Saucer Smear - Vol 45 No 08 - 1998

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER SMEAR
Issue: Volume 45, No. 8
Date: October 10th, 1998
Publisher: SAUCER & UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Editor: James W. Moseley

This issue of "Saucer Smear" is a non-scheduled newsletter dedicated to ufological journalism. It critically examines the Roswell Incident and the controversial MJ-12 documents, questions the validity of witness accounts, and explores complex scientific theories like quantum mechanics.

Roswell: The Last (?) Rehash

The lead article revisits the Roswell Incident, questioning the narrative that has developed since its initial reporting. The editor suggests that the original reporting in the "Roswell Daily Record" occurred shortly after Kenneth Arnold's famous sighting, in an environment of widespread excitement and confusion about flying saucers. The debris found on Mac Brazel's ranch was initially thought to be mysterious but was later identified as wreckage from a balloon. The incident faded from public memory until the late 1970s when Stanton Friedman and Bill Moore brought it back to prominence, leading to the book "The Roswell Incident" co-authored by Charles Berlitz. The article notes that many witnesses who came forward later were found to be confused or untruthful. The surfacing of the MJ-12 papers in 1987 is also mentioned as a key event in perpetuating the Roswell story.

Bill Moore's own faith in Roswell and MJ-12 is noted as having weakened. The article references Karl Pflock's cover story in England's "Fortean Times," titled "DECLASSIFIED: Ex CIA Man Investigates Crashed Saucers," which reportedly details genuine government documents suggesting no UFO crashes occurred at Roswell or elsewhere in the U.S. through mid-1955, a conclusion the "Saucer Smear" editor agrees with.

Miscellaneous Ravings

This section includes a tribute to the late Colman VonKeviczky, a Hungarian-born ufologist who founded ICUFON. VonKeviczky was known for his persistent letters to public officials about the UFO phenomenon and its potential danger. He was a retired Hungarian Army colonel with a background in photography and worked for the American military in Germany before migrating to the U.S. He was reportedly fired by the U.N. due to his ufological pursuits. VonKeviczky was better recognized in Europe than in the U.S. due to his English proficiency.

An anecdote is shared about a Stanton Friedman lecture in Brisbane, Australia, where a skeptical attendee found the lecture boring and lacking new information, describing it as "crap."

Quantum Mechanics and Reality

The newsletter discusses an article from CSICOP's "Skeptical Inquirer" by Wayne Anderson, a physics professor, titled "Why Would People Not Believe Weird Things." The article explores how modern physics, particularly quantum mechanics, presents a reality far stranger than conventional understanding. Concepts like quarks, string theory, and M-theory are mentioned. The observer effect in quantum mechanics, where particles only gain a defined state upon observation (the "collapse of the wave function"), is highlighted, questioning the existence of an objective reality independent of observation. The "many worlds" interpretation, suggesting the universe splits with each observation, is also discussed.

This scientific perspective is framed as making ufologists feel less "crazy" for their beliefs, given the bizarre nature of established scientific theories.

Bob Dean Exposure

There is a report about an expose of UFO lecturer Bob Dean in the Summer 1998 issue of the British magazine "The Unopened Files." The article claims Dean never saw the classified document "The Assessment" as he alleged, and may not have worked in Intelligence. This information was reportedly revealed earlier by Phil Klass. A separate anonymous expose describes Dean as a "liar" regarding his UFO claims and also focuses on his personal life, accusing him of infidelity.

Letters to Ye Olde Editor

• Frank Spaeth (Associate Editor of FATE Magazine) writes, questioning the authenticity of a photograph published in "Saucer Smear" and complimenting the newsletter.
• Stanton Friedman writes, clarifying that he was not a narrator on the UPN show about the supposed Abduction in Lake County, MN, and denies any involvement with the video. He also inquires about a Discovery Channel program where he might have been interviewed.
• Chris Roth (Anthropologist & UFO researcher) comments on Bill Cooper, describing him as unstable and dangerous, and notes his past scrutiny by authorities.
• Kurt Peters writes, quoting from Antonio Huneeus' obituary for Colman VonKeviczky, detailing VonKeviczky's early life and military career in Hungary and post-war work with the U.S. Army.
• Phil Klass writes, alleging that NASA plans to change the Hubble telescope's optics to search for UFOs and reassign scientists to UFO studies, and that a new UFO Studies Center might be built in Gulf Breeze.
• William (Bill) Moore approves of adding Karl Pflock and Matt Graeber as new members to the NUFOC Permanent Organizing Committee and apologizes for being out of touch due to a busy summer.
• John Alexander comments on Phil Corso, stating he met Corso shortly before his death and that Corso acknowledged errors in his book.
• Bruno Molon recounts a strange phone call with Dr. Robert Spencer Carr regarding the Reeves case, where Carr claimed to have been injured by an alien craft hatch and had installed electrical jacks for alien visitors.

Books to Keep Your Bonfire Burning Brightly

This section reviews several books:

• "The Alien Files: Contact" and "The Alien Files: Conspiracy" by Daniel Cohen. These are 90-page soft-cover booklets written for children around 12 years old, presented objectively despite the author's skeptical views on UFOs.
• "How to Defend Yourself Against Alien Abduction" by Ann Druffel. This book offers nine rules for resisting alien abductions, including mental and physical struggle techniques.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include skepticism towards prominent UFO narratives like Roswell and MJ-12, a critical examination of UFO researchers and their claims, and an exploration of how modern scientific concepts might align with or challenge unconventional beliefs. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, questioning established narratives, and presenting diverse viewpoints, including those from skeptics and researchers alike. There is a clear interest in the intersection of science, reality, and the unexplained.