SUN 05 (Sept 1990)

Magazine Overview

Title: Skeptics UFO Newsletter
Issue: #5
Date: September 1990
Publisher: Philip J. Klass

Ed Walters Changes His UFO Tale, Again:

The lead article focuses on Ed Walters, the renowned Gulf Breeze UFO photographer, and his contradictory statements regarding his alleged UFO abductions. On the "OPRAH" TV talk-show on September 7, Walters reportedly denied ever claiming to have been abducted, contradicting his own book. The newsletter points out that on page 261 of Walters' book, the chapter about alleged events of May 1, 1988, begins with him stating, "When I was 41 years old, I photographed a UFO and was abducted." Furthermore, on page 311, Bruce Maccabee, a friend and endorser of Walters, wrote that Ed was abducted on December 17, 1987, and again on May 1, 1988.

The newsletter highlights a discrepancy discovered by Bob Oechsler, another Walters endorser: the fourth in a series of five UFO photos taken on December 17, 1987, came from a Polaroid film pack manufactured in a different month than the other four. When confronted with this, Walters allegedly visited a hypnotist, under whom he recalled being zapped by a "white flash" and transported into a UFO, losing the "real photo #16." Upon returning, his wife was present with a new film pack, which he used to shoot another picture, mistakenly believing it was photo #16. This explanation was accepted by Maccabee and Oechsler. The newsletter questions how they will now explain the different film pack given Walters' denial of abduction.

"UFO-Port" Discovered Near Gulf Breeze:

The newsletter reports on the first broad-daylight photo of an Ed Walters-type UFO, featuring portholes and a topside "dome," taken on Santa Rosa Island, near Gulf Breeze, on August 19. The owner of the "UFO-Port," identified by the pseudonym Joe Bulshitski, claims UFOs began landing on his house in early May 1988, shortly after they stopped visiting Ed Walters' "old" house.

Bulshitski stated that ETs offered no explanation for why they stopped visiting Walters. He also mentioned that ETs visit Gulf Breeze because they love the white-sand beaches, coming late at night to avoid attention. As a token of appreciation, the ETs gave Bulshitski a model of their craft, made from plastic picnic plates, similar to one found in Ed Walters' old house.

The UFO-Model Controversy:

Ed Walters claims the UFO-model found in his former house is a "hoax, planted (by 'debunkers') to discredit the local sightings." He admits that the midsection of the model, with its dark rectangular window-like areas and diamond-shaped areas, is made from a piece of drafting paper he used for a house plan. However, Walters claims he did not make this drawing until September 6-7, 1989, nearly two years after his first UFO photos surfaced. He states the drawing was for Mr. & Mrs. Lynn Thomas, and he discarded it shortly after.

However, Mr. Thomas recalls being notified by Walters three weeks later (September 29) that they preferred to buy an already-built house. The newsletter questions if Walters would have discarded the house plan before hearing from Thomas. Walters claims "debunkers" obtained the plan from his garbage and used it to construct the model, hiding it in the attic before the new owners moved in.

An examination of the UFO-model challenges Walters' claims. The newsletter notes that if debunkers had patterned the model after Walters' sketch, the "dome" should have been vertical. However, the dome in the model is a plastic tube that can shift position due to friction, causing it to tilt slightly, as seen in some of Walters' early photos. The newsletter also points out that the model's backside is blank, whereas if it were a debunker's creation based on Walters' sketch, it might have included details like "widows" and "portholes" that could cast shadows.

Tom Smith Jr., a former friend of Walters, described how Ed used a flashlight fed through a plastic pipe attached to the backside of a model to illuminate it. The newsletter argues that if the house plan had been thrown out as trash, it would have been too crinkled to construct the model, and the early photos of the model do not show the widespread crinkling now evident.

A reporter challenged Walters' claim of a planted model by asking why a debunker would hide it in a cramped attic. Walters offered an explanation involving a refrigerator's automatic ice-maker and a shutoff valve, suggesting that debunkers tampered with the valve to ensure the model would be discovered by the next resident.

Book Review: 'Out There' by Howard Blum:

The newsletter includes a review of Howard Blum's book "Out There: The Government's Secret Quest for Extraterrestrials." The reviewer, Philip J. Klass, describes the book as a "startling exposé" that reads like a novel but claims to be true, with every detail verified. Blum's book centers on a secret Pentagon investigation into UFOs launched in early 1987 by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), approximately 18 years after the Air Force closed its UFO investigation.

Blum's account of the incident that triggered the Pentagon's interest involves Navy Cmdr. Sheila Mondran and the Navy Space Surveillance System (NSSS). However, Klass points out numerous errors in Blum's narrative, including incorrect details about Mondran's stationing and the physical layout of Cheyenne Mountain. Klass also notes that the NSSS, an "electronic fence," could not have detected the maneuvers described by Blum.

The review further discusses Blum's claims about DIA experiments using "remote viewers" (psychics) to locate submarines and their alleged involvement in investigating a UFO incident. Klass expresses skepticism about these claims and points out that the object described by Blum does not match the characteristics of a "low-flying surveillance plane."

Klass also addresses Col. Harold E. Phillips, a DIA intelligence analyst who allegedly convinced the agency to form a "top-secret working group" to investigate UFOs. Klass finds discrepancies in Phillips' military record and educational background as presented by Blum. The review also touches upon Blum's investigation into Elmwood, Wisconsin, a town known for UFO sightings, and his mention of the "Top Secret MJ-12 papers."

Klass notes that he appears in Blum's book, with Blum summarizing his career as a technical journalist and skeptical UFO investigator. Klass points out 24 factual errors in the five pages dedicated to him, including an inaccurate description of his physical appearance.

Reaction to Blum's Book and UFO Movement:

The newsletter speculates on how UFO Movement leaders will react to Blum's book. Some may claim it supports their "government UFO coverup" narrative, while others, like proponents of the Roswell crash story, might dismiss it as nonsense. The newsletter suggests that some "UFO-Promoters" might argue that the government's knowledge of crashed saucers and alien bodies is so covert that even high-ranking officials are unaware.

The review criticizes the endorsement of Blum's book by MUFON officials, contrasting it with their previous assessment of the Ed Walters/Gulf Breeze case. It also quotes Blum's ambivalent stance on the MJ-12 documents, suggesting they are part of a government disinformation campaign.

Klass also recounts a visit Blum claimed to have made to the former offices of Project Blue Book at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, describing a room with "hundreds of drawers" as a "small" office, which Klass finds questionable.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance:

The Skeptics UFO Newsletter, under Philip J. Klass, maintains a consistently skeptical stance towards UFO phenomena and claims. The publication actively investigates and debunks alleged UFO sightings, abductions, and government conspiracies. It relies on factual analysis, cross-referencing of accounts, and examination of evidence, such as photographic discrepancies and physical models, to challenge extraordinary claims. The newsletter aims to expose hoaxes, question the credibility of prominent UFO figures, and provide a rational perspective on UFO reports. The editorial stance is critical of what it perceives as the "illogic and gullibility" within the UFO community and highlights perceived disinformation campaigns by both UFO proponents and, potentially, government entities.