Saucer Smear - Vol 46 No 02 - 1999

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER SMEAR
Issue: Volume 46, No. 2
Date: February 15th, 1999
Publisher: SAUCER & UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY

This issue of "Saucer Smear" delves into various UFO-related topics, offering a blend of news, commentary, and critical analysis from the perspective of ufological journalism.

Miscellaneous Ravings

The "Miscellaneous Ravings" section kicks off with a discussion initiated by Tom Benson regarding an upcoming day-long conference on the UFO abduction phenomenon in New York City. The invited speakers include prominent figures like Budd Hopkins, Stanton Friedman, David Jacobs, Carol Rainey, and UFO historian Jerry Clark, who is also moderating. Notably, Roswell researcher Kevin Randle, who has already stated his position on Roswell, is co-authoring a book on abductions with Russ Estes and Dr. William P. Cone. Cone is described as a skeptic regarding the involvement of real aliens in abductions, while Randle's lectures on abductions being linked to historical anomalies and science fiction have drawn some criticism. Randle expressed mild upset at not being invited to the conference for balance, to which Jerry Clark responded assertively, stating that conference organizers have the right to invite whomever they choose.

The section also touches upon UFO researcher Don Schmitt's continued efforts regarding the Roswell Incident. At a recent speech in Portland, Oregon, Schmitt claimed to be close to "blowing this case wide open," suggesting that rancher Mac Brazel, who discovered the debris field, may have also found a lone alien body. The article notes that Schmitt was formerly a partner and co-author with Kevin Randle, but they had a significant falling out. A past issue arose when Schmitt insisted he was not a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, a fact later proven true.

Page 2: Skepticism and the MJ-12 Documents

The discussion about Don Schmitt's credibility continues, with the implication that if he lied about something easily provable, his trustworthiness on more controversial matters is questionable.

An issue of a zine called "Update," published by "The Flying Saucer Information Center," is mentioned. The editor, Jim Wales, is described as a follower of George Adamski and part of a group founded by Laura Mundo. This group reportedly disbelieves in the Money System, as evidenced by a cryptic remark in "Update" advising readers to "leave your wallets behind" if invited aboard a spacecraft. Wales also rants about astronomer Percival Lowell and his photographs of Martian "canals," suggesting an optical illusion.

Karl Pflock's column, "PFLOCK PTALK - LOST WITH THE WOODS," critically examines the "new" Roswell/MJ-12 documents unveiled by Robert Wood and his son Ryan, allegedly provided by Timothy Cooper. These documents, along with the original MJ-12 papers and the SOMI-01 manual, are presented by the Woods as the "crashed-saucer smoking gun." The article notes that "W2" (presumably the Woods) have received a significant book advance and that Joseph Firmage has posted some documents online. It also mentions "W2" hiring a TV-documentary director and selling related materials. Pflock points out that the ufology field is largely skeptical of these documents due to factual errors and Cooper's questionable nature. He references "Skeptics UFO Newsletter" and Barry Greenwood's "U.F.0. Historical Revue" for detailed critiques, with Greenwood discussing a "fatal flaw" in the "Magestic 12 Project - First Annual Report." The column also questions Stanton Friedman's silence on the matter, given his previous skepticism towards some of these documents.

Page 3: More on MJ-12 and News Briefies

Timothy Cooper's claims about a classified report on a crashed saucer and alien bodies, allegedly produced under the supervision of a deceased base commander, are discussed. Cooper also claimed to possess FBI documents that supposedly disproved Project Mogul's involvement in the Roswell debris. These documents, initially deemed phony by Friedman, are now called authentic by "W2." Cooper's failure to share FBI material with the editor is noted.

Phil Klass's "SUN #55" is recommended, and it's mentioned that Phil Klass believes in the Money System.

The "NEWS BRIEFIES" section thanks readers for sending items, especially from the Internet, and acknowledges that not all submissions can be used. A rumor is mentioned about Joe Firmage's top ufological advisors being Bigelow associate John Alexander and Gordon Novel, with a brief mention of Novel's unfavorable association with the John Kennedy assassination controversy.

Another item discusses the Patterson film of Bigfoot, with two enthusiasts claiming that magnified frames show a bell-shaped fastener at Bigfoot's waist, suggesting the evidence is a clever hoax, though they still believe Bigfoot exists. A similar viewpoint was expressed in a recent FOX documentary.

Researcher Barry Greenwood has released "U.F.0. Historical Revue" #3, which discusses a "Fatal Flaw" in one of the Woods' MJ-12 documents, specifically the "Magestic 12 Project - First Annual Report."

A photo caption discusses Cliff Crook's claim that a Bigfoot film was faked but that it hasn't halted his belief in the creature's existence.

A lightning strike incident involving Josh Rempel in Calgary, Canada, is recounted, where he was struck after expressing atheism. He later stated he believes in a higher being.

A quote from Key West expresses pervasive corruption.

Page 4: Historical Incidents and Phil Klass's Health

The issue references a document from late 1952 discussing mass disappearances of soldiers and equipment during wars. It details an alleged World War I incident on August 21st, 1915, where the "One-Fourth Norfolk Regiment" vanished in a "thick brown cloud." However, the affidavit supporting this claim was signed by New Zealand veterans in 1965 at a 50th anniversary reunion, raising questions about its 1952 relevance and suggesting it could only be known through "Psychic Powers."

Details are provided on how to obtain Barry Greenwood's "U.F.0. Historical Revue."

Phil Klass's current health problems are described, including spinal surgery that failed to ease his walking problem and subsequent damage to his vocal chord during surgery, resulting in "permanent laryngitis." Despite these issues, his spirits are reported to be good.

"The Flying Saucer Gazette," a zine available online and in print, is recommended. It focuses on the Pine Bush, N.Y. saga.

The editor, James W. Moseley, attended the International UFO Congress in Laughlin, Nevada, and participated in a "roast" for contactee Wendelle Stevens. He was invited back as a speaker but could not make it. The article notes a decline in advance registrations for UFO conventions, including their own NUFOC, impacting speaker fees.

The publication mentions attending the annual gathering at Gulf Breeze, Florida, sponsored by Project Awareness, and the MUFON bash in Arlington, Virginia. Details for the 1999 NUFOC in San Antonio, Texas, are pending.

Page 5: Roswell Museum and Book Reviews

Roswell's International Museum and Research Center is reported to be in a "downward spiral" since the resignation of its director, Deon Crosby. The museum has active and inactive websites, no new director appointed, and has reportedly fired staff members. Volunteers are instructed not to discuss internal business, and some researchers have been denied access to UFO material donated by George Fawcett.

Karl Pflock, a founding member of the museum, resigned in disgust in early 1997, and his name was removed from the founding members' plaque and mailed back to him broken.

Editor James W. Moseley lectured on treasure hunting in Key West, mentioning Mel Fisher, the underwater treasure hunter.

A rumor suggests that CUFOS (Center for UFO Studies) is in dire need of money and requests subscriptions and offerings.

Book Reviews:

• "The Cash-Landrum UFO Incident" by John Schuessler is reviewed. The book is described as a major work on one of the most important saucer events. The review suggests that if the same effort used to solve the Roswell Incident had been applied to Cash-Landrum, it would have been explained long ago. The incident, occurring on December 29th, 1980, involved three people driving near Huffman, Texas, who saw a huge, bright diamond-shaped object. The object hovered low, emitted heat, light, and noise, and was observed by multiple helicopters. The witnesses suffered severe injuries, including burns and eventual cancer for Betty Cash.

• A section titled "From 'Strange Magazine', Summer 1997" discusses the Roswell crash. It acknowledges that a balloon project, likely from Project Mogul, fell in New Mexico in 1947. The article criticizes how the case has been exploited by writers, TV producers, alien autopsy hoaxers, and locals, weakening ufology's credibility.

Page 6: Cash-Landrum Incident Details and Legal Battles

The Cash-Landrum incident is further detailed. Betty Cash spent over two weeks in the hospital and later developed breast cancer, possibly due to radiation poisoning. Vickie Landrum and Colby experienced milder symptoms. The article notes that Betty Cash had a prior heart bypass but was otherwise healthy, though Phil Klass claimed she had cancer before the incident. Schuessler's refusal to release pre-UFO medical reports, citing privacy, is mentioned, but Betty Cash's death on December 29th, 1998, eighteen years to the day after the incident, makes privacy a moot point. While the incident caused her health problems, it may not have directly led to her death.

Investigators found little progress in understanding the case. A military CH-47 helicopter pilot named Willy Culberson seemed aware of the incident but provided no details. A rumor suggested helicopters were ordered to "cover" (force to land) a large diamond-shaped experimental military craft that was temporarily out of control.

Peter Gersten, the lawyer for the victims, filed a compensation claim against the government in 1984, which was unsuccessful. The government denied owning any such UFO and stated they could not be held responsible for the injuries. The article concludes that Betty Cash and Vickie Landrum were unable to work afterward, drawing a parallel to "sick and dead civilian workers at 'Area 51'," highlighting their lack of rights against "Big Government."

Book Review:

• "Out of Time and Place: Amazing Accounts that Challenge Our View of Human History" is an anthology of Fortean articles compiled by Terry O'Neill. The review notes that the editor of "Saucer Smear" wrote several articles for "Fate Magazine" in the 1950s and 1960s that did not make it into this anthology.

Page 7: Letters to the Editor and Phil Klass's Response

Letters to Ye Olde Editor:

• Dr. Roger Leir, an UFO implant researcher, writes that "Saucer Smear" seems to serve no function and suggests it should be discontinued, stating "No malice intended."

• William Moore responds to a previous "Smear" issue where he felt he was being "smeared." He questions Phil Klass's subtle hint that Klass might have been involved in a hoax, citing Klass's response as reinforcing this argument rather than dispelling it. Moore interprets Klass's statements as implying he expected Moore to come forward and thank him for discovering the "hoaxer," thus setting Moore up to look foolish. Moore also corrects the record regarding his research on the MJ-12 papers, stating he only said his research gave him no reason to think they weren't authentic, not that they were authentic. He concludes that Klass's reply has not dispelled his doubts and suggests Klass might be the one who did it.

Sidelines:

A brief note about the Kenyan government forming a committee to investigate millennium bug problems.

Page 8: More on I-Beams, Roswell, and Reader Contributions

Miller Johnson, Ufologist & Design Consultant, comments on the MOGUL and alien hieroglyphs mentioned in a previous issue. He questions the height, linear density, and vertical extent of the figures described by Jesse Marcel Jr., suggesting the figures might have been modified. Johnson also discusses the Discovery Channel's portrayal of the Roswell Incident, where rancher Mac Brazel is credited with retrieving the Alien I-Beam. He questions whether two I-Beams were recovered and what happened to the one Mac Brazel had. Johnson concludes that more answers only lead to more questions and that many people's profit margins would be affected.

Miller Johnson has sent a replica of the I-Beam.

George Earley responds to Bob Durant's insistence that the Roswell wreckage was of ET origin, questioning what the wreckage would represent and if it was merely "trash left over from the alien equivalent of an afternoon picnic."

Phil Klass writes about Dr. Gary Posner's revelation of his alleged involvement in MJ-12 documents and other hoaxes. Klass has sent a copy of "Saucer Smear" with Posner's letter to a "certain agency" in Washington, suggesting they revoke his "TOP SECRET/Cosmic Watergate" clearance. He has also asked the White House for their definition of "Kenneth Arnold" and "J. Allen Hynek."

Jeffrey King writes, noting the "dreaded and evil 'X'" next to his name and enclosing his annual "Love Offering." He comments on the Internet's impact on letter writing but believes there is still a place for "brilliantly insightful wit."

Dr. Frank Stranges, a famed contactee, thanks the editor for a recent letter and expresses respect for his stance for the truth, despite minor differences.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of "Saucer Smear" consistently engages with the Roswell Incident and the controversial MJ-12 documents, presenting both proponents and skeptics. The newsletter also highlights the human impact of alleged UFO encounters, as seen in the detailed account of the Cash-Landrum case and its tragic aftermath. There's a recurring theme of questioning official narratives and corporate or governmental influence, whether in the context of UFO research, historical events, or even the perceived corruption in places like Key West. The editor, James W. Moseley, employs a distinctive tone, blending serious reporting with humor and personal commentary, often challenging established figures and ideas within the ufology community. Skepticism, particularly from figures like Phil Klass, is a significant counterpoint to the more sensational claims presented, creating a dynamic and often critical examination of the UFO field. The publication also serves as a platform for reader contributions and debates, reflecting the ongoing discourse and internal disagreements within UFO research circles.