BRIEF REPORT ON THE GLORIOUS MUFON CONVENTION IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

The 1990 MUFON convention in Pensacola is described as "The Convention that Ed (Walters) Built," largely due to the influence of Ed Walters' sightings and photographs in Gulf Breeze. The event, initially scheduled for the Pensacola Hilton Hotel, was moved to the Civic Center due to air conditioning failure and the large number of delegates (under 1,000 MUFON members, but more than previous conventions).

The editor, Jim Moseley, attended the convention for the third time, primarily to investigate the Walters case. He describes a unique research technique of inviting informants to sit at his table during meal times. Several lectures were presented, with "New Revelations from Roswell" by Donald Schmidtt of MUFON and CUFOS being a favorite, suggesting the Roswell incident was more than a weather balloon. The editor speculates that the presence of seventeen atomic bombs at the Roswell air base at the time might explain the military's secrecy.

Other notable lectures included Budd Hopkins on "UFO Abductions in the Gulf Breeze Area," Carey Baker on "The Fyffe Alabama Experience," Antonio Huneeus on "Red Skies: The Great 1989 UFO Wave in the USSR," and John Spencer on "The Differences Between Perceptions of Ufology in America and Europe." Stanton Friedman, Mark Curtis, Brian O'Leary, Dr. Barry Downing, John Brandenburg, Robert Hall, David Gotlib, M.D., and Ed & Frances Walters also participated. The Walters' presentation was noted as less effective than a previous one.

The 1991 MUFON conclave is scheduled for Chicago.

TIDBITS OF TRASH

Stan Friedman has won an out-of-court settlement for libel from British ufologist Jenny Randles and "The Manchester Evening News." Conversely, an American ufologist publishing in England was threatened with a lawsuit by Randles and has withdrawn from the UFO field.

Tim Beckley is sponsoring the National New Age & Alien Agenda Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, from September 7th-9th.

A photograph shows Phil Klass chatting with a female fan at the MUFON convention.

Gulf Breeze Update

The Gulf Breeze case is presented as complex. Tom Smith Jr. turned in six UFO pictures and negatives, claiming they were hoax photos taken by Ed Walters with Smith's camera. A former teenager named "Rob" claims Smith showed him the photos before they appeared in the newspaper, supporting Ed's version and noting Smith Jr.'s uneasiness about snapping genuine pictures.

Mr. Smith Sr. claims other teenagers will support his son's version, while Ed claims the opposite. The "Gulf Breeze Sentinel" reported that young people said to be friends of the Walters had no knowledge of fake photos. Bob Oschsler, a technician, examined Smith Jr.'s pictures and declared them genuine, as did another source.

A reliable source indicates Smith's six UFO pictures are not from the same roll of film as three landscape shots, which tends to support Smith's claim that Ed shot the UFO photos alone using Smith's camera.

The "Ghost Demon" picture is discussed, with Zan Overall's book "Gulf Breeze Double Exposed" (published by CUFOS) suggesting it's a double exposure. The article notes this doesn't prove Ed's other UFO pictures are also double exposures.

More seriously, teenagers from Ed's parties, confirmed by Linda Chepult, accuse Ed of having party guests read the Bible backwards, specifically the 23rd Psalm. Ed and Frances deny this, but it is considered potentially damaging, especially in the Bible Belt.

Ed Walters showed a video tape in 1988 depicting bizarre behavior, including cursing and raving while driving to a hoped-for UFO rendezvous. Duane Cook filmed the tape. The editor suggests Ed is either overacting or under "demonic possession."

Craig Myers of the Pensacola News Journal is reportedly working on an occult angle concerning Ed, which could be detrimental to his case.

Four people are known to have taken pictures of the Gulf Breeze phenomenon: Ed, a pseudonym "Jane," Tom Smith Jr., and "Believer Bill" (possibly Ed or Ray Griffin).

Several Gulf Breeze residents have reported sightings independently of Ed. Billie Zammit, wife of a retired military officer, reported a sighting with a blue beam less than 24 hours before Ed's November 11th, 1987 sighting, which also included a blue beam.

The article criticizes MUFON members who parrot the "party line" and debunkers who introduce irrelevant issues. Phil Klass is criticized for being unimpressed by Ed's pardon and accusing him of handling firearms as an ex-felon.

Ed Walters' final UFO experience video is mentioned, showing him driving to a rendezvous.

FLASH: Cult-Related Incident

At press time, a strange incident involving six AWOL soldiers occurred in Gulf Breeze, with a possible link to UFOs, though not necessarily to Mr. Ed.

LETTERS TO YE OLDE EDITOR

Louise Braisted enjoys "Saucer Smear" and questions the identification of birds due to their ability to cover their markings.

Tom Benson, former N.J. State Director for MUFON, writes humorously about Frank Bruckman and Victoria Lacas.

Tom Burch, a UFO researcher, expresses greater contempt for Dr. Carl Sagan than for Phil Klass, calling Sagan the "Jesse Jackson of Science." A cartoon by Ernie Bud Grace depicts Sagan being crushed by a bull.

Dave Thespazz asks if alien beings landed in the Southwest U.S. in 1949 and if Jackie Gleason saw their corpses, with Nixon involved. The editor clarifies that Nixon landed in the UFO.

Keith Thompson writes about John Keel's past involvement with "feces" and terms him "a boil on the ass of ufology," suggesting empirical confirmation of these claims.

Dennis Stacy, editor of the MUFON UFO Journal, praises "Smear" for its investigating and reporting, but suggests the editor is in it for laughs and money. He encloses information about a 5,000-Pound reward for solving the Crop Circle Mystery and mentions the six AWOL soldiers in Gulf Breeze.

Denis Corey calls the current "Smear" issue an "ass-kicker" and criticizes MUFON and Phil Klass as "bozos."

Jim MeleSciuc of "Orbiter" suggests Tom Smith's testimony regarding Walters' mystery circle is believable. He proposes a method for creating matted grass areas using objects like baskets or barrels, and suggests the trampoline method could create a mystery circle effect by breaking and splitting grass.

Phil Klass states that Bruce Maccabee's 1988 FUFOR report on the Gulf Breeze case shows at least three different UFO designs in Ed's photos.

TIDBITS OF TRASH (Continued)

An artist named Jim Dallmeier has created a "full-color art print" inspired by the Kenneth Arnold sighting of June 24th, 1947, showing Arnold floating above bird-like objects over Mount Rainier. The print is available for $6.95 unsigned or $9.95 signed.

A rumor about ufologist Bill Moore's arrest in California for a serious crime is reported as untrue, though Moore is said to be in dire financial straits.

A national UFO museum is scheduled to open in Reno, Nevada, in 1991, aiming to educate the public about "all aspects of the UFO phenomenon" and display the world's largest collection of UFO-related material.

Michael Luckman reports that Sierra Leone has issued postage stamps featuring the "face on Mars," which Erik Beckjord and others consider obvious. Luckman is selling these stamps.

Erik Beckjord has discovered NASA photographs of two additional face-like structures on Mars, approximately one to two miles in diameter. He also theorizes that Ed Walters' "Ghost Demon" picture may contain "4-D faces" from a parallel universe due to Ed's psychic personality, rather than being a deliberate double exposure. Beckjord is traveling to England to attend a meeting of the International Society of Cryptozoology.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of Saucer Smear demonstrates a strong focus on the Gulf Breeze UFO case, presenting various perspectives and controversies surrounding Ed Walters' photographs and testimony. The magazine appears to be critical of mainstream ufological organizations like MUFON and debunkers like Phil Klass, often featuring reader letters that echo this sentiment. The editor, Jim Moseley, actively investigates cases and presents information that supports the existence of genuine UFO phenomena, while also acknowledging and exploring potential hoaxes and complexities within the field. The publication seems to champion independent research and critical examination of evidence, often contrasting it with what it perceives as dogmatic adherence to established narratives within larger UFO groups.