Saucer Smear - Vol 55 No 06 - 2008

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER SMEAR
Issue: Vol. 55, No. 6
Date: June 30th, 2008
Publisher: OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SAUCER & UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY

This issue of Saucer Smear, a non-scheduled newsletter dedicated to ufological journalism, features a critical editorial by Editor James W. Moseley, discussions on historical and contemporary UFO cases, and a prediction of a significant UFO event.

Editorial: Ravings

Editor James W. Moseley expresses his frustration with the overwhelming amount of low-quality material received regarding UFOs, much of which he characterizes as 'trash' and 'mindless opinionated ramblings'. He specifically targets 'Blogs' and 'Bloggers', comparing them unfavorably to some columnists in 'UFO Magazine'. While acknowledging a few researchers like Mac Tonnies, Paul Kimball, Kevin Randle, Nick Redfern, Greg Bishop, and Jerry Clark as worth reading, he laments the lack of substance in much online UFO discourse. Moseley notes that many blogs attract minimal engagement and that commenters often use pseudonyms, making it difficult to trace information. He also touches on the diversity of UFO craft shapes and characteristics, questioning the 'true believers' explanation that witnesses simply perceive things differently.

The Intelligence Behind UFOs

Moseley proposes a theory that the intelligence behind UFO phenomena might be deliberately trying to confuse humans, citing an alleged statement to an abductee: "We want you to believe in us, but not too much." He laments that many serious researchers avoid the field due to its perceived messiness. However, he reiterates his conviction, shared with the late Dr. J. Allen Hynek, that there is a 'kernel of truth' in UFO phenomena, with Hynek predicting that the solution would be a "mighty and totally unexpected quantum leap" for science.

New Light on the 1897 "Airship" Mystery

This section reviews an article by UFO historian Jerry Clark, titled "UFOs or Mystery Airships?", published in the March 2008 issue of "International UFO Reporter". Clark analyzes the well-known 1897 "flap", distinguishing it from mainstream UFO phenomena. He suggests these "airships" were "experience anomalies" that were neither objectively true nor untrue. In contrast, the article assumes mainstream UFOs are real and interplanetary. The 1897 objects are described as large, egg-shaped, with varied light patterns, often seen at night. Their existence is primarily documented through newspaper articles, with few photographs. The article notes that in cases where entities were seen, they appeared as ordinary humans, and some even spoke English. While human inventors are considered unlikely due to aviation history, the possibility of hoaxes, like the Aurora, Texas incident, is acknowledged. A forthcoming book, "Secrets of Dellschau - The Sonora Aero Club and the Airships of the 1800s", co-authored by Dennis Crenshaw and Pete Navarro, is mentioned.

The Dellschau Connection

Further exploring the 1850s "Aero Club" in Sonora, California, this section discusses artist Dellschau's drawings of complex airships. Dennis Crenshaw and Pete Navarro's book is expected to decipher this coded information. The link between Dellschau's work and the 1897 airship flap is described as tenuous, with both mysteries being separate from the mainstream UFO scene.

News Briefies

This section covers several distinct reports:

• The Ghost Plane: A mystery from Scandinavia (1933-1934) involving an object resembling an airplane, seen simultaneously in different locations, which evaded authorities. The source is "Fortean Times".
• Jerry Clark on Fate Magazine: An article by Jerry Clark about the sixty-year history of Fate Magazine, where he served as editor.
• Allen Greenfield's Prediction: A prediction by Allen Greenfield for a major UFO event, possibly involving a landing, in Houston, Texas, on July 3rd, 2008. This prediction is based on his study of ciphers and was discussed on the "Paracast" radio program.
• Phoenix Mars Lander: The successful landing of the Phoenix Mars Lander on May 25th, 2008, near Mars' northern pole, to search for evidence of past life. The lander is equipped with a robotic arm to dig into the soil.
• British UFO Files: Great Britain has released many official UFO files, focusing on national security rather than interplanetary possibilities. The Rendlesham Forest incident (1980) is mentioned as an example of a complex and confusing case.

Digging for Clues in the Martian Soil

This section details the mission of the Phoenix Mars Lander, which aims to analyze Martian soil for 92 Earth days to find clues to possible past life. The lander will measure environmental conditions and use its robotic arm to collect and analyze soil samples for organic molecules. The article notes the high failure rate of previous unmanned Mars missions and expresses hope for the Phoenix mission's success.

Editor's Cyber-Adventures

Moseley recounts his participation in the "Paracast" show and an interview on the Paranormal Radio Network, titled "Live from Roswell", hosted by Guy Malone. He reflects on the shift from earlier hopes of finding "little men" on Mars to more modest expectations for discovering rudimentary life.

Historical Skepticism and Martian Theories

The article touches on past skepticism, referencing Dr. Donald Menzel and a lecturer named Gordon Evans who had theories about Martians preventing landings on Earth. It contrasts these with current, more modest expectations for discovering microbial life on Mars.

British UFO Files and Rendlesham Forest

This part reiterates that Great Britain has released UFO files, primarily concerning national security. The Rendlesham Forest incident (also known as the "British Roswell") is highlighted as a complex case, with Lt. Col. Charles Halt being a key figure.

UFOs in Renaissance Art?

This section discusses an analysis by Diego Cuoghi, an expert in Italian Renaissance art, published in Michael Shermer's "Skeptic" Magazine. Cuoghi argues that alleged UFOs and occupants depicted in religious paintings from about 500 years ago are actually representations of saints, angels, or the holy spirit, and that religious institutions would not have allowed un-canonical elements to be included.

A Curious Sighting: Continental Airlines Flight

A sighting on May 25th, 2008, involving a Continental Airlines flight near Bush Intercontinental Airport in Cleveland, is described. The pilot reported a fast-moving object with a thick smoke trail entering its airspace, initially assumed to be a "high-powered model rocket". However, an investigation with a local model rocket club officer revealed no official launches and inconsistencies with the reported smoke trail, suggesting the object might not have been a model rocket.

Book Review: Mysteries of Mount Shasta

Timothy Green Beckley's new book, "Mysteries of Mount Shasta - Home of the Underground Dwellers and Ancient Gods", is briefly reviewed. The book contains about sixty short articles on Shasta legends, with numerous illustrations. The publisher is Global Communications.

Jerry Clark's UFO Views

UFO historian Jerry Clark explains his classification of anomalous claims and phenomena:

1. Pseudo-anomalies: Noise from misperceptions, hoaxes, delusions, exaggeration.
2. Core anomalies: Unusual, puzzling events potentially explainable within expanded existing knowledge.
3. Experience anomalies: Phenomena existing in vivid perception, epistemologically unrelated to core anomalies, and beyond current knowledge.

Clark states he will focus his energy on "experience anomalies".

Dr. Frank Stranges on Val Thor Film Project

Dr. Frank Stranges writes about a forthcoming motion picture project concerning "Val Thor". He mentions a business meeting with interested parties and notes that he is recovering from a recent illness.

"Ray X" Letter

A letter from "Ray X" of "The Ray X X-Rayer" zine points out a typo in a previous issue of Saucer Smear, where "world renouned" was written instead of "world renowned".

Oliver Hallen Letter

Oliver Hallen comments on the recent issue of "Smear", finding it interesting and noting Chris Roth as a pertinent replacement, wondering about the future direction of the publication.

Unidentified Flying Human Freaks the Hell Out of Mexico

This section reports on a video from Mexico showing an "airborne woman" hovering over mountains near Neuvo Leon City. The figure is described as gliding horizontally and appearing to walk off a cliff. Locals believe it to be a wizard or witch, though the article questions how they know it is a woman. The report notes that this type of occurrence was first reported in 2006.

Alien Burial Rumour

A brief report from Malaysia about residents fearing six extraterrestrials were buried in a local cemetery, later explained as banana tree trunks used for "medicinal purposes".

Ecstatic Moo

A humorous report about Dan Vasile from Transylvania being awarded compensation for a defective inflatable sex doll that did not "moan with pleasure" and sounded like a cow.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the critical analysis of online UFO discourse, the exploration of historical UFO and airship mysteries, the scientific investigation of Mars, and the ongoing release of government UFO files. The editorial stance, as expressed by James W. Moseley, is one of skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims, a focus on rigorous research, and a belief in the underlying reality of UFO phenomena, albeit one that may be complex and surprising.