Saucer Smear - Vol 51 No 08 - 2004

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER SMEAR
Issue: Volume 51, No. 8
Date: August 25th, 2004
Publisher: SAUCER & UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of Saucer Smear, a publication dedicated to ufological journalism, features a "SMEAR" EXCLUSIVE on Dr. Bruce Maccabee's lie detector test concerning the classic Gulf Breeze UFO case. The newsletter also includes various "TID BITS OF TRASH" covering other UFO-related news, research updates, and commentary from contributing editors and readers.

Dr. Bruce Maccabee Takes a Lie Detector Test

The lead article details a lie detector test taken by Dr. Bruce Maccabee, an atmospheric physicist affiliated with MUFON, regarding the sensational Gulf Breeze, Florida UFO sightings and photographs orchestrated by Ed Walters. The test was administered on May 10th, 2004, and paid for by skeptic Jerry Black, who had long insisted Maccabee received a "pay-off" for his contribution to Ed Walters' book, "The Gulf Breeze Sightings." The three questions focused on whether Maccabee was offered or received money before July 1st, 1988, for his contribution. Maccabee answered "NO" to all questions, as his admitted payment of $18,000 was received in January 1989, after the specified date. The test's result was declared "INCONCLUSIVE," leaving the controversy unresolved. The editorial notes that polygraphs are not 100% accurate and that even a definite result would not have settled the matter. The magazine expresses a negative opinion on the Gulf Breeze sightings despite liking Ed Walters personally, referencing their book "Shockingly Close to the Truth!" for detailed opinions.

Tid Bits of Trash

Roswell Alien Mannequin Theft: Researcher Tom Benson reports on a humorous incident in Roswell where a 50-pound mannequin named Fred, designed as a grey space alien and part of the "Alien Encounter" attraction, was stolen. The mannequin, along with its wheelchair, was valued at approximately $3,500. A young man later apologized and promised to return Fred, but as of the publication date, he had not. The incident is humorously framed as humans abducting an alien.

Betty and Barney Hill Abduction Case: A brief overview of the Betty and Barney Hill abduction case from December 7, 1951, is presented, challenging readers to identify flaws. The case involves a blue light, a stop on a lonely New Hampshire road, Barney approaching the craft, and a subsequent two-hour missing time sequence suggesting physical examinations.

41st National UFO Conference: The upcoming 41st National UFO Conference (NUFOC) is announced, to be held at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, California, on Halloween weekend (October 29th, 30th, and 31st). The convention room rate is $119. Mailing addresses and contact information for the convention are provided.

Pat Marcattilio's UFO/ET Congress: Pat Marcattilio, also known as "Dr. UFO," and his group "The UFO/ET World Traveling Museum & Library of Scientific Anomalies," have hosted UFO/ET Congresses near Trenton, New Jersey. Despite Pat's retirement and plans to travel, another conclave is scheduled for November 6th and 7th in Bordontown, New Jersey.

CSICOP's Display: The article mentions that the CSICOP organization is expanding its display of non-anomalous items in Amherst, New York, near their headquarters, featuring "snake oil and other murky cure-alls, fortune-telling tools, and a bug-eyed alien" to hammer home how gullible people would have to be to believe in such things.

Obituary for Laurence Rockefeller: The death of billionaire Laurence Rockefeller at age 94 is noted. While his environmental conservation efforts are mentioned, the obituary omits his significant financial contributions to ufological projects, including a report called "Best Evidence" and support for researchers like Peter Sturrock and Scott Jones. Rockefeller hosted informal UFO conferences at his home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Bob Shell and Tina Resch: The issue references a previous report about Bob Shell, an alleged photo expert on the "Alien Autopsy Film," being charged with felony murder. It then introduces a similar scenario involving Tina Resch from Columbus, Ohio, who in 1984 achieved fame for supposedly teleporting objects. A famous photo shows a telephone flying by while her hands are in the air. James Randi was involved in investigating her. Tina Resch was later charged with the beating death of her 2-year-old daughter and was recently refused parole.

Phoenix Lights Incident: The "Phoenix (Arizona) Lights" UFO incident of March 13th, 1997, is recalled. Lynne Kitei, who considers the lights otherworldly and spiritual, has videos available and authored the book "The Phoenix Lights." She is slated to be a speaker at the National UFO Conference.

Dwight Connelly's "The World's Best UFO Cases": The magazine reviews Dwight Connelly's new book, noting that MUFON cooperated in its preparation, but the opinions are Connelly's own. The book omits the Ed Walters Gulf Breeze case but includes other cases like the Kelly Kahill abduction from Australia. Connelly's book covers topics such as crop circles, animal mutilations, alien implants, and Bigfoot. It is described as a worthwhile 235-page softcover book available for $11.95.

Astronomers' Views on Solar Systems: Disappointing news for UFO enthusiasts is reported: mainstream astronomers feel our solar system may be unique due to other discovered systems having large, gassy planets too close to their stars, with elliptical orbits. However, the article suggests further research may discover planets similar to Earth.

George Filer and MUFON: George Filer, "Director, MUFON Eastern Region," is pictured with "Debbie D," one of Bob Durant's Roswell girls, at a convention. Filer's column, "Filer's Files," appears in the MUFON UFO Journal. The "Filer Research Institute" is questioned, with Ray Stanford suggesting it might be imaginary, linked to Filer's claims about ancient Martian life. The article wonders why other MUFON regional directors are not as prominent.

Colonel Donald Ware: A former MUFON "Eastern Region Director," Colonel Donald Ware, is mentioned as having become too extreme in his views and subsequently disappearing from ufology.

Larry Bryant and Habeas Corpus: Larry Bryant, a researcher focused on government secrecy, has an article in Fate Magazine reviewing the UFO Habeas Corpus Petition he filed in federal court in 1983. Bryant's interpretation of "habeas corpus" to include alien bodies was rejected by the court. Bryant also recently accused the President of lying about the reasons for invading Iraq, leading to a lawsuit against Donald Rumsfeld.

PFlock PTalk / To the Future Through the Past: Contributing Editor Karl Pflock reflects on the shift in UFO research towards historical case material from the "Golden Age of Saucers" (mid-1940s to early 1970s). He mentions Richard Hall's book "Alien Invasion or Human Fantasy?" and Herb Taylor's study on satellite objects. Pflock shares personal nostalgic memories of his childhood fascination with UFOs, including his own sighting in 1951 or '52, and the anticipation surrounding events like the Flatwoods Monster and the Florida scoutmaster saucer "attack." He plans to share more recollections of gathering around a portable radio to listen to live broadcasts about flying saucers.

• News in Brief:
• Route 666 Renamed: The highway previously known as Route 666 in New Mexico and Utah has been renamed Route 491. Most of the old highway signs were stolen.
• Swedish Firefighter's Multiple Personalities: A Swedish firefighter with multiple personality syndrome has married one of his alternate personalities.
• Turkish Encounter: An Austrian tourist was stoned by Turks who believed he was a Satanist or an alien.

Letters from the Masses:

Jenny Randles: The British ufologist expresses enjoyment of "Smear" and notes that ufology in the UK has gone "almost underground," with most activity happening online. She believes ufology needed a period of soul-searching to return to its basics, as people realized "They" were not about to land and that decades of false promises were not being met.

Martin Kottmeyer: Kottmeyer critiques William Birnes' UFO Encyclopedia, finding it overly charitable and full of blundering. He mentions observing the transit of Venus and notes that the ZetaTalk website claims Venus did not transit and that NASA is hiding information about "Planet X." He also quotes Wendy Connors, who believes debunkers are deluded.

Gaines Crook: Crook disagrees with the idea that reality requires proof, stating that the universe existed for billions of years without human proof. He considers UFOs the greatest enigma encountered by mankind and believes that understanding them requires standards beyond Earthly ones, potentially taking centuries.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue maintains a critical yet engaged stance on ufology. While reporting on various UFO cases and research, there's a consistent undercurrent of skepticism, particularly towards sensational claims and the reliability of certain evidence (like polygraphs). The magazine highlights the ongoing debates between believers and skeptics, the challenges of proving UFO phenomena, and the historical context of UFO research. There's a clear preference for rigorous, no-nonsense analysis, as evidenced by the critique of Kottmeyer's review and the editorial's own assessment of the Gulf Breeze case. The magazine also touches upon the commercialization of UFO topics and the evolving nature of UFO research, moving towards historical analysis. The editorial team seems to value historical cases and a grounded approach, while acknowledging the enduring mystery and fascination surrounding UFOs.