Saucer Smear - Vol 48 No 04 - 2001

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER SMEAR
Issue: Volume 48, No. 4
Date: April 25th, 2001
Publisher: SAUCER & UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Country: USA
Language: English

Tidbits of Trash (as usual!)

The issue opens with a discussion of the Raelian cult, drawing from a February 4th, 2001 article in the New York Times Magazine. The cult leader, Rael, a French former race-car driver and UFO contactee, claims that in 1973 he encountered a four-foot-tall alien whose flying saucer had landed atop a volcano in southern France. From this alien, Rael learned that humans were originally created in a laboratory by highly advanced beings from another planet who had mastered genetics and cell biology. Subsequent visits to the spacecraft, during which Rael allegedly experienced sexual attentions from six "voluptous and bewitching" female robots, convinced him of the aliens' superior civilization. The Raelian headquarters are located in rural Quebec, Canada, and include a museum devoted to extraterrestrial phenomena and genetics, featuring a life-sized replica of the flying saucer Rael claims to have boarded. Rael's philosophy centers on the belief that the secret to eternal life is through human cloning. This item was contributed by Chris Roth.

George Adamski Foundation

Glenn Steckling, Director of the George Adamski Foundation (GAF International), sent a package of about 70 pages of their Internet postings. The Foundation, begun in 1965, the year Adamski died, is dedicated to promoting scientific fact and philosophical thought pertinent to understanding that Human Life is the rule, not exception, throughout the universe. Steckling's material includes a 10-page treatise attributed to Adamski from 1946, titled "The Possibility of Life on Other Planets," predating his alleged close encounters. The Foundation appears unsure how to address UFO abduction stories, as such accounts were not prevalent in Adamski's time. Glenn Steckling can be reached at P.O. Box 1722, Vista, California 92085. For those interested in Adamski's interplanetary claims, a "Special Adamski Expose Issue (1957)" of "Saucer News" is available for ten dollars from Tom Benson, P.O. Box 1174, Trenton, N.J. 08606.

MUFON Journal Critiques

Under its current editor, Dwight Connelly, the MUFON UFO Network UFO Journal is described as unintentionally humorous. The April 2001 issue is noted for a "cop-out" regarding the John Carpenter Affair. Instead of detailing MUFON's investigation into Carpenter's ethics concerning the sale of abduction reports, the journal simply stated that Carpenter had vacated his post as MUFON Director of Abduction Research for personal reasons. The issue also features praise for the MUFON Symposium in Orange County, California, where Harold Burt, author of "Flying Saucers 101," stated that the work of the speakers would eventually be recognized as more important to mankind than that of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, and the Wright Brothers.

News Briefies

The NUFOC convention in Austin, Texas, scheduled for September 14th-16th, will feature speakers such as Jenny Randles, Karl Pflock, Patrick Huyghe, Dennis Stacy, Tom Deuley, Constance Clear, Greg Bishop, Kenn Thomas, and the "Smear" editor. Contact Miles Lewis at P.O. Box 33509, Austin, Texas 78764, or www.nufoc.net for more information.

A motion picture based on John Keel's 1975 book "The Mothman Prophecies" is in production in Pittsburgh, Pa., involving the area around Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The film focuses on sightings of a giant birdlike creature in 1966 and 1967, and the subsequent collapse of the Silver Bridge in late 1967, which killed forty-six people. John Keel, as the author, has finally been paid a modest amount for his efforts.

Ron Bonds, publisher of several of John Keel's books, died suddenly around April 6th, apparently from food poisoning. Bonds was a conspiracy publisher and writer, and his death is noted as the second such recent death under mysterious circumstances, following Jim Keith's death in 1999. Some speculate about a conspiracy to eliminate conspiracy writers.

The "Smear" editor and other researchers planned a trip to Point Pleasant, W.Va., to investigate the Mothman phenomenon, as a side-trip from a mini-convention in Clarksburg, W.Va.

Phil Klass' March 2001 issue of "Skeptics UFO Newsletter" (SUN) provides an update on his deteriorating physical condition, with plans to maintain a quarterly schedule.

Due to the dot-com stock market slump, Joe Firmage and Ann Druyan have put their online "One Cosmic Network" on indefinite hibernation.

The Fund for UFO Research (FUFOR) quarterly report notes that "The Press Newsletter" has been issued, with only one response received so far.

Charles Johnson, president of the International Flat Earth Society, died at age 76. Despite evidence to the contrary, Johnson and his followers maintained that the Earth is flat.

Karl Pflock's PTalk: MJ-12 Follies, Part Two

Karl Pflock's column discusses the Eisenhower Briefing Document (EBD) and the alleged MJ-12 group. He recounts how ufologist Brad Sparks discovered that Donald H. Menzel, an astronomer and anti-saucer fiend, had a UFO sighting near Alamogordo, New Mexico, in 1949. Sparks circulated a paper on Menzel in 1972, detailing his presence in New Mexico and his sighting. In 1982, Wilbert Smith's notes from an interview with Robert Sarbacher surfaced, suggesting that a super-secret U.S. government group was studying crash saucers. Stan Friedman allegedly concluded that this group was established to study the Roswell saucer and bodies, and identified Menzel as a likely leader due to his proximity to the crash site. Friedman reportedly believed Menzel's debunking activities were a cover for his true views. In 1984, the EBD was exposed, and Friedman, along with Bill Moore and Jaime Shandera, researched it. In 1987, they went public with the EBD and MJ-12 at the National UFO Conference in Burbank, with Friedman emphasizing Menzel's supposed involvement.

Letters to Ye Olde Editor

Paul Thompson writes regarding his dispute with MUFON over the unauthorized reprinting of his article "Magic vs. Majic" in the January 2001 MUFON Journal. He states that he contacted Mr. Moseley, who offered to send a copy of the journal. Thompson discovered his article was reprinted with his byline and the appellation "Nebula Editor." As of April 6th, Thompson is satisfied that the reprinting was an error and awaits Mr. Schuessler's promised actions to meet his conditions (copies of the journal, payment, and an acknowledgment of the error).

William Moore writes about his reaction to his "highly confidential" communication being published without prior warning. He expresses displeasure at being "blind-sided" and feeling "betrayed" by a supposed friend. Consequently, he is unable to accept an invitation to speak at the "Smear" convention in Austin.

Eldon Byrd comments on the latest "Smear," assuming the articles are not jokes. He discusses the Spaulding Manuscript and its alleged connection to the Book of Mormon, citing that Sidney Rigdon did not meet Joseph Smith until after the Book of Mormon was published. Byrd claims that a comparison of the Spaulding Manuscript with the Book of Mormon reveals no common incidents or proper names.

Researcher Christopher Roth, Ph.D., expresses his view that the Mormon religion is a fraud, calling the Book of Mormon a mishmash of theories and a "ham-handed 19th-century attempt to sound Biblical." He notes that Joseph Smith was a confidence man and medicine-show hustler.

Kenn Thomas of Steamshovel Press discusses Stan Friedman's letter and Jim Martin's book "Wilhelm Reich and the Cold War," which he believes provides corroborating proof of MJ-12's existence. Thomas suggests that the "Special Studies" sub-group of MJ-12, mentioned in the Cutler/Twining memo, refers to Wilhelm Reich and his UFO encounters.

Harry Lime of Vienna, Austria, humorously comments on Stan Friedman's career, questioning his current status as a nuclear physicist.

Michael Dennett writes that "Smear" remains the premier UFO magazine and finds Karl Pflock's column articulate and balanced, suggesting he lighten up. He also questions Stanton Friedman's continued focus on MJ-12, stating that it is not going anywhere and that most of the UFO community does not give it credence.

Glenn Steckling, Director of the George Adamski Foundation, writes that he is familiar with Moseley's background and their past debates. He offers material from their website and expresses hope for future publications that are not "tired, rehashed second-rate opinions."

Tom Curtin Jr. writes as a fan of "Smear" and MUFON Field Investigator, enjoying Moseley's talk at the Tampa Bay MUFON meeting and the inclusion of the Tampa Bay Skeptics group.

Books to Keep Your Bonfire Burning Brightly

"Mysterious Things in the Sky," a soft-cover booklet by Rick Hilberg and the late Allan J. Manak, is reviewed. It contains short accounts of sightings from 222 B.C. to 1929 A.D. The booklet includes photographs and drawings.

"The UFO Book of Lists" by Stephen J. Spighesi is described as an endless list of lists, including "19 Amazing Quotations about UFOs" and "93 UFO Organizations and Resources." The review notes that the book correctly describes "Saucer Smear" as a "satirical mag that does not take the UFO experience too seriously." The conclusion regarding the Roswell Incident suggests it was caused by a Mogul Balloon.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently critiques mainstream UFO organizations like MUFON, questioning their investigations and editorial decisions. There is a strong emphasis on debunking and skepticism, particularly concerning the MJ-12 phenomenon and certain historical UFO claims. The publication also engages in commentary on current events related to ufology, including film productions and new book releases. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, often with a humorous or sarcastic undertone, and a dedication to presenting alternative perspectives and challenging established narratives within the UFO community.